The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-05-24

L
Of this diocese one sitting of the body be
devoted to the consideration of diocesan
missions and to the hearing Of the reports
of individual missionaries.
PETITION FOR A NEW CHURCH.
Rev. William Norwood, ID. D., from the
| Committee on New Parishes, presented the
petition Of communlcants Of the town of
Gordonsville and viclLity, parish OF Saint
| Thomas, Orange county, asking leave to
form new congregation under provision of
| canon VII. Of the canons Of the diocese.
The petition was granted by the Council.
| TIE STATE OF THE CHURCH.
| Rev. J. s. Hanckel, D. D., from the Com.
mittec on the State Of the Church, submitted
his report. The committee say: Inadequate
as are all external tests of church growth,
they have enough in the documents submit
ted to their consideration to call for heart
| felt gratitude to our Divine Head. The
number of those who during the past year
have confessed Christ in confirmation (l,0S9)
constitute no uncomfortable accession to our
| Household Of Faith. The number Of
churches % consecratcd to the worship
of Almighty God Is, when We con-
slider the prevailing financial depression,
healthy indication Of progress. The num-
Der of postulants and candidates for holy
orders Thirty three Is in excess of any pre-.
vious experience, the number Of commun-
cants (although not yet fully reporteD is
nearly rs large Q1,3S5) as was reported last
year, while the amount of contributors
| ($127SSS) exceeds that Of the year preceding
| by $4,000. In the matter Of clerical sup
| port and ia the provision Of rectories there
has been marked improvement.
| In the very important department of
| diocesan missions alone is your COM
mittee panied to note less encouraging
result. All who give to the subject
a moments reflection must concede that
the amount (S4 ,500) contributed TO this
branch of missionary enterprise is wholly
| inadequate to the wants of our Widely.eX-
tended diocese. When it is considered, fur
tber, that out of the one hundred and fifty
parishes which compose our diocese only
- contribute at all, and that -- contri-
| butte nothing to this object, condition is
disclosed Of supncneSs, indifference, or dis
satisfaction greatly TO be deplored, and
| which imperalively calls for correction. No
effort should be spared to discover, and II
possible remove, the cause. Your committee
! are persuaded that this lamcntable lack OF in.
| terest in diocesan work is traceabte IN part
at least, if not in large measure, to lack OF
information among both clergy and people.
Were the number of missionaries em-
ployed and their respective fields OF labor
extensively made known; were each mis-
sonary required to give annually de-
tailed account Of his labors, his priyatlons,
of the extent and the needs OF his own and
adjacent fields; were these accounts judi
ciously digested by Il committee Of the Board,
such portions only being retained Is would
| prove of present interest to the Church at
! large prelaced and followed by remarks calcu-
lated 10 throw further light upon the SutIect
were missionary map of the diocese pre-
pared. indicating what parts, and how muca,
Of our beloved diocese remains unSupplled
! with the mini>ratlons Of our Church, and
the whole embodied in Il report, of which
| large edition WAS published and circulated
| throughout the diocese, it would form an in
valuable and most effective appeal to both
the clergy and the congregations of the
| Church. Both by clergy and people the CON-
! plaiut Is loud and constant OF the lack OF Just
such data.
But be the cause what it may Of the
! existing deficiency, your committee cam
not too emphaticly declare their conviction
/, that. instead of the paltry sum Of $4,000,
$4,000 or 81, 800 at The very least should be
| put at the di.posrl of our Diocesan Board.
| Ia such conviction we are confirmed BY
tue reflection that upon one large and highly
! important sphere Of missionary enterprise
our Church IN Virginia can be scarcely said
| to have enered-Wc mean the coorcd popu.
lation Of the State. Fully and painfully ap.
price rs we are Of the difficulties to be sur
mounted, the pr'judites to be overcome, and
the discouragemcuts to be encountered, our
duty in the premises is unchanged. 1T our
very doors are this numerous class of almost
| heather. for wnOm Christ died. To them rs
to every creature we are commanded to
preach the everlasting gospel. We are
debtors both to the wise and un.
wise and at the peril Of our orn
| their salvation must be sought and that debt
paid. In one case, at east,-that of Rev.
MIR. Cooke, of Petersburg, such effort in be-
half of our own colorcd population has been
attended with success sufficient 10 stimulate
our Church to similar attempts to reach and
benefit this class. Expansion III this and
every other feasible direction is, we feel, i'm
pcralirely required if we would develope
aud invigoraie the missionary zeal OF our
Church. We must lengthen our cords, as we
hope to secure the blessing of Him VINO sent
us to strengthen our stakes.
/ For the support CT this, rs Of all the other
benevolent enterprises Of our Church III the
dioceSe-the Education Society, the Brother
|
moderate degree OF sclt-denial on the part
of our members would suffice; and until
our benctuctions cost Us something we
fail of that standard of liberaIity winch is
iuculcated and was cXemptied by Hin who
for our sakes became poor that We through
His poverty might be rich.
To be effective in its beneficial Influence
upon ourselves Or others such charity should
not be .titful and irregular, but habitual and
svstematc-at regular periods and always in
proportion to the means whereWith God
hath prospercd US. Thus only can we grow
m ourselves unto Godlikeness and become
lha children of our Father in heaven, who
causetb His Son daily 10 rise on the evil and
on the good.
But it is not only to the want Of self.de-
Mil and to couseq want of liberallty that
we are constrained TO revert. Our beloved
BISHOP in his address pontedly called at
tcnton 10 practical eXceSses on The part OF
some-tirst in intcmpeIance. The apostolic
r,u,ion. "be not drunk with wine u; the
solemn warning that drunkards have no por-
!, tion in the kingdom of heaven, but are
without. "in the lake which burneth with
fire,n ought to be, and 10 the vast majority OF
instances are, sufficient to class this with SINS
not once to be named among us as Decon-
inc saints" Still, your committee are forced
70 the conclusion tbat social usages-
| some of long Standing, others OF mover
introduction, peril the safety ana weaken, II
they do not destroy, the Influence ior soou
to editication of many protesting Chris
tiaus. They ciuuot, therefore, but express
their conviction, in the very strongest terms,
that the offering of Intoxicating draughts as
| ,;,o of bosnir,Iitv is more hOnOreQ in the