Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1889-06-14
TO THE PUBLIC.
KIRKsv1LLE, Mo,
IN 1000

ment from the ReN. Otepnen IL.
Green, Rector of st. Johns
Episcopal church, st. Louis, Mo.
1t is his statement of reasons for
declining to preach the Bacca-
laureate Sermon before the stu
dents in the ST to N rmal Institute
last SUNDAY, June 8. 1889.
Very Truly Yours,
CHARLES H. CANFIELD.
Rector of Trinity Episcopal church
STATEMENT OF REV. STEPHEN
II. GREEN.
[ desire, unsolicited, to make
this plain statement Of my reasons
for declining to preach the Bac-
calaureate Sermon at the State
Normal School this morning
June 9th.)
/ was informed over six weeks
ago that representatives from each
denomination in Kirksville had
been asked in previous years to
preach the Baccalaureate Sermon,
and, that as all the others had
been in their turn invited, it was
decide6.this year to ask a repre-
sentative of the Episcopal church.
Having had experience In minis
tering in the State University of
Missippi and in other State
Educational and charitable insti-
tutions in Illinois and st. Louis
Missouri, l supposed that a modi-
fed form of the regular Morning
Prayer of the Episcopal church
I(without the Litany or communion
Service) would be used before the
sermon, as the service was to be
held on Sunday. Acting on this
supposition | agreed with the
Episcopal church at Kirksyille
that it would be wise to purchase
two hundred leaflets with the
Morning Service printed thereon,
for distribution in the congrega-
tion so that the people might
intelligently take part in the short
service. This was done by the
Rector and myself in accordance
with well established precedents in
other State Institions, the "Morn-
ing Prayer" being of such nature
that no christian of whatever name
could refuse to join heartily there
. in.
In this shortened form of ser
vice as all can see by examining
what is known as the Morning
Prayer of the Episcopal church
beginning at the Lords Prayer
there is nothing to which any
, christian can take exception.
1t was understood by the Rector
{ at KirksYille that the President OF
the School accepted this service
, and arrangements were made tc
have it used in accordance with
the Canon law of the church which
requires the Minister to use the
service from the Prayer Book be.
fore all Sermons &c twas dis
covered q shor. time ago that there
was grave opp,sitio. on the part
of some Of he Pro essant Minis
q ters Of Kirl sville and some of the
r people, to the use o. this service
} on the ground ths5 The Norma
. School was a State Insti luton ant
= that no distinctive church service
! should be held therein. Opposed
to this objection is tie fact tha
before all sermons hitherto
, preached in that Institution b,
!, Protestant Ministers f service ha
: been used similar to that in use il
. the Christian Body to which th,
preacher for the occasion belonged
: and of ia distinctiyely christian
: : character. The shortened form O
Morning Prayer differs from sucl
services in that it is e prearrangee
. . and regular form and SO prepared
y that the people may take par
therein.
o The second objection urged wa!
y that the Rector Of the Parish ant
e the Preacher for the occasion
would not consent to have thu
|, ministers of other denomination
take part in the service. Hearing
! Of this the Rector, although con
trary to the usual custom of thu
church, as the service vas to b
q held in the School Chapel, offeret
to and did invite representative
: of the various christian bodies il
, Kirksville to assist him in thu
), worship, assigning part to each
= This some of them declined to dt
and positively refused to hav,
" anything to do with the service.
= if they were conducted according
to any particular form.
. The Rector then, after eonsulta
% ton with President Blanton wen
. SO far as to accept a compromis,
: and to consent to the arrangement
] of a programe which would con
8 form in some features to the form
:, q prescribed in the Episcopal Morn
= ing Service, provided the Preache
for the occasion would, on his ar
. riyel IN KirksviIle, approve.
- On Saturday afternoon whel
=, - the Rev. Stephen Ii. Green of vi
n Louis arrived, the matter wa
. laid before him and the programm