Delaware State journal and statesman. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1855-1870, 1861-08-23

We have before US the seVenty-seyenth ehhu4i
report of the Convention Of the Protestant
Episcopal church Of the diocese of Connecticut
la CHANGING over its pages, we find nh address
delivered before the convention, by the Rev
Assistant Bishop Williams, which touches upon
the present unhappy state of the country, in
language full Of christian love and patriotism
Whatever the politicians and hea4on-servirg
peace men may say against the war, or however
much they may abuse good men for sustaining
the best government on earth, it ia pleasant to
know that the christian church everywhere Ut
dcrsiands its duty and position, aud is willing
through its ministerial offices, to aid the good
cause by words of encouragement and loyalty
upon allproper occasions
We give an extract from Bishop Williams
adlress:-
This seventy-seventh Convention of our Do
ccse meets in crisis of our countrys history
which few of US, probably, had ever anticipated.
Until within the last few months, we had been
fain to believe that the forces which bound to
gelher the different portions Of this great
Republic were so much stronger than
those which tended to separation that under
all misunderstanding and jealousies, there
aud common interest that, in a word there
was guch national life and unity among us,
that we were as safe as any human government
could make us. And il certainly appeared, in
contrasting our own condition, Tor fifteen
years past, with that OF almost all other
civilized countries. as if we. had grounds
for this belief "Our country" to uae
the eloquent words Of late English statesman.
| twas as land of Goshen Everywhere else
| wa Tho fhuntlpr md the fire running along the
ground, a very greyiOus storm, such as there was
| none like it since man was on the earth aud yet
everything tranquil here and then, again, thick
night, darkness that might he felt, and yet light
in all our dwellings," But the storm and the
darkness are upon us now, and the season Of
fierce trial has oycrtakeu us.
AT such time, ii could hardly be expected
that an Episcopal Address should coninin TO
alusion to our special duties as Christian Minis
tiers and People, no words of counsel or sugges-
tim, My words will be few hut uttered, let
me say, with deep sense of the responsibility
which they involve, and the constant remember
ance that they are spoken in Council of TINT
Kingdom which sis not of this world" am
authorised TO say that they are spoken for the
Bishop of the Diocese as well us for myself.
1t is great comfort that our chief duty in this
exigeucy is so plain before us, that we need not
be perpexed or nj any loss about II, 1t isa
great comfort, too, that III bringing it home to
ourselves, il such be oar office, urging it upon
others, we have only to follow OH in that line Of
teaching which our Church has always CON
mended to US, and placed before US. We have
no new lessons on this point to leArn, no old
lessons to unlearn.
all remen,htr-was o,lonted in l7sg two vears
| ofter tho framing of the Federal Constitution
since then. every child in our Communion Ina
been taught nd mart of Ills chris,ian vocntion
"to honor and obev Tho Civil Autboritv On
ali ordinary occasions of our public worsbin,
WHOM that i,ool has bcen nscd In lis inteoriiv
,so ha,a nraoI fnr .nhe prssilon, nS ,ha Ii,;,S,;
states and ali others in anthorily and regnlarlv
besonoht tbc gool Lord Ia ieliver ma from
.tselition. nrivv eonsnirncv and rehelliou. n-Onr
Artic Ga were nIopteI in ism oul the
| vyVVIr,t - a, 80 il.aia.sa mi . - = IL
| r;yu No.istrsto ovtan1i,h 10 ali rnon nc vii
Clergy oe I,aitv in MI ihines ,em,nrai hr,
hath M au,bnyi,v in things nnrsl1 sn;r;,nat
AMI we hniJ i, IN he The JStv of al mon ,,le
are nrosessora or the C,osnel IN nov rcsnoc,f,
ohsdiance ~ Tho rivil Anthnr;,r ra,,niorI,, w.,
Iegi,imSte,y constituted - ~ 'eD''''' ""V
Snch is ihc cIcar ut.snolen rnr,;e,aLoti.
teaching of our Church and il does bnt echo H.,
teaching and iniunctions of r,ot,s ITolv Worl =.
, whenever and wherever her ministers have tav II
| " - Wv "a
tion Of their dnty and in contraveht;on oF ,bo;
Ordination vows So far as We in This Dincese a.,
I concerned have never known mr. beorS Of an
@ other teaching. Throurh evil rrnor, and ,aa,
, report, applauded or condemned. we have sISov
taught that ,eyery SOUP is .to he snbiect ~ n
u higher powers for there ia no mower Inf Of God
5 the bowers TINT be are ordained of God ;, nm,
that this subsection is "not only for wrath. Inn
also for consciousness sake"
And what else need we teach now. in re0ar,
to the great question that stirs the denths Of XII
nations heart? Surely, there is no room fo
: the least doubt as to what and where Tint CIV
Authority is, to which, as s'regularly and legiti
, mately constituted" we are bound ato nav re
, specliul obedience" Surely, if this teacbin,
had been everywhere receive d and acted ON as