Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-04-01
Consumptlve Churches.

| 1t will be remembered, that at the last
National Convention OF the Episcopal
Church, there was a hard contest fought
over the adoption OF certain loyal resolu-
tIons submitted, in which struggle, the
! Pro-Slavery members and the High
/ Church party united and arrayed them
selves against any utterance or exhibition
of loyalty; but they were gloriouslv met
and yanquished by the venerable Bishop
McIlvaine and other men of high talents.
/ OF true Christianity, of liberal and loyal SEN
| timents, who despise bigotry and seetari-
anism in the Church, and mourn over the
Wiekedness of disloyalty to the govern
ment. - ......... .....
The following article speaks of the evil
of multiplying and sustaining churches,
and depreeates the too ardent zeal and
the illiberal notions of certain young and
inexperienced persons, who, with an i'm
pudencc that is almost sublime, claim
that their sect is the only Church, and
regard tie great body of Christian beliey-
ers as guilty OF mental schism, and ex-
eluded from the "coYenanted mercies" of
God. The author thinks that injury Is
done his church, by young zealots, who
shamelessly boast that they would much
prefer to commune with Romanists, rath-
er than with members Of any other Prot
estant church.
Tie Christian Times aid Episcopal Register
SAYS: -.--. -.
1T is certain that we have our full share
OF consumptive churches, if not of dead
and dying ones. The cause of these sew
erai conditions among ourselves are va
rious. Sometimes parishes are started
where the population is insufficient, or
the means OF sustaining them, present
and prospective, are utterly inadequate
Sometimes the personal traits OF the min
lister unfit him for parochial work
Sometimes the loss Of population, by re-
moval or death, is the cause. But there
is another cause, diverse from all these,
and more fatal than all others combined.
With sorrow and sadness. / have witness
ed its baneful operation for years. | re-
fer to disposition evinced by numbers
of the clergy, generally young and mex
perienced men, not only TO present, but
to urge the alleged exclusive claims of
our Church to be received as the only liv-
ing branch of the Catholic Church in the
land This honor is sometimes shared
with the Romish Communion, but always
denied by these zealots to the several
Protestant denominations. In some little
churches, and generally in rural comuu-
mites or villages this is the favorite theme
of a certain class of clergymen What
ever be the nominal subject, the supe-
rior or exclusive claims of Episcopacy,
or the opus operatvEs power of the sacra-
ments, is sure to be presented, and that
not in persuasive terms, but in spirit
dogmatic and dictatOrial 1t Itrequires but
little common sense to know what must
be the result OF such preaching to con-
gregations two-thirds of whom are COM
posed of persons who attend the new
church only because it is near, or other
wise suits their convenienience. Under
a prudent pastor, faithful to feed the |
the flock, gently leading them into the !
green pastures, and beside the still wa |
tePs of the Gospel, most of these persons |
would gardually become attached to the |
doctrine, discipline, and worship of the |
Episcopal Church. As it Is, they are |
Often driven off entirely, and the infatu-
ated rector regards himself as ga martyr"
A case of the sort has recently come TO /
The knowledge of the writer. A few /
Years since, a parish church was erected |
or the use of few Episcopalians, with 1
he expectation that their neighbors,
Mostly of Presbyterian and Reformed
Dutch antecedents, would worship with
hem. After the church was conseerated,
learly all of them did so, there being no
,ther it the vicinity. Unfortunately, the
ector soon felt it to be his duty to preach
Up the Church. The converting inhu-
nee of one sermon on the subject was so
,reat, that, on leaving church, one of the
tated congregation said to several other
gentlemen, 81 propose that we have an
,ther church built here at once and to
tart it, I'll give a thousand dollars"
others responded, and, in few months,
new Protestant Church was opened, and
It once attended by a majority of the
population. Results-not so startling,
,ut similar to these-have been witnessed
" many thoughtful observers and dovout
of our Church" . .-.