The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-17
Several Mem Bishops Be Elected Meeting this Morning
EARLY CONVENTIONS OF
THE CHURCH I'M VIRGINIA.
By A, ]. Morrison.

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that the Governor should be desired
to suspend him from officiating as .
minister Of this country, and the
bishop desired to send another com.
mlssary. This proposal was with .
general voice exploded and cryed OUT
upon; and they asked him IL lie was
not ashamed to offer any such thinS.
When nobody backed his motion. he
desired 1t might be entered on the
minutes az motion OF his; but the
whole convention rejected 1t Win
great Indignation.
Governor Spotswood was the last
OF the Governors with whom DR.. Blair
came into collision. After 1919 his
path was less beset with thorns. He
died In 1913. elghty-nine years old.
He had been commissary fifty-four
years, q member OF the Colonial Coun-
ell fifty years, and president OF the
nollege civilian and Nary rs many.
DIR. Blair during his long career was
conspicuously useful figure in Viz
ginia. He brought many worthy
clergymen into the colony. In 171S
there were only thirty-seven clergy
seventy-seven.
The convention of 1864 tthe third OF
which the proceedings are preserved)
assembled at the College OF William
and Mary October 30th. It is to be
remarked how peaceful was the tone
Of this convention. held at a time
when the French and Indians to the
West had become incarnations OF the
devil to the colonists along the coast.
Such interesting technicalities -
those OF ordination, collation., induce
ton, etc, became obscured at the
news Of the shocking informalities res
ported from beyond the Blue Ridge.
Commtssary Dawson enjoined his
clergy to make the most unanimous
and hearty declaration Of fidelity and
duty to the best OF Kings. by address,
ing Els Majesty in the most cordial
manner by giving him the strongest
assurances OF our not only being pat
terms ourselves. but likewise. accord-
Ing to our sphere. OF inculating into
! others tile solid principles of religion
and virtue-a sincere detestation oe
popery and an utter aversion for the
| treacherous proceedings and unjust cn@
creachments, which hasSbarbarous and
bloodthirsty enemies have made upon
his undoubted dominlons.'
The convention OF 1854. after addresss
them by the commissary, appears not
to have been much concerned With
eXtra-parochial considerations Mat
ters OF interest before the body wers
the establishment of schools and charts
tiles in the parishes, the more exact
keeping of parish registers. and ths
admtttance OF clergymen into commits
sions OF the peace. The clergy and tho
lcommissary, Mr.. Dawson. exchanged
no n of annarent1y he otrcoraSf
esteem.
OF this convention Mr.. Dawson re-
ported to the Lord Bishop of London
that this was the first meeting OF the
clergy in this country in which u
register was kept. and as none of us
have had experience in these matters,
your lordship will not be surprised IL
you find us guilty of some errors. tho
| | can assure you that the whole was
transacted with such decency and order
as gave great satisfaction. and will, {
am persuaded, have good effect upon
both the clergy and laity."
Four Colonial Conventions.
There was a fourth convention in
1853. whose proceedings have not been
preserved, with the exception of q petit
ton (partly addressed to the Board of
Trade). in regard to the salaries OF
clergymen. The petition showetl how
there had been successive happenings
with the original enactment that the
salary of each minister preferred to
a benefice should be 10000 pounds oc
tobacco. and casks. with an allowance
of per cent. for shrinkage. One OF
the clergy in the colony mt that time
was the Rev. Patrick Henry. uncle oc
the more famous Patrick. who tri-i
umphantly argued the cause arising
from the facts set forth In this petition,
There is record. then, of only four
conventions of the clergy of ColoniaE
Virginia. We may read even in these
brief items how impossible was the
position of the colony. The status OF
these ecclesiastical affairs is indica-s
tive of what was the status at large
Refusal to grant more plenary powers
led to chickering's and Ill management
In the exercise OF such powers as were
granted and led inevitably to an in-3
creasing jealousy of those executing
the authority withheld. The specula-.
tive have fancied what might have
been the result IL Colonial episcopata
had been instituted. and II the crown
had dealt more intelligently with it's
dominions beyond the seas. The sum
of the mattersis that affairs took their
own blind. devious course, and that
nobody could forecast the strange des-
tiny OF the new continent Of America.
hardly discovered until the Revolution.
Hampden-Sidney, Va.