A history and record of the Protestant Episcopal church in the diocese of West Virginia, Part 37

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Leaving my own State and Diocese, I proceed to speak of some at a distance who have experienced like declension from the true faith and practice. Col. Byrd, of Virginia, in his "Westover Manuscripts," concerning a tour through the State in the year 1733, speaking of the Pilgrim Fathers of New England, says, "Though these people may be ridiculed for some Pharisaical peculiarities in their worship and be- havior, yet they were very useful subjects, as being frugal and industrious, giving no scandal or bad example, at least by any open and public vices. By which excellent qualities they had much the advantage of the Southern colony, who thought their being members of the Established Church suf- ficient to sanctify very loose and profligate morals. For this reason New England improved much faster than Virginia." Strict, however, as were the morals, and evangelical as were the doctrines, of the Pilgrim Fathers of New England, the time of declension in both came on. We may trace the de- clension in doctrine to that which was the Mother-Church to many of them,-the Church of Scotland. The moralizing system began there, as it had done in the English Church. i remember to have heard Mr. Balmaine-once a member of that Church-often compare together the moralizing and evangelical parties of his early days,-now a hundred years ago. Dr. Blair and Mr. Walker were the representatives

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of the two parties, though associate ministers in the same church in Edinburgh. He had heard them both. The more worldly and fashionable delighted in the sermons of Dr. Blair, who preached in the morning. The more zealous and evangelical attended in greater numbers the services of Dr. Walker, who preached in the afternoon. Dr. Witherspoon also, former President of Princeton College, has, in his work entitled "Characteristics," exercised his unsurpassed wit as well as pious zeal in portraying the two parties,-the one, calling itself the "Moderate Party," which he charges with being "fierce for moderation," and zealous in nothing else. The same soon began to exist in New England. Low views of the qualification for baptisms, the Lord's Supper, and the ministry, gradually crept in. The moralizing system took the place of the evangelical. The distinctive principles of the Gospel were kept back, and thus the way was prepared for the Unitarian heresy. The morals also of the Church, as might be expected, began to fail. The labours and preach- ing of Edwards and others and the great revival under them did much to arrest the downward tendency; but the evil went on. The love of pleasure in the young and of strong drink in both young and old increased in many places. Dea- cons and elders sold rum by wholesale, and other members by retail. Nor did the clergy lift up their voices in solemn warnings, as they should have done, but very many freely used the intoxicating draught. That aged and venerable man, the Rev. Leonard Woods, of Andover, states that at a particular period previous to the temperance reforma- tion he was able to count nearly forty ministers of the Gos- pel, none of whom resided at a very great distance, who were either drunkards or so far addicted to intemperate drinking, that their reputation and usefulness were very greatly injured if not utterly ruined. He mentions an ordi- nation at which he was present, and at which he was pained to see two aged ministers literally drunk and a third inde- cently excited by strong drink. "These disgusting and appall- ing facts," says this most esteemed minister of the Gospel, "I

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could wish might be concealed. But they were made public by the guilty persons; and I have thought it just and proper to mention them, in order to show how much we owe to a compassionate God for the great deliverance he hath wrought." (The Ninth Report of the American Temperance Society, as quoted in the Temperance Prize Essay, "Bac- (hus," pp. 79, 80; edition of 1840.) To this I add a testimony of my own. About thirty-five or thirty-six years ago. I devoted some time to the service of the Colonization Soci- ety. forming the first auxiliaries and selecting the first col- onists in some of the larger cities of the Union, North and South. Of course, I mingled freely with ministers and mem- bers of different denominations and had opportunity of knowing what I now affirm,-namely, that many ministers of respectable standing, and not confined to any one denomi- nation, were in the habit of using themselves and offering to others who visited them, not merely at the hour of dinner, but long before, brandy and other drinks. I have special reference to one large city, where, in a few years, the evil effects were seen and felt, in the reproach brought on sev- eral denominations by the partial if not totai fall of some of their chief leaders. In proof of the prevalence of such a ruin- ous habit I mention the fact, that in a funeral sermon preached about that time over a deceased minster, and published to the world, it was mentioned to his praise, that such was his hospitality that he never permitted even a morning visit to be paid him without offering wine and other refreshments. How thankful we should be to God for the great change which He has caused to take place in the hospitalities of our day! As for myself, I can never hear without pain, a slighting remark made by any one, especially by a minister, and more especially by one of our own Church, concerning that society which I believe God has raised up in our land, as one instrument by which so much has been done for the diminution of this great evil.

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Concluding Remarks.

