The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-10-31
PASTORAL LETTER
OF the Bishops OF the Episcop.
Church.

those which are the more glorious bene
fits OF His cross and passion. For three
years more, marked by many changes
and by many extraordinary providences
in tie affairs of the world, God has con,
tinued to bless US with much Of earthly
happiness, and with Astounding mercies
in the communion of His church.
Your bishops. in addressing you once
more in a pastoral letter, must begin
with these devout acknowledgements
and with confession OF our great un
worthiness of such distinguished favors
from the Most High.
MISSIONS.
In special manner we are called on
to thank our Heavenly Father for the
advancing outward growth and awaken.
ed eternal life which has been vouch.
ssfed to us; for greater measures
OF missionary zeal and earnestness in all
those works and services which, as
they are the inner glory of the Bride OF
Christ, 80 they are also her most pre-
cious adjoining in the eyes Of men. II
we do not enter into the manifold de-
tails which this great subject presents
to us, it is because we would not even
seem to boast Of that for which we are
simply to give all glory to Almighty
God.
DECEASED BISHOPS.
Two of those who united with us in
our last pastoral letter are now with
God. The venerable Bishops Kemper,
Of Wisconsin, and Chase, OF New
Hampshire, assist in our council no
more. 1t is not our usage on such
occasions to multiply words, whether Of
eulogy or regret. 1t is understood
among your bishops that they are not
to be subjected to the judgment OF their
brethren in the House Of Bishops,
whether for praise or censure. To the
bare mention Of the fact that they do
now rest from their labors, we add
nothing, therefore, but the single truth
that they were eminent for piety and
worth, and were greatly beloved in the
church and among their brethren in
their episcopals. Their sufficient monu-
ments are their dioceses of which re-
spectively they were the first bishops,
and the noble works which God
wrought by them, and which, we doubt
not, will long endure to the glory and
praise OF His holy name.
THE CONVENTION.
The services OF the Convention OF
which we have reached the closing
hour have been marked in very high
degree by manifestations Of the Divine
favor and the presence of the Holy
Spirit. Questions of the greatest mo.
ment and some of absorbing interest
have been before US, yet nothing has
disturbed the harmony Of our councils,
but on the contrary the marked result
Of our work is q degree of unity OF
brotherly love which cannot but in
spire us with new zeal and confidence
for the future. Among your bishops,
day after day, and in the midst Of the
most anxious deliberations, we are able
to assure YOU that there has not been
for a moment any interruption to tina,
spirit OF fraternal concord on which the
Lord has commanded an especial bless
ing. To His presence and directing
grace be all the honor and praise.
The visits to our church and oul
councils OF eminent fathers and brethren
from the Church of England and sister
churches of her colonial empire have
not only given a marked and peculiar
interest to this Convention, but heve
been rendered highly conducive to the
successful prosecution of it's work. This
being also the year Of our missionary
Jubilee, it has been indeed delightful
feature OF our solemnities to have among
us those who have 80 entirely sympa
thized with the spirit OF these occasions
and who have in many ways contrlbu
ted to their happy result.
4 special feature OF our practlca
work in this Convention has been thu
attention given to homes and hospital'
and to the organization OF woman'
work in schools and institutions o
mercy. These great subjects we may
therefore commend anew to your yea
and wisdom, invoking the liberality
and selesacrifce without which plan
ming and legislation can accomplish
little.
In the revival OF the scriptural diacon
ate Of women we feel an earnest desire
that prudence and good sense may &c
preside over every effort and in every
church where such efforts may be made
az to secure this blessed enterprise from
all untoward circumstances, and iron
the evil consequences Of zeal which Il
not according to knowledge.
THE BAPrIsMAL SERVICE.
The Bishops in council, with an ex
traordinary unanimity, have, during the
nresent Convention, sat forth declara
ton touching our offices for the Dap
tism of infants, in the following words
ave, the subscribers. Bishops Of the
Protestant Episcopal Church IN the
United States, being asked, in order te
the ouieting of the consciences OF sundry
members Of the said church, TO declare
our conviction as to the meaning OF the
word 'regenerate' IN the offices for the
ministration Of baptism Of infants, tt
declare that in our opinion the worc
'reoenerate' is not there so used as &c
to determine that a moral change II
the subject of baptism is wrought II
the Sacrament. This declaration was
made in the loving hope and confidence
that many conscieuces might thus TOR
ever be freed from false impressions
which have been prevalent, concerning
the teachings of the church as Iespecl'
spiritual s religion and personal i. p assy
We exhort you, brethren, to be ever ever
mindful of the tender love Of our Mas
ter, Christ, for the little children au y,
to think highly of the privileges U
- tbose are admitted whom