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The Gorbam Case -Miss ScHon…

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The Gorbam Case Miss ScHon and and Sicrd Campbell. The following oonv.spondence has p i-ed between Miss Sellon, the Sister of Mercy, a:id Lord Cliict Jus- tice Campbell — "The Orphans' Home, Plymouth, arch 19. "My Loi-(I,-It is with a pain the intensity of which, amidst such apparent ingratitude, your Lord- ship will not readily imagine possible, that in writing to expressmy deep sense of vour kindness in consenting to aid the work at Devonport, I have now to request the withdrawal of a name which, noble and honoured as it is, is connected most painfully with a decision which for the present brands the Church of England with uricatholic teaching1. As it most unworthy, yet faithful daughter of that Church, I have, as your Lordship will perceive, 110 choice left me in working for her but to withdraw from one who has assisted in a judgment which I am bound to believe is is so contrary to her fundamental principles as to be fatal to her unless absolutely re- jected. It is useless to multiply words of sorrow. Your Lordship will know and feei that such a letter as the present ought not and could not be written without much grief and embarrassment. Entreating your forgiveness, and praying that all blessing may attend you and yours, I am, your Lordship's humble grateful servant, PIUSCILLA LYDIA SELLON, Ye mother supr." !VfiJIami Circuit, Madam,— Having it most sincere; respect for your piety and benevolence, I woulli beg you to reconsider your request that my name may be withdrawn from the list of those who are desirous of h.s.-i.sting you in the truly Christian objects to which your lite is de- voted. I really believe that you misunderstand the j judgment to which you refer when you consider I hut it is so dangerous to the Church and so discreditable to those who concurred in it. I assure you that we have g-ivpn no opinion contrary to yours upon the doc- trine of baptismal regeneration. We had i.o jmis- diction to decide any doctrinal question, and we stu- diously abstained from doing so. We were only called upon to construe the articles and fori.-iularii s of the Church,and to say whether they he .so framed as to Condemn certain opinions exprcpffd hv :J r. 0", ]¡"II, If we be mistaken in thinking that they tire not so framed, you will hardly say that for t'ui: ,:r.<fake (which you will charitably believe to be const ifhtioii^) we ought to be excluded from communion willi or- thodox Christians. Recollect that the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York entirely ap- proved of what we did, and that they are as much answerable for it as if they had been members of the court instead of being only our advisers. Hded, then, whether it be for the good of the Church, to which you are so affectionately attached, to pronounce excommunication against all who may approve o! the decision which you censure. Perhaps you may find that a large majority of the pious sons and daughters of the Church of England think that tee decision is aound, and that it may heal the wounds from which she has lately suffered. At any rate I do hope that upon wi;1 atill aiiuw me to have the gratification of being upon your committee. If you remain indexible, I must submit to vour deter- mination, but I shall < tiiii,e to pray that Heaven may enlighten your understanding and further your labours with its choicest blessings. I have the honour to be, with the highest regard, yulii, most obedient faithful servant, CAMPBELL." !i The Orphans' Home, April 8. "ry Lord,-I fount your letter on my return from a short absence f: on; home. Need I say that the j unexpected kindness of its contents only made m" the more bitterly mourn over the unhappy cause \1:1,11 separates me from such a benevolent and noble heart —separates me, as I still hope, only for a time, for how can I beliexe but that your Lordship will in time perceive what is involved in your decision, and will lament as deeply us any one of its that it should have endangered the Church by the apparent admission of heretical teaching ? "You tell me that, on the contrary, it will help to heal her wounds. Alas my Lord, that you should say so. How can it heal her wounds to tell us that her articles admit of a hertsy which her creed reject, I may not believe it, although such words are sanc- tioned by the two My Lord, I do not believe it. It would be to question the truth of the Church of England to believe that it were matter of allowed indifference whether an article of the creed were contradicted or not. It is not being faithful to her to doubt until lur own voice condemn her, which may God forbid But many hearts since the decision do fail. They believe that your decision is it; st they do not believe that the Church of England a witness to and a holder of the truth of God -they turn from her as not being" I P, light set on a bill which cannot be hid.' Their faith is utterly shaken. I speak from a bitter knowledge of facts. I see her forsaken by those who have loved her. And you, my Lord, do you also believe that the Church of England has been untrue to lierself-tlj:it her f'oz-niii- laries are so constituted that he contradicts her own belief-that she will not maintain the faith of her ereeda—that she will admit prie ts to teach her (-hit- dren that which has been condemned as a ? Foi-give iiie, niy l,oi-tl, roi- writing thus to you. liow can I do otherwise? It is not that I forget the diffe- rence which God has placed between us-tlie (litye- rence between an exalted and a lowly position—the difference of age, and sex, and station j but all fades away while I recollect the wonderful kindness of your lettei--tlie nolile reluct;in(-e with which you withdraw the aid which once I should have so joyfully and gratefully accepted and I cannot but speak to you heart to heart. I thank you very earnestly for your promise of remembering me in your prayers. 1 alll not worthy to pray for you-and yet if the God of all goodness will hear the 8\jrr'>tion of a lovingand deeply orrow- ing heart, He wil. .nir you to grieve for the injury dnll8 to the Church, and will help you to repair it—and give you all blessing in time and eternity. "Yours very humbly and affectionately, "P. LYDIA SELLON." Stratheden-house, April 10. Madam,—I deeply grieve that (although in very j courteous language) you adhere to the stern resolution of excluding me from the gratification of being upon the list of your committee, and of contributing my mite to the excellent charities which you so laudably superintend. I must confess that you do not seem to hav" made any way in proving that my concurrence in e decision cf the Judicial Committee in the Gor- hain case should disqualify me humbly to assist you in taking care of in providillg- a Christian 1 education for the children of worthless parents, and in mitigating the physical sufferings of our feliow- creatures. j I cannot think that I a;n called upon to answer I your observations respecting the merits of the decison or its probable effect upon the Church, or I could I easily sho"- rhat you beg the entire: v by as- SuniMi'- u>e doctrine to which von oli,et It: I)e,-I) by her articles utri 'formularies as a heresy, a* i might demonstrate that whether the decision be wrong or right, it can afford no plausible pretext for leaving the Church, as no reproach can be brought upon her by a misconstruction of her nrtii les and formularies, and it must be a very slight reproach to er if she has omitted to denounce one fa he doctrine I as heretical, considering that no Christian Church has protc-.ssed to settle dogmatically all points of doctrine, and that the Clmroh i.. w;,i.h th"<\c who conq,iain u"erly Seem disposed to take refuge has studi- ous y e t open various questions, considered by the inembeis of tl,;«t Church to be of highimportance. 1 have on)y now to submit to your sentence. Though expe. ed from your committee and forbidden to have any communion with you in your charitable deeds, I may, per iaps, allowed in parting to re- mind you Ot the peril you incu! in;, icit:v giving way to a religious impulse. < Some 0f tj,t, "darkest and most dangerous prejudices of men said Lord Erskine, 'arise from the most houourab]e principles- I IOU ,I)le When prejudices are caught up froTn bad passions, the worst iiit,ii of remorse to s()ften anJ dis- perse them but when they arise from a generous though mistaken source, 'hey are huged closer to the bosom, and the kindest and most on, natures feel a pleasure iii I) Lr a blind and unjust resentment.' "If at any time hereafter you should be induced to re-lent, I shall joyfully avail myself of the opportu- nity of again trying to further your benevolent schemes, and in the mean tinif, "I have the honour to remain, with the highest j respect, Madam, your most obedient, faithful servant, | "Miss Seiion. "CAMPBELL."

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