Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-09-20
VIRGINIA. ARGUS.
RICHM OND:
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 90, 1873

"ONAh1S oEP1 r. pBER ~, 1919
----------
ar There is ~ t.so .Norsie,7, .lhils d,4e-.rh.
Papers ir0"'tAe sse,l, arefery barren of intel
FOR TIE yixsINIA ARGUS.
TO TIE TsHop OF VIRGINIA.
Right Reytrend Sir,
HE day appointed by oar pious and
patrioH President, for public Mmiliation
AID kfayer, having now passed, we<rel onr
sek<ts impelled by several considerations to
.ssSidress YOU This we do, not in yourpri-
5Tate ,<but public character. AS to the fer-
mer, we take it for granted thas it is as it
ought to be. immaculate and pure. But as
to the latter, we must be permitted to ex
press our surprize that YOU should not have
taken the lead, as your high Episcopal STA
,ion required you to do, in recommending
70 your churches due observance of the
Presidents proclamation, and in preparing
for them, and publishing in due time, a
Prayer suited to the occasion. This was
very properly done by a brother Bishop in
our sister stare of Maryland. who thereby
placed himself in the lignt." as you, by a
contrary conduct, have placed yourself " i'll
the dark" The tcriptural inference is left
TO yoir Lordship.s
II has been thought. and said by some
that your Political opinions being adverse
to the present administrator have caused
this dereliction OF your Religious duties.--
This we are unwilling to believe. Fer,
though 1t is incumbent on you, as u disciple
of Jesus, to breathe peace and good viii TO-
wards al mankind, to set your face against
conten ions and strHes and wars. vet it is
equally incumbent on you /" to render unto
CEsar the Things that are Cnsar's.''
Amongst the laity distinction is often
taken, and sometimes tolerated, between
ins OF omission and commission. But a.
M ngst those who are called TO the sacred
functions of Priest and Bishop, even Charity
herself, all christian as she is, viii not allow
it.. Permit us, then, right reverend SIR, TO
ask how it happens that you, who hold the
highest Ecclesiastical and Literary station
IN the Commonwealth, should not have been
first and foremost in promoting that lauda-
DE Institution, the Bi5e Society Of Vlrgi
MIA Was it not peculiarly your province,
as Bishep IN religious point of view -
Your province as the Precedent OF William
ard Mary College in literary point of
view Are you Content 10 fold your arms
III your Lawn Sleeves, TO loil in YOUR stall,
aud, like some of your transatlantic r.,
thren TO erjoy the Episcopal Dignity, W tn
our ''iaboung in he vineyard" or doing
one righteous thing to shed a Iustre on YOUR
mitred head Are you conten TO enjoy
tne emoluments and the honors too of the
Presidency of William and Mary without
exeriing yourself. i'll any way, 70 deserve
them! Nothing that appertAins tc Reli-
gion, nothing that appertains to Learning,
should be foreign from the head Of our
1v.A ~ Lsa.a1 &c -
You enjoy the rank and thetl,e OF Bishop
But do you perform che ds4tes of one ? D.
you go about your Diocese toordain, to con
firm, to admonish OF suspend, and occasion
ally to preach Do you. sRapire into the
| character and conduct of your Clergy in
the different Parishes in order 20 laud the
good, and to rebuke the bad Are there
| no reprobate Priests within the circumfe-
renee Of your extended see? None who,
whilst they are enjoying the undisposed OF
geoes, are not only performing paroChIcai
duty, and rendering no services whatever
therefor, but are deterioraling the morals
| and manners OF the people, by The dissoiute
! ard impious examples they set? II there
be any such, ought nos you 20 be active IN
| admonishimg aNa Eelorping, or in disgraciug
ana susPending Ffeh.S
Are there no xlrtunas and pious Pastors,
pc I aud pennyless, with an.able wives and
numerous families to support, whose indi
gence cries aloud fgr succour? Ii there
be ANY such, cught rot you to be prominent
In promoting the goody work Of charitable
contributions
Rcttc; upon these things -fight reverend
sir, ard begin, we beseech y6d, " to do your
| duty III that station of life to which it has
pleased God to call You"
MAMV CHRISTI
Sept. 10th, 1878