The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-05-21


the places wbict, once knew then shall know
them no more. OF these Chang we Gun
only say. ~ Even go, Fnfiler.
But other, and In one rspect sadder, re-
movals have occurred, mad tnat 10 nnpre.
cedented number remeTnls Wnicn noe
only appealto our feelings, put 10 our sense
Of duty.
The Bishop reports very large number
OF clerical dismiysais from our diocese for
lack Of adequate support. We Know that
some did not leave us willingly, but with
tha heart Of exiles. Shall the feproach OIL.
falling to make provision. for her own rest
upon Virginia when every one VINO mas
gone and many more are needed TO I'LL waste
places at home? In the reports made ana
tabulated by the appropriate Committee on
Clerical SUPPORT we grieve to note no indica-
foin Of abatement Of the cause OF this deplora-
bic depletion Of our clerical ranks. On the
contrary, the evil would appear to De on
the incitase. Shall it cnlnlinate In famine
not Of bread, but for lack OF bread OF hear
ing the word of the Lord? One agency
adopted to avert this Jour Diocesan Mis-
sionary Boardl should be enabled to stand
in the gap and effectively redress the wrong
so portentous of disaster to the cause OF
Christ and this Church in Virginia. a
small increase in the amount at tue disposal
OF this Board is indeed reported, but WITH
no miracle-working Lord to 1nterpose, we
are constrained to ask, " what are Des6
among so many 20 Divided among twenty
four missionaries in their employ the ,Wnoie
amount received affords an average stlpena
of only $3.50 per annum TO each. instead
OF considerably less than $4,000 contrlbuteu,
the Diocesan Board should nave twice IllaS
amount placed at, their. disposai: he lui-
nerstiye need Of increased liberality in sup
bort of this cause is rendered more urgent
by the REIMBURSEMENT on our part OF. any
further aid from the Central Board, and as
new fields are developed and brought into
bnotice in sections Of the State traversed by
our evangelist, and in the large number OF
conr ties in which our Church is unknown,
another vast field-the colorcd population
OF the State "a field as yet very partially oc-
c1Ipied)-cIaims our attention and culture.
Furnishing, as this class does, the labor best
adapted to our peculiar wants, and at tue
same time least turbulent, most orderly,
and on every account most desirable which
capital anywhere controls, it is little to eX-
meet. and to say the very least impolitlc
and uuchristian. to withhold, provision for
their spiritual as we'll rs temporal ne
cessities. Our clerical brother (Rev. G. b.
| Cook is standing noby at his post in this
| important sphere OF evangelic enterprise,
whose hands should be upheld, and whose
need should be supplied, and that cheer
fully and without stint, By the Church at
large. Your committee rejoice 10 know
cheering indications OF success in his work.
and especially the fact that two Of this class
drawn from his school are now candidates
for holy orders. a ministry OF tGelr own
race is one of their most important needs
need which schools like Mr. Cooks are
best calculated to supply.
| But while thus addressing to the Council
and those they represent words OF eXhorta-
lion. your committee would be both unwise
and unsrateful did they fail to acknowledg
and record what in the past year. under
God, has been accomplished. He spoke OF
very considerable curtailment OF our dioce-
san limits, and Of the Withdrawal OF so many
OF her active clergy from the old diocese; it
is simplv marvellous that so much progress
should be indicated. Never has the number
Of combinations (1,30O) been 50 large, and
never, therefore, so considerable an acccs'
sion to what Ought to be the working power
OF our Church. The number (nine) OF new
churches consecrated, the large number OF
ordinations (twcnty-threel, and OF candi-
dates (twcnty-six) for holy orders, all call
for thankfuncss and lead lis to eXclaim,
"What hath God wrought?
In the absence, too, Of an adequate sup
NV OF ordained laborerS, it is encouraging
to observe that the number OF lay co-work-
ers is steadily on the increase. The contri-
buttons, also, OF our churches to beneyo.
lent objects. equal in amount the contribu.
lions OF last year, Notwithstanding our loss
in numbers and resources by the setting OF
of The Diocese OF West Virginia.
Painful as part OF our duty has already
been, the most painful yet remains to be
perforlned-sct on the watch-toWer and
required to answer What OF the night %
While glad to respond 1.-The morning
cometh," we must in grief and candor add
"and also the night" Indications OF de.
cav and detection, as we'll as of progress,
must be noted, and, If possible, needed cor.
rections be suggested.
| At the Council held in Norfolk GS72) our
then venerated chief pastor Bishop Johns)
now with God, entered his solemn protest
and issued his fatherly admoniton against
&c promiscuolls round dancing." BY many
OF his spiritual charge that admonition has
been wholly disregarded; and his successor
in office has felt constrained at this time to
reiterate and emphasize his godly counsel
| That counsel so godly and SO emineDtly
timely should have been UNDECIDED by
"thenl that are without" is not so sur
prising. But that those "who are within,'
and who name the name OF Him. "who
pleased not himself" when soletnnly warn
ed of the danger to themselves and of the
Injury to others, should be thus unheedrul
affords matter for both surprise and sorrow.
1t does more: 1t suggests that some decided
action is needed on the part OF this the
representative body OF our Church in Fir-
ginia to repress, ii possible (amoDg her
members at leasD, a practice so reprehensi-
BILE in the participants themselves and so
| fraught with evil to society at large.
Your committee feel sensibly the difficult
| ty Of indicating what that action should be,
ard the deIicacy involved in its very dis
aI1srion That diSclssian we would flin