Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-10-19
PASTORAL LETTER.

PASTORAL LETTER.
The following is synopsis of the
triennial pastoral read in the Episcopal
convention which adjourned at San
Francisco on Thursday.
The letter which is very long, begins
as follows: "Iu compliance with your
re quest. dear brethren of the clergy
aud OF the laity, aud 10 accordance with
our time-honored custom, your bishops
are come to speak parting words OF ex-
nortstioo and Of blessing. The session
Of the great synod is ended. We have
taken council together of the things
concerning the Kipgdom OF God; we
We made more nearly perfect, as we
rust, the orasnizstion for the accom-
p,isumeLt of It's works; 10 have chosen
new leaders Of the militant host; we
nsVe devised, as we believe, larger en-
teIprise of future advance. Surely we
nave gained new courage by clasping
the hands of brothers beloved, aud we
20 forth Doldly into the night, the night
Of trial aud OF battle, looking for ard
waiting for the dawn Of victory and
esce."
Tho letter then reviews the mission
ary work OF The church, and cont nuet:
"Pernaps we may describe the chief
iiDdrsuoe In The way Of the kiUgdom's
dvsuucmeut IN our time, as, indeed, Il
las beeu 10 every period OF the church
Istory, es the z ligeis', the spirit OF
be aae, tbe very atmosphere in which
W mu have our life. Because that
7plrit changes; because that enfoldiDg
atmosphere is diff rsHt now from any
tnst before did encompass Christian
warriors, tie efore it is that the new
dangers $40 apparent aud new methods
OF fare must be employed.
"Bu He mus, Oid you note and
5 rive against the last aud most evil re-
SUIT Of our age-Iendeucy In the reck.
less spirit Of individual license, the
csricalure and contradiction oil that
deal of personal liberty which the
church has created and prepetuated
among men. The fool who Saith in
Ills heart there is no God is quick
90 forward 10 the Natural
corollsry that there is no human
,uthorily Of right demanding his recog-
.itiou and obedience. The man who
deridts The revealed foundation of oil
ethical obligation is the easy victim OF
the deVil's deluson that self.interest is
tue sole motive OF human action aud
seli-advaOcemeD the only Test oi moral
-onduci.
"Aud, finally, the defiant denial Of
,he God who ordaiDe.h finds culmina'
in in the assertion that there shall be
40 longer powers Of human government
20 whom In supeTstitions iaitb obedience
nas been rendered, and anarchy is here
az the legitimate offspring of unbelief.
"Tbe crime at Buffalo month ago,
Nv whicn the head of our nation was
TAKEN away, was but the natural fruit
Of this tree of God defying denial.
Phe great aud good President was slain
Oy The spirit OF our age. We
must recoguizs thst this awful
crime, thrice repeated within forty
ears,is tie Ofispril g Of the spirit OF law
lessness, full grown TO maturity, and OF
mslvvolence, and that other children OF
this same evil spirit are close about us
on either hand themselves the strength
of the family OF ltwlessness, " ho make
possible and certain these giant moD-
sters whose deeds of violence have
shocked our souls. The failure of the
citizen Of republican government to
do his duty 10 the endeavor TO elect
honest aud true men TO the offices OF
that government is the earliest political
manifestation of this pernicious life.
"The citizen who fret selfishly re-
fuses bis civic duty, and then 10 natural
descent along the easy path be-
comes the glver OF bribes aud the
corrupter OF his fellows is himself
degraded more in the process, and
the bottom is found when civic
fghis aud CIVIC righteousness are sllke
ioIgO ten, when tue duty to his neigh
DOR DE- m 4nds periormsuce, when pro
lection 10 weakness, the equality o.
TeemeD, the conservation OF honesty
are no longer the ends of the govern
mept, but only the securing OF peculial
privileges for class. the comfortable
e. iJyment OF protected license; wheI
ia y to man is forgotten because duty
20 God is denied"
The people are oiled upon to guard
he ssDouty of their homes, and th'
gro siog disregard of TOE Observance o
Su ,dsy Is deplored.
L.sIy, the letter urges the member
to carry away from the great synof
"the watch word OF ba tie from The TIM
to coms-mlssious, missions, Missions.
Tne close OF the pastoral is oene
dic,iOn oD the workers 10 the Christian
f.ld.