Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-01-29
NAsHV ILhE
MAY moaNiso, JANUARY p, 1850.
H0CK CRY MILLS

Del tien mD.fs N nv less 81
Ola iIeloFg eo
Delivered 8 al paris q ile city Gets, 1889 by
Pusloral Aetrer Of Bishop otey.
We nave been furnished BY friend with COP
Of pastoral letter recently addressed to the men
bers Of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Tenne.
see, by bishop CRY. Of this Diocese. We TAX
pleasure il making the following extracts from tia
) letter:
From the report of the Committee on the State q
the Church, presented and read in the lower House
It appeared that there were now 29l candidates TO
orders, being IS more than The number reported q
the Convention of 1856 The number Of deacons or
dained, 2el-being ~ more than in 1866 the con
nImatOns IN the same time 83O75-showing an In
crease Of l245l; bapusms. s9.044 increase, 1871
churches consecrated. ly6-or 43 more than re-
ported in 1886; parishes 2.120-beng 2g5 in excess
0i the number at the preceding General Conyen-
non during the session Of the late Convention
jour bishops were cOnsecrated Tor dloceses IA union
with the Convention, and two missionary bishops
were elected Oh these last. the Rev Dr. henry T.
Lay, a presbyter Of Alabama, was consecrdled 20
the Missionary Episcopate OF the southwest HE
Rev Dr. Joseph G Talbot, presbytcr OF inolana,
chosen Missionary Bishop foe TIE NOrll-Wesl, has
siguifed lbs otance OF the ONCE since the adj
jOurnnent OF the Convention. IL Is presumed be
win proceed to discharge the solemn ana responsl-
bic duties 10 which lIe has been called by the voice
Of Divine Providence, speaking through The Church,
SO soon as tia requisite arrangements can be made
for relieving aim from parochlal obligations and
order taken bv the presiding Bishop for his conse-
Grafton. Thus provision has been made for placing
the whole of territory under Episcopal jursdic
ton.
Gratifying as the results Of our work for the
three years past may be, and encouraging as the
view Is of tile whole field Of Christian enterprise
presented to our contemplation tits certain that the
period when the funess OF the l5entles shall come
ln is yet % dawn upon the world; the joyful news
of ~God gl0rifed' 10 the redemption OF men is vet
20 be borne TO more than half of Earth popu-
lat0n; and the tide Of the Gospel is yet to be re-
fluent over many countries which II once covered.
aud winch have long been occupied by the now fee
bic but still undemolished Arabian lmposture. In
other lands, which it has never wholly deserted it
reans to be restored 10 its original freshness and
purity; while the still uncOnverted and despsed of
Jacob, probably more numerous at this time than
when they were rejected and scattered, are yet to
De gathered II not Oc1iy 70 the land of the patri
archs, at leas spiritually into the zone fold Of the
one shepherd. Certainly these things if there be
truth IN the Oracles of God, are yet 70 be accom-
pllshed; and it concerns rs all seriously to reflect
and remember that they are 10 be accomplished
through the slow and indirect process Of human in
strumcntality.
And when we look over the long tract Of ages,
du ing which this great work has been committed,
under Divine Providence, TO the agency OF men APP
%
the kedeemer, and then consider how much even
unattemPtempted, is yet 10 be done and how much
Eil,t has been done amiss Is to be amended before
the plain, spiritual designs Of the Divine mercy shall
Doe completed, and 1.-THE whole earlh be filed with
the knowledge OF the Lord as the waters cover the
sea" can the contemplation OF this great and
amazing purpose so transcendanuy glorious as TO
employ the ministry ard draw forth the songs Of
angels IN It's progress be attended with other than
mingled feelings on our part Of sorrow and shame
ms Nnr .|n HIrs-H
and with prayers for grace and strength to prose
cute more vigorously the work before us?-a work
which, when we are gone, viii occupy the labors
and prayers Of the generations that shall arise In
our stead
Think not beloved brethren that your Bishops
and other clergy are alone concerned IN this work
There Is q part which belongs TO every individual
Christian in IT, in his proper measure and degree as
certainly as he Is entitled through the free mercy
OF Christ 10 equal share In the blessings of re-
dempuou, the bountes of Divine Providence.
