Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-11
ursmoP winners CASE.
The sword and the Pastoral NJ


no party 10 the controversy, will enable the
public 10 judge with how much justice the
motives of Bishop Wilmer have been as
persed in a recent publication.
Hostilities broke out in April, 1861 Bishop
Cobbs, of Alabama, died in February, 1861.
The Episcopal Church in the Southern
States, which had, prior to that time, been
associated with the North in one ecclesias-
teal body, in the years 1862 organized a
separate ecclesiastical body, called ..sThe
General Council Of the p. +. Church in the
Confederate States" 10 which the Diocese OF
Alabama allied herself and sent her dele
gates 10 the meeting held at Augusta in No
vember 1862. The Episcopal churches
throughout the South had, in every locality
not occupied by the armed forces Of the
United States, discontinued the use Of the
prayer for the President of the Omitted
States" etc, and substituted the words "Con-
federatc States in its place; and this was
the case in Alabama before Bishop Winners
election 10 the Episcopate.
At the General Council held at Augusta in
November 1862, a constitution and canons,
or statutes, for the government Of the Church
in the Confederate States, were adopted, and
this change in this prayer was directed by
the council. Bishop Wilmer had nothing TO
do with the iRcipient steps for the organiza-
ton Of the Southern Church, and was not
elected and consecrated until after this work
had been mainly accomplished, and he was
consecrated not as Bishop of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in the United States but
as Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in the Confederate States, in this re-
spect differing from every other Bishop, and
r ii o.xI
obligation were made TO that Church alone
The prayer for the President of the Confed-
crate States and all in civil authority differed
only from that used in the Northern Church
by the use of the word Confederate" in lieu
of United" States, and the prayer was itself
originally altered from the prayer for the
King of Great Britain, and is as follows:
A Prayer for the President II the United States and
al IN Civii authority.
o Lord. our heavenly Father, the high and
mighty ruler Of the universe, who dost from thy
throne behold all the jewellers upon the earth,
most heartily we beseech thee with thy favor TO
behold and bless thy Servant the President of the
United States, and all Others in authority and so
replonish them with the grace Of Thy Holy Spirit
that they may always incline TO thy will and walk
in thy way. Endue them plentiously with heav-
emily gifts: grant them in health and prosperity
long 10 live and finally after this life TO attain
eyerlasting JOY and felicity through Jesus Christ
our Lord.
This prayer with the word Confederate ("
substituted in place of United was used
in all parts of the dioceses of the Southern
States not occupied by the forces of the
United States until the cessation of hostili-
ties in April 1865. Bishop Wilmer, then
authorized his clergy, to discontinue the use
of the prayer, and stated that rs soon IA
civil authority was restored in the States,
the use of the prayer for the President of the
United States and all in civil authority,
would be appropriate.
On the 22d ofSeptember last, an order was
issued by the military authorities command
ing in that department, suspending Bishop
Wilmer and his clergy from their minister
al functions, and forbidding them to preach
or hold divine service, etc, and in reply to
an inquiry from the Bishop, the command
ing General stated that he would, IL neces-
sary, use military force in closing the
churches.
The Bishop in his Pastoral of the 2Sth of
September, referring TO this order says: "The
orders charge us with a violation Of the
cmons Of the Church and from the alleged
violation, they argue an animus, upon the
strengtho of which they areissued. Now tosay
nothing Of the incongruity involved in scuh
proceeding on the part of the military au-
thorities towards the Church, il viii be sufi-
Gent for my present purpose TO state, and
that for your satisfaction, that there is no
canon Of the Church Of which we are men,
bers, that requires us 10 use the prayer or
dered. On the contrary, the requirement of
the General Council las yet unrepealed be-
cause there has been no recent session Of that
body is to uae another prayer which prayer
has ceased of necessity; thus il will appear
that in ordering a resumption of the prayer
for the President of the United States upon
the restoration of civil authority | was an
ticipating the probable action of the General
Council, and exercising very questionable
power, but iusti6able as | thought, because
done with the view of bringing this Diocese,
As soon as possible, into entire harmony in
point of worship with the Church generally"
The bishop further SAYS in the same pas
soral.
The issue raised is not one of LOYALTY: | |
have in my pastoral, counselled YOU TO be |
loyal, and to take in good faith the oath of |
allegiance, and have set you the example by
taking it myself No one can fairly charge |
upon us who have taken the re-
quired test and live daily in obedience to the |
law" - The case stands thus |
In the exercise Of my Episcopal discretion.
TO which / am LEFT by the absence Of any |
Church legislation, have deci- |
dcd that the prayer is inapplicahle TO the |
existing condition OF things. On the other |
hand the military authorities issue orders
that Il shall be used at once, and that all
the churches shall be closed until we accede
TO the demand Thus, the real issue before
us is this, shall the secular or ecclesiastical
Id, IL
IL has been shown that the use OF the
prayer for the President of the United States
was neither required by any law of the
Church then in force in the Diocese of Ala
bama, nor had Il been the usual and Gus
tomary prayer, for considerable period. in
that Diocese; and the whole matter is mar
rowed down 10 a conflict between the ordain-
ed and consecrated authorities of the Church
and the military authorities. as to who should
regulate the prayers aud services Of the
Church. The language Of the Bishops pas
toral expressly disclaims any motive or feel
ing of disloyaliy, and the whole statement
Of the case furnishes no ground for any inst
imputafion against the motives Of the Bish-
Oh. whose standing and character have ev-
or been unexceptioaable, in the action which
he has felt called upon 20 take in this matter.
Twenty years hence il will be thought in
credible that such general orders should
have ever been issued The sectional spir-
it which now supports either the one side or
the other of this question, will then have
passed away, and mankind judging with an
unbiased mind, will undoubtedly decide,
in accordance with the principles Of our
Government, and the provisions Of the Con-
stitution, that all men should be allowed the
free exercise Of their religion, and would
deprecate all interference with matters OF
faith and church order, by civil, snd
much more by military authority.