Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-06-26
A Bishops Memories.

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Alexandria Theological Seminary Epis-
copaD Friday, ordained deacons to
preach the word of God, and four dea-
cons were raised to the priesthood.
There are several theological students
left TO be instructed in the divine word.
The most interesting feature of the
programme was the address of the
Right Rev. Thomas q. Dudley, Bishop
of Kentucky, former rector of Christ
Protestant Episcopal Church, Balti-
more. He delivered the baccalaureat
sermon. The bishop has lost none of
his powers of eloquence since his resi-
dence in Baltimore, and q crowded
church listened with rapt attention to
the silver-tongued-pr -prelate.
Just % years ago the bishop himself
wasordained to thedeaconate,w where Fri
day he stood consecrator. 1t was, there
fore, appropriate that his words were
expressed with intense feeling and list
ened to with deep interest.
He said that he had returned TO COM
memorate his birth into the church mil
liant. He spoke of the times when,
hcart-sore after war and defeat, he had
sought refuge with God and under His
guidance had entered His temple.
The hill on which stand now," he
said, lis the same; the view of the Po-
tomac but little changed, but, oh, what
an incommensurate alteration has tax
en- place in the seminary. Here %
years ago we were forced to live in
rude cottages, and on rough fare, but
worshipping in small but ever-conse-
Grated chapel. Progress has changed
the landscape. Lofty buildings, crown
ed by q golden cross, stand where once
we were scarcely sheltered from the
rain. This chapel, emblem of the beau
ty of Christ, has replaced the altar at
which the greatest missionaries learned
to pray.
81 thank God tor this progress, but
that for which / thank God still more,
is that here advance has ceased. There
has been no progress in the teachings
of Christ. What I learned you are
still learning; the prayer-book, as you
understand it, is the same one | was
taught to understand. The rubrics re-
main uraltered, and spirituality marks
the teachings of to-day. No, there
has been no advance in churchman-
ship here. As it is to-day, as
it was yesterday, so may God
make it forever. Men are not
authorized to twist the ru-
brics at the cry of progress. Men are
not given power to change the lrayer-
book from end to end in w'tk, when
the General Convention after nine years
was scarcely able to alter it at all.
This seminary still continues 10 teach
the old, yet to send out the new. 1t is
still the mother of missionaries and
martyrs,
''Be braye--be strong-be steadfast in
the word of God and He will be with
YOU even unto the end"
The Bishop then reviewed the list of
missionaries sent out from Alex
andria. He pointed to Brazil, where
two of the seminary's sons had gone,
and where there were now II laborng
in the field. His sermon was delivered
with all the powers of an inspired
mind and tongue. 1t was strong pro-
test against what is known as advanced
thought in the church. 1t was an ap-
peal for simplicity in form and spiri-
tuality in life. At the close of his
words the candidates were presented
and ordained. Beside Bishop Dudley
there were in the chancel, in full canon
ical vestments, Bishops Watson OF
North Carolina, Peterkin of West Nir-
ginia, Whittle of West Virginia, and
Randolph of the diocese of Southern
Virginia. There was large number Of
alumni present.
Among the young clergy who were
present was Rev. Ernest NJ. Stires OF
the Church of the Good Shepherd oil
Augusta, Ga. Only one year ago he
was raised to the priesthood, and al
ready ranks as one of the most emf
nent graduates OF the seminary. Only
recently he was called to the pulpit
formerly occupied by Bishop Weed, of
Florida. Born of a wealthy Norfolk
family, he chose the ministry as his
life work in which his eloquence is a
potent influence. He was called to be
the first assistant of DR.. Mckim at
Epiphany chnrch in this city, but de-
clined to labor alone in Georgia. For
two wears. while studying theology at
the seminary, he was also n master at
the Episcopal nigh school under
Professor Blackford. He is only ~
Years old but already ranks as one of
the orators of the Southern church.
The Virginia seminary is the alma
mater of the church's greatest orators,
Bishops Potter, of New York, Dudley,
Of Kentucky, and the late Phillips
Brooks, of Boston, being among the
most celebrated.-BaltimOre Sun.