USA > Virginia > A digest of the proceedings of the conventions and councils in the diocese of Virginia > Part 9
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
Rev. Dr. Wilmer, Rev. Mr. Hart and Rev. Mr. Grammer were "appointed a committee to arrange and publish, in the form of a tract, such an edition of the Constitution and canons of the Church in this Diocese, with such remarks explanatory of the form of government and polity of the Protestant Episcopal Church as they may deem necessary, and distribute the same, when published, among the differ- ent parishes in this Diocese."
Sixty-four dollars were appropriated to the Bishop's assist- ant to fulfill a pledge of $300.
The Committee on the State of the Church, in view of "the very destitute state of many of our parishes," recom- mended the adoption of the following :
Resolved, That the Bishop be respectfully requested to lay off the Diocese in· districts and to assign to each district two or more minis- ters whose duty it shall be to meet in association at the places assigned them, twice in the year, for the purpose of preaching and administering the ordinances of the Church to the people.
The recommendation was approved.
The Trustees of the Seminary reported that, having ascer- tained the inconvenience of a town as the location of the Institution, they had determined to erect or purchase, in some healthy situation near Alexandria, but within the State of Virginia, a house, or houses, sufficient for two professors and twenty students; that a committee had been appointed to execute this important duty, and that they would proceed to Alexandria for the purpose in the course of the following month.
105
CONVENTION OF 1828.
CONVENTION OF 1828.
Convention met in Petersburg, Thursday, May 15th.
In his pastoral address the Bishop alluded particularly to the reasons that led to the establishment of the Theologi- cal Seminary. He said:
"When the attempt was first made in this Diocese, my mind was im- pressed with considerable doubt as to the utility of the measure, from an apprehension that it might interfere with the General Seminary at the North; but after the most serious reflection the doubts I enter- tained have been removed, and my mind is now satisfied with a full conviction of the necessity of the undertaking. The Church in Vir- ginia is now favored with the labors of several of her native sons, who have been educated in her own school, who, it is probable, would not have gone to a distant seminary for theological instruction; and others are presenting themselves under similar circumstances, who, I trust, will prove equally useful.
"Strangers who come from distant parts of the United States, while devoting themselves to the pursuits of theology, will acquire a knowl- edge of the members of our community ; and from an intimacy formed, during their studies with the people at large, will be more generally useful and acceptable than they otherwise would be. Five or six indi- viduals of this description will be admitted to holy orders on Sunday next, all of whom are disposed to labor in this part of the vineyard, whose assistance, in all probability, would not have been secured to us had they been educated elsewhere."
He spoke of the Virginia Bible Society, and strongly endorsed its work.
He called attention to his increasing age and infirmities, and recommended to the Convention so to alter its Constitu- tion that it could elect a suffragan, or assistant. He said :
"It is my desire that a Bishop should be appointed during my life; and as such an appointment can now be made with perfect unanimity, it is expedient that it should be done. It will give me pleasure to unite
106
CONVENTION OF 1829.
in labor with the man of your choice. It will render me happy in the hour of my departure to know the individual to whom I am to resign the arduous duties of the episcopate, to whose care this peaceful, quiet Diocese shall be committed."
The Committee on the State of the Church, Rev. Henry W. Ducachet chairman, presented a report expressing cor- dial sympathy with the Bishop in his views concerning an assistant Bishop, and recommending an alteration of the Constitution by which the measure proposed could be le- gally done-which was approved by the Convention.
The Convention resolved that the members would wear crape on the left arm during the session and for thirty days thereafter, in token of their high respect for the late Dr. Wilmer, and the Secretary was directed to cause to be pro- cured out of the Contingent Fund as much crape as would be necessary for the use of the clergy.
It was-
Resolved, That the next Convention be held in the town of Char- lottesville, on the Wednesday before the third Thursday of May, 1829.
The Trustees of the Seminary reported the purchase of suit- able property near Alexandria for $5,000. They reported concerning the religious efforts of the students in the vicin- ity, and state that they have ascertained "that the sum of $75 is amply sufficient for the board of each student during the period of the nine months which constitutes the Semi- nary term."
CONVENTION OF 1829.
Convention met in Charlottesville on Wednesday, May 20th.
107
CONVENTION OF 1829.
