Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1868-03-19
An Address delivered By New. Js-
siah swe,,, %, a., az Buriias-
ton, az the Dteeesan
Convention, ~ arch
Itth, 1865.

tho clergy ~ the diocese and a coodly
Htttt,Tf-s, ths-laity- assembled within
these sacred walls 20 welcome home our
then III Rev, and beloved Bishop, who
had betn called "a a distant land ON i'm.
paFtant business ~ the church. Though
his asr was so great that Il seemed al
most p,rilous for him 10 undertake a WOW.
age 20 the Mother country, vet God mer-
elfully preserved hia from all danger.
by SEA and by land, and he seemed 50 We'll
and vigorous on his return, and so little
wcaried hy travel and exertion, that we,
who saw him, felt that we had good reason
io look for long continuation Of his life,
nd thought Il not improbable that for
half score ~ years, or more, he might be
able % so in and out before as he had
done Tor thirty-tiye years already. But
hardly had seventy days elapsed before
the sad news came 20 us that he had died,
stricken down ina day in the midst Of
the most active lalors,l and We were called
together again within these same walls.
which everywhere hear traces Of his hand,
and within which he, for so msny years.
most faithfully and ably expounded tho
Word Of God, 20 view, for the last time,
his face on earth, cold in death. and To
take part in the solemn and affecting rites
that pcrtained 10 his burial. And now
We arr assembled once more in this same
church, where we have SO often heard his
voice and seen his venerable form, and
where II almost seems we must nee and
hear him again not, as ON occasions Of
conventions before, IA transact the ordin-
airy business Of the diocese, with him 10
preside over Us and guide our deibera-
tions, but for the solemn and weighty
business Of clecting another Bishop TO he
his successor. Never have we, my breth-
rem, assembled in Convention before
under circumstances 80 painful and rec
ponsible. Whether we look to the past,
n 10 the work now devolving upon u,
every mind. il seems 20 me, must be most
leeply affected and impressed. In no
Convention have we needed so much the
grace OF God To sustain, and the presence
II His holy spirit to direct Our prayer
aow are. and assuredly for weeks have
peen, for heavenly guidance on this occa-
ion. MAY God graciously vouchsafe to
near our prayers, and so To aid US in our
present work that His church shall be ad-
,anccd on earth and His glory promoted
in heaven.
Our Rt, Rev. father, whom we knew,
many Of us intimately for fifteen or twen-
~ years, and some few for thirty or thir-
gy-tve. has gone from us. His labors and
'oils on earth are ended. and our gracious
Redeel Aer has given him rest and peace.
Tie was n good man; a great head for 20
,mall diocese. We all admired his tai
snts and wonderful range of knowledge
nd accomplishments. But we had no
sreater reason for admirAg him in this
| respect than in respect 10 his deep and
| humble piety. All his talents, all his
earning, all he had and all he was, he
onsecratcd to Christ, his Redeemer and
Lord. am sure all will agree with me
when | saw that he ever had inc interests
If his diocese at heart, and that he sought
most earnestly, and labored most faith
mlly and untiringly, for those things
! which he considered essential to its best
rood He accomplished great and good
work for it, and we have now only to
| Guild on the foundation which he laid in
his Divine Masters service, to attain, with
The blessing of heaven, the most abundant
| success.
Nv brethren, it would be no easy task
70 supply the place, made vacant by the
leath of our RI. Rev. and beloved prelate
with another his equal. do not know
where TO look for another such man and
were he TO be found, it is not probable, that
if elected. he could be induced to limit his
ield of labor to such diocese a. this.
No, man like Bishop Hopkins we may
not expect again, and if the great Head
If the Church will vouchsafe to give us
for our next chief pastor man of true
fidelity TO the Church, sound in the faith
md inclined to no extremes Of earnest
piety, prudent zeal, competency Of learn
.ng, and a good degree of ability to plan
md execute, this is all we can DESIRE all
we need look for. The position of a
bishop in any diocese is by no means to
be coveted, and wonder how any man
can desire it. The diocese of Vermont
forms no exception. He who accepts the
office of Bishop for Us must do it solely
ont of sense of duty to Christ and his
church. and not from any consideration
of honor, emolument or ease. He will
find a great deal to be done, and this un-
Ter much opposition from the world, and
rom many who profess not to be OF the
world Often, as the humble servant OF
Christ, in his responsible position, will
he have cause to feel that his burdens are
too heavy for him to bear; that the work
is more than he can perform and some
times almost disheartened he may be
ready to say, =" / cannot do this work;
cannot carry all this people And
therefore, my dear brethren, both Of the
clergy and laity, let me bespeak for him
beforehand your affection and support
Let us all make up our minds, fully and
consoientiously, that he whom the Lord
may give us for our Bishop, shall have
our love. our confidence and our aid
Let US resolve that we will rally around
him, stand by him, and, with one accord
uphold his hands, encourage his heart
and be co-workers with him. He will
need our prayers, need our cooperation
and orr sympathy. These things will b.
due to him, and should be dutifully rem
dered. And if he has the assurance tina,
he shall receive them, and that confidence
will be reposed in him, I'VE being blind
; as we ought to be to those imperfectioni
which are incident to our fallen nature,
Their with his heart and hand be strength
ened ier the work Of the diocese then
united and as strong man armed, shall
VIC 10 forward to battle for the Lord, ant
( then, as the blessed result, shall we se'
: the church in Vermont lengthenjng he
cords and strengthening her stakes, AM
multitudes added unto her of such a
shall be saved.
will add no more, and pardon M
r dear brethren. for saying 30 much. Beint
: made by the canons, the presiding office
, | Of this Convention, and occupying, there
fore, the chair, which that great and goo'
man, our Rt. Rev. Father, now enteret
into bis rest, occupied for thirty-hve con
ventions, and where we, but little since
saw him sitting in Apostolic dignity, m,
own feelings are deeply moved, and tn