Having thus presented a brief sketch of some of the most interesting incidents in the past history of the Church of Virginia, let us with deep humility and lively gratitude com- pare together our past and present condition, saying, "What hath God wrought!" Toward the close of two hundred years after its first establishment there were nearly one hundred ministers and one hundred and sixty churches, and then in seven years after only a few faint-hearted ones serving in the few remaining and almost deserted sanctuaries; now again, after the labours of less than half a century, our hundred minsters are restored and more than one hundred and seventy churches are open for the people of God. For two hundred years not a Bishop ever visited the diocese, and even after one was sent only a few ministrations were performed; now, two Bishops have full employment in vis- iting two hundred churches or stations. It was for years found impracticable to raise sufficient funds for the conse- cration of one Bishop; now, funds are raised for the annual support of two, independent of parochial charges. It was once proposed, in a declining state of the Church, but in vain, to raise funds for the education of only two candidates for the ministry; now, numbers are annually receiving prepar- atory instruction at our Seminary. Formerly we were en- tirely dependent on foreign parts for our supply of clergy- men, insufficient as to numbers and worse as to character; now, by the blessing of God on our Seminary, we are enabled to send forth to the decayed churches of Greece, or to the heathen of Asia and Africa, a goodly number of faithful and zealous missionaries of the cross. Formerly, and for at least a century, numbers were deserting our communion, as that which had deserted God, and was deserted of God; now, for the last forty years, either themselves or their children or children's children have in considerable numbers been returning to our fold, as to one which God himself was keeping and blessing. Whereas once almost all men thought

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and spoke ill of our clergy and communicants as devoid of piety, now, only those who are misinformed, or most preju- diced, refuse to acknowledge that through God's grace there is at least as large an amount of true piety in both minis- ters and people as is to be found in those of any other de- nomination. Whereas once we had for many years no Con- ventions and then for some years a few faint-hearted minis- ters and people meeting together, now, what numbers of clergy and laity delight to assemble, not for the dry busi- ness of legislation only, or for religious controversy, but chiefly for the blessed privilege of joining hearts and voices in the sweet exercises of God's word and worship, and thus becoming knit together in love! Thus graciously hath God dealt with us. Out of gratitude to him, and that we may continue to enjoy his smiles, it becomes us ever to bear in mind by what means this hath been done; how our Jacob arose, when he was not only so small, but crushed to the earth, trodden under foot of man, after having been betray- ed by friends and dishonoured by the very minsters of God who were appointed to defend him. In the character, habits, views, and history of the man whom God sent to us from a distance to be our head and leader in this work, and in the views of those, whether from our own State or elsewhere, who entered into the service, may be seen the religious prin- ciples and methods of action by which, under God, the change has been effected; and it need not he said how en- tirely different they were from those by which the disgrace and downfall of the Church had been wrought. Of the effi- cacy of these means we are the more convinced from the peculiar and very great difficulties to be surmounted, which have nevertheless in a great measure been surmounted. We are persuaded that in no part of our own land were there such strong prejudices and such violent oppositions to be overcome as in Virginia, in consequence of the former char- acter of the Episcopal clergy, and the long and bitter strife which had existed between the Church and those who had

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left its pale, which latter were never satisfied until the down- fall of the former was accomplished.

Let me briefly recapitulate the means used. Bishop Moore, in his previous correspondence, and his first sermon and address, declared his determination to preach as he had ever done, when God so greatly blessed his ministry, the glorious doctrines of grace, instead of a mere morality, such as many of the English clergy had once preached, and such as had been but too common in Virginia. The young clergy, who engaged in the revival of the Church of Virginia, took the same resolve and made the great theme of their preach- ing "Jesus Christ and him crucified," on the ground of a to- tal apostasy from God on the part of man which required such a sacrifice, as well as the renewing of the Holy Ghost in order to meetness for the joys of Heaven. But they did not turn this grace of God into licentiousness and think that either priest or people might indulge in sin. Among the first acts of the earlier Conventions, it was at once set forth before the world that the revival of the Church was to be undertaken on principles entirely different from those which had hitherto prevailed, and under the influence of which re- ligion had been so much dishonoured. It was plainly de- clared that there was need of discipline, both for clergy and laity, and canons were provided for the exercise of the same. Not merely were grosser vices stigmatized, but what by some were considered the innocent amusements of the world and which the clergy themselves had advocated and practiced were condemned as inconsistent with the charac- ter of a Christian professor.

