The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-05-13

opinion about us as it is, does loyalty 10
tho American branch Of the church
Catholic. permit one to be ever acting as
though this were the American church,
the English church!
1.-THE truth is the average citizen OF
this busy, hustling young Republic is Tar
too busy to sit down and carefully COM
pute the hindrances to the growth OF the
Eniscopal church from Anglicanism and
Romanism and settle it upon an intel
lgent basis which of the two does the
more. Candid. thoughtful, well-inform-
ed people know the fact. the alleged seeds
of Romanism in the American Book of
Common prayer have brought forth a
painfully plenteous harvest or error and
prejudice in every diocese. Ill ever!
parish of America from Maine to Los
Angeles and from Florida to Duluth.
and Alaska. We who know the history OF
the Book of Common Prayer know that
the charge that the Episcopalians are
nothing more nor less than bastard
Romanists lis quite as far from the truth
as the other, the twin brother OF the
first, namely, that this church spranS
from the muchmarried monarch, as
graceless as ungraceful, Henry the
VIII. Yet both of these charges are
the stock arguments against the Epis-
copal church by those who affirm that
they are the true Israelites indeed who
follow Mr.. Wesley, and by many others
as well. Is there any wonder that the
pathway of the American church should
be set thick with difficulties the most
dangerous because they spring of preJu'
dice begotten of ignorance. And yet, dear
friend, we may well pause ever and anon,
prayerfuly inquire Of ourselves before
God how far and in what way we have by
act of our. either passively or actively.
dispersed these prejudices and thus him
dered the growth of the church our blest
Redeemer saved with His most precious
blood. Again Waterman, what of the
night?
Perhaps one OF the most perplexing
problems of the church's situation in the
year of grace. 1897, is the relation of
the church to the Colonial people. The
wise and sanity Bishop of New York in
letter quite recently, asks why is the
church so slow in getting hold of the
negro. or why is the negro so slow in
getting hold of the church. This ques-
ton overlays the great fact of failure.
Since General Lees surrender, largely
over the greater part of a half centuy
has passed and the facts and figures
warrant the assertion that the gowth
of the church among the colored people
lis very far below what we might expect
from the expenditure of so much money.
1t would be an interesting point of sta
tistics to compare the number of bap-
tisms, combinations. marriages and buri-
ais. with the number of communicates
among the colored people in the United
States south of Mason and DiXon's line
in 1861. with the church's strength in this
particular in 1897.
when / remember how many, how
grevious the mistakes made. still being
made in this very field, by men educated
far away from and beyond the prOpa-
bility of a practical knowledge of these
people, both white and colored, among
whom they are called to labor-when one
takes time to study this vexed and vexa-
tious problem from the standpoint of in
telligent industry-one may not be far
wrong in thinking that the Episcopal
church in 1860 was in very truth stronger
among the negroes of the South than at
present. If this be so, what a perfect
waste of time and money! Regarded as
remedy. we may well stop and inquire
whether the same amount of money eX
pended upon the work of lengthening the
cords and strengthening the stakes of par
ochial work, holding each rector response
bic for this work in his own parish with
means supplied for uniting the respon-
sibility. would not and will not be fol-
lowed by more satisfactory results
Surely when one regards the various diff
ficulties, dangers which beset the path
way of the church, no one in the loyalty
and fidelity can count upon duty, as
found in gentle dalliance upon any bank
of roses lit up with the May-day sun.
NEW OFFICERS CHOSEN.
At the conclusion of DR.. Averitt's dis
course the Holy Communion was cele-
brated by the Bishop. This was fol-
lowed by a business meeting for election
of officers and organization of the con-
vention. Rev. DR.. M. M. Marshall, of
this city, was chosen president, Rev.
Julian u. Ingle, of Henderson, Secreta-
ry. and Mr.. G. C. Lambe, of Henderson,
assistant secretary.
This completed the work of the morn
ing session and the convention adjourned
to meet again at 4 80 o'clock for the fur
Their transaction of business.