The State of the country.
important action of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Virginia.
The Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church, in the Diocese of
Virginia, has been in session in this city for the past two days, and, considering the circumstances of the country, is numerously attended, by the
Bishop,
Assistant Bishop, and other clergy, and by Lay delegates, as well as by several visiting clergymen — among the latter
the Right Rev. Thomas Atkinson.
Bishop of
North Carolina.
Yesterday
Bishop Meade read his report, from which we make the following interesting and admirable extract.
All who know this venerable Diocesan will recognize in this expression of his views the wisdom, firmness, and piety which they are accustomed to associate with his honored name:
Having thus presented a statement of those things pertaining to our Diocese which the canon requires of me, I now ask your attention to a few remarks concerning the present unhappy condition of our State and country.
My brethren and friends will bear me witness how carefully I have ever avoided, in all my communications, the least reference to anything partaking of a political character, and how I have earnestly warned my younger brethren against the danger of injuring the effect of their sacred ministry, by engaging in discussions which are so apt to disturb the peace of society.
But in the present circumstances of our country the cause of religion is so deeply involved, that I feel not only justified but constrained to offer a few remarks for your consideration.
It has pleased God to permit a great calamity to come upon us. Our whole country is preparing for war. Our own State, after failing in her earnest effort for the promotion of peace, is, perhaps, more actively engaged in all needful measures for maintaining the position which she has, after much consideration, deliberately assumed, than any portion of the land.
A deeper and more honest conviction that if war should actually come upon us it will be on our part one of self-defence, and, therefore, justifiable before God, seldom, if ever, aminated the breasts of those who appealed to arms.
From this consideration and from my knowledge of the character of our people, I believe that the object sought for will be most perseveringly pursued, whatever sacrifice of life and comfort and treasure may be required.--Nor do I entertain any doubt as to the final result, though I shudder at the thought of what may intervene before that result is secured.
May God, in great mercy and with His mighty power, interpose and grant us speedy peace, instead of protracted war!
But can it be, that at this period of the world, when so many prayers are offered up for the establishment of
Christ's kingdom in, all the earth, and such high hopes are entertained that the zealous efforts put forth will be successful, and our country be one of the most effective and honored instruments for producing the same, that the great work shall be arrested by such a fratricidal war as that which is now so seriously threatened?
is there not room enough for us all to dwell together in peace in this widely extended country, so large a portion of which is not yet unsettled, and may not be until the world that now is shall be no more?
The families or nations which sprung from two venerable patriarchs of old, could find room enough in the little pent up land of Judea to live in peace, by going the one to one hand and the other to the opposite.--At a later period, when Israel and
Judas separated, and the latter having the city and temple in possession, and the supremacy, according to prophecy, was preparing to go up against the former and reduce the people to submission and bring them back to union, the
Lord himself came down and forbade it, saying;
Thou shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren, the children of Israel.
Return every man to his house, for this thing is of me." and they hearkened unto the
Lord, and ever latter the history of the two kingdoms is written in the same sacred volume in which are also recorded the evidence of God's favor to both, and though sometimes at controversy, yet how often were they found side by side defending the ancient boundaries of Judea against surrounding nations.
God grant that our country may learn a lesson from this sacred narrative.
Let none think that I am unmindful of law and order and of the blessings of Union.
I was trained in a different school.
I have clung with tenacity to the hope of preserving the
Union to the last moment.
If I know my own heart, could the sacrifice of the poor remnant of my life have contributed in any degree to its maintenance, such sacrifice would have been cheerfully made.
But the developments of public feeling and the course of our rulers have brought me slowly, reluctantly, sorrowfully, yet most decidedly, to the painful conviction that notwithstanding attendant dangers and evils we shall consult the welfare and happiness of the whole land by separation.
And who can desire to retain a Union which has now become so hateful and by the application of armed force, which if successful would make it tenfold more hateful, and soon lead to the repetition of the same bloody contests?
I trust, therefore, that the present actual separation of so many and such important portions of our country may take place with out further collision, which might greatly hinder the establishment of the most friendly and intimate relations which can consist with separate establishments.
