The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-12-15
EPISCOPAL COUNCIL OFTHE DO
CEsE OF WEST VIRGINIA.

l. W.
CEsE OF WEST VIRGINIA.
The Council was called to order on
Wednesday, December 8, 1877, by Bishop
WHIrTLE, of the Diocese of Virginia.
Bishop WHITTLE had commenced his
ministry in the church at Charleston
many years ago. He had served this
people with fidelity and great acceptance,
and through sill his life his relations to
the people of st. Johns had been these OF
mutual respect, confidence and affection,
and there WAS moral business and SOL
emn religious propriety in the circum-
stance that now in dissolving his cOnnec-
ton between the Diocese of virginia
and the new Dioces Of West Virginia,
created out of the former, that this should
be contaminated st the place where he
had first entered upon the great services
of his life. Upon the call to order every
clergyman of the new Diocese was pres
ent except one, who was detained By do
mestic causes, but who subsequently, APP
peared. The Lay delegation was full.
The convention was opened by rciigi'
Gus services and by the administration
of the holy sacrament, of which aii the
members of the body partook, and in
psrtsking pledged themselves to the
sincere and faithful discharge OF their
duties in the work OF constructing, build
ing up, and extending the area o! the
church. The sermon was preached by
Rev. j. q. ARMSTRONG from Elk. IA, 10Th
"a clause: Speak to the children of
Israel that they go forward" The posi-
tion of the people OF Israel, standing on
the brink of the Red Sea with the impss-
sable waters immediately before them
and the inboSpitabie wilderness beyond,
and the hosts of Egypt pressing them in
Ite rear, anu ING No'SS VI oVu 'NtI'"S
their lesder, Speak to the people that
they 90 forward" was SO presented by the
tie eloquent speaker that there wss not
q soul present that did not but feel that,
then, on The solemn occasion OF this new
departure OF the people of God, he was
in the presence Of the same voice that
speaks through al :he ages to those who
will listen, to 90 forward in the work OF
reconstruc,ing the world. His tone OF
thought rose molly and grsndIy until
the order OF mis- discourse carried him ior-
ward to the fitting and appropriate
climax OF the Providence in history, when
the great Master said, go ye therefore,
and make disciples" Then showing the
high character which the iulflment OF
this duty was 10 impress on all Lstions
and people, ard returning to the sppilca-
ton of his text he said, "Spesk unto the
children OF Israel that they go forward"
there was no one present that did not
feel the conservation OF the hour.
Then followed the didactic lessons Of
the speaker, who showed that be had
studied snd fully comprehended all the
duties Of the time, all the necessities Of
the great occasion when the Clergy ard
L.!ety of the Diocese OF West Virginia
were ..bout TO identity themselves in q
more immediate manner with the wei
lare and prosperity Of West Virginia. l
cannot refrain from giving the following
l,ngusge rs used by the speaker: EEL
low-Clergymen and Lsy-Delegates of
the Church of West Virginia, if there
Ter was time since the day when
Israel stood before the Red Sea before
setting foot on the promised land when
COP in his providence repeated to any
people the command to Go forward ne
surely repeats this command to-day
TO us. If the great work
to which this voice Of Providence is
calling US this day, can be expressed
il one word, tha. one word, should
sAr, is Aggression. Speak unto these
M N that they 90 forward" is, l believe,
the djstircs and emphatic mandate with
which God in His providence has charged
oar Bishop concerning US. And we are
to-day putting our own selves in the way
to respond TO That charge. We have
out our Diocesan home-the home OF our
own Diocesan childhood to enter upon
work on our own responsibility and in
our own strength. Our venerated Mother
last May gave her cordial assent for US
to try the experiment. Weshsll not soon
forget the evening on which fell upon
our ears the sweet beuediction of our
Father in God. " hich of US that evening
heard not with the commingled feelings
Of regret d swc-regret a. the terlni-
ration OF associations which had been so
pleasant to ali, even to those who had
shared them but few years,-o' swc, at
the vast responsibilities which we then
felt were gathering s7ound us and At the
vast extent and difficulty of the work
which was opening up before US. But
;h- separation came; we accepted the i.
sue, aud to-day we sctuslIy assume
these responsibilities snd enter upon this
work. We must be- aggressive
", mus. be scl5.corsecre:er; Wa mus! be
united in heart, t.at We may
be united in energy. We must
love as brethren and let Nc
roo. Of bitterness spring up to trouble Us
we must be charitable and flrbesrinG'
toleraung difference {. tneolog cal opin-
ions and of modes o doing things, and
even subjecting sel'tor the sake Of the
GOOD and harmony of the whole Above