, 1869-09-15
DIOCESAN COUNCIL,
Episcopal Convention of lhc
Diocese OF Illinois.
Opening Sermon by Rev. DR.. Pierce.
Of Springfield.
The Bishop's Addrcas


MORNING SESSION.
The delegates 10 the Episcopal Convention o.
semb!ed JeaterdaJ morning At the Cathedral, cor
rer Of Washington and Peoria BuceiA, for psa}era
At 10 80 procesaion entered the edtnce By the
Washington street door, md marched 10 The chan
ce1+ whe,e they took seAse. In front marched the
choir, comprising lumber Of boys dressel In
white korpliceB, then CANE a11 celgJmen wearing
their vestmeuts, followed By IT. Rev. BIshol
Whltchouee, who walked alone, ar1syed IN all the
rpbeG Of bis ONCE Next cAI1e number OF clergy.
men and tn the resr the lay deesatee~ The
1nsaop took ~ chAir. and ras supported IN The
side Of the chancel and the clergyEcu opposIte
thcm. Rev. DR.. 1lJlance conducted tho beryIcca,
Their we're almost entirely choral Everything
1 ut thG he'll LESSONS and ne prayers we're chauntei.
Rev. Clinton Locke read the fessonB. The Siceue
CErtr1 was rccitcd, Ead Dr.. Chase read the coa1-
mun1on ser7iee- The services we're very Impress
stse: Nheu The Gt'fa iatrif was being rectei. the
c!cfKJ acn TUNED theif faces toward the com.
tntinion table. The congregation was sualL but
TrrJ attentive md devotional
Rev. Dr. Pierce & o's spfns saSses ,e Ill, preached tho
Sermon. taxing hfa text rum Ephc.tans. Chapter
IT,. .terrtslto lie said there were great cpocha
~ 1e To7as natos{ nnd caansc' n the .c q
t1rets In rev direction. They were now cntrl.
lnR or. ono of these Rreat cpochs, and II tp.
iloyc ,t The tne ! nems'ero Of the Church to watch
thr Church. "hlch Involved The future Of ali
human aIars The past elU yeara In tho
M!.serE !. o. The Church ws. an enush o, scpnrn-
ti0t, tilT,fn'lF. schlAms, And trrex. EvrrF year
taw Hccis spr!nxlnG up Aau sec;l scFcrfl In snatn
No h00nes Ths G.le sect or pnan3Ran cxpt0Ietl
than ",ners spIane up. It secnfs1 that in'sl'uas
wtlrsI 1ihilr them Hcrara'c from TIM Church. 1hn
Tendency ~aa now changing. Thcrr hcmri to
munIo atnoi,x men III" cfior,. r t n,ac to nccou. %
= iar Mau, werr rrnrtns for auIsy VII" ips ihaps
trf ~
.1cnnr s.rWn upon the ruhlcx. OF r;Jnn would 10
wartrt! HEnl tiilr lost, a carrfal A.uhY Of Tho
Eplsltr 70 iis Erlc.iAns wonl, icach them tho
t,sn} III thr chntrh Uf ilt living TOD. lrprnl,nx
on thr aliurnhr Hon, nf,i lnr,,nc<.i ny tho ttolT
Hepirt. Jesus ~a 'hc llratl of ,ie Church: ffnn,
inrarnailon Ha sxterna ionas os VET" ai,Io 10 !"
represent tho manner IN which tnc Inurrh
sIa "ss n a crs.s !" ,n io ,ioIy =, s 'ss ,pa ssts
intns nas'fta n,d giving rise IN so,nn.
tisy aud involuntary art!sn. Thr Church wa4
more 31u,y M, intimately eonnec,ea win cnrlst
foot 10 tbs hod5. They we're one ~stt tIoti.
