The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-01-19

lOp5 h
fact but one OF the sIgus
of the times. However the
church papers may "pooh-pooh" 1t
and affect to despise it, the authorities
of the Church have shown. by their
hssty action in the matter, how differ
emily they think aud feel about it. It
is as yet, it is true, the day OF email
things with the movement; but what
sane man, 10 the light of scripture or
reason or history, will de.pise it on that
account? When waters have been long
damned up and are ready to overflow,
little child may let them out-with
one OF its little fingers may make line
across the dam, along which the waters
will begin fret to trick'e, then TO flow
in little stream, then to deepen and
widen a channel for themselves,
and in the end become mighty
and resistless torrent. And so this
movement may yet be ass the letting
out OF waters" Certainly the Low
Church party cannot much longer
maintain its present position, as one OF
defence and liberation in the Church
cannot much longer MAINTAIN its exis-
tence, as a party Of mere negstions in
the Church, denying baptismal. theor-
les, and denying sacrticial offerings,
and denying priestly assumptions
cannot much longer afford TO be vast
ing its time aud consuming its energy
and wearing Gu. lis spirit IN needless
controversies about Unscriptural words
and expressions in the Prayer-book-
cannot much longer be expected to 60
on using languag. which seems 10 teach
one thing and needs TO be exc
planned 10 mean a very dr.
ferent thing, snd no counteuancirg
errors which could be cut up BY the roots
in single day, etfectuslly eradicsted
from the Church, by the change OF
dozen words in the Prayer book
and il a word, cannot much longer be
COD fined IN Church which imposes
such yoke, and must and will cons
tinue TO impose it. because large ma
jority in the Church has a. length
come to hold and teach, ar d means that
the Church shall hold and ,escb, just
those errors, which, contrary a. they are
to the word OF God and to the thirty
nine articles offaith 10 the Prsyer-took
and to the real doctrines OF the Church,
fiud their counteDance. and their only
countenance in those few expressions in
the PIayer>book The movement
which has already carried Bishop
Cummias and others out o. the church,
is there ore, under Goi, as sure 10 90
onward 10 some torn A. waters 10 flow
downward
And the great aud solemn questions
before the Church 10 tie Diocese OF
Virginia, as to-day 10 the Providence Of
God, occupying 60 favored and 90 re
spopsibIe a position, are these three:
Will it remain in the Protestant
Episcopal Church, with the almost Ger.
tain prospect o! the final overflow and
surrender CT its principles ?
Oruil it withdraw in q body, as Q
church complete 10 itself, and hereby
secure at orce Reformed Episcopal
Church ?
Or will it leave many Of its members
to Withdraw one by one, "ss people be-
ing ashamed steal away when they fee
in battle 2
know it will be said that in taking
the step I have taken l have pursued
this last course, and already fled away
in the day of battle. But if 90, it has
surely not been from any fear Of man
or mans reprosch. 1t has been simply
on the principle that NAN action will
speak louder than his ,0ordS. and simply
that | might bear, in the most honest
and distinct and emphatic way possible,
nv feeble testimony to the necessity for
a Reformed Episcopal Church. Had l
seen any other way Of doing this, half go
e8ectuslly, I would gladly have chosen
it and, God helping me, tearlessly have
pursued IL And surely the struggle the
step has cost me, could my brethren in
the ministry and other friends only
know it, and The sacrifices it involves,
ought to pstisfy them OF the strength
o: my CONVICTIONS and the sincerity OF
my motives.
And now, Ia concluding this letter
permit me, my dear Bishop to add,
that if anything 10 it shall appear to be
wanting in respect to you or your Of
fee, beg you to believe it has not, for
moment been 20 intended. Ny res
pect and admiration for you as the moot
faithful preacher OF the pure gospel /
bsye ever heard in any branch OF the
Church OF Christ, my pereopsl obligs-
lions 10 you for % many kindnesses re-
ceived at your hands, and every feeling
OF ny heart, would forbid anything OF
TIE kind. When commenced TO
write tie letter, l had no idea OF the
length O. the range OF discussion it
would assume. But as / have
unused, the FIRE has burn
ed, nv convictions have come
cut clear and strong. and I.bave felt
that, 50 a servant Of Christ AID 10
furthersnce OF what ! believed to be
for His glory, I ought TO be neither
afraid nor ashamed TO utter them. II
augbt has been written aniss, may He
pardon and overrule iii sught &C
cording TO His will, may He bless and
ptoeper it
With sincere veneraiion and afec-
ton, an. my dear Bishop,
Very truly. yours, DC,
]. A. LAfiyB.
To the s.. Rev. JoHS JOINS, D. D.,
Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal