5. He cannot officiate in any church without invitation.
6. He has no church of his own, except as he officiates as rector; and unless invited to some place, he is forced, although a bishop, to sit in the congregation as a layman, if he do not stay at home.
And, lastly, he cannot on any account visit a parish unless the vestry of that parish is willing.
We sum up: That so far as the bishops of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States of America are concerned, they are simply figure-heads, ornaments possessing the minimum of authority—in point of fact, no authority at all.
Their own convention addresses are a virtual confession of the condition of affairs as above laid down. To every one who has ever heard an Episcopal bishop’s address, as delivered before the annual convention of clergymen and laymen, the following sample will not appear as in the least overdrawn:
July 10.—Visited the parish of S. John, Oakdale, and confirmed three.
July 17.—Visited the parish of Longwood, and preached and confirmed one.
July 24.—Visited S. Paul’s, and preached and confirmed two in the forenoon. Preached also in the afternoon.
This is a very large and thriving parish.