Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-10-30

the Venefated fathers OF our Austrian Supeu Is
norant of the Scrip ures end blind TO the principles OF
,osnel morality lido not bel eve that Washington and
Ss compatriots who framed Constitution with such
express pfoyisions for the rights OF savenolders were
yrants and despOts, sinners against the law OIL TOD ana
the feelings of humanity. But do oeleVe IN thS teaCn-
inc of the inspired Apostles and in the Holy Catholic
1op universally Church which you and your clergy also
nro(ess to believe kNOw that the doctrine OF that
church was clear and unanimous on the fdy"hess Oh
sayery Tor eighteen centuries together aud on tnat
poiut regard your "proest" and lndlgnent reproOa
ton" az tho idle wind that passes BY
wish Won therefore to be advised that shall pub
ls5. within a few months, if a gracious Providence
should spare my life and faculties full demonstration
of the truth "Wherein stand" And snail prove IN
that book by the most unquesonable autnoIlty InSt
slaves and shareholders were in the Onurcn rom tae
beginning; a. slavery was held to be consistent with
Chris principle by the fathers and councils and ny
ali Protestant dvines and commentators up 10 the
very close of the last century, and that TINS iac was UNI
versal among all churches and sects throughout tne
Christian world. shall contend that our ohurcn "nch
maintains the primitive rule of Catholic consent and Po-
ues all novelties is bound by her very constitution 70
hold last that ony safe and enduring rule or abandon
her Apostolic claims and descend TO the Level OF these
who are "dTVen about by every wind OF doctrine.
shall print your "indigrant reprobaton, with It's list Oh
names in the preface of my book, so that, If cannot
give you fame, may at least do my part tc give you
notoriety.
That the nineteenth century is century of vast i'm
movement and wonderful discovery IN the arts anu
sciences, grant as willingly any man. But in reli.
oons truth or reverence Tor the Bibe the age in which
we live is prolific in daring and impous inhoVatlon-
We have seen professedy Christian communities d.
yided and sub.dvided every SIDE We have seen the
rise aod spread of Universalsm, herism, fantheism'
Mormonsm and Spiritualism: we nave seen even our
venerable mother Church OF England sorely agtaed by
the contagious fever of change, on the one hand to-
wards superstition and on the other towards inhdel
rstoAalism And we have heard the increasing olamor
against the Bible sometimes from the deeotees oil geo
logical speculation, sometimes from the bold deniers OF
miracles and prophecy aud not least upon the list from
/ the oud.tongued apostles of anti slavery. We lave
marked the orators which cry, Down with the Bible
/ il maintain the lawlulness OF slavery We have mar
yeed at the senatorial eoquence which proclaimed that
sit was high time to have an anasaVery God and all
antislayery Bible" We have heard the Constitution OF
our country denounced as covenant with death and
hell" We have heard the boosted determination that
the Union shall be restored until its proVis-
ions for the protection Of slavery are utterly aoonsheo
And what is the result oil this new philanthropy Inc
fearful Judgment of God has descended 10 chasse these
multiplied acts of rebellion against His divine govern
ment ami what the final catastrophe shall be is only
known 10 Him who seeth the end from the beginning.
After forty years spent In the ministry, more than
| thirty of which have been passed in the office OF
bishop can look tack with humble thankfulness 10
the Giver of all good fur this least that all my best
abors have beea directed the preservation OF the
Church from the inroads OF Goctrina innovation AT
my ordination, promised "so TO minister the doctrine
aud sacramenls and discipline of Christ the Lord hath
commanded, and as this Church hath received the
same"-snd certain it is that ths Church" had not re-
c. yed the modern doctrine of ultra sboonsm ut that
tme as trust che will receive it, because it Is
contrary 10 the Sacred Scriptures. also promised
with all faithful diligence to banish and drive away
from the Church all aud strange doctrines
cont airy to Gods Word" aud made those promises IN
the true sense which the venerable Bishop White my
ordaner attached them-I believe, then, as he be-
eved that our Southern brethren committed no ain in
having slsves, and they men Of as much pety Us
| any Minister in our communion | believed as be be-
| leved, that the plain precepts and practice OF the
Apostles sanctioned the institution, although, as mat
ter Of expedency the time might come when the South
would pI efer as the North had DONE to employ free
labor Those promises have kept faithfully to this
day-and it, when | am drawing hear to the end Of my
career, am to be condemned and vii6ed by you and
your clergy because still maintain them TO The utmost
of my slender ability, be assured my right reverend
brother that shall regret the fact much more on your
| account than on my own.
In conclusion have only to say that feel no resent
for the grossly insulting style OF your manifesto
The stability and unity OF The Church of God are the
only interests which desire to secure, and l am too
old in experience be much moved by the occasional
Cxcesses of human nfrmity.
JoHN II. HOPKINS,
Bishop of the Diocese OF Vermont.
BURLKGToN, W., Oct. 8, 1858.