I trust that our friends at a distance, and now in opposition to us, will most seriously review their judgment, and inquire whether the evils resulting from a war to sustain their wishes and opinions as to a single Confederacy, will not far exceed those apprehended from the establishment of a second--an event far more certain than the result of the
American Revolution at the time of its occurrence.
In connection with this civil and geographical separation in our country, and almost necessarily resulting from it, subjects of some change of the ecclesiastical relations of our Diocese must come under consideration.--There is a general and strong desire, I believe, to retain as much as possible of our past and present happy intercourse with those from whom we shall be in other matters more divided.
A meeting is already proposed for this purpose in one of the seceded States, whose plans, so far as developed, I will submit to the consideration of this body at its present session.
I cannot conclude without expressing the earnest desire that the ministers and members of our Church, and all the citizens of our State, who are so deeply interested in the present contest, may conduct it in the most elevated and Christian spirit, rising above unworthy and uncharitable imputations on all who are opposed.
Many there are equally sincere on both sides, as there ever have been in all the wars and controversies that have been waged upon earth; though it does not follow that all have the same grounds of justice and truth on which to base their warfare.
It was the maxim of an ancient sage that we should always treat our friends as those who might one day be our enemies, and to treat our enemies as those who may one day be our friends.
While abhorring, as I am sure we all do, the former part of this cold-hearted maxim, let us cherish and adopt the latter, so congenial with the spirit of our holy religion.
The thought of even a partial separation from those who have long been so dear to me, is anguish to my soul.
But there is a union of heart in our common faith and hope which can never be broken.
The
Church in
Virginia has more dear friends and generous patrons amongst those who are on the opposite side of this painful controversy than any other, and feels most deeply the unhappy position in which we are placed.
As our State has, to its high praise, endeavored to avert the evils now threatened, so may our Church, and all the others in
Virginia, by prayer and the exercise of true charity, endeavor to diminish that large amount of prejudice and ill-will which so unhappily abounds in our land.
Let me. in conclusion, commend to the special prayers all those who have now devoted themselves to the defence of our State.
From personal knowledge of many of them, and from the information of others, there is already, I believe, a large portion of religious principle and genuine piety to be found among them.
I rejoice to learn that in many companies not only are the services of chaplains and other ministers earnestly sought for and after, but social prayer meetings held among themselves.
Our own Church has a very large proportion of communicants among the officers of our army, and not a few among the soldiers.
Let us pray that grace may be given them to be faithful soldiers of the Cross, as well as valiant and successful defenders of the
State.
If all of us do our part faithfully and according to the principles of our holy religion, we may confidently leave the issue to God, who will overrule all for good.
The reading of this report was followed by the appointment of a committee whose report having been subsequently submitted, was approved by a unanimous vote of the
Convention, as follows:
‘
The special committee to whom so much of the
Bishop's Address as relates to the present political and ecclesiastical condition of our affairs was referred, unanimously report the following resolutions for adoption by the
Convention:
’
- 1. Resolved, That this Convention having heard with deep interest the true and timely statements of our venerable Diocesan in reference to the present political and ecclesiastical condition of our affairs, cordially concur in the views presented, and sympathize fully in the kind and Christian spirit in which they are so wisely declared.
- 2. Resolved, That a committee, consisting of two Bishops with three clerical and three lay members, be appointed as a provisional committee to act, during the recess of the Convention, in all matters connected with our relations to other closeses, and also to serve as delegates in any Convention which may be agreed upon by other similarly situated dioceses.
All the proceedings of this committee to be reported for the approval of the Convention of the Diocese of Virginia.
- 3. Johns. W. Sparrow. J. Grammar, Thos. S. Gholson, James Galt, R. H. Cunningham, Committee.
The committee called for by the second resolution was elected by ballot, and constituted of Right
Rev. Wm. Meade, D. D.,
Bishop; Right
Rev. John Johns, D. D.,
Assistant Bishop;
Rev. Richard H. Wilmer,
Rev. Wm. Sparrow,
Rev. Joshua Peterkin.
Judge Thomas S. Gholson,
Philip Williams,
Esq., and
Richard H. Cunningham,
Esq. 
