The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-06-01
THE VALLEY VIRGINIAN.
Staunton, Virginia,
Frateraal Greeting.

Fraternal Greeting.
The reception OF the fraternal messengers OF
the General Conference of the Methodst
Church. now sitting in Baltimore, and sentl-
ments of Christian fellowship expressed, give
encouragement to the hope that the spirit thus
manifested may have benefeent effect upon
the country throughout its borders, in all its
relations, binding tile sections together in q
common sympathy and for common glory
On Friday last, Bishop Cummins, Of the Be
formed Episcopal Church, was introduced by
Rev. DR.. Lowry, in highly complimentary
terms, when the Bishop gave utteranee to the
following frank aid open sentiments:
Bishop Cummins in responding said he represent
ed the Youngest and the smallest OF the Christian
same rock as the Methodist Church: 1t had been
said that John Wesley was high churchman an and
a rtuast but whatever ne might be, ne was at leaSG
the first reformed Episcopallan ,
The principles of the two churches We're the same
They believe that they should obey God faoner IMAM
RIGS and John Wesley, i'll defiance to canons, went
out to the plain and the downs the streets and the
alleys, and preached gospel OF purity ana love.
They, the Reformed Episcopal Church, went out
from the parent church because they We're com
PEELED to close their pulpits to Methodist minister's
and debar them from taking part in their communion
The purity of the clergy, the equality OF Bishops
and Pres6yters was their principle They believed
that a Bishop was only Eresbyter presiding as a
Bishop and they were entirely in accord with the
Mehodst PRAYER boox if he might call it so, in that
Eey had struck out everything relating TO sacerdot
aism, baptisma regeneration absolutlon and Erlest-
hood The baseless fiction OF apostolc succession ION
they had protested against, and if Methodlsm has
done nothing else than demonstrate the Wofthless
character of the dogma it would have zone ooa ser
we have been told, there can be no church and no
grace but the Methodist church. which IS out OF this
| Io, loo,a thn work
could do The ceaseless conversion OF souls, the
building up of Christian character the ild1ing Of
missions has been done by that church, so that on
every land which the sun shines and every shore
has fallen But the coming glory of 1Methodism is
that it pre- ched to the poor. He should be sorry
keep to her civil poty it had been tried one hun
bred years and prospered and the church OF the 1-
ture would be the church OF the poor
A resolution of greeting to Bishop Cummins
was unanimously adopted.
Some days previous, Dr.. Duncan, Of the
Methodist Church. South, adressed the Con-
ference in an eloquent strain Of Christian love,
brief synopsis of which we append:
solemn Joy stood in his heart that took prece
bled before h N were millions OF Methodists who
were deeply interested in this hour and beyond
these we're millions more interested in the peace of
Che general Church, and above, as witnesses, were
he millions of the irst-born of the Church In such
4 solsmn presence contentious and dissentions
shonld disappear Here, he said, was neither Jew
nor Greek, bond nor free, and in the name OF the
Methodist Episcopal Church South he saluted the
Conference brethren i'll Christ Jesus. Prolonged
He said here more than two millions of Methodists
greeted each other i'll frlternal love- declaration
OF peace aud brothery love had been made, and he
trusted wisdom would knit the fraternai bonds be
tween the two bodies SO that Tony cQuo hoe unite
them. .
Concerning the questions of fraternity it became
To frotn SJrny n
quadrenniaI court PARADE mere form? No, he
said, it is great Christian movement, giving eX-
hearts the reestabishment of the peaceful associ-
ations of men, which had been deranged by pre-
of christianity. [AppIausel Human pride, ne said,
was often too stubborn to acknowledge faults or tc
confess There was such all intense longing
after infallibitty that would not confess their
errors. He said do not establish fraternity between
the Sc churches for any secular or Wor dly end
He frank to say this because it had been init
mated that the Methodsts hal been seeking closer
union in this country merely to gain greater poti-
Another point he said he wished particularly to
make that while the political OF
the South an do truthfuy assure the world that
a true, brave devotion to the Union animates the
whole southern people applausel We as ministers
take still higher ground and offer hands, in
the name Of these political interests but in the
name Of Christ [Applause.l
In the course of his remarks he alluded to the
fact that the colored people OF the Southern church
had of their own preference formed an independent
organization, under their own bishops, come years
ago and We're pursuing their laborS separately with
Satisfactory success 49,
THE two churches, two branches of the same
Church had been understood to occupy two great
political sections but these walls OF partition have
was a Loyalty to Jesus Christ and Him cauclfied-
They would not establish this fraternity merely to
end unhappy controversies but hoped 1t would end
them [Applause.] If their peaceful paradise
hereafter should be invaded by the serpent discord
their heel would crush his head. [Applause.] He
the extensive family of christian advocates would
end. Applause. Hereafter, he said, where they
could not mend or manage disturbing people, they
must not mind them. .
Let us he said, appoint wise men to consider
these questions of difference bury our weapons OF
plause1 He did not eXtol fraternity merely to
crafty sectarian PRIDE but because it is right in
itself Theirs, he said, was glorious opportunity
This glorious land that blooms between the seas
was fair field for the Methodist laborer. From
the northern border OF it, where Gods perpetual
bow of peace glorifes Nagara's cnfs, to the ga
girt southern line. where Gods gifts make earth
aim ost an Eden of fragrance and beaufv, and from
the rock bound Atlantic where the eastern song
of the sea begins its morning music, away TO the
far-off Pacific, where the western waters now mum
their evening beuedic ion our land as the tide
goes out beneath the setting sun-eTefywhefe we
feel the inspiration of country. and devoutly
nrav Good bless our native land" Tremendous
applause.] . 49,,
II fraternity means anything it means peace and
an end to strite-afl end of that gladltorlal snow
which only bad men applaud. The day will come, he
said when these petty strifeS Will cease, When SectS
and distractions would pass away, and there VIII pc
no man who Will say he is of Paul or Apollos, but of
Christ Then the golfers OF England, the tollefS
from the workshops of the North, the red 1ien OF
the forest and the African of the South That they ha1
labored to save viii join in the genera praise lfro