Rev. William Meade, D. D., was elected President, pro tem., in the absence of the Bishop.
The following report of the committee, to whom was re- ferred the communication from the secretaries of the House of Bishops and of the House of Clerical and Lay Delegates, upon the proposed alterations of the liturgy, made to the Convention held in Fredericksburg in the year 1827, was called up, read, and, on motion, referred to the Committee of the Whole.
The committee to whom was referred a communication from the secretaries of the House of Bishops and of the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies, under date of 20th December, 1826, report that they have attentively considered the subjects referred to them, and that they have unanimously agreed to recommend to the Convention the adop- tion of the following resolutions :
I. Resolved, That any alterations in "The order how the Psalter is. appointed to be read," or in "The order how the rest of the Holy Scripture is appointed to be read," are, in the opinion of this Conven- tion, uncalled for by the State of the Church, and entirely inexpedient.
2. Resolved, That the present preface to the confirmation office hav- ing been so long in use without being the subject of frequent or great- complaint, the proposed substitute for it is uncalled for and inexpedient ..
3. Resolved, That as the proposed collect in the confirmation office seems to take for granted the truth of a doctrine about which some differences of opinion prevail in the Church, and seems to have a. tendency to produce dissatisfaction in the minds of some, and perhaps. to lead to still further controversy, it is uncalled for and inexpedient.
4. Resolved, That whereas the Rubric immediately after the commu- nion service appears-as it now stands-to be sufficiently explicit, and® the proposed alteration in it seems to be intimately connected with the foregoing proposed changes, it is equally uncalled for and inexpedient ..
5. Resolved, That as this Convention disapproves of the proposed alterations, the delegation from this Diocese to the General Convention be instructed to use their exertions to prevent their adoption.
6. Resolved, That whereas the proposed addition to the eighth article of the Constitution of this Church, by which the words, " or the articles of religion," are to be inserted after the words, "or other offices of the Church," seems to be a reasonable and salutary provision, this.
108
CONVENTION OF 1829.
Convention do entirely approve the same, and accordingly recommend it to the support of their representatives.
After deliberation the following was agreed to:
The Convention of this Diocese having had under long and serious consideration the proposed alterations in the Rubric relative to the order of our service, and also to the proposed additions to the confir- mation service, is constrained to express its dissent from the proposed changes, believing that they are not likely to effect that most desirable end contemplated by the advocates of the same; therefore,
Resolved, That zealously attached to the Book of Common Prayer, and other offices of our Church, this Convention is desirous that no alteration should take place in the same at this time.
The rest of the Committee's report was adopted.
A Constitution was adopted for a Diocesan Missionary Society. It was called "The Protestant Episcopal Mission- ary Society of the Diocese of Virginia."
The Convention recommended the formation of auxiliary societies, also that a collection be made in each parish on the first Sunday in November for the Society, and that at each Convention a sermon be preached and a collection made in its behalf.
It was-
Resolved, That this Convention deem it expedient, considering the age and bodily infirmity of our most venerated Bishop, to proceed to the election of an assistant Bishop, who is not to be considered as enti- tled to the succession, but that it shall be the right and duty of the Convention of the Diocese of Virginia, on the demise of our venerated Bishop, to proceed to the election of a principal Bishop, as a successor to the said deceased Bishop.
The Convention then, agreeably to the resolution last adopted and the fifth article of the Constitution, went into the election of an assistant Bishop after secret prayer to God.
The clergy proceeded to nominate and appoint by bal-
O
109
CONVENTION OF 1829.
lot some fit and qualified clergyman for that office; and on counting the ballots there were found twenty-five votes in favor of the Rev. William Meade, D. D., and two blank ballots, so that the Rev. William Meade, D. D., was de- clared to be duly nominated and appointed by the clergy ; and then the said appointment was presented to the order of the lay delegates, and upon a ballot being taken among them, there were found in favor of the Rev. William Meade, D. D., thirty-six votes, being the whole number of votes given in; and, thereupon, the Rev. William Meade, D. D., was declared to be duly elected.
On motion,
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to announce to the Rev. Dr. Meade his election to the office of assistant Bishop of this Diocese; and, thereupon, the Rev. Henry W. Ducachet and Mr. Hugh Nelson were appointed.
