The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-07

his work IN this diocese unoer favorable condi.
tions. His administration was not altogether
his own, and yet il was not altogether another's.
There was power behind the throne. No
knew when or how far that power was exercised
save he VINO was under its control We not
speaking from any knowledge of details; we are
arguing from general principles, and the
case would be the same were we to substi-
tute any persons whatsoever in the place
OF the brother bishops who stood to each other
In the relation of prir cipal and assistant for
seven years in this diocese from 1868 TO 1872
In forming estimate of Bishop TaloOts episco-
pate this fact, with all its consequences, must in
Justice to him be kept steadily In view. There
are other considerations too, of a more general
character bearing upon the progress of the
church hitherto in our land, and especially in
what may be called the West which must be
usKen into account IN passing Judgment upon the
net result of the labors OF our bishops These con-
slderations Will apply with greater force to the
earlier formed of our Western dioceses such as
Indiana, than to those which have been organ
lied within the last twenty years, because the
renewed life and energy of the church during
the last quarter of n century have heen impaired
TO the Jurisdictions which have been created
since the beginning of this period. These have
come into existence with the example of Chris
tlans thoroughly aroused and at work before
them as model, and so they have entered upon
their career on a far higher plane of theory and
practice than was possible rule when this
diocese, for instance, was rected.
PROGRESS OF THE CHURCH.
One OF these considerations, and it is
OF the first importance and deserves to be
emphasized, so that it may not drop out of sight
and be forgotten, is that our church in this
country began her organized existence under
very unfortunate conditions. She took her de-
parture from her mother, the Church of Eng
land, when that church was at the lowest ehb OF
apathy and spiritual torpor When she set up
Tor herself, therefore, as an independent com
munion, she started with the worst possible ira
ditlons aud Influences with which she could have
lett her home at any time since the reforma-
ton. The dreary eighteenth century, the
saeculum tepidum, as it is aptly called, witness
ca the decay and decadence of spiritual life I'M
der the whitening political complications of that
unhappy period. The revolution of 1858 led
naturally to the expulsion or suppression of
very many, we might say almost all, nobest and
best of the ehurch's sons who were in holy
orders By state necessity the non7iurors
were driven out. Policy dictated the advance
who were friends of the government. The reikn
OF Queen Anne was too brief for her in
b betn free to tro be felt had sne
serupulous favortes and the sway of unprIn-
elpled parties. Then succeeded the reigns of
the Georges. The first two were little more than
German electors on English soil. The third was
respectable in character. During this long
period church patronage was for the most part
used to further the ends and aims of prime min
listers or please the capr1ces of the sovereign or
his favorites. Convoearion was suppressed and
the church's representative stitisd in 17l7.
lt was possible then for bishops to hold sees for
many years, and pass their time in London on
the continent andnever visit their 1ioceses; it
possible then for HOadley TO sit in succession
In four sees of England Tor more than five ana
forty years: it was possible then for bishop
nigh in place and royal favortte to consult the
Kings mistress a critic upon the sermons
which lie was To preach before the COURT it was
possible then for an Archbishop of Canterbury
TO deserve and receive the rebuke of DEAR good
George IL for wasting his time in routs and
dances. l. was the successor OF this archbishop
10 the see of Canterbury who consecrated our
first bishops in the English hae-White, Pro-
vOost and Madison.
THE CHURCH OF THE PAST
1t must not be supposed that in those
sad days there were no good men
and trne in the Church of England. There
were hosts Of them; they were the salt that
saved the church. Occasionally, by chance,
as it were, such men were noticed and pro-
NOTED; but as a rule the representative life of
the church IN that age was lax, low and bad. IL
precisely ut this epoch, at the close of the
eightee nth century, that our church took her
departure from "tne nursing care and prOtee-
ton of the mother church and set up for her
self. What are we to expect under the circum-
stances hut apathy aud torpor, and IA failure TO
understand herself, TO appreciate her true POSI-
tion, her divine gifts and mlssiOn2 Like parent,
like child The stream cannot rise higher tnan
the fountain. 1t Ia marvellous that our ancestors
did as well as they did. They were under the
most signal disadvantages, the blighting in
huence of an evil example was upon them in the
high places in England, and Mt home misap-
prehenslon and hostility without, and ignorance
prejudice and divided cOunsels within. 1t is
indeed, surprising that forefathers amid
such periis and perplexitie5 ana discourage
mehtb secureu 10 us tne priceless doom OF holy
orders aud the sacraments, and means of grace,
and the forms of public worship, enshrned in
a,r,i nrnrsy which in many important
tSas Of onr mother ch nafffrF'' While ie
thus we acknowledge with gratitude and admire
with delight the wisdom and ability
of those who were instrumental in the
organization of our branch of Christ's church.
we still must admit thar they were perforce in
evil case; thew had no example to inspire them
with missionary Zeal and courage, and little or
no teaching impart to them those principles
which make the Church of God necessity to
those who really understand her divine origin
aud constitution and true nature and purpose
Our ancestors themselves We're a conspicuous IL
lustratiOn of the neglect and indifference of the
mother church toward her children. For $50
years or more, from 1907 to 1776, the stream of
immigration HAD hern pouring VIII h ever increas-
ing volume into the North American colonies,
and the Atlantic seaOoard was dotted with set
Elements from Nova Scotia 10 Georgia, and in
these a fair percentage of the settlers were
members OF the Church of England; and yet, dur
ing all this long interval she had never thought
IL worth her while TO send bishop 10 look after
her children, who were indeed as sheep scattered
abroad in The wilderness without shephrrl. It
was not that she was NOT asked for help, entreat-
les Oft repeated and refused, grew AS hope defer
red made the heartisick, into supplicatoDs ahtect
ana Intense; hut no. the state church could not
move without the government, and The govern
ment fell little interest where The church herself
showed little or no concern. The church of that
century seemed ignorant of the value of the
spiritual treasures which she possessed, and
hence she was naturally Indifferent on the sub
ject OF imparting to Others what to her was com
parativrly OF small worth. How wretched TO
read is the record, which tells us that instances
were not rare whsn brave, earnest men in those
days encountered the perils of the in a
months or six weeks voyage by sail seeking
holy orders, and the bishops who ordained them
did not deem il necessary previously to confirm
them. II is not, be IL remembered, to the Churcn
OF England i'll her corporate capacity, that we
are Indebted for the supply of noble missionaries
vino came To us in colonial times and prea ehed
the gospel and ministered the sacraments; it is
TO a voluntary association of earnest spirits
chartered in 1901, "The society for the prop4 ga
ton of the gospel in foreign paris"
THE CHURCH IN AMERICA.
The first colonial erected by England was in
Nova Scotia in 1887, and the second in Quebec in
1898, aud then she waited nearly a quarter OF a
century before she added third in India, Our
church, therefore, at the outset was NOT in the
nature OF things could not he, a missionary
church; nor again she fully conscious OF