The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1891-12-20
kalelgn N t., Sunday Morning December % 12o1

visible signs of authority and of in
ward graces and virtues, why, on the
same prlncip'e-the principle that
20 creatures OF flesh and sense these
'hlnss are significant aud helpful
why or how, can any one reasonably
cavil at the use of the Christian cross
In our churches or even. if need be.
at Shepherds crook as the ancient
badge of pastoral care and authority2
Bat these and such like considera.
lions, Sir, are not those that have
chiefly determined the form of this
testimonial.
In presenting to you, On this most
interesting occasion along with our
hearty congratulations, pastoral
staff as token of the love and loyslty
of your Di cese we are but following
a precedent long observed By the
Church throughout the land on
numerous similar occasions AZ mar.
ticularly within the recent past
by several Of our sister Southern
dioceses.
The late Bishop Lay, of Easton,
so pleasantly and gratefully remem-
bered in this community for his con-
nection with the services of your
consecration at Christ church in this
city eighteen years ago, and for his
memorable sermon on that occasion.
as well as for his loving testimony,
eight years later, in the same church
to the exalted worth of your venera-
Ted predecessor, the sainted Atkin-
son, had similar token of the CRATE
tul appreciation and love of his do
cese, as have also to-day the vener-
able and 'well-known bishops of
Texas and Alabama, Gregg and
Wilmer; and we haze yet to hear
Tue slightest lhti,nat,on Of any ten.
dency to extreme rituaIi>m charged
against either of these dioceses.
But neither the reasonableness
and special proprie;y in themselves
as we think--of this form of tes-
timOnial on an occasion like this,
nor the honored precedent that we
follow have so much Influenced Us
rs the desire to particularly accent
uate and emphasize principle.
In an age Of ''rest|ess rationalists
and selt-sufficient critics ;" at a time
when throughout the land there is
such lamentable and--ps We believe
dangerous depreciation Of rightly
constituted authority both in
Church and State, we de-
sire to bear unmistakable
and visible testimony to our
reverence eoc your Apostolic author
ity and of our ready and willing
obedience to your Cody admoni-
tions and counsels as our chief pas
tor, under Christ, of which this an
cient 81 mbol is token and pledge.
We would have this staff Grst of
all, RI. Rev. Father, to mean this.
And again, sir,-if it be not un-
seemly to speak in your honored
presence-we would have it bear
witness, after some sort, to our
gratitude to God for. the gal and
fidelity and abundant labors, in sea.
son and out of seas.n, for the spirit
ual welfare ofall the flock over which
the Holy Ghost hath made you over
seer" that have SO conspicuou>ly
characterized all the years of your
ministry in our midst.
We, Of the clergy particularly,
thrown, by virtue of our official rela
tlons into more intim tte contact with
our Chief Pastors, than others, know,
as the public caunot know. the in
cessant anxleties and instant cares
and Onerous resp ,usibilities iusepara
bile fr"m the uffi e of Bi-hop in the
Church Of God esp cialIy in Diocese
so large and 50 largely Missionary as
this; and we know too, both clergy
AND laity, how braveiy, and cheerfulv
through good report and through
evil, through stress of weather. and
not unfreqnently in bodily sufF ring.
our beloved B shop has borne them all.
And it, sir, in conclusion, now or
at any time, in the near future or
in the distant. thus jubilee memorial
...aA IL,