The committee then retired, and after some time returned and reported that the Rev. Dr. Meade had consented to accept the office.
Mr. Edmund I. Lee offered the following, which were adopted :
Whereas, there exists a diversity of opinion as to the practice of hav- ing more than one acting Bishop in a Diocese, it seems to this Conven- tion to be a subject of that general character and importance as to render it proper for the General Convention to act upon it in such a way as will prevent those evils which may result from this practice. It is, therefore,
Resolved, That the delegates from this Diocese to the next General Convention do bring the subject before that body, and use their efforts to obtain the adoption of such a general rule on this subject as shall have the effect of regulating the number of Bishops each Diocese may elect, and of prescribing the circumstances under which a suffragan or assistant or coadjutor may be chosen; and also the duties of such Bishops.
Mr. Edmund I. Lee offered a lengthy paper concerning
110
CONVENTION OF 1829.
the Episcopal Fund. It recommended voluntary contribu- tions once a year in each parish, after a sermon by the minister. It proposed to place the fund as it accumulated in the hands of three trustees, to be invested by them in United States stock, or otherwise at their discretion, until enough should be invested to yield a support for the Bishop, so that, without having to rely upon a parochial salary to aid him, he could give all his time to the Diocese. If the Bishop should omit to perform his duty without giving a reason which the Convention should deem sufficient, it would be in the power of the Convention to withdraw the whole or part of the said annual income from his use.
The resolutions were indefinitely postponed.
The Seminary Trustees reported the addition of $19,000 to their former subscriptions. They say :
From this Institution we have already received a number of useful laborers in the ministry of our Church, and to it we must look for those faithful laborers yet needed to build up the many waste places of our Zion.
On motion of Rev. E. C. M'Guire, it was-
Resolved, That this Convention, regarding the intemperate use of ardent spirits as one of the most desolating and alarming vices of our country, as presenting one of the most formidable of all barriers to the spread of the gospel of our Lord and Saviour, feels itself called upon to express its decided approbation of the efforts that are making in many sections of our land to arrest the progress of this acknowledged evil, and to pray that abundant success may crown the labors of the Christian, the papist and the philanthropist in their laudable associa- tions for this important purpose.
Four clergymen and two laymen were nominated to the General Convention as trustees of the General Theological Seminary.
111
CONVENTION OF 1830.
CONVENTION OF 1830.
Convention met in Winchester Thursday, May 20th. Bishop Meade presided, Bishop Moore being absent.
The seat of the lay delegate of Christ church, Richmond, was contested by the wardens and vestry of Henrico parish church. The delegate was admitted by a vote of 56 to 2.
In Bishop Moore's address, which was read for him, he mentioned the institution of Rev. J. H. Wingfield as rector of Trinity church, Portsmouth.
Amount of the Episcopal Fund, $5,239.32.
The Committee on the State of the Church brought for- ward three subjects as worthy of special attention :
1. The restriction accompanying the election of the as- sistant Bishop, which denied him the right to the succes- sion.
2. The duty of providing for travelling and other ex- penses of the assistant Bishop.
3. The duty of rendering to the Diocesan a suitable remuneration for his services.
The Committee recommended the removal of the restric- tion annexed to the election of the assistant Bishop.
The Rev. Mr. Grammer offered as a substitute to their recommendation the following :
Whereas, the General Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States have, by the fifth canon of 1829, provided that every assistant Bishop, who may hereafter be elected in the said Church, shall be, in all cases, entitled to succeed the Bishop of the Diocese in which he may be elected; and, whereas, the Convention is desirous of preserving as far as possible the harmony and uniformity of the Church, and of testifying its confidence in the assistant Bishop of this Diocese; therefore,
112
CONVENTION OF 1831.
Resolved, That the restriction annexed to the election of the assistant Bishop of Virginia be hereby removed."
This was adopted by a vote of 49 to 7.
The subjects of the second and third recommendations were referred to a Special Committee of Three, who recom- mended that Mr. John G. Williams, Rev. Mr. Lee and Rev. Mr. Peet be a committee, to meet in the city of Richmond, and to make such an assessment among the parishes as will pay to Bishop Moore $300, and to Bishop Meade $150, in addition to his incidental expenses ; all which was approved.
