The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-02
fences which she was absolutely with
out power either to commit or to
Moved Rapidly.


out power either to commit or to
amend.
Moved Rapidly.
Events moved rapidly In Virginia
between 1860 and 1885. With revolu-
tionary suddenness the old religious
order changed and made way for the
new. In generation an established
church became an anachronisl1l. The
rapid growth OF other Christian bodies,
aided rather than hindered by the op-
position which they had met with,
from whatever cause, in some quar-
ters; dissatisfaction with an expensive
and ill-adapted parochial system con-
trolled by close vestries of aristocrats,
and the patriotic revolt against Eng
lish government, of which the Church
of England was reckoned a part all
consplred to arouse feeling of an
tagonlsm against the church. which
increased In bitterness through long
series OF years.
The wiser OF her own sons saw the
wisdom as well as the necessity Of tho
separation OF church and state and
were prompt to bring it about,
and to declare for absolute religious
freedom as among the first principles
of political liberty. At q blow the
church was left without support,
though still under control OF tho ves-
was not until 1885 that the old civil
vestres were dissolved. and, Us q last
. favor, she was allowed TO organize in
convention and assume direction Of
her distracted affairs But even then
she was too weak In resources, per-
haps too welded to an older order Of
things, to stem the tide which set SO
strongly against her The convention
made the almost inevitable error OF
struggling to retain the property which
had been twice assured to her by the
Legislature. which was misconstrued
as an effort to re-establish some ishad-
ow Of her former prestige and so Was
foredoomed to failure. Her rapidly de
minishing ministers, and sthe people
under them. became discouraged and
almost hopeless under the wholly ad-
verse conditions.
New Gcnerution. e3f&
There remained indeed, a largerafol-
lowing and a deeper attachment for
the church than was probably known,
but it required that new generation
should arise to restore the Npiscopal
Church In the Virginia.
Bishop Madison, the nrst bishop Of
too deeidedly OF rthe old school te
cope with the new conditions Of his
day died in 1872. The fortunes 81
the church were then at their lowest
|,
for several years. A convention wa,
called, however, for the election OF &
bishop, and DR.. Bracken. OF Williams.
burg, was chosen, but afterwards de-
clined the Office. In the meantime til.
Monumental CHURCH in Richmond was
J being built as a memorial 70 the live
, lost in the destruction IT the Rich
mond Theatre in December. 1sll itth
!, 1914 the .vestry5aof that church wa
earnest young ministers who had blu
lately been added to the thin RANK
: Of the Episcopal clergy were looking
9 for bishop. Irh. choice Of both Eel
upon the Kev Y Pr, Rieh cha s Gha onnsn
/ Grated the second bishop OF Virgins
{ on the 18th OF May, 1914.
Religious Enthusiasm. ,it5;s,s
/ Bishop Moore was an eleqnen
!, preacher and man Of untlring energ.
!. and Of magnets, and Winning person ,ansr.
9 aided by an cble band OF younse
q clergy. whose number was steadily re
a cruited the revival OF the church r,,, 2 pc e
!. The old Episcopal families came ngal
\ to her support the old churches wer
: restored, the old parishes re5 q, a,
g active ana able ministers Or mission 8.
u aries. The annual conventions Wer
o seasons Of remarkable religious inter
3. est and enthusiasm, and periodicall
aye nsw impetus to the YORK IT
- was founded in 1923, and the me
!. trained there for the scored ministr
;! have Welded an Uncomfortable influenc
u for good not only in Virginia. bl
= throughout the country, and IN tor'e,g
Meade, D. D.. who Had long been IL
foremost presbyter In the diocese. VIZ
= elected assistant bishop to Bishc
~ Moore
~ ,rho iottcr ,7,o, IN iSA1 ava t,a 10
= loving year the Rev. John Johns, D. I
- or Mary land, was chosen assistal
~ bishop to Bishop Meade. For twent
an side by side in perfect harmony, ar
to saw the church grow and prosp'
=, - throughout the state under their u.
~ min!stration. Bishop Meade died
p Richmond in lSea, after q ministry
90, more than half century devoted to Il
st service OF God In the restoration az
IS upbuilding OF the Episcopal Church
At N'' ''A's 1rie Z separation.
"a "a cese Of Virginia united with her sist
~ doceses of the South In the organic
-, - ton OF the Protestant Episcopal Chur
In Meade was Its first presiding bishc
nd Upon the downfall OF the Contederat
u however, no reason for It's continual
nd existed and the Southern dioceses TO-
,,n their places again In tho General Co
gel eide,
ve' For five years Bishop Johns admi
adj istered, the diotsse alone, but In Is
he he desired an assistan; bishop, and
Or. Rev, Francis M Whittle. then Of Lou
he vile, KY was chosen, ana was cons
-" Grated he following YEAR .,
The church wasanow Just heEinni
to recover from the davastations
'as the war, but was blessed with be
a oftclclgy and lay people whose loya
Try and self-denying devotion could har,
led be surpassed In an, Incredibly sh
In space OF years when one considers
rs. deep poverty Of her people, her
an, stroyed churches were, rebuilt. her
ora stitutions and missionary agencies
~ established, and ANEW era Of grow
.nu and prosperity entered upon, Bisl
'se Johns died In 1876. and for nine yc
WI Bishop white carried the burdan
Episcopal duties alone, q true lea,
on. OF his hosts in the abundance Of
md personal labors as well as in
the strength of his convictions and =
q nobility OF his character. In 1877
Ind State Of West Virginia was maze
t har separateN diocese, and the next y
W. ~. the Rev, George w. Feterkin was q
fnI N. - - 20 .ln,,