Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-05-26
E'rotca tanc Episcopal Counc:, .: Vir'
yfflt;s.
[Repo1led for the Alexandria Gazette
Observation-Disclosures Mn d

FREDERICKSBURG, NAY -.
The a.luai session of the Protestant E2sc)'
pal church. olihc diocese of Virginia, clo:cd Oh
Saturday.
The report Ct the committee CO tho Bishops
Letter il regard to floral decorations w., IVES
adopted by the following vote: Ayes-Cltrcal
10; ley, Is; Noes Clerical II; lag II.
R:v Di. Packard, from the Committee on
ito State cf the Church. presented tho fellow
log:
Tho Committee GO the State OF tho Church
would report 70 The Couoc!l that The past
ecclesiastical year has been one ct prosperity
to tho Diocese OF Virginia. Is condition. as
reported by the Bishop, has been encouraging.
lie rrrcrts that tho Uumber OF confirmation has
been ,032;; the uumber OF pcsulants as ID; the
number # candidates for holy orders as -; that
he has ordained 10 to the order OF deacoDs and
S TO tho order Of priests. whi'c the net gaia
in the rumbcr Of the cltr!y has been only Z
Three IT tho clergy "ars nol-ior God took
them" Tncy wtre, as far as wa clu Judge,
good and faithful servants, always about their
Masters business; acd til, voices va miss 10
Cur as.em blics on Garth no8 )ln 10 the !3uicr
and cnicrnal halle,ui abs Of heaven.
But apart from the loss By death, ucrc than
t8c,vc CT cur clergy have gone 10 other dice ,ses
from the wait OF sufficient support. As this
la; bccn tho case IN years past, SO it will be
10 tie future, uoless tho Church 10 FlD2oa
proYiIrs better Tor her clergy. Though men OF
self denial, c)utented with little, yet ii must Cot
be forgotten that they arc Tct-nen Of Ike
wants and necessities With those to whom they
miristtr. While they do not expect tho ease
aud luxury with which secular employment re-
ward those who pursue them, they must pro-
vide fer their households ard should live above
tho fear OF want ard the vexalions and ak e.
ties Ct debt. Every parish wbi,h hopes aud
desires to secure Inc faithful SERVICES OF mia
lister of God must provide him 10 good faith
and with bopess pu1cluality dtc,nt support.
More than thi, s not asked; this much cannot
il ccmmcn Justice be Gepied.
Wcrcgard the Societies Of tho Brotherhood,
Of tie Disabled Clergy, and that OF the
Widows and Otphars Of Cergymen, as impor-
tapt means in retaining cur clergy 10 The dloce'
Sc. Whstercr agercy ministers to The c)nt
fort CT the clergy when Incapable OF duty;
whatever cheers their hearts upon their death
beds with tbs thought that they are rot TO
lsavc their families altogether uoprc9!ded i1r
to Gid their way rs best thc7 may through a
cold world, should BE- fostcrcj, and We hope
that Tho collections on tho appniutG! days fer
thisc societies will never be omitted.
L. connection with this subj ect, ADD as closely
associated with it, We refer t. the Diocesan
Missionary Society, which W. regard as the
NEST important agency for supplying ieetle
parishes With ministers. During the past year
it has sustained 10 whole or 10 part Twenty-Five
There has been decrease 10 its receipts from
The pari.hcs of 81 900. We earnestly tn,reat
every raembcr OF the Church to do something t.
Regarding the work amoog C .lored peopls 10
the d!cc,se, We have much to encourage Us
Tho cfJris of the missionary in Petersburg
have h2cn vouchsaed good measure OF sue.
ccs,. After struggling many years Tor foot
hold, ho has laid such foundation IS to juinly
the expectation CT rearing 10 tho iu.uEc sub
sanial Odd lasting superstTu1tpr1. Tie the0.
logical department established there last O;tO-
btr, 10 charge OF the Rev. Professor Spencer,
is in succ ,sstu Operations; and besides the tralt'
lug OF young mcu Tor tic sacred ministry,
much GOOD is being done by the sudents visit
i1g among their cTn people. The plumber oil
cosGrpatioDs for the past year, larger than
ever before, the yuu!ual number Ct bsp!isrn5.
tho decreased Jumber OF Sunday and parochial
schools, taught by teachers OF their oWn race.
as well as by white teachers, Ill 60 to show that
The good work is spreading. TIE taking hold
OF this important Wu 10 many PR S Of the Cl)'
ccsc by both clergy and laity, male and female,
is aoo,bcr proof that the Church is being moro
ao., more aroused 10 sense ti her duty TO this
race The Interest manifested by the coltrcd
people themselves IL tho Instruction and care
tina. they now receive at our hands arc .vor
able sigus that they arc beginning to realize
that our Church not OILY welcomes them glad.
Iy, tut is cmincnlly fitted to meet their reIlgl
Gus waus. Tho remarkable work 10 Bruins
wick and aCj1iIing couotic5 uCder Mrs. i. il.
Buo!d has awakened great hope aS 10 our be-
ipg abe 20 re:ch on q largo scale aud 10 iLtu-
cocc Tor good this c'ass Ct our popuialloD.--
Through the liforts Of this modest AID r.liued
Church wcElan. under Ged, VIC call attention
TO the fact that an cntiro congregation, called
tho 90 Uoiou Apostolic Church, consisting
CT their bishop, twenty five or tiirty preachers,
and upTcr!s Of g 900 communicates. is scckirg
to be pIscad under The ciro Of our Church.
When it ia cor~idered what al amazing work
(uuaitcd crd alonc except by her Heavenly
Fathers hclp) among these people has been
dono by this devoted servant Of God, can We
not take courage aud hope that at last az open
door and cfftc,ual has been oponed to US 10 the
direction OF a people whom wo have loo much
neglected?
There IS another topic which We deem appro
pirate to this report The necessity OF increas
cd lay agency. Tho Church is o temple ftly
framed, where every stone is necessary for the
perfection Of the building. Every member Of
tho Church has bis work to do. which cauuot
BIO done by suyone else. In tho carly Church
every man felt himself to boa missionary. Every
minister will encourage the 90 operation Of the
laity, AID will feel as Moses did when Joshua
proposed 10 forbid Edad and Mildad prophcsy.
ing 10 the camp. Noses answered: Would
Gcd that all the Lords people wero prophets,
and that tho Lord would put His spirit upon
them.
In surveying tho pas. year no lind that the
contributions to religion, objects have fallen
but little below thes, OF recent years. notwith.
standing the formation of tho new Diocese Of
West Virginia. 1t is remarkable fact that
tho Church 10 Virginia has annually coutribus.
cd moro sirco the war than before, Its deep
poverty sbouudiog unto the riches of its libcr.
atty"
10 corcu:io1. wo would cay that We hope
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