Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-05-14
REV.GEO.WHITE,D.D.
Rector of Calvary Church, on the Epis-
cOpal Church in Tennessee
Mastery Review
or Its Rise and Progress Since Its Estab-
lishment in the State, Fifty
Three Years Ago.

lishment in the State, Fifty
Three Years Ago.
The Rev. George White, DID, rector OF
| Calvary church, is 90 well known through
| out the State of Tennessee, and indeed
| throughout the whole country, that it ia en-
| tirely unnecessary to introduce him other
| wise than by mere mention OF his name.
Threescore years and ten are said to be the
| allotted span of mans life, but this venera-
| bic gentleman has overstretched that by
| nearly a decade. As a theologian, histo-
rian, profound and ripe scholar, his peer
can hardly be found. In modesty, charity
and brotherly love he has no peer. This
sermon will be appreciated by every Episco-
| palian and others in Tennessee, not alone
| for the depth of wisdom it contains, but as a
| rare and unique history of the church in this
| State.
History of the Episeop.i Church in
Tennessee
Then David made decree. and search was made
in house of the rolls where the treasures were
| laid up in Babylon, and there was found at Aeh-
methes in the palace that in the province of the
Medes. roll, and therein was record thus writ
| ten:-Ezra 8.
As far back as the annals of the past are
traced we discover how great an estimate all
people placed upon historical records. One
| among the chief duties of the Egyptian
| priesthood was the preservation OF the ma
| tional chronicles. Their interest in the chron-
| icles of their country never was equaled.
| They wrote down all the details of private
| life with wonderful zeal, method and r5gu-
| laritv. Herodotus says: mo Egyptian omit
| ted to take accurate note of extraordinary
and striking events, and by these and other
| means, Egypt became the monumental land OF
| the earth" The Romans required their
| al ipis Of rpliOi0n n keen r.
| count Of all public transactions. Among the
Athenians a like custom prevailed. The
utility of preserving national memorials is
| still recognized in modern times. The nu-
| me- rous organizations in almost every part OF
| the civilized world prove the exalted value
placed upon the registers of the past The
| Episcopal Church in this country has not
| failed to utter her approval of societies pro-
| posing to collect and preserve documents re-
| ferring to her origin and progress.
THE CHURCH IN TENNESSEE
has not been wholly Indifferent 10 the i'm
| portance of this subject. At one of their
conventions they were pleased to assign to
| me the duty of gathering records OF the
| church in Tennessee, and to-day am here
| by appointment to discourse on its origin
| and progress. Within the contracted limits
of an address it can hardly be expected that
| il will comprise full account of diocesan
| depend upon any legendary tales, drawn
| from remote antiquity, but is narrated in
| the simplicity of unvarnlshed truth.
Fifty three years have completed their
revolution sine the establishment of the
Episcopal Church in Tennessee, and to-day
| is more than the semi centennial of our
| diocesan existence. For considerable pc
| piod after the settlement OF our State, there
was not an Episcopal church within It's
| limits The population not reckless by ire
| ligisn, was absorbed by the Baptists, Presby-
teTiaus and Methodists, and their influence
mad entire control Five years anterior to
1929, the date of the organization OF our
Church,
BISHOP oTEY
| "clarl,n Ct renerabRe nolnen," emigrated 10
Tennessee and formed the parishes OF Frank
| lin and Columbia, and at different times Of
| ficiated to the congregation at Nashville, but
| it wss not until July l, 1929, that the church
| was regularly organized, a meeting OF its
friends and members being held in the Ma
| sonic hall at Nashville. Among those who
then took an interest in the church were the
families OF the Foggs, Shelbys, Diegons,
| Wilson's, Wa. obs and Shipwiths. Honor is
due their mt morits. May their labors never
be forgotten At the first convention there
| were present three clergymen, the Rev. Dan
iel Stephens, the Rev. J. III. Otey and the
Rev. John Davis, and nine laymen. OF the
| clergy and laymen then present none are
now living. The growth Of the church in
| Nashville was not very rapid, but the
| visit Of
BISHOP RAvENscRAFT
| infused new life among its friends. This
noble man, although in feeble health, was
| abundant in labor und his auspices the
fret convention OF our State was held, and it
| invited him TO take provisional charge OF the
diocese. He accepted the invitation, but be-
| |. L. l..
| eternal rest. In 1881 the church was favored
with visit from Bishop Mead, and by re-
quest he presided over the convention of
| that year, which sat in Columbia. His labors
in Nashville, GAINESVILLE, Franklin and Co
lumbia were highly valued. At all OF these
| places he administered the rite of conhrma-
| ton to a number of persons, laid the corner
stone of the churches in Columbia and
| franklin, and consecrated the one 10 Nash
vile. In 1882,
| BISHOP IVES
visited the churches in Tennessee, and at the
| convention he admitted to the holy order of
deaeons VIM. John Clinton and Samuel G.
Litton the first instances of ordination TO any
| holy Office in the diocese. The convention of
| 1929 could do little more than adopt con-
stitution and csnons, and it adjourned not
without the hope that the seed proposed to
be sown would finally produce an abundant
| harvest. Few in number, they were not dis
| couraged, for they thus expressed themselves
| taking into consideration the fertility of the
SOIL the mildness of the climate and The in
creased population of Tennessee, together
| with awakened spirits of her sons concerning
their eternal welfare, there is abundant rea-
| son to hope that but few years will intervene
before our beloved Church will flourish in
this western portion of our country 10 the
extent of the wishes of the most ardent of
her followers. In regard to the
DIFFICULTIES UNDER WHICH THEY La
BORED,
they thus speak. The people were generally
rough and reckless; few had but superficial
knowledge of the church, its government, its
doctrines and rituals. Other laborers occu-
pied the field who looked upon them as the
settlers forth of strange doctrines; prejudice
was awakened, Misrepresentation was busy.
Scarcely any sympathized with them. The
difficulties of travelling we're great and pre-
scented no uncomfortable impeachment in the
way of mutual intercourse and counsel.
Then there were no turnpikes and railroads.
Few were found to assist in procuring places
in which divine service could be held and /
to offer the hospitalities Of a home. Their
sermons were prepared during the intermis-
sion of their schools which they were COM
PEELED to keep to supply the neces-
sites of their families, in journey
ing on horseback, in Indictment
WSalner, 10 lOCalllleS twenty uiieS uiStaniI
and then searching for a key to some room
in the courthouse or other building, and to
prepare wood and kindling with their own
hands before the two or three were gathered
together, as often by curiosity as for Christ's
sake. They, however, labored diligently,
trusting in God, and some attention was di-
rected to the church, in which there were at
that time but seventy-three COMMITMENTS.
Brighter days dswned. At the convention
held at Franklin on the 29th of June, 1888,
there being, as the canons of the church re-
CURED, six resident and officiating presby-
tiers, the Rev. James III. Otey
was elected bishop OF Tennessee,
and Immediately after his conservation, JAN
uary a. 1884, entered upon the duties of the
episcopacy. Beautifully and net underserv-
eddy did one of the consecrating bishops |
speak on that occasion. Eight years ago |
the sole minister of the church was young |
deacon. His family were the only commu
nicants who gave occasional and doubtful
heed to his ministrations. He could obtain |
no stated place for his services, and it was
the common remark of the boys, alluding to |
the responsive character of the worship, that |
'William Otey preached and his wife ex-
planned and that youthful deacJn is here |
before you tonight as the bishop of Tennes- |
see."
THE HISTORY OF THE CHURCH IN THE STATE |