USA > Virginia > Old churches, ministers and families of Virginia, Vol. II > Part 41
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also changed, and some of well-known Low-Church views were put on it, in the hope of inspiring confidence and raising funds. Some effect has certainly been produced by this measure, though, unless other causes of failure be removed, the effect may be only tempo- rary. Had a similar course been pursued in the election of Mission- ary Bishops at the reorganization in 1835, according to the supposed understanding of some, and as was most reasonable, that liberal policy might have attached a larger number of one portion of the Church to it, have received more funds, and have had some effect as to the kind of missionaries employed. But, in connection with this, there had been other causes in operation. I had never been dis- posed to ascribe to the domestic committee a desire or willingness to send unsuitable persons or men of extravagant views to the domestic field, in preference to others. It was not their province, indeed, to select where there were Bishops. The Bishops received certain sums of money, and nominated the missionaries on whom it was to be expended. The committee must, indeed, approve; but all must see that when a Bishop makes his selection the committee can scarce object, except in some most notorious case. Whatever be the cause, the fact is not to be questioned, that the reputation of the Society has suffered from the reported character of many of her missionaries. Their very reports, in the "Spirit of Missions," were often very unsatisfactory on several accounts. To hearts imbued with evangelic feeling there was nothing to interest,- the mere externals of religion being dwelt upon, and even those not prospering. Their evil report came back to the Eastern States through various channels. Although there were doubtless a considerable number of worthy men among them, yet I have from time to time met with clergymen and laymen who were to be relied on, who, from their own observation, have declared that, as to very many of them, we must have different men and of different views in the Western field, or our Church could never prosper. From Virginia many individuals and families have gone to various parts of the West, and from these, through their friends and rela- tives at home, I have heard much that was unfavourable. The great want of the Church, therefore, is not merely more missionaries, but more of the best kind,-evangelists in the truest sense of the word,-men of sense to eschew all follies and novelties, and men of self-denial and toil and with as much experience as possible. For such men must the Church pray and labour as she hopes for success. Many have withheld their funds from this Society, because not knowing unto whose support they might be given, and what false
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views of the Gospel and the Church they might be made to promote. I confess that such has been my case for many years. At first, and for some time, I gave my annual contributions to domestic missions, hoping the best; but such were the accounts received in various ways, and such the most unsatisfactory reports of some of the missionaries, that I could not continue them with a good conscience.
Still, I avoided all public declaration of my difficulties, and never attempted to interfere with the conduct of others in regard to it. Though hoping that the time would come when, under favourable auspices, some voluntary society might by general consent be formed, I have hitherto discouraged all suggestions or proposals, either public or private, which looked toward a new society antago- nistic to that already established. In the Episcopal Missionary Society for the West, established a few years since in Philadelphia, I was pleased to see an organization which, while paying all due respect to the General Society, came as near as circumstances would allow to such an institution as will afford a channel for the convey- ance of funds to those missionaries, and those only, who are be- lieved by the donors to be calculated to disseminate the true doctrines of the Gospel and the Church. While it continues to fulfil the end and design of its formation, I shall gladly contribute to its support. I shall also rejoice to know that, by the blessing of God in turning the hearts of many right-minded and zealous young men to the ministry, our General Society may have such numbers of suitable ones at its command that no just cause for complaint may hereafter arise.
THE MEMORIAL AND COMMISSION OF BISHOPS.
At the last General Convention, a memorial from sundry presby- ters, of all shades of opinion and from various parts of our land, on the subject of bettering the condition and extending the opera- tions of the Church, was sent into the House of Bishops, which, together with the action thereon, has excited so much attention and called forth so much discussion that it deserves some notice in connection with the topics referred to in this article. As some of my brother-Bishops have, in addresses to their Conventions, de- clared their sentiments in relation to it, and Conventions also have had it under consideration, I shall be excused for a brief expression of my own views, especially as they have been misunderstood. Most suddenly and unexpectedly was this document introduced into the House of Bishops. I had never heard of it until it was read to the House. There were passages in it which seemed either unintelli-
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gible, or most likely to be misunderstood to the injury of the cause sought to be promoted by it. I asked for a second reading of it, but my difficulties were not removed. I asked for an explanation of the difficult passages, but none could be given. I suggested a reference of the paper to its authors and signers for explanation or modification, as I foresaw and predicted that such would be called for, and the Bishops expected to give an account of themselves if they accepted it and complied with its prayer. Not seeing my way clear in favour of the motion, after speaking freely concern- ing it, sometimes playfully, sometimes seriously, I united with a few others in voting against its being· submitted to a commission. That I was not wrong in my apprehension as to the construction which might be put on some very undefined and latitudinarian ex- pressions in the memorial, has been proved by the views since presented in an exposition of the same by the chief mover of it. Notwithstanding all the excellent things in that exposition, I have no hesitation in saying, as to its main feature, that, had such been the understanding of the plan, the Bishops would not have com- mitted themselves to the consideration of the memorial without some modification of its language. Although voting against it, and wondering much at some things said in its behalf, I have never questioned the sincerity and purity of the motives of those present- ing it or of those encouraging it, and have ever taken pains to declare my belief that no evil, and some good, would result from the movement. In proof of my favourable disposition toward it, when the questions of the commission, addressed to all the Bishops and clergy, came out, I made a response and offered some suggestions. I did not dream that the communication would ever see the light ; but, inasmuch as some of my brethren in the Episcopacy have pre- sented their views to the public, I here subjoin my own brief and imperfect one. I may also add, that the favourable notice of the memorial and commission by the last Virginia Convention met my entire approbation,-having been previously consulted on the subject.
