The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-12-31
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
IT'S Work in Charities and Education
For the Year.

This church possesses the distinction OF
having been the first to set up the cross
ON the shores of North Carolina. Its
first sacraments We're administered ON
Roanoke Island by Raleigh's colonists
more than. three hundred years ago.
The first settlers Of the Albemarle see
ton We're also probably churchmeen.
The, theory that they We're Baptists and
refugees seeking religious liberty is
effectiontely disproyed of by recent in
yestigations and the publication of con
temporary records.
1t is an error of ignorant writer's that
the Episcopal church in North Carolina
was established and supported before Tie
Revolutionary War by the British Coy
ernment So far as it was established at
all, it was done by the General Assem-
bly, of the Province. The only support
ii received from England was by the
venerable Society for the Propagation OF
the EGSpcl. Still the Great Missionary
Society Of the Church of England. The
Colonial agitation in its favor was in
fact Il great hindrance to its growth, but
that it did on the whole commend itself
to even those opposed to its doctrine Is
evident by the fact that i'll 1910 the
Mecklenburg Presbyterians instructed
their representatives ut 'hl!lSbOro to IA
ivoFr settlement of religion upon the
basis Of the Westchester Confession,
and the XXXIX Article of the Church
Of England, and by the further fact
that in the Convention of 1888, which
rejected the Federal Constitution,
Henry Abbott, an eminent Baptist
preacher of Camden county and MEM
Der of that convention, said in the
course of its debate that, though opposed
on principle to an established religion,
ii there was to be an established church,
he Shonld prefer that it should Zoe the
Episcopal church.
The, leaders of the Revolution in North
Carolina, except some of the Western
Presbytenans, were almost all church
men. .IohnstOn, Iredell, Hooper. Asne,
Caswell, Nash, Martin, Summer, Hewes,
HmderSon-all these and many others of
equal and of lesser fame, We're Colonial
and Revolutionary churchmen. But they
were not only scattered congregations,
but hy cutting off all possibility of Epis-
copal ordination. brought the church to
so low an ebb that at the death of Par
son Pettigrew in 1907. only one clergy
mn of the ancient church was left in the
whole State. The Rev. Nathaniel
Rlount, of Chocowinity.
The organization of the Episcopal
church in North Carolina dates from
1917, and was not completed by the
Consideration of a Bishop until 1923. IN
1923 there were seven clergymen, inn
Guiding the Bishop and twenty-eight con
gregations reported though some of the
congregations consisted of hardly more
than single family.
At present there are in North Caro-
lima three bishops and three separate or
ganizations The diocese of North
Carolina, embracing the counties of
Northampton, Halifax, Edgecombe, Will
son, Johnston. Harnett, Moore and Rich
mond. ON the east and Surry, Yadkin,
Iredell and Mecllenburg ON the west,
with all the territory lying between the
Diocese Of Eastern Carolina, embracing
so much Of this State as lies east of
the Diocese of North Carolina, and the
Missionary District of Asheville, COW
ering the remaining portion of the State,
chiefly the mountain section. That IN
all these three there are two hundred and
twenty-four parishes and missions, SCI
cured by their bishops; one hundred and
nine priests and dioceses, with 1880
communicates and n total membership
of about 10000. Besides the Sunday
school work there are fifty-six teachers
Of parochial day schools, with about
seventeen hundred scholars. There are
also number Of industrial schools,
chiefly for negroes. Besides those
works of mercy and of charity supported
by her members in cooperation with
others this church has in North Caro-
lima under her special charge the
Thompson Orphanage at Charlotte, st.
Peters Home and Hospital for white
people, the Good Samaritan Hospital.
Charlotte, for colored people, and the
st. Agnes Hospital and Training School
for Nurses, Raleigh, for colored people.
Besides the local schools the chief edu-
cational institution of thu church III