The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-05-23


United states ofswhfch this diocese is a
i tn 10 III It's Organization. It's creed, and
no., ioIm Oh worship what 1t Eas when our
s ta independence rendered necessary
is separate ecclesiastical existence " "a
1 .,ssatf1!y Protestant, duh Episoonn 1nI
o ut.saIcsty Evangelical. TO maintain ti,asa
ca nassGeeIs uhimpaired 1t has rubricai md
,ni, provision and executive aiIthnr;tr
Hu.e SUFFICIENT, IL faithfully emn,oraJ Su ~
II need should require, corstitntioSa Iu. VI,
u Ieslsiate for any emergency po"ei
lth all these appliances for t,,. ,.....
n ~ g Oh primitive order, the nras,r,sn.to
vi DIVINE Truth, and the promot;a sat'o ~
.tue religion and piety, there is as ii,,,a ~ VI
.erierence xithfndiyidualf freedom of ,ho',a ,,,
auu action as in any other ecclesiastical con,
,nunlty. The liberty enjoyed by clergy and
ia,'y Is certainly unsurpassed. I know mot
r Were under heaven, we could be so free to.
p ras.u Inc glorious gospel or have such un-
tx1IS n access to Its precious privileges.
Wnen | think of the men and the women
eminent for piety and for usefulness in their
uay, VINO received their religious tram
lug IN the Church in Vireinia-of the
faithful and devoted ministers who
counted it all joy to spend and he
spsnt IN her::- service of the multi
tuaeS porn within her sacred Enclosures
nou,isneu ny herprovisions, and so strength.
ened Tor success in duty and victory in deafb
OF the peculiar cast of religious character and
the special type of piety here protlncadNI
cannot but regard all this as the divine i'm
primatur--the seal of God-that this Church
IS true. l do not wonder that under He
blessing the Protestant Episcopal Church
the members Of which within the century
amounted TO a mere handful, has become 2.
host-then so few and feeble as to require
help, now yastar1ny 5,oeeagsisg, fer Christ
the length and breadth Of our own land.
and circling the earth With their stations for
the advance of the Gospel.
TO be grated ntosuch a Church, aud par
ticipate in its privileges, is blessing not
easily overestimated, and the attachment of
those who have enjoyed its hallowed influ-
enceg, and feel the glow Of long transmitted
veneration and love as for the Church Of their
fathers, generation after generation, can only
be understood by those who have expert
enced its strength and tenderness.
Few things have been more encouraging
than the recent shout Of loyalty for Church
and Book, which has risen from all parts Of
the diocese, occasioned by the allegations of
some few of our brethren who have gone out
from us, and which were drowned as in
the full diapason of grand organ. The
appearance of dissatisfaction has elected
expressions of devotion which tell truly
that in this diocese we are " brethren dwell
ing together in unity &c one heart and
one SOUL" Therein do rejoice, yea, and
will rejoice.
The possession of our inestimable reli.
gious privileges is attended by solemn re-
sponsibility to guard them in every direc-
ton with jealous care that we may transmit
them unimpaired to posterity. That such
Church as our own should be hated by the
powers of darkness and asSailed by all their
strength and skill is but what might be eX-
pected, and that what Cecil styles Satan's
masterpiece, so successful in perverting the
now apostate Church of Rome, should be
essayed even on those who protested against
it, should not surprise any one.
RITUALIsM.
After reviewing at length the action Of the
General Conventions of 1868 and 1871 in re-
gard TO ritualism, the Bishop proceeds:
"The time has come for very decided
action on the part of those who prize the pre-
cious results of the Reformation, and are de-
termned, by Gods help, to keep them I'M
impaired. therefore commend the subject
to your grave consideration, that there may
be becoming expression OF the mind Of the
diocese in this matter, and such Instructions
given to your deputies to the approaching
General Convention as will fully and wisely
meet your responsibility and serve in con-
nection with like action on the part of sister
dioceses efiectualy to suppress the evils
which threaten, and to remove the scandal
which they OCCASION"
THE PRAYER-BooK.
/ feel it my duty before closing this adj
dress to allude to certain conscientious diff
culties in using few words which occur in
our invaluable book Of common prayer. That
justly interpreted their meaning accords with
sacred scripture is known by all rightly in
formed and conceded by those who scruple
at their use. But. it is alleged, that in their
now popular acceptation, as they are employ
ed in the prayer hook, they teach error, and
should therefore be changed for others not
liable to be so misunderstood; or, at least,
that those whom they trouble should be al.
lowed to omit them, as is done in reference
to an expression in the Apostles Greed and
to the sign of the cross in baptism.
I must say l have never met with single
instance of perversion produced by those
expressions. Those otherwise misled may
and do strive to shelter themselves here rs
they do under some phrases in Gods Word.
But these are not the originating cause of
their error. Yet as there have been and are
persons of intelligence. exemplary piety, and
sincere attachment to the Church much
troubled by those expressions, and as those
expressions when they occur are not neces.
sary to the setting forth of any doctrine or
the completeness of any sacrament, 1 am
prepared to favor any proper eXpedient to
provide, as contemplated in the preface of
the book of common prayer, lawful relief
for the conscience of worthy brethren whose
embarrassment is entitled to our tender con-
sderation.
Whether at THIS time movement for mir.
istering such relief would be jndicious;
whether it might not interfere with success
in the more important effort which has been
commended to your consideration whether
by failure now its attainment would net
be greatly delayed and hazarded, are ques-
tions on which my mind is not so clear as to
authorize me to venture upon counsel.
Nothing, however, prevents me from pro-
posing prompt and positive action on TINS
subject but the peculiar state of feeling
reused by the disorders and defections 10
which have alluded, and rendering the pre-
sent time unpropitious for safe and satlstac-
tory legislation. -' ~
CONCLUSION.
T conclude with earnest prayer that our
blessed Lord WILDE present with this CouE'
ell 40 to direct any movement now, even IN
the right direction, that might painfully dis
turb the happy relations and salutary In
&c - d;onaco diStjn uuiShed for unity