New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-02-04
PASTORAL Letter,
TO THE CLERGY AND LAIrY Of TIE PROTESTANT EpIsCor
CHURCH IN THE DIOCESE LOUISIANA.

1fy Beloved Brethren The State of Louisiana
having, by formal Ordinance, through he delegates
in Convention assembled, withdrawn herself from
all further connection with the United States of
America, and constituted herself separate sover-
eighty, has, by that act removed onr Diocese from
within the pale of " the Protestant Episcopal
Church in the United States" we have, therefore,
an independent Diocesan existence.
Of the circumstances which have occasioned this
act, it may not be necessary now to speak. They
are familiar to you all. 1t is, however, our happl-
ness to know that in canvassng the sum Of the po-
litical grievances Of which we have complained, We
find no contribution made to it by brethren of our
own household. Our Church in the nOn.slavehold-
ing States, as everywhere, has been loyal to the
Constitution and the laws. Her sound conservative
teaching and her well ordered organization have
held her steadily to her proper work, and she has
confined herself simply to preaching and teaching
the Gospel of Christ. Surrounded by strong
pressure on every side she has successfully resisted
its power and has refused to lend the aid of her
conventions her pupits and her presses to the rad
ica and unsnriptural propagandism which has SO
degraded Christianity, and plunged our country
into its unhappy condition.
In withdrawing ourselves, therefore, from all
political connection with the Union to which our
brethren belong, we do so with hearts filled with
sorrow at the prospect of its forcing termination
of our ecclesiastical connection with them also
and that we shall be separated from those, whose
intelligence, patriotism, Christian Integrity and
piety, we have long known, and for whom we en-
tertan sincere respect ana ausCtlOn. UnIOf-
tunately, the class they represent was numerically
too small to control their section They have been
overborne and silenced, and different description
of mind and character is in the ascendant. The
principles and purposes of this party have long
been the subject of careful observation by the
people of the Southern States and they have
watched its rise and progress with anxious solicit
tude. They thought they saw in it the seeds OF
all the evil from which our country is now suffer
ing and have not failed to employ all the resources
bDi, md To hair TO how
been fruitless, and they have way of escape
from the consequences to themselves and their
posterity other than that they have taken. OF the
justice of our cause we have no doubt. OF the
wisdom of the measures we have adopted to main
| tain it, we may judge from the character of the
| men who are engaged in supporting them. With
here and there an exception, they represent the
intelligence, the character, and the wealth Of the
State We have taken our stand, we humbly
trust, in the fear of God and under sense OF the
| duty we owe to mankind
| Our separation from our brethren of " The Pro
testant Episcopal Church in the United States has
| been effected, because we must follow our nation
ality Not because there has been any difference
| of opinion as to Christian Doctrine or Catholic
| usage. Upon these points we are still one. Will
us, it is separation, not division-certainly no
| alienation. And there is no reason why, if VIZ
| should find the union of our Doceses under ont
| National Church impracticabe, we should cease tx
feel for each other the respect and regard will
| which purity of manners, high principle and
manly devotion to truth, never fail to inspire gen
| erous minds. Onr relations to each other hereafte
will be the relations we both now hold to the me-
| of our Mother Church of England.
But the time has not arrived for entering full
into the discussion of the questions suggested b.
| this occasion, and | have so far remarked upo
| them, because some notice of our relations to tn
National Church from which we have separated
seemed called for by the event. and because Of th
necessity that event creates for certain alteration
in the services of our Book OF Common Prayer.
In pursuance Of this necessity, and under tn
authority of my office, appoint, for the present
the following changes, and request my brethren c