Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1877-05-25
M|gAShe Miahttatar*
FRIDAY MORNING. MAY 25' 1877
Local..
THE EP1sCOPALIANs.-

DEFEAT OF THE PROPOSED soUTHsIDE {
DIOCESE POINTED SPEECH OF THE {
B1sHoP-wHo WE'RE THE LEADERS IN ]
1.-THE EXCLUSIVE VALIDITY OF EPIs- {
CoPAL oRDERs-INTEREsTING DISCUS
SION ON IT-COL. PATTON CREEPs UP A
LITTLE ON HIS vOTE-THE VIRGINIA
FEMALE INSTITUTE.
The Episcopal Council adjourned on Sat
urday evening last about dark, the mem
bers being pretty we'll tagged out from four
DAYS of most arduous work in the sultriest
Of weather, The most prominent speakers
who had occasion to engage in the debates
were Rev. W. L. Hyland, of Parkersburg,
Rev. DIR, Hanckell, Of Charlottesville, Rev.
DR.. Peterkin, of Richmond, and Bishop
Whittle of the clergy, and Judge H. W.
Sheffey. of Staunton, Chas. Fl. Blackford,
of Lynchburg, Col. VIM. Lamb, OF Nor
folk, and J. Ravenscroft Jones, of Bruins
wick, of the lalty. The most important
subjects which occupied the attention OF |
the body were the petitions for the erection |
of two new dioceses in the old one, and a |
resolution offered by Col. John M. Patton,
of Louisa, affirming that the validity OF the
orders Of the Episcopal church is not grea-
ter than that of the orders of other chuch-
es. The case.of
WEST VIRGINIA
was peculiar one, from the fact that while
there was no objection to erecting new
diocese for that State, there was a very de-
cided reluctance to putting into it the coun-
ties of Jefferson and Berkeley, from which
came several circumstances against being
transferred. The appeal to old Virginia not
| to cut them off from her was strongly and
touchingly put by Mr.. M. P. Andrews, OF
! Shepherdstown. The movement in favor
of establishing the State line of West Vir-
ginia for the new diocese was led by Rev.
| VIM. l.. Hyland, man of impressive per-
sonal appearance and great ability and was
successful. The clergy who voted against
the new diocese on account of it's taking
in the counties OF Berkeley and Jefferson
against their will were J. S. Hansbarger,
of Orange, J. R. Jones, of Clarke, Gen. w.
N. Pendleton, of Lexington, and NJ. T.
|
were Taylor Berry, of Amherst, J. B..
Brockenborough, of Bedford, John H.
Claiborne, of Richmond, David Meade, of
Clarke, S. J. g. Moore. of Clarke, VIM. N :.
Nelson, J. NJ. Patton, of Louisa, Thorn
ton Young and j. Grantham. Rev. MI.
Peterkin, of Richmond and Rev. J. j.
Sans, of Manchester, were excused from
IN, al
SO lalty 95. Noes-clergy 2 laity 10. The
Bishop then gave his formal assent, which
is requisite to the act and after the
General Convention at Boston in October
next shall ratify the action the new diocese
will be in existence.
Mr. S. J. q. Moore, of Jefferson, offered
a resolution giving the new diocese 81 $50
to assist it in its first year, but at tie sug-
gestion of some of the delegates from West
Virginia to it was postponed until
some future Council, as the new do
cese did not wish to go before the General
Convert ton in the attitude of needing as
Sistance.
DEFEAT OF THE PROPOSED sOUTHsIDE
DIOCESE.
The proposition for new diocese south
of the James River was defeated, and got
a peppering after it was down, in the bar
MI. Y. IL. Blackford, who acted as ad-
vocate for the new diocese petitioners, is
a prominent member of the Lynchburg
! bar, handsome man, about forty years of
age, and an admirable speaker, with the
faculty OF presenting his case with great
force and clearness. He has an impene-
trable face, and even when the Bishop in
his remarks was sailing the whole scheme
and its leaders, appeared as calm as a Nav
morning. His line Of argument was chiefly
the felt want of Episcopal visitation in the
Southside. AS to the desire of the people
he showed that the signers Of the petition
for a separation represented 1867, and
those who opposed it represented only III.
He said the lack of Episcopal visitation
was no fault of Bishop Whittle, but was
simple ii physical impossibility.
Judge Sheffey, of Staunton, who had
also been appointed proxy for the parishes
of Abingdon and Goodson, replied to
Mr.. Blackford in a speech Astounding
| with humor. He analysed the vote
| which was had in the Southslde confer
| ence, since the Council met, and found
that the laity, who had to bear the burden
of the new blshopric, were evenly divided.
16 to 16, while the clergy stood IS to in
its favor. He contended that the vitality
of the church was not in Episcopal visi-
tation, hut in the clergy and laity. He re-
membered when boy the fact that he saw
an Episcopal visit of Bishop Meade to
Staanton. 1t was at the old rock church.
not far from tie present church, and at
the little square altar rail were only seven |
COMMITMENTS. Mr.. Blackboard having
mentioned seeing since he arrived in Staun- |
ton notice in the "Central Presbyterian |
that Montgomery Presbytery was calling
for division of the Synod of Virginia.
Judge Sheffey said the similarity was not
very great-the Presbytery might have
called for everything else, but they never
called for more bishops Tgreat laughter1
Mr.. Blackford, said the Judge, said he had
seen the paper at Mr.. Kayser's, some Of
the true-blue old Scotcl-Irish blood.
better people than whom the world does
not hold; but their views about Dish obs are
something like those of old Parson Cal
houn, who used to.preach in the Presby-
terrain church in Staunton. He was re
quested to announce that Bishop Moore
would preach at the Episcopal church on
a certain night, and he read the notice to
his congregation this way: "Bishop Moore
THEY call him sbiShop'1 will preach at the
Episcopal meeting house next Sunday, and
on the same day Bishop Calhoun will
preach here0 [great laughterl. The iudpe