The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-04-07

BISHOP WHITTLE AND THE USE OF FLOW
ERS AT EASTER AND CHANGES IN ALTAR
CLoTHS-REsPoNSE. OF MONUMENTAL
CHURCH vESTRY; THE PASTORS RE
srECTFUL pRoTEST-ANNUAL REPORT
| oFTTE BOARD OF MANAGERS OF THE yIR
GINA BIBLE ESTING ANT
| USEFUL MATTERS DTsCUSSED-STATiS'rI
CAI.-PRoGREss OF THE SOCIETY DURING
TIE YEAR. &C. &C.
| The subject OF the use OF flowers al
| Easter in the Episcopal churches has been
discussed so much OF late that the recen,
| correspondence between the Bishop OF the
| Diocese OF Virginia and the rector and yes.
try OF Monumental church upon the sub.
jcct OF flowers and the change Of the cover.
| ings OF the communicable at different
| seasons will not be lacking in interest to our
readers:
Easter Flowers and Charcel Dceorn.
eiOnS. .:. .
| Some davs ago we wepublished the circular
letter Of the Bishop OF the Diocese Of Fir-
! gina. addressed to the clergy und vcstries
! Of the several Episcopal churches in the
! State, in which he pronounced against the
introduction into the church Of evergreenS
| ThankSoiYng-day, or OH any other occ;,-
| sion. The customary decorations at Christ
mas were not objected 10 By the Bishop. for
be said in his letter to the rector and yestry
OF the Monumental church that The "cns-
tom. as old as the Church itself in Virginia.
may lawfully and properly be continued"
PROTEST FROM THE yEsTRY.
The vestry, it is understood. held several
uf "
sidcred, and finally the following letter of
protest was sent to Bishop Whittle:
RICHMOND, VA, February q. 1879.
Right Reverend and Dear Sir,-The rec
tor and veStry Of the Monumental church
acknowledge with profound Christian re-
spnct your letter OF "Codly admonition !"
and "godly Judgment" which, as the Right
Reverend Bishop OF the Diocese of Virginia,
you thought it your duty TO write us on the
18th instant.
The usages and customs which formed
the reason for your communication have
been in practice in the Monumental church
for many years, and only at those periods Of
the ecclesiastical year which are recognized
in the Book OF Common PRAYER, chiefly de-
noting the birth and resurrection of our
blessed Lord.
So far as the Monumental church has
practiced the use OF flowers and coverings
for the furniture OF the chanctl on the seal
sons alluded to, it has been done not only
under the sanction, but with The decided
encouragement OF our departed and vene-
rated pastor, the Rev. George Woodbridge,
so long known 10 this diocese; and we feel
fully justified In expressing the opinion that
he did not believe that he, has reStry, or
conqTegntion. violated in any degree ru-
ho nj
Church in Virginia or OF the General Church,
by the introduction OF flowers or Of the ma
bilments OF the chancel on such or other
occasions.
Since the death OF DR.. Woodbridge the
present rector has not deemed it necessary
TO make any change in the uSaGcs he found
had existed for so many years before; and
SO far as he and the yestry are advised, we
are not prepared to admit the authority OF
the Bishop or the Council OF the Church OF
this diocese to forbid the practice or the
,lsages and customs under consideration.
But, while we thus express our conviction,
and with the most respectful ana Christian
feeling towards our esteemed Bishop, ana
the desire to repudia;e anything like re-
fractory spirit, we must conclude our letter
| by conscnting, under solemn protest, 10
carry out his wishes as expressed IN his let
| ter OF the 18th instant, With the additional
assurance that noao, as heretofore, we have
| bad but single eye TO the glory OF God
and the good OF our fellow men in all We
have done in His most holy Catholic Church.
Very sincerely,
| J. q. ARMSTRONG, Rector;
! GEORGE u. FISHER, Senior Warden;
JOHN II. TYLER, Junior Warden;
| WILLIAM II. POWERS, Treasurer;
r. Ii. MEADE,
p. III. MAYO, .
=. {. WARWICK,
THOMAS PORTS,
II. ID. WHITCoMB,
EDWARD r.. ROBINSON.
Rig1t Rer. T. IL. White, Bishop OF the
Diocese OF Virginia, at Richmond, va.
MINORITY REPORT.
The other members OF tue vestry signed
q minority reply, denying the right OF the
Bishop to interfere in the matter: The sign
crs were McSsrs. John Tyler, Thomas NJ
| AlfrIend, and Charles II. Skinl.er.
THE PASTORS LETTER.
These letters, together with commune
cation from Rev. DR.. Armsti ong, pastor OF
the church, have been forwarded to the
Bishop and printed in pamphlet form. Mr.
Armstrong; letter is so long that the posi-
blrtv OF its publication is precluded here
While the matter was under discussion Mr.
| Armstrong took (he says in his letter. thu
mart ;of a member OF the body, rIgh
which he regarded as belonging to INN e.
oEcio.
He expresses the opinion that much more
iniury than benefit will be done to Monu
mental church by the changes that must b'
Droduced under the execution OF the 6lsh
| on,s order. 1t will excite, he says, WIDE
spread talk and much dissatisfaction it vii
interrupt the flow Of harmony which bas SC
long very prominently characterized lhl'
church; and, what scemS to me no less
deeply TO be deplored, it will, in the vie"
OF many, elevate to the plane Of importance
subjects winch surely cannot but be ac
knowlcdgcd as both in themselves and rcla'
tivslv to be Nnimportant.
The question whether or not church will
have flowers or any OF the great festivals ol
the Christian year can surely not be conclu'
siycly argued from any Standing ground as
n vital one; yet by being constantly agt
tatcd and by being legislated in the mega
tive if will come To assume VitalnesS not
simply TO those OF largely emotional ma
fure. but even to those also OF quite Wels'
balanced intellect.
And lament this, in the next place, and
as q consequence OF what have sald, De,
cause this magnifying OF these non-esseh'la
matters elicits and absorbs upon them an
energy of thought and feeling tfat oushl
to be exnended for the maintenance OF Tue
| daoner nrincjples OF our holy religion anC