The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-05-24
Third Day.

ID1ru lay.
Upon the reassembling Of Council on Fl
day morning, the Committee on the consi
tutional question of the vote in the We
Virginia Diocese, presented their repor
which stated that a majority vote only worl
be required to determine the question.
The resolution to make separate Dioces
by the line of the West Virginia boundar
was then adopted by the following vote
Ayes Clerical, 81; lay, %. Noes-Clerica
lay, 10. Drs. Peterklns and Sans wer
excused from voting. After the vote wa
announced, the Bishop read his written cor
sent to the separation, according to til
canons of the church.
Recess for religious services.
DELEGATES.
After service, Rev. DR.. Morton Of Alexan
dria, Rev. DIR. Hanckel of Charlottesville
Rev. DR.. Minnegerode of Richmond, an
Rev. Or. Gibson of Petersburg, were electe
delegates on the Fart of the clergy, an
Messrs. Fl. w. Shelley of Staunton, Waite
H. Taylor Of Norfolk. Judge Thompson Q
Wheeling, W. Va, and Judge Parker o
Winchester, were elected delegates on tn
part of the laity, to the General Convention
which meets in Boston in October next.
sOUTHsIDE DIVISION.
At noon the order of the day was takel
up. On motion, it was resolved that, witt
the exception of one speaker on each side
the speeches upon the Southside division
should be limited to ten minutes.
Mr.. C. M. Blackford, of Lynchburg, pre-
sented series Of resolutions adopted at
conference Of Southside laity, and spok
warmly and with great earnestness in favo
Of the division.
Messrs. Clark of Campbell, and Jones o
Brunswick were opposed to it ] and occupied
ten minutes each in expressing their Views
After a recess, Judge Shelley took the
floor in opposition to the division, and in re-
Spouse to the address of Mr.. Blackford, de-
livered a powerful and telling argument.
Judge Boiling, Of Wythe, followed IN iavol
Of division. Other gentlemen spoke on each
side, ard it was after o'clock before the
question was called.
Before putting the question, the Bishop
gave his own views upon the subject. After
abiding to the fact that, as required by the
laws of the Church, the Bishops consent to
the division had not even been asked, much
less granted, he said that all the complaint
about the want Of Episcopal visitation, which
was the chief argument Of the friends of the
division, came from the cities, and not from
the rural districts and waste places. Those
cities had been visited annually for the past
ten years. If they were so anxious to have
the waste places built up, it should be done,
il they would give him the means to supply
ministers. For himself, he did not believe
that the people Of the Southside wanted the
division, nor did he think that one layman
in ten really favored it.
At the conclusion of the Bishops remarks,
the vote was taken and resulted in the rejec-
tioa Of the resolution by very large ma
jority.
Fourth Day.
The most important work of the Council
on the last day Of its session was the reading
Of the report of the Committee on
THE STATE OF THE CHURCH.
After abiding to the universal business
which has affected religious as
well as secular intarests, and necessarily
increased effort on the part of the clergy
and laity in the missionary work, the report
says:
No evil of the present day is more fearful
in its ravages than the vice Of intemperance.,
1t stalks boldly through the land and Stays
its victims by thousands. Permeating mod
ern society, it enters unblushingly the sacred
portals of the Church 1t needs to be ar
rested by the strong but gentle hand Of dis
cipline. The time has evidently come when
the Chureh-God's agent for the worlds re-
generation-must assert herself in dealing
with this monster. No timid policy will
serve her purpose. She must teach her chill
dren to shun the bad example Of the social
glass; to avoid, as the very gates Of hell, the
and the bar.room. Moderate
drinking in private, under whatsoever pre-
text-here lies the common danger. The
first step taken, the descent is very easy.
The Church must therefore recognize its
mission as great temperance society, and
in respect Of strong drink make its motto
these words of the apostle, "Touch not,
taste not, handle not"
Less abhorrent in its forms, but not less
perversive and destructive of true religious
life, is the spirit of aoorldlsness. Insidious
and seductive, its virus poisons the very life.
blood Of the soul, and threatens the speedy
extinction of all genuine spirituality. It is
fast becoming the reproach of the Church
that in distinctively worldly and ungodly
which are not in
nocent, but reprehensible and hurtful-her
children vie with those who are professedly
irreligious. Ofttimes-to their shame be it
spoken hurch.members are leaders where
they should not be led. Your committee, in
speaking Of these things, would emphasize
the cody admonitions of our Bishop-urge
upon all who profess and call themselves
Christians the solemn words of the apostle,
Sc Be not conformed to this world - But in
the great sin of worldliness, and
in freeing the Church from its taint, Chris
tian pastors, especially in their instruction of
The young, must be seconded by Christian
parents and sponsors for it is painful
truth that not unfrequently the teaching of.
The Sunday-school and pulpit is counteracted
and contradicted by the stronger influence
and example of the home. Hard as it may
sometimes be to draw the line sharply be-
tween the lawful and unlawful, between the
permissible and inexpedient, and dangerous
and harmful as may be the indiscreet exer
else Of discipline, it cannot be questioned
that, confronted as the Church is by bold
Ind specious worldliness, she owes it 10 her
self and to the souls Of men not only to make
her protest against all forms Of ungodliness,
to reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suf-
Eering. but also on occasion distinctly to vim
lcate the good name of her Lord,
Your committee do not deem it necessary
to speak at length in this place of extrava-
CANT decorations and Of light and unchurchly
music, which tend to sensationalsm in wor-,
ship. The Church in this Diocese has re-