" To the Bishops appointed to consider the Memorial of the Rev. Dr. Muhlenberg and others.
" DEAR BRETHREN :- I have received your circular asking communi- cations on the important subject submitted to your consideration, and offer the following suggestions as coming within the terms of your commission :-
"1st. It has ever appeared to me that the Church does not make the most profitable use of the Psalms. One-half of our congregations-perhaps a much larger part-have only one service on the Sabbath, and therefore
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never hear one-half of the Psalms, in which half are some of the most edifying, while the other half, being read according to the days of the month on which the Sabbath falls, are read unequally. Would it not be better to have the whole of them (with the exception of such as are not so suitable for Christian worship) arranged in selections, according to the different topics of prayer, praise, penitence, &c., and according to the sea- sons and days which the Church celebrates, making some fifty or sixty in number, and leaving it to the minister to choose out of them as he may think best, except when they belong to a particular day or season? Would not that be better than the present plan, or than that of Bishops White, Hobart, and others,-namely, letting the minister select for himself one or more psalms at pleasure? Might not also some of the longer and less important lessons be abridged, as was proposed by the above-mentioned Bishops ?
"2d. It has always appeared to me that the service on Communion-days was too long. Inasmuch as the prayers in the Communion-service contain nearly all that is in the Litany, and are therefore a repetition, I suggest that the Litany be omitted. I would substitute for it, and for the prayer for all conditions of men in the morning service, the prayer for the whole state of Christ's Church militant, and use it in the morning service in place of the prayer for all conditions of men. This prayer for the Church militant comes to us from primitive times, and was called the short or shorter Litany. This arrangement would supersede the necessity of one of the changes of posture in the Communion-service, which are thought by many to be too numerous.
"3d. The service on ordination-occasions is felt by Bishops, clergy, and people to be oppressive and injurious. The service peculiar to the ordi- nation is most solemn and impressive, and its effect should not be weakened by the addition of so much of that which is used every Sabbath. I would suggest the omission of the Litany and Commandments on that occasion.
"4th. I would suggest that the same method which our forefathers adopted, in relation to a clause in the Apostles' Creed and to the form of ordination, be applied to the declaration of regeneration and being born of the Spirit after baptism. In the Creed we are allowed to omit the words, ' He descended into hell,' or use some others. In the ordination of ministers two forms are allowed, according to the option of the Bishop. Why not the same privilege of omission granted to the minister in bap- tizing, or the use of another prayer which might be prepared? I am per- suaded that nothing would contribute more to peace among ourselves, and to the removing of prejudice from the minds of those who belong to other denominations and the community at large, than such an arrangement. It would be in entire accordance with what now seems to be generally ad- mitted,-namely, that a considerable latitude of opinion as to the meaning of certain expressions in the baptismal service is allowed. If it be allowed, why enforce on all the use of the words which, by their sound, seem to convey a meaning which is repudiated by so many? I have long known that a painful difficulty is felt in the use of these passages, not by one portion of our ministers and people, but by a number who differ from such on other points. I believe that public baptism would be much more com- mon but for the reluctance to use these expressions before so many who do not understand or approve them. Many parents, I believe, are prejudiced against the baptism of their children and put it off on account of these words and their supposed meaning. I believe that nothing stands more
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in the way of converts from other denominations, and especially such of their ministers as are worth having, than the required use of these words in our baptismal service. A slight alteration in the preface to our Con- firmation-service, or rather another preface, to be used at the pleasure of the Bishop, would also be desirable.
" As I fear my brethren will be wearied with many and lengthy com- munications, I omit other suggestions of less importance, (in relation to the service,) and sincerely commend them to the direction of the Great Head of the Church.
"Your friend and brother,
WILLIAM MEADE."
