Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-05-29
BISHOP ATKINsOE's ADDRESS.

DEAR BRETHREN OF The CLERGY AND LA1TY =
1eeting as We do, at a time of great agricultural
nd commercial depression and likewise OF much
anxiety because OF the political condition of thu
ountry, and feeling we al. must the evil #
ects OF our present circumstances, in weakening
he energies and impairing the resources of the
hurch, we yet have cause for mu ual con
'ratu'ation in it's general condition at home AID
broad.
The number of the Clergy in this Diocese has
ndeed been diminished, during the past year be-
cause OF the int Efficiency Of their maintenance,
wing to the general impoverishment of the
people, and In that way We have LOST some Of our
most faithful and useful ministers But, wherever
he laborer has been enabled to work. the harvest
seems to become increasingly abundant 1t Can
OF, think, be doubted that the Church is be
coming better unde,s stood and more highly sppre
| cisted throughout the Diocese III cCntirma
IONS IN the places where have visited are OIL
he whole, larger than usual, and the number Of
Dung men applying for admission tor holy
''rIers Ia very much gr. alter than at any OF heI
period during my Ep scUpate, or believe of thai
OF any one OF my predecessors. On the 25tt
May 1867, during the slttin of the Convention
corsecrated st. Johns Church, Wilmipgto
Before the rising of the Convention, confirmed
| IN st: James Church, Wilmington, IS persons
firmed Others and on 9th, in the same Church
Mother person; on 28th, confirmed in private
| : SICK person, a member Of st. Johns Church
winning on, ana on the same day another 81 /
c''on of the Parish of st. James, Of the same
city.
having been requested by the Convention tc
at end the ConfereLc OF the Bishops of the An.
< lean Convention to be held at Lambeth in Sep
TENDER, it became nece ssary for me, immediately
,tler the adjournment of the Convention, to sci
ou' on my visitation OF the Central and Western
parts OF my Diocese, in order to / g able to com
ply with the request which | shonld have been
most reluctant to refuse, and yet compliance with
Which would, on any other terms have resulted
II neglect of the flock more Immediately COM
mltted to my charge. Accordingly on the 3Oth of
L m h. at or I no
service OF the Church and preached at CASTOR, in
Northampton county.
The church building has been removed from
uAe village t. Site CONS dered more convenient
&c two mile distant. and al hOugh the congrega
ion has lost one of it's must useful and efficient
members, III the person of the late Edmond Will
lis, yet there seems to be full determination on
heir part to secure their regular religious ser
Ices which, IN consequence of the mysterious
md violent death Of the lev Mir Castleman and
he continued absence Of The Rev. Mr.. Light
'D'ne had been Tor q considerable time iut1r-
rupted.
- The I'd Of June visited Emanuel Church,
Narrentrn, preached, confirmed IA persons, one
# VIII m was cO!ored, and administer ed the Holy
Communion. On the 3Oth ana 3lst, l preached
at L henderson, confirmed persons, and also ad-
mlnlstered the mn4unlpn. On the 9th preach
ed at Williams borough, and baptize an infant -
IN the 9th preached twice at Oxford and con-
hrmed persons. On the 9th, in the morning l
preached at Loutsburs in the afteruuon after
sermon by the Rev. Mr.. Vaug han, confirmed 10
j
preached to q color ed congregation. On the 10Th
preached at KittrelPs Springs, and confirmed l
1e son. On the 18th preached at Hillsborough
and confirmed persons. On the 18th at st Ma
ry's Church, Orange county, l preached and con-
frmed persons.
On the 14th at the request of the faculty. I Wis.,
tied the School OF the Messrs. Bingi am. in the
anne county. and was very favorably impressed
wit the order, and apDart progress
of the upils. I preached to them and confirmed
6 of their number.