The Missionary Society of the Diocese reported the re- ceipt of $324.72, none of which was expended, owing to the difficulty of procuring a missionary.
In order to promote the efficiency of the Executive Com- mittee, the Constitution was amended, so as to have an Executive Committee of Eighteen. The Bishop, President ex officio; assistant Bishop, Vice-President ex officio. Three members to constitute a quorum. The Convention elected; as the other members, John G. Williams, Secretary, Thomas Nelson, Treasurer, and Revs. E. C. M'Guire, H. W. Duca- chet, N. H. Cobbs, William Jackson, George A. Smith, Wil- liam F. Lee, E. W. Peet, and Messrs. John Nelson, Dr. Car- ter Berkeley, Messrs. Edmund I. Lee, John Gray, George M. Carrington, and Samuel C. Nichols, were elected the other members of the committee.
CONVENTION OF 1831.
Convention met in the borough of Norfolk, May 19th.
In his pastoral address Bishop Moore mentioned, the second time, the fact that he had instituted the Rev. J. H. . Wingfield as "pastor" of Trinity church, Portsmouth.
113
CONVENTION OF 1832.
It was recommended to amend the Constitution so as to hold the Convention annually on the third Wednesday of May in every year, but the Convention which meets in the year previous to the meeting of the General Convention, may have power to appoint the time and place of meeting for the next annual session.
The Executive Committee of the Missionary Society re- ported the employment of the Rev. Mark L. Chevers "to officiate part of his time in the counties of York, Warwick and Elizabeth City."
They reported "the number of organized Episcopal churches" to be "about one hundred." The clergy less. than half that number.
The Committee on the State of the Church rejoiced over the growth of the Church, both in numerical and spiritual strength, but prayed that the leaven of vanity and spiritual pride should not mingle itself with the hallowed feelings of joy at the spread of the Redeemer's kingdom. They cor- dially concurred with the Bishop in commending clerical associations.
CONVENTION OF 1832.
Convention met in Alexandria, May 16th.
A committee was appointed to examine the condition of the Seminary's funds and to report the best practicable means of enlarging the same.
St. Paul's church, Norfolk, presented a petition to be recognized by the Convention as a congregation, which was granted, and their lay delegate, Mr. R. B. Maury, was ad- mitted to a seat.
8
114
CONVENTION OF 1832.
The Seminary Trustees reported the insufficiency of ac- commodations for young men proposing to study for the ministry. One young man had to leave the Seminary be- cause there was no room for him. They felt constrained, though without funds in hand for the purpose, to order the erection of a new building of the same dimensions with the one at present occupied.
A committee on the subject of the Theological Seminary made a report containing several resolutions.
The Rev. Mr. Grammer presented a substitute, which was adopted.
The Rev. Mr. Grammer's substitute requested the trus- tees of the seminary to make arrangements for a public meeting in St. Paul's Church, at 4:30 P. M. Friday, the 18th, when the wants of the Seminary should be made known to its friends, appeals to be made for pecuniary aid, and con- tributions and subscriptions to be received.
The Constitution was amended according to the approval of the last Convention, fixing the third Wednesday in May for the day of the annual meeting. This was the year in which the country was visited with that awful scourge-the Cholera.
The Convention, by unanimous vote, requested the Bishop " to recommend some early day as a day of humiliation, fast- ing and prayer, for the purpose of making a public confes- sion of our sins, and of seeking to turn away from us the just judgments of the Almighty."
Also the following:
Resolved, That it be recommended to the clergy and laity of this Diocese to make the week, previous to the annual meeting of this Con- vention, a special season of thanksgiving and praise to God for his mercies in times past on such occasions, and of prayer and supplication for the continuance, increase, and efficacious outpouring of his Holy Spirit to the conversion of sinners, edification of Christians, and build- ing up of his Holy Church.
115
CONVENTION OF 1832.
