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

subordinates; he cannot say to this man. go"
| and ho goes, and to thar, COME" and he comes
Aud even when he has the Opportunity to send
into the field whOmsoe he would, the ma
| ter1al is not within reach which he fain would
have; he does the best that he can, hut he knows
and feels that it is not the material which he
ought to employ Such considerations as these
must be remembered III casting up the account
of the epiScopate of our deceased brother, and
then it will he seen that the result Is far beyond
! what might have been expected; far beyond
| what most others, perchance, could have
! achieved. Your Bishop came TO field preOccu-
pied by settled population, for the most part
not simply Indifferent as regards the church,
| but prejudiced against her and autagonistic to
her. The sins of the past were visited upon him
in the cruel neglect originally of the Church of
England for more than century and i half TO
| provide for the splrital needs Of her children
scattered abroad in the wilderness, and III the
! evil example OF her mother to he mis-
! siunary church from the first ana
plant her bishops as messengers, watchmen,
stewards IN the western wds to anticipate the
| coming population, and mould IL as 1t grew into
| sympathy with lturgicil worship, and tie di-
vine economies of eccestical order in holy sacra-
ment and sacred season. The difficulties
his of working with inadequate means. and
often with Instruments not only untitled Tor
! their tasks by Incompetence and ignorance, hut
worse. injurious 10 the very cause which they
came TO help by immortality and vice Accident,
we may say, limited his freedom of action at the
outset 10y subordinating his jurisdiction to the
absolute control of another.
BISHOP TALBoT's CHARACTERISTICS.
Doubtless We might add to this statement
of tine case drawbacks which vera incident
to the Bishops temperament and character,
which hindered the success of his
personal ministry. But then these
belong to all our ministries, aud probably In no
greater degree to his than to Others save in ex-
ceptiOnal and rare instances His faults "lean-
ed, as the poet says, 40 virtues side," because
they were the faults of IA noble, generous, i'm
( puislve nature. They were the excess OF quail
! lies ana passions which, when held in check,
the traits and ornaments OF character
which we admire and revere and
/ love. Ordinarily the Bishop kept them
under complete control, out there were times
/ when the complications of his administration
/ were pfrpleNing beyond measure, and the Oppo-
sltion which blocked his path seemed to him fac
tious and malicious. On such occasions. and
sometimes, perhaps, when there was really no
just cause. he was provoked into intemperance
of speech and action. When the storm was over
and he that he had been i'll the wrong-and
he WAS man who possessed the merit, some say
that Is rare in bishop, of seeing his mistakes
and acknowledging them-he was ready to make
ample PREPARATION. Bishop Talbot hated mean
ness, deceit, treachery. His methods were
straightforward and direct. His charity was
large FOR Others ana with il he was ready always
To cover their multtnde OF sins. He gave his
means gladly and literally III behalf of the
church While his money lasted, schools, mis-
slous, missionaries received largely from his
ever open and generous hand. When all was
gone. he did not regret that he poor he was
simply sorry that lie mad no more to give. The
Bishops career exhibits characteristics of true
herOism. Amid difficulties which almost ban
ished hone, he never faltered nor turned
Polntment fell upon hlm with crush
ing weight, he kent up his courage
ana stu marched on. The iron entered into his
soul In domestic trials and sorrows, ana the man
was tortured, but the Bishop in his official char
acter triumpheG over the agony of his bleeding
heart and his desolnte spirit He stroTe to hide
his private griefs from others, nay even from
himself Ill pubic, that he might not mar the
Joyment OF those about him nor cast "A shadow
upon his work. His sense of humor was keen,
we may say intense in its keeDness, and his
/ memory was retentive. Whatever he heard or
read therei ore, OF udcrous nature lodged itself
without effort in his mind aud remained. Hence
he could readily produce stories and anecdotes
ut pleasure, and hold the attention and convulse
! with laughter a company, while an hour before
or an hoG: after in the privacy of his chamber
MS heart was aching and his eyes were MOIST
with tears Perhaps the censOriOus critic may
/ say that there we're times when his merriment
was IN excess we will not dispute the CHARGE
but the aching heart that seeks TO screen ITS
anguish from others by welmeant gaiety may
be pardoned, If it does not always measure
us pleasantry by the stern rules of pro-
priety. such was the with Bishop Talbot,
and the fault. If il were one, leaned TO virtues
| SIDE. HIS eplscOpate was not bright with the
success which can count large increase IN every
element OF church growth, bus nevertheless 1t
Will be found hereafter to have proved usefuI
and advantageous to Indiana. The present de-
| preston iii material and spiritual life and
strength is no criterion OF the real condition OF
the diocese.
LIGHTS AND SHADOWS
The shadows fell three years ago upon the
Bishops path and God withdrew him by de-
grees within the vail. He still remained in
bodily presence, but the strong arm palsed
and the vigorous intellect was weakened. Friends
far and near did all in their power to help, and a
noble, loyal standing committee stood in the
breach as far as official position ana personal
zeal and devotion could supply his place, but
the head was Frustrated, and the body felt the
shock and suffered in all its members. Hence,
the actual present condition of the diocese,
regards statistics and outward appearances, is no
index of its real substantial vigOr and strength.
/ Like nature, when spring opens with fair prom
| lSP. nVRr tha md
/ and the buds and blossoms clothe the trees
| with beauty, when suddenly retreating
winter COMES back again and nips with frost
| the grass and leaf and flower, and changes with
| its chill the face of all things, and garden, prai-
RE. forest seem to be returning to their desoia-
| tion, yet the awakened powers of vegetation
only checked, perhaps put back for a season, not
| destroyed. few days pass, and the genial sun
reasserts his sway, and the pentup forces burst
| forth again with redoubed vigor to do their
| glorious work of giving lis the blade and then
| the ear, and then the full corn in the ear So
| with Indiana, the protracted illness of her
| lamented bishop stayed her progress as she was
| rising to new strength, and making a steady if
not rapid advance, in all the elements of ma
terial and spiritual growth. Every thing stop
| ped Tor season, nay, seemed to retrograde, but
| 1T was not really so. The spiritual life has sim
| ply suffered check IL its outward maDifesta-
! tons 1t is all aglow beneath the surface. 1t
needs but the opportunity. which the work of
TINS special convention, by the blessing of God,
will give tt to produce second spring, the pre-
cursor of an abundant harvest of all
good things for the church of Christ in Indiana.
When that day comes ana it Will
speedily come, dear brethren, under your
new leader-and your hearts are filled with
| gladness, and you count your gains and rehearse
your trlumphs, do not forget the weary waiting
one whose eyes saw the signs of approaching
bud and blossom, and then, they grew bright
with the sure promise of what he had looked for
and yearned for and prayed for long, sud
denly they We're dlmmed with disease and the
stout heart which had loved you so well was
weakened, and the brave spirit which had stood
proof against dlscOuragement and indlf-
| ference and GOODNESS, and disappUnt-
ment, was bowed down, and he
was withdrawn from active duty, and the chill
fell upon the diocese. and all things stopped, as
though they sympathzed with the paralysis of
| the head, and the labOrs of years were checked.
nay went back by reason of his incapacity. Re
member him, and recall the fact that his episco-
pale was necessary preparation for the sue
cess which awaited your diocese In tlfe future,