The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-01-19

\ 70 act. Their separation was paint
necessity and most humiliAting occur
renee; but ge toTon0 Of II was in their di
dgreaHg-hs toroAg was In their IsdF
coiIttntt0n-tM tor0no was In their quar-
Te!ing-ani not in their separating. An
90 In the Episcopal Church to-day, D
terolg ls In there being two contendln
parties In the Church-he Wron0 Is In on
party's teaching the doctrine Of iustifica
ton BY the sacSaments, the other that I
justification by faith-n0 prong q In on
pArtys insisting on having priests an
affairs and sacrifices In the Church, ID
other on having no priests, no altar AM
no sacrifice but ChriSt-and as each part
claims the Prayer Book, and the Pfaye
Book cannot be altered-and as separa
ton Is better than discord-Ms Onl
remedy is separation.
REASONS FOR TAKING THIS STEP soLITAR,
AND ALoNR. .r.'-
Another difficulty which for DAYS KEEP
me undecided, was the feeling that, Il
such q matter, there ought 10 be concer
Of action on the part Of the Low hurcI
party. But tho question was, how wa
this to be brought aboutf l have neveI
entered into any secret organization, hatI
never taken part 10 any secret caucus
and especially In this matter have felt thai
whatever was done ought 10 be don't
openly before the Church, and in TIT
broad light Of day. For this reason, q
secret meeting, to secure concert Of action
was out oil the question. On the Other
hand, q public meeting was, for obvious
reasons, impracticable. II the meeting
were called for the avowed purpose o.
considering Tho question Of leaving the
Church, those whose minds were made
up 10 take the step could not honestly
take part 10 such meeting. And If Il
were called for the avowed purpose oil
eDeeting separation, those whose minds
were not made up to that step, would
hopeleesly compromise their position In
the Church by attending such q meeting,
And for still more obvious reasons, no
Convention or Council Of any Diocese
could be expected to take action in the
matter, until 1t had come to DO more dis.
cussed, more considered, and better I'M.
derstood. Therefore as soon as my mind
was positively made up, felt that the
only course for me to pursue was TO lay
down at once my Office In the Church,
take my position distinctly outside Of the
Church, and from that position say what.
ever had to say In justification or ex.
PLANTATION oil the step.
Under these circumstances and Tor these
principal reasons, l have felt 1t my duty
TO withdraw from the Protestant EpiSco-
pal Church. In taking the step, / may
truly say do II by faith: for | 20 out,
almost literally not knowing whittier 20,
or who, Il any, Of my friends will 90 with
me. The Reformed Episcopal Church,
as organized by Bishop Cummins and
others, meets entirely my views offs Scrip.
tural Church:
/. 1t plants itself firmly on the Word
Of God, as the sole rule Of faith and prac-
tice.
2. It.adoptsa Scriptural Liturgy in
which no countensnce Is given TO the Ro.
mish doctrines In regard to Baptism and
the Lords Supper and the ministry, and
i allows Christian Liberty in the use Of
that Liturgy.
8. It retains Episcopacy, not as oil d.
vine right, but as very ancient and desir.
able form Of Church government.
And 4 1t recognizes as Chr is,ian
brethren all who love our Lord Jesus
Christ in sincerity, and as sister Churches
all the Protestant Churches that hold
the faith once delivered to the Saints.
WHAT WILL WEST VIRGINIA DO!
But though this Church commends it.
self entirely TO my judgment and my
affections, shall wait 10 connect myself
formally with it until l sec what nv
brethren in the Church oil Virginia and
WestVirginia will do In the matter. know
that there are manyof them who have long
been distressed and burdened on account
Of those Romish innovations in doctrine
and usage which are fast undermining
the Protestant character Of the Church,
who have longed 10 see those expressions
In the Prayer Book which give counte.
nance 10 such things stricken out or al
tered, and who, almost despaIring Of any
reformation In the Church, must now be
considering their duty in regard
10 this movement for q reformed Church.
And | cannot help remembering, and
dwelling upon the thought, that the
Church in the Diocese Of Virginia ocCu-
pies to-dayin the providence Of God, not
only peculiar position, but one OF pecu.
liar responsibility. 4Syet, by Gods grace
and happily folther, she has been able 10
keep back from her own borders the ris.
Ing tide Of Romish error, and to maintain
her Protestant and Scriptnral faith, as no
other Diocese in the land has begun to do.
And now, with three Cody Bishops (your.
self and Bishop Whittle and Bishop
PaYne) within her limits, and band of
true mea In the ranks Of her clergy and
her laity, she Is Church complete In
herself, and can enter on this needed work
Of reform as no other part of the Church
Ia England or this country can. Let her
undertake It, and none dare question her
right to do Go-let her consummate 1t, and
none dare impugn the validity Of her &C.
'lon-and no living man can foretelf the
great work which, under God, she may
.hreby accomplish for him and His cause
q the earth. And honestly believe, If
III the facts Of the case, and all the dan
yers of her longer connection with the
Protestant Episcopal Church in the Unit.
ID States as at present constituted, could
% laid before the minds of her people,
md q fair representation Of their senti.
nents be had, that nine tenths OF her lsity
md two.thirda Of her clergy would be
ound uniting their voices in one glad shout
Let US end this diScord In The Cdurch-kt
y separate from those With ioh0m ICE cannot
heel in peGcs-lst us stop this tdmpertng
9th our convictions Of truth and duty In tie
LSe Of Expressions whid dangerously deceios
IunGH S0uls-let u Hrop dolDRjfom the
calls Of our Zion these eOUerts and hiding
'IGceS for Ront& errors, aud TftudliStic sG.
rLfeeS and prisstly confessions and absolu.
ionS-dnd let us zee our Church, with her
ID bultoarks and her old to.Oers, Standing
gain, in her rightul place in The rery cen.
70 Of Protestant ChrISlendom.