The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-10-13
Protcstant Episcopal General Com.
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OBJECTIONABLE METHODS OF. RAIsrNa MONEY.
The Rev. Or. White, Of Tennessee, offered
the following:
RESOLVED, That the right reverend bish-
ops be respectfully requested to express their
opinions rs to the propriety OF the various
instrumentalities adopted for raising funds
for the support OF the Church.
Upon this resolution the author addressed
the house az follows:
Mr.. President,--I assure you 1t is with
the deepest reluctance that rise to address
an assembly so large, so learned, so eXpe-
about to bring before 1t. If a sense OF duty
did not prompt me would be silent, and I
hope, gentlemen, to occupy your attention
only for few moments to matter
that has given me much anxiety.
have been a minister of our Holy
Church for nearly fifty years; I am at
tached to its form OF worship. TO its
doctrine. and to everything connected with
| it; and IL it was necessary, gentlemen, L
would fight, although not naturally brave
man, for every shred in the vestments
and every line in the prayer-book. But
nv attachment to the Church does not
blind me 10 an evil that extensively pre-
walls. Do you ask, gentlemen. what is that
evils / answer, the improper instrument
taIities that are used to secure funds for the
support OF the Church. l am not Puritanl-
cal. do not object to mans kissing his
wife on Sunday, or--or anything OF a rurl-
tanical nature. loud laughter.l / am fond
OF innocent recreation renewed laughterl,
and all who know me we'll will testify with
what ZeSt enter into the innocent amuse-
meats OF the day. But, gentlemen, pro-
| test against the instrumentalites that are
adopted to sustain our Church. l must re
very particular now, gentlemen, and l tell
YOU what / object to. / object to Ice
cream entertainments, / object to voting
for the prettest girl in the COM
pany. l object to rafting. object
to waltzes, and | object to round
dances, and to everything OF this kind.
1 believe, gentlemen. that the evil spirit has
never invented an engine more likely to de-
moraliZc our people than the methods now
taken to support the Church. 1t throws
practical religion out OF the question; 1t
actually turns the young people OF our
Church crazy in regard to these matters.
Let me illustrate: Three or four young men,
having no position in society, and DESTROYS
of getting acquainted with girls, approach
some two or three old ladies Of the church
and say, Don't you want an entertain
mcnt for the purpose OF paying the minis
| tcr's salary, or the assessment for the
bishop, or to furnish the minister with
Garnet or some other article OF furnl-
turcs If YOU will make the arrange
mentS we will see that the expenses
are paid" The ladies respond in the affirm
alive. These young men meet together ana
bear the expenses OF the entertainment, ana
they dance TIL or O'Clock in the morn
| ing. The effect is to demorallZc the people,
and to make these young people think that
religion consists in matters, OF this klnd. l
object TO these inStrumentalities, because
am an advocate Of the offertory. l think
the man who contributes to the Church one
cent is as much wOrshipper OF COD as the
man who makes the most ardent prayer.
| Giving is an act OF worship. 1t is the only
way of giving recognized in the Bible, and
these fairs, entertainments, and festivals, in
nv opinion, are contrary to the teaching Of
Scripture, contrary to the dignity OF
the Church. We profess to be very aristo-
cratic in our notions, very exclusive; we
belong to the Church. How notifying,
then, when pass through the streets OF the
city and hear outsiders say, g" Is it possible
that the Episcopal Church resorts to such
methods as these to support its mnisters?''
Even men of the world are opposed to
methods Of this kind.
DR.. Adams, OF Wisconsin, moved TO
amend the resolution by substituting the
word improperly for propricty.
DR.. White accepted the amendment, and
the resolution was then adopted, with few
dissenting voices. A division, however,
was called for, and resulted in the passage
Of the resolution by vote of $50 ayes to
| 90 noes.
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
The vote was taken on this with the fol-
lowing result:
Clerical votc-Dioceses represented, 45 !;
voting aye, "a; voting no, II; divided, 4.
individuals voting aye, So; voting no, IS.
Lay vote-Dioceses represented, AZ; Tot-
ing aye, %: voting no, II; divided, 2. In
| diyiduas voting aye, SO; voting no, 5G.
In accordance with this result the Chair
announced that the house had ratified the
amendment.
The Virginia members all voted "no"-
namely, j. S. Hanckel, d. D.; G. II. Nor.
ton, d. D.; c. NIinnigerode, d. D.; {: j.
Gibson, d. D.; Hugh W. Shelley, Walter
III. Taylor, G.. w. Thompson, and Richard