The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-05-25
Bishop johns Address 10 the Epfs-
cOpaI Council AT Staunton.

cOpaI COUNCIL ~ StNuutOh'
The annual reports OF Bishops Johns
and Whittles showed that l al persons
had been confirmed members Of the
Church since last year. Bishop johns,
senior Bishop OF the Diocese, in his
annual address to the Convention, re-
ioices over the large accesslons to the
Church in the last year, advlses care in
the admission of members. alludes to
the great feeling aroused on the subject
of intemperance, and speaks OF the posi-
ton OF the Diocese OF Virginia always
in condemnation Of this vice. lie
alluded feelingly to the death OF Dr..
Sparrows, OF the Theological Seminary.
Thirteen persons have been admitted to
orders. He announces the withdrawal
OF Rev. j. A. Latsne, OF Wheeling, and
Rev. Mr.. Mccormick, OF Petersburg,
Cumminists, and said that as he appre-
hended no evil from delay, he had given
in their cases six months, the
longest period of iorbearance, and in
this connection he alluded TO The great
part OF the Diocese of Virginia. and it's
present state as deeply Protestant, duly
Episcopal and distinctly Evangelical.
It's rubrical and canonical authority is
quite sufficient to-day to legislate for
any emergency. With all this security
there was as little interference with In.
diyidual liberty in the Church as IN any
denomination on earth. No other
Church gives more unrestrained access
to the Gospel than does the Diocese OF
Virginia. Under its government the
Church had grown from feeble band
to a vast and powerful army, and to be
grated on such body was privilege
not easily overestimated. Few things
had been more encouraging to him than
the CRY of loyalty which had come up
from every quarter OF the diocese, in con-
sequence Of the leaving OF some dissat-
istied brethren. The possession OIL
such privileges increases our response
bility to guard them. The Bishop
gave an account of the beginning o.
ritualism at Oxford. forty years ago
under the plausible pretense OF superior
Craftsmanship, . garb it has Away!
worn and under which it has introduced
medieval rites, ceremonies, periume'
and attitudes unknown to the rubrlc
OF the action of the Episcopal Genera
Convention, he said that OF its resolu
tons adopted one OF them was TOT
wayne and the other emboldened tht
innovstors who had introduced services
not to be distinguished from the Church
OF Rome, and iu some cases they hat
ont. Romanized the Romsnists ant
brought ridicule on themselves frou
these "errorists." he though
the time had come for action
and this diocese should send delegate
to the General Conference, prepared Il
breast the evil which had becom
scandalous. In oil his ministry OF nal
a century he had never seen person
perverted by the words in the praye
book, but he was Of tender compassion
for many intelligent persons VIII
thought the tendency different, prepsr
ed for anv lawful expedient whic|
might relieve their consciences. Hi
mind was not made up as to the exac
instruction 10 be given, but that tn
convention could decide. At the con
clusion of his address Bishop John
was warmly congratulated BY bot
clerical and lay delegates. So much {
the Bishops address as rslsses to ritual
. ism was referred to q committee {
thirteen, to be appointed by the Bishop