Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1865-09-08
General Convention, OF the Episcopal
Church.
Probable Course Of the Southtra Bishops-bnpor-
tant Letter from Bishop Elliot, Of Georgia.

Journal to letter from the editor Of which it is
rejonder. The letter is dated Augusta, Aug. l,
1856: ,,, .si 90 ,,,i-sN ,~fs,rs4-H V
al am very glad that you have gone SO much at
large into the question of the reuhion Of the Church.
as il gives me an opportunity of placing before you
my views in regard to the matter, which differ
somewhat in regard to your own, as expressed in
your letter to me, and also from the action Of
the Church in the Diocese OF Texas. HsI fT
Ny objection to the action Of the Diocese of
Texas is not so much as to what she has DONE 10
her manner of doing it. The reunion will take
place, and that very soon, ! have no doubts but
Il ought to take place in such wise as TO preserve
our good faith to our brethren and to each other
Texas seems to have forgotten that as the Pro
tesant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States
we performed certain acts which need recogni-
ton and confirmation, aud which should not be
left, in justice TO others, without settlement in
the very act of reunion. ag. t..14 2
OF these, the conservation of Bishop WILMER is
the most important, not only on his own account
but because it involves all his official acts since
his entrance upon his Episcopae. Besides this
we have admitted Arkansas as diocese, and
have elected Bishop LAY as the Diocesan Bishop,
These acts do not indeed, involve such momen-
tous consequences as the other, but they are,
nevertheless, OF Importance enough to demand
recognition :.
Besides, I think that it is our duty to guard
the memory of deceased Bishops, MEADE, ORGY,
and especially our beloved Polk. Not that we
should expect any Endorsement from the General
Convention of their views and factions, bat that
we should feel assured that no reproach either
direct or implied, will be cast upon their graves.
About ourselves, the living, we care but little;
we are here and can defend ourselves; but the
reputation of the dead is in our keeping, and we
can fraternize with nobody who would willingly
disturb their ashes. They have lived and died
for us and however wrong others may think
them, we revere their memory and weep over
their graves. --f i.. p il, a.tf r y-.-g. ID
Nor, frarkly say it, do ] anticipate when re-
calling the worthy, high-toned men who once
formed our General Convention. any action that
would be disparagng to them or painful to us;
but yet 1 feel 1T to be the duty of the church
over which | have been called temporarily to pre-
side to guard against any such possibility. Silence,
if you please, but let it be distinctly understood
that thereshal not be a word Of obloquy or dis
| praise. Let them stand orfa to their Master and
our Masters one far more competent to judge Of
them and US than we are Of each other. 3''
IN pursuance of these preliminary views my
opinion is, as have already expressed to Bishop
Fl. PoTTER, in reply to the to letter which you make
allusion in yours, "that If at the meeting of the
General Convention in October that body was
to- pass joint resolution returning thanks for
peace, expressing the hope and desire that 1t
ing committee of bishops, clergy and laity to
meet a like committee from our council, which
sits in November, with full power to conclude an
arrangement there viii! be no further difficulty
I l. cannot now speak authoritathey for, anybody,
but my opinion Is that by this method We can
be saved from much trouble in the future. God
knows that !, for one desire nothing more heartily
/ tiian peace; but then it mpst be peace which il
Epure, sincere and without hypocrisy have been
probably, as earnest Southern man as anybody
and yet never found any fault with the church
up To the moment of our secession. What has
happened since, on either side, has not arisen
from the normasa faction of our organization, but
from cxtraneous Influences which have now par
TALLY ceased, and will soon entirely cease.
81 Ike this plan better" 50 / continue to Bishop
! POTTER ethan our going back and casting our.
selves npon mercy and suffeFance,, not because o.
amy false pride, but because think that the reunion
will be more cordial aud the feelings of self-rcspec
will be better preserved on both sides And The
Church should desire to maintain and uphold tho
self-respect of all Its members, remembering that
they are of the Body of Christ In this way shall
VIC become, in our reunion, the admiration o.
the country as we were for so many years. during
all the fierce wranghng which preceded secession
its wonder, for reticenee aud self-controI,
So much for the Church; now for myself
! on WONDER in your letter, that the Bishop o
Georgia did not lead the way insuch action rs th,
Bishop OF Texas has taken. could not conscien
tiously have done so, for the reasons given abeye
even had desired it, and | confess that wa
not anxious to be the first to submit myself to tht
f yoke which had been prepared for ME. 1t Is yer,
easy for you, sitting in the midst of plenty, with
everything fiourisfing about you, with the worlJ
hwnng upon YOU because of'success with a future
, seemingly as bright as prosperity can make it
to wonder at our backwardness in acknowledging
the blessings of peace and reunion; but the case
very different with US whose homes are desolatc
whose friends and relatives and children are utter
ly impoverished, whose social order is totally
subyeried, whose future is dark and almost hope
E less can humble myself under the mighty han
[ OF God, and can call my people to patience ant
, endurance; but even through grace, | can do NJ
more. do not mean TO complain we enteret
upon this struggle, which Naj irrepressble ant
forced upon us, after having counted the cost; bn
/; should be u hypocrite II came forward witt
any smile upon my face, and said that rejoice II
[ it. | do not rejoice in it, but have taken th
oath of allegiance, and mean to keepit; and hav
advised my people to take it aud be good citizens
and above all to do the best for the poor unfortu
nate negroes whose future Is dark aud miserable
beyond conception Already they hre perish
e ing by thousands, and the whole race will nov
go out before civilization so called and competi
ton, rs the Indians are doing. We eau surviv
the change, and one day flourish again; bht no
they; their fate is sealed; and the edict Of Puri
tansm has already gone forth, "lf you cannot an
: will not work, you mpst die" The farthes cal
go In behalf of these fanatics is to cry, "Father
: forgive them, for they know not what they do.
. cannot write any more now. My heart is To-
tlll, have written to you frankly and fully, an
I, you can make any use Of this letter you please
= My opinions Idcsho to.bo knowhi wish nothing
I, concealed before reunion, and therefore am gla
y that my sermon the body of my beloved frien
. and brother, Polk, was republished in the Chris
! dan Vitaess. If have erred, and can be show
= my error shall be ready, by the grace of God t
= humble myself and acknowledge my sin; but unit
then, wish all my words and deeds TO he 'bcior
all Israel and before the snn.'I am afraid of only
one judge of the conqueror as well as the conquer
p ed Success with him, is not the measure Of righ
k and reward. ....,........ .i.s wTsf91t
d . TiME.-Ninety years hence probably not ma
: 6r woman now twenty years old will he aiy'
a Ninety yearsl glasl how many of tho living aetol