Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1844-12-06

(
BRETHREN:-
/ Since our last Pastoral Letter TO you. IIea-
yeniy Father has fit, IN his mysterious prov
idencc, to take from US two of our number, our
venerable presiding brother of the Eastern Do
cose, and the less highly esteemed Bishop Of
4 Virginia.
! Very worthy persons having succeeded in their
respective Dioceses, the tears which their deaths
accustomed wore, in measure. dispersed by tho
hand Of Divine Mercy which often strikes bat to
! heal.
Tho association of States which had composed
the Eastern Diocese over which the Right Rev.
Alexander V. Griswold presided, has, by his
death, been dissolved, and three others consecra-
ted to take the pastoral charge of separate por-
tons of tho same flock, viz: the Row. Doctors
Manton Easlburn, over Massachusetts,; J. p. X.
IIenshaw, over Rhode Island and Carlton Chase,
over New Hampshire.
Thus the spirit OF heayinoss at the loss Of our
senior Bishop, has been exchanged for tho gar
mont Of praise;' and tho same may DO truly
said of Virginia. ''ln tho place of mourning
for good Bishop Moore, tho oil of JOY has bright
encd the face Of that beloved Diocese, and caus-
ed all hoarts to rejoice in the conservation of the
| Rev. DR.. John Johns, TO be the Assistant Bishop,
and the elevation Of tho Right Rev. William
| Meade d. d. to be the Bishop Of that diocese
| Two other Bishops have been consccrated during
this Conventions VIZ: tho Rev. Nicholas II. Cobbs,
to fill the Episcopato OF Alabama, and Cicero
Stephen Hawks, that of Missouri. Thus VIC are
comfortcd in announcing 10 you the doccase Of
our beloved brother prelatcs. As with Elijah
and Elisha of old, tho nantes Of those whom
God hath taken to himself. trust, hayo fallen
on others whom he hath left with
Bre,hren-n the pastoral letter Of the House
of Bishops issued Ammo Domini 1880 from
the pen Of good Bishop White, i. is thus rccor-
dcd
81. has been the practice of the Bishops, that
/ in each Of their tricnn,al addresses, they have
taken occasion 10 call your attention to
point or points charac torstic of our Church, and
attention 70 which is especially invited IN existing
circumstances"
The points 10 which the prcscn. House of Bish-
ops, under existing circumstances, would most
respectfully invite your attention. such rs We
trust, will tend 10 settle and strengthen your
minds tho true principles of our holy religion.
VIZ: Faith III Christ, as distinct from merit III
man, and obedience to tho viii Of God cvi
dcuce of the truth of that faith.
Thus guarding YOU from The errors of Rome
the one hand, and those of the Autinomlans
and Solofilans on the other. In short, It shall
be an to show YOU that Christ IS the end OF
the law for righteousness TO every one that be-
oycth,' and that "if you will enter into lfo yc
must@kocp the commandments.
Nothing is moro characteristic Of our Church
than these Scriptural truths: 1.-The law was given
by Moses. but grace and truth came by Jesus
Scripture forcsccing that God would Justify the
beathen through fath,proachcd before the Gospel
unto Abraham. Gal. iii. 5.
The Covenant made with Abraham, called
here ''thc gospel" or good tidings, was not "a
covenant of works. as the unbehevlng Jews as
serted. 1t was covenant of grace, mercy and
truth, through faith in jesus Christ, whose day
Abraham saw md rejoiced." 1t was Gospel
covenant with Abraham and the setting forth of
TIC law given by Moses. "Thcretorc,' saith
the 4 postle, ..tho law given by Moses, could not
make the promise of salvation through the Mes
siah Of none effect" 1t remained in the Apps
ties days tho Same in the days of Abraham,
and It remains the same now. as then. It was
and Is Gospel covenant Of unboundcd love and
free grace, through the a;onement of the Son of
God. The only difference between Abraham
and ourselves. is in that he looked forward, ard
We, point of time, look backward. lie to the |
Saviour then afar off TO come, and We 10 tho Sa- |
viour,tho Same Saviour, who hath como now q Oh |
teen hundred years and moro, 10 suffer once for
oil upon tho cross for the sins of mon. He IN
the dawn, III tho evening of the day OF
grace.
Tho covenant made with Abraham 10 give him
the lngdom of heaven or everlasting life, signi-
fed by tho appollation ''of that better country.
(and the earthly Canaan as type of IT, wasa dis
iinct thing from that which was added after
wards by reason Of transgrcssion.'
Just as distinct from each other were these. Us
tho firm foundation rock is distinct from any frail
temporary superstructurc. The Jewish ceremo-
NAL law, although itself the promise of the .
Messiah and fulfilled in him.
The Apostle, speaking of Abraham. said. The
promise that he should be heir of tho world was
not given TO Abraham and his seed through The
Law, but through the righteousness Of faith. For.
if they which of the law be heirs, faith is
made void, and the promise of none effect.
Let it here be asked: On wha. this .'faith'
based but on the promise of the atonenent 10 be
made through then future Rodeemer!-a faith
IS firm as the promise was suro. that God WOULD
certainly fulfil the same, in his good time: as tho
,a me faith in his word was that God would ralse
isaac from the dead the moment after he was
slain.
In this tremendous transaction. abraham saw