The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-05-04
ApDREss OF rHEB BISHOPS.

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The following address prepared by tn
Board Of Bishops was read by BisLol
ANDREWS, before the General Conference
of the NJ. E. Church now in session a
Baltimore.
TO the Pastors and Congregations Of tn
Methodist Episcopal Church IN tn
United States:
BRETHREN AND FRIENDs - Youl
Bishop and delegates in General Confer
ence this first day Of May, A. D.. 1876
hasten to urge your harty compliance
with the order taken four years sago, fol
the celebration OF the centenary ol
American independence. This order
provides both for suitable commemora.
tive services in our conferences and con-
gregations, and for liberal thank-offerings
10 Christian education. Its particulars
are set forth in the appendix to The disci-
pline OF 1872, and need not he here re-
cited. Most OF the Conferences have
taken the action thereby required, the
Bishops have issued the requested pro.
eramme. and Contributions IN behalf OF
many of our schools and colleges are
already begun.
We earnestly entreat you to complete
the scheme thus inaugurated. Through
out our whole communion let thanks
giving, prayer, and memorial discourse
declare and increase our gratitude TO the
Sovereign Of Natio.s, and our conviction
that national we'll being can be guaran-
teed only by loyalty to his righteous
government. Let generous gifts, devoted
In permanence to the training of youth,
and thereby to the highest service of the
State, attest the love we bear to our coun-
try and its Institutions. In this day of
rejoicing, as in past days of trial, let 1t
be seen that the free church is preemi
nently the friend and ally oil the free
State.
This special religious cOmmemoratlon
will not withhold you from the secular
celebration by which the whole people
will mark the occasion. On the contrary,
community of h story, of interests, and
of destiny will insure n community Of
patriotic sentiment and acton. l com
pany with your tellow-citizens you will
ioyiully review the Ia which God has
given us, the annals OF our colonial set
tlement and training, the hit time and
men and deeds of the revolutionary
struggle. the formation OF u more perfect
Union under a & Institution of consum-
mote wisdom, the marvellous increase of
our territory, our population, our tri-
umphs in arts and arms, our progress
in science, literature and education, our
undecayed talth ir the self. evident truths
of the great declaration, and their recent
supenduous reussertlon IN the emancipa-
tion and eniranchisement OF servile
population more numerous than that OF
the colonies ut the revolution, or contri.
buttons to the nations from which we
sprang, and our peGestined part in the
great drama OF human history, and, in
line. all the facts and all the forces which
have made the century memorable, and
which pressage more signal future.
With your fellow citizens You will also
solicitously study, and as far as posi-
bic remedy the evils which threaten
our national life, issuing some O.
them from the defects or our political
system and methods, some from sectional
antipa,hies and aspirations, some from
the ontagonism Of social classes, some
from the Vaccinations OF foreign spirit
ual despotism, but all having their power
for harm in the lamentable prevalence Of
individual ignorance, Indifference and
vice. Upon all these assemblies of the
people We invoke the spirit OF concord,
Of patriotism aud wisdom. May they
titiy introduce century Of larger civil
good than the world has yet known, II
century OF wider intelligence and better
morals, Of liberty and order more perfect
" allied, of confirmed unity, peace and
prosperity.
But the patriot who is also an inteln-
gent Christian surveys n wider horizon
tnuL. his fellow citizens. lie interprets
and values all centuries and all nations
Inv their relations to the kinkdom and
glory of Christ. He must therefore, be
moved by the profounder sentiments and
recognize higher daties on such an occa'
sion rs this, Tor to the American Chris
tisn his own land time seem To bave been
designated for peculiar illustration OF the
divine kingdom, and for special and
LARGE contributions To il. Here has
fIonrished a Government historically
i,duced from the Christian principle
of equality and brotherhood-a Gov
ernment from the people, by the people,
and for the people. Hero the church'
made independent of the State, has Illus.
trated the simplicity, the freedom ana
the yigor of ancient Christianity. Here
a nation growing within the century
from three to forty millions, and over
spreading vast regions recently occupied
nv the savage and the wild beast has so
maintained and dffused the :aith that
the increase Of church, OF COM
municants, or schools distinctly con-
secra,ed to Christ, and OF organ
izcd Christian charities has relative out
stripped the increase of population. Here
the humane spirit OF Christianity mas
been signally exempiied in generous
hospitality to aliens, in the protection
and opportunity given TO women, IN Tue
care for the rights and interests OF labor,
in the overthrow of slavery in the war
waged asains, intemperance, and IN the
successful effort for international arotra'
,;on Here have been added to the vIsl-
BILE agencies by whichthe world shall Dc
suhiugated to Christa free, great ana en- :
LIGHTED nation, and church vital with
The missionary spirit of its Lord.
The yr,ticance of these facts cannot
no over. estimated. They illustrate the
dependence of social wei are and religion sa
They are tokens of the vitality and oene-
dcience of the gospel. They are arguries
of its future triumph. Tney make the
land the the country wherein they ap-
pear pear conspicuous in the history Of redemp-
iion. Taey impose welghty obligations.
We must not brethren, be content 70
stand at this meeting place OF the centu-
rics, ut this hour OF retrospect and antiei-
patton, simply with secular and patriot
ic rejoicing; nor will formal and scanty
recognition OF the great purposes oil 1oa
in our conn;ry's history. When, oeyoGd
n