The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-05-21
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL.
An Address the Church's Relations to
the Colored People


RICHMOND, May 19.-In the Virginia EpiS-
copal Council to-day a resolution was
adopted authorizing the Bishop to appoint
a committee of six clergymen and seven
laymen of the diocese to consider the sub
ject OF division of the diocese, and, should
said committee conclude that the division
should be made, to take all necessary steps
to this end, define and fix the dividing line
and report to the next council.
The following telegram was read from Rev.
DR.. Randolph, assistant bishop-elect
am deeply sensible of the honor conferred
upon me by the council. While the standing
committee and bishops, with whom the fin al de-
clslon rests, are taking action In my case ask
for brief time to consider the same. AT
present a strong conflict of duties and feeling
exists. May God help me TO see and do what
is right.
The finance committee reported in favor
of appropriating So, 500 Tor the expenses of
Bishop Whittle on his trip to Europe and
recommended that the salary of the assist
ant bishop be $500 per annum, paying all
his travelling expenses and paying his house
rent. The report was adopted.
The committee to whom was referred that
portion of the Bishops address concerning
church relations to the colored people of the
United States submitted the following as the
result of their consideration:
We believe that the true and only solution of
our church's relation to the colored race ia found
in giving them the right and enc Ouraging them
to exercise the right to a separate organization,
They have asked, and it is natural that they
should request a separate congregational organ
ization. The race difficulty Is social point. and
the colOred people recognize lt as clearly as the
white, and are prepared to act accordingly A
white pastor TO a colored congregation is not
and cannot be such pastor as the congregation
demands and really needs. He may visit the
homes of his people, he may 90 in and out of
their families, but there is no such free unre-
strained recognition of their families by his The
barrier between his family and the families of
his congregation renders the intercourse unreal.
IL Is by no means a mutual recognition. Our
white congregations have no intention OF asking
cOlOred men to be their rectors 1t .ls no spirit
of resentment, but desire for more than sem
blance of church relationship that the coIored
people will ask that their pastor shall be of
their own What Is true of their
own congregation Is In principle true of the
larger congregation. Intercourse between
white and colored ministers aud laymen in
councils and conventions is not free, and
while they are so few in number and their
churches 80 feeble as not to have lay representa-
ton, it very surely will not be real it ought
TO be between Christian men of the same church.
There ia a brOtherly kindness, genuine and I'M
teigned there is cordial welcome to every col
Ored man who enters our councils; but all of us
know that under the present condition Of things
our cOlOred brethren, though they have every
right upon this floor, we do not feel that they
have the same measure of influence which we
would all desire for them. However much this
however qualified intellectually and reli giou sly
coOred men might be whom we could find, we
know we would never make "a choice of a colOred
bishop to go in and amongst our families and con-
gregation. We prefer white men for the same rea-
son that the other race would like a colOred man
rather than Indian We admit that in order to
have this work thoroughly done, there must be
a thorough ORGANIZATION, and such organization
as will not make this body OF our population
feel that they are merely patrOnized. We trust
the council VIII agree with u.s. that our deputies
to the general convention will use their best ef
forts to have the colored people encouraged to
prepare for an organization which will be their
own, subject, of course, to the general conven-
the fostering care OF the general church, to de-
wise aud execute for themselves such plans NJ
shall cOnduce TO their moral and spiritual being
The report was signed by the colored min
listers on the committee, the committee stat
ing that especial regard was had to carrying
out the views of the colored members
The committee on observing the Sabbath
Day submitted report, accompanied by a
resolution, which was adopted, to the effect
that the sense of the council was that legal
measures should be taken to stop running
freight trains and the distribution of local
trains and recommending the diocese to
take steps to secure legislation in this behalf
testimonial to Bishop White, signed
by 225 clerical and lay members, was read,
expressing high appreciation of his fidelity
to his duty as a bishop, and a warm personal
regard and affection for him. .
Adjourned.