Year: 1865

THE GENERAL CONVENTION OF


TIE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.


The following letter from Bishop Elliott
of Georgia, touching the possible reunion
of the Episcopal Church, appears in the
Church Journal, to letter from the editor
Of which it is a rejoinder. The letter is
dated Augusta, August l, 1865.


I am very glad that you have gone SO
much at large into the question of the re-
nnien of the church, as it gives me an op'
portrnity of placing before you my views
in regard to matters, which differ somewhat
from your own, as expressed in your letter
tome, and also from the action of the church
IN nthe diocese of Texas.


Ny objection to the action of the diocese
Of Texas is not SO much as to what she has
done, as to her manner Of doing it. That
reunion will take place and that very soon,
I have no doubt; but it ought to take place
IN such wise as to preserve our faith to our
brethren and to each other. Texas seems
to have forgotten that as the Protestant
Episcopal Church in the Confederate States
We performed certain acts which needed
recognition and confirmation, and which
should not be left in justice to others, with
out settlement in the very act of reunion.


Of these, the consecration of Bishop
Wilmer Is the most important, not only on
his account but because it involves in his
Official acts since his entrance upon his epis-
eopate. Besides this We have admitted
Arkansas as diocese and have elected
Bishop Lay as its Diocesan Bishop. These
acts do not indeed involve. such momentous
consequences as the other, but they are new
ertheless of Importance enough to demand
recognition: ~


Besides I think that it is our duty to
guard the memory Of our deceased Bishops,
Meade, otey, and especially our beloved
Polk. Not that we should expect any iu-
dorsement from the General Convention of
their views and actions, but that we should
feel assured thahno reproach either direct
or implied will be cast upon their graves.
About ourselves, the living, we.care but lit
tie; we are here and can defend ourselves
but the reputation of the dead is in our
keeping, and we can fraternize with nobody
who would willingly disturb their ashes
They have lived and died for us, and how.
ever wrong others may think them, We re-
we're their memory and weep over their
graves. :ss.s....s, !.
- Nor Z fsanfry say 7ir; DO antioipatsy7
SwEsn recalling the worthy, high toned men
who once formed our General Convention,
any action that would be disparaging to
them or painful to US; but yet feel it to
be the duty of the church ever which I
have been called to preside, to guard against
any such possibility. Silence, if you please,
but let it be distinctly understood that there
shall not be word of obloqpy or dispraise
Let them stand or fall to their Master and
our Master one far more competent to judge
of them and us than we are. of each other.


In pursuance of taese preliminary views
my opinion is, rs have expressed to Bishop
H. Potter, in reply to the letter to which
you make allusion in yours, "that if at the
meeting of the General Convention in DC.
tober, that body was to pass joint resolu.
tion, returning thanks for peace, expressing
the hope and desire that it might lead to
reunion Of the dioceses, and appointing
committee Of Bishops, Clergy and Laity to
meet o like committee from our Council,
which sits in November, with full power to
conclude an arrangement, there will be no
further difficulty.


cannot now speak authoritatively for
anybody, but my opinion is that by this
method We can be saved much trouble in
the future. God knows that for one, de.
sire nothing more heartily than peace, but
then it must be peace which is pure, and
without hypocrisy. have been, probably,
as earnest Southern man as anybody, and
yet never found any fault with the church
up to the moment of our secession. What
has happened since on either side, has not
arisen from the normal action of our organ
ization, but from extraneous influences which
have now partially ceased, and will soon
entirely cease"


81 like this plan BETTER" so I continued
to Bishop Potter, ethan our going back and
casting ourselves upon mercy and suffer
anee, not because of any false pride, but
because think the union will be more cor
dial and the feelings Of sslf-respect will be
better preserved on both sides. And the
church should desire to maintain and up
hold the self-respect of all its members,
remembering that they are Of the Body of
Christ. In this way shall We become in
our reunion, the admiration of the country,
as we we're for so many years, during all
the fierce wrangling which preceded seoes-
sion, its wonder, for our reticence and self
control"


So much for the church; now for my
self. You wonder, in your letter, that the
Bishop of Georgia did not lead the way in
such action as the Bishop of Texas has ts-
ken. could not conscientiously have done
so, for the reasons given above, even had I
desired it, and 1 confess that was not
anxious to be the first to submit myself to
Aha uoka ,vhicb hoe haap nranara5 for mn