That part finds its appropriate sphere of duty in
giving heed 20 those aimOnt0ns OF the apostles of
our Lord which more especially warn believers Of
an classes ranks, and conditions against conform
ty TO this world in its evil maxims and wicked
practices, IN It's torgeJtulness Of God and conse-
quent neglect of those duties which arise from our
relations to him as our Creator. RCdeemer, and
final Judge. Under tins general view of Christian
obligations, nothing was more gratifying in the pro-
ceedlngs of our late General Convention than the
movement by certain distinguished lay-delegates
from New FORK and Virginia for the appointment .
Of a committee consisting of one layman from /
each diocese OF whom five shall constitute a QUO
rum, who shall, during the recess of the General
Convention, devise and carry out such means and
measures as they may deem advisable, calculated to
impress upon them specially the imperative wants
OF the Church; Of ministers, who must be supplied
from their body; of money, which is more needed 1
than ever 70 meet the Increased expenditures of the
Church; of earnest and holy zeal in the cause Of I
Christ. which is needed most Of ALL and which if .
aroused 10 Its proper tone, VIII insure the supply of
the other needs referred to- This was a move /
ment as l was SAID repeatedly. made from the right
quarter and in the right direction. IU was sustain
ed by the hearty and unanimous approval and vote
of the House
You, MY brethren Of the Church in this diocese. I
are now 70 shsE how far this same movement shall (
be seconded by our own efforts. Surely the zeal of
the Church viii not end in the adoption Of good .
resolutions The state of religion among us. and .
the state Of our country, 5he preservation OF peace
as the stability of our times.' and the cOntiuu-
ance OF our estmsble privileges and blessings, re-
quire something more than the expression Of our I
approval of the measures devised 10 save and per-
petuate them. ii ever there was a period in our .
history which called for the clear and open exhibit
ton of that light by which the sincere Christian 4
walks, and which viii guide others into safe paths
il Is the present lniidety in forms as variant as
the peculiarities of mental organization among men,
and diversified in its operations their abilities
and stes growing out Of their education Or their
associations in life. has become bold and confident
and. on the day consecrated to religious worship .
and sactiied by the hallowed memory of a cruci- /
ed and risen Saviour, utters its blasphemies and .
Ijbaldry against all that is holy in faith and ven
cradle in our worship, in the gratitied hearing of .
hundreds iu every city I'd principal town in our /.
country. RomauIsm. wIthitS delusions, mnistering |.
90 the superstition of the ignorant and miSguid- .
Cd. and. with ITS cunning devices, holding men in
subsection TO priesty domination that seeks /.
% establish its dominion the faith, the reason
and the Consciences of men, Is year by year add I
ing 20 its power by accessiOns from the old world.
= short, all the heresjes and schisms which have .
40 any time weakened Christianity and repressed F.
rs influence and stayed its progress, appear to have
revived, and by the activity and zeal of their IA F.
yorers, increase the difficulty of gaining access TO
The minds OF the people and present serious obsta-
'les 10 the dissemination Of the plain and simple /.
truth of the Gospel Underlying all this is an in
ordinate and usatiate hunger for gold stimulating
men into increased activity and energy by the very
success that crowns their efforts TO accumulate /.
wealth. and. by supplying the means of set-indul-
rencC lulling the soul into fatal Indifference to-
and Elcct of lis salvation.
The number OF ministers belonging TO the Church .
Is q Little over 200O OF these, it may be assumed I
upon q Olse estimate that between 400 and 500 are
not employed in the active duties of the ministry .
The number Of communicates reported is aboat
10000. These have contributed for Domestic Mis-
,iOEs from October, ISIS 10 October, 1859 SdOSOO,
In round numbers. Oi the - dloceses IN our eccle-
'laslta comeuertilloH 70 nave cohulouued l-fset 7
mounts than Tennessee, and g. smaller amounts ,
Tennessee contributed SlS2 so during the year 1859
and received from the Domestic Committee, for the
same Jme $500. % distribute 20 her missionaries.
lf - organized parishes in the diocese, made the
contribution reported, The remaining Is contributed
nothing The simple statement here given from au-
hlnuc records furnishes the only commentary that
need DE made upon the facts and supplies, perhaps,
he strongest argument and tie most torcibe appeal
dat can De made 10 your sense of duty.
The amour: appropriated for the current year b
missions In Tennessee. by the Domestic Committee,
IS $500 This las been distributed among five
lergymen. all of whom have families to support,
and whose maintenance is derived chiefly from tins
source. There are now four clergymen besides, in
Charge of parishes or missionary stations for whose
assistance there no funds placed az my disposal.
except 90 very small sum I'm the treasury of the
Diocesan Missionary Society have applied TO the
Domestic Committee for an additional appropriation
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