It will be perceived that in the above nothing like a complete scheme was attempted. That was not even thought of. I only offered a few unconnected suggestions for those who were appointed to draw up some regular plan for the consideration of the Church. As to the substance of them, they are less in amount than the changes proposed by the Bishops in 1826, and therefore, as an individual, I may shelter myself behind them from any charge of presumption or desire of change. I voted for those proposed by the Bishops and House of Delegates in 1826, believing it to be better to settle by law any thing which might be regarded as a se- rious departure from the order of our service, rather than leave it to individual discretion, though always maintaining that, as to smaller matters, there must ever be room left for the exercise of a sound discretion, and that even as to greater ones occasions must arise justifying a departure from them, on the principle that God loves mercy more than sacrifice, and that laws were made for men and not men for laws. I believe that some wholesome change may be made in the arrangements of the services, which, so far from interfering with their original use and design, will be conformable with the same. I trust that in a wise and conservative spirit such arrangements will be made. It was not for the purpose of encou- raging an unlimited license in the use of the service that I opposed the Commission, nor do I believe that it is for such a purpose that some still contend against it, as has been sometimes intimated. I believe that there is now a disposition on the part of many who have hitherto been most strenuous for rubrical exactness and lengthened services to make more changes and relaxations than I ever practised, countenanced, or now desire. The omission of the ante-Communion service, except on Communion-days, was in truth almost all that distinguished some who were deemed irregular from the most strictly rubrical according to their understanding of rubrics. I am, however, willing for other arrangements more in accordance VOL. II .- 25
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with the original plan and use of our varied services. In relation to the suggestion in my letter as to the omission of certain parts of our baptismal service after the rite is performed, I do not know that any others have made the same to the Committee, but I know full well that there are many, and they not of one party only, who feel the desirableness of it. It ought to be much less objectionable than that of Bishop Hobart, which was agreed to by the whole House of Bishops and by a large majority of the other House in the year 1826. That proposed to repudiate all high views of bap- tismal regeneration, as doing injustice and injury to the Church, and to establish the lowest theory-namely, a mere change of state and conditional title to salvation-as the doctrine of the Church. This only proposes to omit the use of certain parts following after the baptism, and not at all essential to its completeness, and about whose meaning there ever have been disputes in the Church, from the times of the fathers to the present moment, and will be perhaps to the end of the world. It leaves every one to form his own opinion as to the efficiency of the rite, drawing it of course from Scripture,-the only authoritative source, if, indeed, he believes that Scripture speaks on the subject,-or else to be content to re- main in ignorance and only perform the duties enjoined by the ordinance. It only forbears to define and to render thanks for something of which we can have no certain knowledge. It will leave the service a purely devotional and scriptural one, to which none can object, which will not perplex or distress the consciences of either parents, sponsors, congregation, or minister, and will re- lieve the Church from much misunderstanding and censure on the part of many who hear it. I am well aware that in some of the confessions of other Reformed Churches there may be found ex- pressions of the same kind, which of course are liable to a similar objection; but there is this difference, that in their case the ex- pressions are locked up in books that are seldom seen. They are not used in the public administration of baptism; not put in the form of positive thanksgivings for a spiritual regeneration certainly received at a given moment and through a certain act, and are therefore not the occasion of such unhappy disputation. It is the great shame and reproach of Christendom that so much strife and bitterness have ever been about those things which lie beyond the reach and above the range of the human mind, and that the clergy especially should be the most curious and anxious to be wise above what is written and should puzzle their poor people with such questions. The disputes about the Divine decrees and the effects
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of baptism on the condition and the souls of unconscious infants are of this kind. How numerous and how contradictory and ex- travagant the theories as to the latter! How intolerant the feelings and speeches and conduct of some toward those who differ from them! Is it not time that these should cease ? Could there be a better way of beginning it than by cutting off the continually- recurring occasions of bringing it before the minds and consciences of men? The Church has adopted this plan in relation to a clause in the Apostles' Creed and in the service for the ordination of priests, and has left some other things optional with the minister. Might not the same method be adopted with happy effect in relation to the interminable dispute about baptismal regeneration ? None of the various expositions would then be either affirmed or con- demned in the service. I am persuaded that though there always might be differences,-great differences, requiring to be discussed, false doctrines concerning it requiring to be exposed,-yet the omission of any thing like defining or seeming to render thanks for an effect certainly produced would greatly diminish controversy and be a solemn testimony on the part of the Church against the attempt to be wise above what is written. I confess I shall have little confidence in the existence or strength of a spirit of compro- mise in the Church for the sake of unity and peace, if there be not a willingness merely to omit a few words, about whose meaning there are such various opinions, and which no one can hold to be essential to the ordinance. To be baptized with water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is commanded and required. That the word should accompany it, and prayer be offered up for God's blessing, is manifestly proper; but that we should undertake to define the effect produced, and render thanks for it, is nowhere enjoined. The addition, is the work of man, and has been a great unhappiness to the Church. Should any be disposed to think or say that some of us are desirous to dispose of some words in the service which interfere with our views of regeneration, I can most conscientiously say that such is not my case. As I understand the service, and believe it ought to be understood, after having exa- mined all that has been written on the subject, it expresses my own convictions on the subject of baptism; but there are peculiarities and difficulties in the mode of presenting the subject, and in the terms used, which require continual explanations and defences, that perplex and injure the cause. It is therefore maintained that the omission of these words, which are the causes of almost all the con- troversy, would promote the peace and welfare of the Church; which
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words, it is again affirmed, are not at all necessary to the right performance of baptism. It is complete without them.