Members Of the Church Wcre a!mitte,! 10 t.iat
cose relaoh Will! Christ In l!oy l,aptlan. 1sy one
spirit they were ali baptized INTO ono hodv, ami
thus they hsd tue spIrtt. Lei tuen cavIl as tacr
Eight, but after the doctrine Of the Trinity, thc
toctE.nc Of the Church as being the fo1y OF tfr.t
ant tHe place whtfc t'oA operntG.i, Taa next IN
tnro7anre. anA II HAT was not granted mapy
tn'p9stant Passages n the New Testament coall
rot be explained: The cnusrn hal not get OH
taintt !ts full spiritual development, nud
to reach that end, CirlA. gave tilycn g1its
10 uen AZ apostles and e!esry1neu 10 raise
It n, Church 10 thy dignity mud stature Of cnlAL
11o1F Ghost and the sacIameuts, the ilrluc ideal
would he realized and there would ne uIlty OF the
spsI,t u rm;st Jssus. am The Perfection Of the
mythical body. The Erst dnsy Of members Wns 10
srcnRn!zt TIE oEVan1zasseD OF the Church. The
divine 'slta! Of the Church WIS y Church In union,
unity mud unison. There could 1'e no union IN
uutdu u ChttAt. The roman Guthotscs hal this
union through ihe i'upt, "ho assumed the place
o. ca,tst .n;i a3a sn. xae. # t. not thu anucast.t,
was 10 ticuy the true heahsnip OF Christ Every
citizen IN the Splr1ta' Kingdom had his sphere nf
,tuty and The Ilo!y Ghost the only Vice aetent Q!
{sr!. There sNanItf l.c nHE centre Gl uuitT. anil
that should Ike Christ. The rapa theory substl-
tuted oneness e. With the ll'shor OF Home for one
co'ls*t tn uuisop, and hence the notion OF an nyl-
bic Elnfch. That s5stcm, when well tsrr.ed out,
ended IN Q1akeriEEn, when fully carried out II
enaet1 IN n! st!clsm and 'nltsl!luss1n AZ perfect
was OF sinai clnenE1ons. All churches SHOULD he
members Of ono another. Thry should
,, s ~ :, 9hs ': in e. Ths} we1e s9-
Wnat God had Joined together man should not
ru! asGndcr- Would 10 Tod that all iucu could
Everywhere .zar bc5irve1A 10 Christ were Ntstfnily
1nqn!Hpg, atd WORKING for unLtF. Tne3 uutnberrl
M.riads. IheF prayed TO be male oae wten they
Ftlt puEs II tEtf Gll5 ttFEftl IL ! III ultl90QS
Ct ChEa1erdom hail male the workings OF the
Church af uone effect. 1nndel1ly was iespread
and ginning. an1 soon Christians would hare to be
Ism. II they we're 20, unitet, On the broad ncil of
q Catholic Chnfch: u theJ we're nel one body,
animated By one spirit, they would be t'9htlne each
tahe tnclf etand upon cathoitclsy. On no other
gzcnuds have they q right TO ca.i upon met 10 Jo!n
theH- secta1!anism had matred the catho!sci.J ut
every Charc, ami kept nsupIfer the bonds Of peace
II was their SutT TO 6ft rA{d fYAmClf ami
draw men to them Their Church, IN not requiring
.arttsm as a condition o! communion. woald open
Ct the TouIds OF Cnfistendon llraIe,i pr moi,
let them do their duty and nYer to nr historic a!
Church wtlh historical creed. Hlcssed were the
IEacenblcrR They could only fail. II theY suc.
cccs'ed, God would ronr OFT his choicest blessings
uron the rnttesl Church, aud nutions would rnck
to the city Of God.
and the commrrlon celebrated.
Wright se1ret up cold lunch III the hall nj,
!niptrg the Church.
EVENING SESSION.
The convention ressEembleL At ~ o'clock il
rs s,an esSniog AtssF b lu choral sssyce ns
TIE BISHOPS ADDRESS
lie PROPOSED TO connne himself TO that portion
q h,s address which might properly be considered
ptetFrre- Those setting forth the e:ate Of
The church, The report Of the ,!eaus. sud
the sEount Of fneis work; the relations Q! thc
cathedral service, the missionary woik, wnn1d TX
reserTed ant ihrown Into au appendix to the ad,
| dress when published lie bid them welcome to
the Annual Diocesan Council In the na,ne and
iote OF the Savior. They met, AZ RlwArA, IN the
Hslty OF The visible Church, With It's historic
Int.&tfT, In !p5al fptoSnltinn Of their fedeta1e
nnon III Tue Protestant Church Of The Tolted
which hsd not broken its su 'cession slnrc the
Btss1eA went to the Itr1ssh Isles und had ever
ftHft 1nr nF Nhta van