The following extracts are made from the report of the committee on the State of the Church:
The committee beg leave respectfully to remind the clergy of the im- portance of a full and frequent exposition of the distinctive features of the General Convention, according to the twenty-second canon of our Church, that our members may be able to say why she is worthy of the reverence and love of mankind, and repel the objections so often made against our ecclesiastical polity and mode of worship. In too many in- stances (there is reason to fear) the feeling that retains our members in the bosom of the Church is nothing more than a personal attachment to some one of her ministers, who, as the instrument of their conver- sion, or for some other cause, is regarded with peculiar love and affec- tion. This ought not so to be. Our members should be bound to the Church, not by mere personal regards, but by a deep conviction of her high scriptural character, and the happy adaptation of her ordinances and services to produce and promote a sound, intelligent, and fervent spirit of piety, a conviction which can spring only from a thorough knowledge of the grounds on which our polity rests its claims to prefer- ence, and the reasons which determine us to adopt a liturgical rather than an extemporaneous mode of worship.
They recommend also the adoption by Episcopalians gen- erally, of the following pledge issued by "The Virginia Society for Promoting the Observance of the Christian Sabbath ":
Believing that all worldly business and travelling on the Christian Sabbath, except for purposes of piety, necessity and mercy, and all worldly visiting and amusements on that day are contrary to the Divine will, and injurious to the social, civil and religious interests of men; we agree that we will abstain from all such violations of the Sabbath, and that we will use our influence to persuade our families and others to do the same.
They called attention to the resolution of the General Convention which deplored the
Alarming deficiency in the number of our ministers, and recom- mend to the clergy to present to the consideration of their respective , congregations the important duty of exercising a prayerful diligence-in endeavoring to increase the number of our ministers-by forming and
116
CONVENTION OF 1833.
fostering Education Societies for the due instruction of pious youth, and by seeking out and encouraging young men of suitable spiritual and mental qualifications to engage in the blessed service of preaching the gospel of Christ to a perishing world.
CONVENTION OF 1833.
Convention met in Richmond, May 15th.
The Committee on the State of the Church asked-
That it be recommended to the clergy and vestries and the congre- gations in the Diocese to discountenance, to discourage and to use all their influence to put a stop to the practice of using houses of worship belonging to the Protestant Episcopal Church, for military processions, political meetings, political orations and such like things.
They recommended a form of parochial report, to be printed as' an appendix to the Journal.
They recommended to ministers, vestries and congrega- tions to use their best efforts to procure parochial libraries.
Full and cordial resolutions of endorsement of the Vir- ginia Bible Society were adopted.
A committee was appointed to inquire in what respects the present Constitution and canons need revision.
The Seminary Trustees presented an encouraging report.
Subscriptions of $3,500 had been received, besides $7,000 and more subscribed at the public meeting at the last Con- vention. They urged the erection of a third building and the endowment of another professorship.
The Missionary Society report having funds in hand amounting to $933.22; also a horse costing $100, which was bought for a clergyman who had been engaged to do
117
CONVENTION OF 1834.
missionary duty in Louisa county, but who subsequently declined the service.
The Committee on Revision of Constitution and Canons, was instructed "to take into special consideration whether it comports with the interests of the Church that any one should be elected as a delegate who is not a regular commu- nicant of the Church."
The clergy were requested to take up a collection for the Colonization Society on the Sunday preceding July 4th, and to call attention in short addresses at the same time to the important subject.
CONVENTION OF 1834.
Convention met in Staunton, May 21st.
Mr. Hilary Baker was elected Secretary in place of Mr. John G. Williams, deceased.
Wickliffe parish was admitted into union with the Con- vention.
In his address to the Convention, Bishop Moore stated that in the early part of April, 1834, he instituted the Rev. Mr. Boyden, rector of St. Paul's church, Norfolk. The Rev. J. H. Wingfield and Rev. E. Boyden are the only instances in the Diocese of Virginia of rectors who have been insti- tuted.
A letter was addressed to the Convention by one of the professors of the University of Virginia, asking that a min- ister of the Episcopal Church be sent there for the benefit of the professors and students.
Resolutions in sympathy and approval were adopted.
Episcopal Fund, $6,312.
118
CONVENTION OF 1834.
The Seminary Trustees reported increasing encourage- ments and increasing needs. There were accommodations for only forty students, and a halt must be called, unless means come in. They expressed the belief that this "work of God" will go on. They pray that God will put it into the hearts of those who are able to give the contributions to furnish accommodations to all who may seek admission; that He will raise many pious, intelligent youths to seek its advantages, to provide them with a sufficient number of professors, with an ample library, with every opportunity and every means of becoming burning and shining lights in the Church.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.