@ IL. T I
twice, Installed the Rev. Jlio. Heeske 1iilinghast
as Re ctor of t. Luke's hurch, confirmed per-
SOILS and admins cred the Holy Communion. On
the 17,h at lhrist Church, Rowan county. l
preached and confirmed 10 person., l of them
cOlored On the 18th at st. James Church, Ire
dell county, preached and confirmed peasons,
/ OF tn M culored On the 10 h at Statesville l
pre- ached in the Methodist Church. kindly offered
ne for that purpose, and confirmed person. On
the 21st at Gwiu's Chapel, in Wilkes county,
preached, baptized children and confirmed 4
persons.
Visitation
From this point buckingham county, I went
on to Baltimore and thence to New BOrk on my
way to England
OF the proceeding and results of the Lambeth
Conference. SO far as they were intended to be
made public, you are already we'll informed. That
meeting will, believe, be hereafter considered as
ma rking era in christianity 1t brought togeth-
er, from all parts Of the world, the representa-
tives of that great and rapidly increasing COM
munion on which, under God, the primitive and
Gospel of Christ seems mainly to
rest for its preservation and diffusion.
The principles which they set forth in their pas
torsl letter and their resolutions and in which
they concurred with such remark able unanimity.
are those which can, and which alone can, effec-
tu4lly shield the Divine Truth from rash and ru
nous unbelief on the one hand, 'and perhaps,
scarcely less ruinous innovation and corruption
on the other.
amid considerable adversties Of opinion, frank
" expressed, and with dlgnfed courtesy and
great abili'S maintained, it yet very encoura-
ging to ser how absolutely the ''One Faith" was re-
ceived by all That Faith which has come down
from the earliest ages of christianity, andis
to be transmitted to the latest.
And the thoic character of tho church; It.
adaptation TO all sorts and conditions Of men was
made strihiagly manifest when one look ed und
he EARTH in what different sta tes of intelligence
and civilization, amid what varied races those
men lived and labored, who met together for the
first time in those ancient Halls at Lamb tn to
consult how they might best advance the King
dom of Christ
There were those present who were spending
their strength and perlllng their lives among the
most degraded heather tribes of Africa. Others
from among the savages of BorneO Others
to the political turmolls OF the Democ-
racy of America; while others, again, sat in the
front rauks Of the Peers of England. Some Were
Of worldwide reputation as Theologians. Some
we're eminent for historical research, and some
for brilliant eloquence. But all
were agreed in accepting for their own guidance
and for the instruction OF others, that doctrine of
Christ which l. plainly taught in Holy Scripture
and believed by the early Church.
It may perhaps be permitted to one who had no
personal ella m to distinction to say so much of
this renowned assembly.
The rene ed opportunity which 1 enjoyed last
of estimating the condition anC progress of
he Church Of England. deepened the assurance
which previously attained of its great aud rapid
.dvapcement The Clergy, in lumber, are nearly
iouble what they were at the connect cement Il
lie century. They now in En- land and Wales
ire said to exceed q 0O0. The hurches have i'll
re ed in similar proportion, and new buildings,
pften of great beauty and splendOr, are cOntlnu
Lly rising up. lhe worship Of the Church is C n
Quoted with more and more of sOlemnty, devotion
and I'M ssiveness and 1t is in these respects,
b. Iieve un, qualed on earth. The Church seems
TO have an increasing strength of hold upon the
people. An estab ished or disestabiished religion
~ taught by it, viii main the religion OF the
English nation blessing that eop!e and going
forth from them to bless the remOtest nations
upon earth
L was stror glv urged by two dear friends who
had been my pari- hionere in Baltimore, to spend
The wipter with tn m in 1tsiy, but felt that my
duty led elsewhere, and returned to the United
states about the LIST of December.
At the instance Of the Freedmens Commission,
preach d on the subject of the religious educa-
ton of the colored population at the south IN
several Churches in New York, Albany and Baltl-
more. Meeting the convocation OF Northern New
p,rly in hIb,,y md a61resaiDp them the same