CONCLUDING REMARKS.
If I may be allowed to express an opinion as to the present state and prospects of our Church, I should say that some are now as much disposed to undervalue her efficacy for good, even without the proposed changes, as many were formerly to overrate it. Very soon after my entrance on the ministry, I read a sermon by one of our most distinguished Bishops on those words of the Psalmist,- " Walk about Zion; mark well her bulwarks; consider her palaces," &c. They were applied to our Church in this country, and her praises highly spoken. It was confidently affirmed that she must greatly prevail over others by reason of her divine organization and many excellencies. The same glorious things were continually spoken of her by such as claimed to be her true sons; and those who did not firmly believe that she must outstrip, or perhaps overwhelm, all others, were considered as wanting faith in the promises of God to his Church, and a hearty zeal in her behalf. Just at this time I met with a sermon, on the same text and in the very same style, by one of the oldest and most respectable Baptist ministers in Virginia, showing that the Baptist Church was so clearly the true Apostolic Church-of course after God's own heart-that it must carry every thing before it; that the signs of the times could not be mistaken. Shortly after this I went to the West, and heard of an eminent Presbyterian minister who was preaching from place to place a ser- mon, or series of sermons, if not from the same text, yet on the same subject, in which he declared his firm conviction that his Church was, as to her constitution, doctrine, and discipline, so scriptural and so suited to the genius of our government that in twenty years the whole land would embrace it. At this time also a favourite song with many Methodists was,-
" The Methodists are gaining ground ; The devil's kingdom's tumbling down ; Hallelujah ! Hallelujah !"
Doubtless all these were most sincere in their belief that what they earnestly desired would surely come to pass. Forty years have since elapsed, and no one of them has taken the place of the other. On the contrary, all of them have, by God's blessing, done much good on the different theatres assigned them, are still doing good, and will do more good. Morcover, they have sustained very
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much the same relation to each other as to numbers and success. All of them have had their trials, their declensions, their reverses, which should make them humble, and cause them to refrain from taunts and reproaches, rather remembering the admonition that
" Brethren in calamity should love."
I believe that there are very few now to be found who would venture the prophecy that their own denomination must soon swallow up all others. Our own Church has not been favoured with the same abundant opportunities of preaching the Gospel to the poor, (except on Southern plantations,) while she has enjoyed greater opportuni- ties of presenting it with acceptableness to the wealthy and educated. Nor have her evangelical Liturgy and the faithful preaching of many of her ministers been unblessed in the behalf of such. Sadly has she been afflicted for the last fifteen years with the hankerings of some of her ministers and people after Rome. Their apostasy has indeed been most mortifying, and is well calculated to punish her for much vain boasting, and to lead to a more chastened estimate of her character and mission. She has certainly lost much in the confidence of the community, and given to her enemies, both in the Church and the world, occasion for increased opposition and condemnation. It is needless to close our eyes on this most noto- rious fact. It will be wisdom, honesty, and good policy to acknow- ledge it freely. Sins must be confessed as well as forsaken, in order to be fully forgiven and their evil consequences prevented.
We must also adopt the most effectual means for recovering what has been lost. It is most encouraging to know that all of God's favour has not been lost. On the contrary, never has the Gospel been more faithfully and earnestly preached by greater numbers of our ministers in England and America than during our recent fiery trial. Though the enemy came in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord, speaking from thousands of pulpits, has lifted up the standard of truth against him. The heretical movement has been arrested, and now stands, covered with shame and confusion, seeking to find out some object on which to lay the blame of its own mischievous pro- ceedings.
Together with many who are guiltless of the evil sought to be removed, some of those who have contributed to it are now pro- posing certain changes in the mode of the Church's worship, in order to regain what is lost and press forward in the duty assigned us by God. It is believed that an abridgment of the usual worship, by a partial separation of services once distinct, will remove one
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