Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1877-05-26
From he Baltimore Sun
The Virginia Episcopal Council.

SrAUNroN, Va, May lS.-Tbe Episcopal
council on reaSsembiug this morning proceed
cd 40 once 20 the Consideration Of the West
Virginia question. Tie committee consisting
Of Hugh ~ Shelley. Isaac II. Darlington and
Taylor Berry. appointed yesterday TO report
ou the constitutional aspect Of the matter,
brought in their report, They said FIRST, that
q majority vote was all that was required to
decide the question Of the erection Of a sepa-
rate diocese, and second, that the diocesan con-
siituii0n is Silcut about the mode in which the
diocese Is divided, yet there is nothing in it
prohibiting such division. Mr. Taylor Berry
disseuted from the report, bot mad no minor
i,y report. The report was adopted, and the
vote was taken whether the State Of West Vir-
giuia should be set apart as a separate diocese,
resulting as follows: Clergy, yeas 50, nays 4,
excused , laity, yeas %, nays 10. excused ! ;
total, yeas l64, nays IA, excused 3.
The clergy men voting 10 the negative were
~ z. Andrews, of Jefferson; J. $. llarSbrougb,
Of Orange; J. r. Jones, Of Clarke; and w.
" Peudletou, Of Rockbridee The cergymen
excused from voting were Rev. Joshua Peter
kin, Of Richmond, and Rev. J 5. Sans, Of
Manchester. Mr. Peterkin explained that
while he favored the erection Of the diocese he
did not wish 10 put parishes in it which were
unwilling to 60. The aity voting in the mega
tive were Taylor Berry, Of Amherst; j. L.
Brockenbroush, Of Bedford John H. Cal
borne, Of Richmond; J. j. Grautham, David
Meade aud 5 J. C. Moore, Of Clarke; Wm.
~ Nelson ani John NJ. Patton, Of Louisa, and
Thornton Young Several laymen explained,
as they gave their votes against the new do
cese, that they were in favor of its creation,
but were opposed to cutting OF parishes from
the old diocese which were not willing to so.
There were about fifty absentees called.
Bishop Whittle voted in the affirmative, and
after the announcement Of the result rose and
gave mis- formal assent 10 the formation Of the
new diocese, his assent being essential to the
completion Of the act The act now has 70
receive the sanction Of the general convention,
which meets next fall, before it can take effect.
During the teruoon session Rev. Drs. Nor
ton, Of Alexandria, Hankle, Of Charlottesville,
Miuucserodc, Of Richmond. and Gibson, of
Petersburg. were chosen clerical delegates to
the General Convention which meets in Bos-
ton in October, and Judge Shelley, Of Staun-
ton. Judge Thompson, Of Wheeling, Col. W.
II Taylor, Of Norfolk, and Judge Parker, Of
Winchester, the lay delegates.
The parochial report showed that there are
1851 commitments, an increase Of 5l7 over
last year, aud 10 coo Sabbath school scholars,
an increase Of 5G7. The contributions aggre-
gate SOB csc, being less by Sll 900 than the
year before
The petition Of the clergy and laity CT the
territory lying south Of James river for new
diocese was debated.
The vote was then put, and the proposition
10 divide the diocese was defeated by large
majority.
Rev VIM. H. Meade spoke in advocacy ola
West Virginia Diocese. n. 5. White, Esq
was the lay representative Of Zion Church.