Baptism, by which we renounce the pomips and vanities of the world as well as the sinful lusts of the flesh, and which had been customarily celebrated in private, directly in opposition to the rubric and often amidst ungodly festiv- ities, was now sought to be performed only in the house of God, and with pious sponsors instead of thoughtless and irreligious ones. Candidates for confirmation, instead of being presented because they had reached a certain age and

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could repeat the Catechism, were told what a solemn vow, promise and profession they were about to make, and that it was none other than an immediate introduction with full qualifications to the Lord's Supper. Of course very different views of the Lord's Supper and of the conduct of communi- cants were inculcated, and the ministers bound, by express canon, to converse with each one before admitting for the first time to the Lord's Supper. Thus were the whole tone and standard of religion changed, to the dissatisfaction and complaint, it is true, of some of the old members of the Church, and not without the condemnation of some from abroad. In due time, the important measure, requiring that all who enter our Convention to legislate for Christians and Christian ministers should themselves be Christian profes- sors, was adopted, though there were those at home who feared the attempt, and those abroad who prophesied evil in such a manner as to encourage disaffection at home. But God was with us and has granted most entire success.

As to the manner of exciting zeal in Christians and awa- kening interest in those who were not, it was thought that no better example could be followed than that of the apos- tles, who preached not only in the temple and synagogues, but from house to house, as occasion required and opportuni- ty offered. As to the manner of preaching, written ser- mons were generally preferred in the pulpit, while extem- poraneous exhortations were often resorted to in smaller assemblies. Without slighting the excellent prayers of our Liturgy, there were many occasions, both in private fami- lies and in social meetings, when extemporaneous peti- tions seemed edifying both to the pastor and his flock. As to the great benevolent and religious institutions of the age, our ministers felt that they were doing well to encourage their people to a lively participation in them. The Mission- ary and Bible Societies, the Colonization and Temperance Societies. received their most cordial support. and they considered it a subject of devout thankfulness to God if their congregations took a deep interest in the same.

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To provoke each other and their congregations to zeal in all good works, and especially to awaken the careless to a sense of their lost condition, the ministers would meet to- gether occasionally, and for several successive days make full trial of prayer and the word, expecting the blessing pro- mised to two or three who come together and ask somewhat of God.

To these I will only add a few words as to the spirit cherished and the course pursued toward our Christian brethren who walk not with us in all things of Church order and worship. Long and bitter was the strife that subsisted between them and our fathers, violent the prejudices that raged against us, and it would have been easy to enter on the work of revival in the spirit of retaliation and fierce opposition. But would it have been right, and as our Mas- ter would have had us do? Our forefathers had done reli- gion much and them some wrong, God made use of them for good. Many of them were doubtless most sincere in their fear of us and opposition to us. 3 It became us rather to win them over by love, and secure their esteem, by living and preaching differently from our predecessors. Such was the conciliatory course pursued by our deceased father in God, and followed by those who perceived the good effects of his example, and most happy was the effect of the same. But while we have reason, at thought of our present by com- parison with our past condition, to exclaim, "What hath God done!" "to thank him and take courage," yet should we beware of boasting, or of supposing that all is done, or that what remains will certainly and easily be done. I consider it as the great error of many in our Church, that we are too much given to boasting, too apt to overrate our own successes, and calculate too largely on far greater, while underrating the present or probable future successes- of others. God will, in His own way, correct us, if we be guilty of presumption. Our Jacob is still small, and it becomes us now, as of old, to ask, By whom shall he arise? Much is yet to be done, and there are many difficulties in

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the way. Though we have a goodly number of ministers, vet there are by no means enough to carry on the work of enlargement as we could wish, and as the door seems open- ing to us. Although we have many churches, yet how many of the congregations are small and not rapidly increasing, being still unable to afford even a moderate support to the ministry! Many are the discouragements which meet us in our efforts to sustain some of the old and to raise up new congregations. Among the most painful is the difficulty of attaching the poor of this world to our communion. When our Lord was on earth he gave, as one of the signs of his heavenly descent, the blessed fact that "to the poor the Gospel is preached," and "the common people," it is written, "heard him gladly,"-"the multitudes followed him." Such should be our constant endeavour; and if, from the causes alluded to in the past history of our Church, one description of the poor of Virginia have been almost entirely alienated from us, let us rejoice to know that there is another descrip- tion not less acceptable in the sight of Heaven, who, if we are kind to them and will take due pains to win them over, may more easily be led to come under the faithful preaching of the word. The poor servants will, if we persevere in our labours of love toward them, and be to them what God's faithful pastors in every age have been to the poor, be benefitted by our ministry, and may-if we will, in conjunc- tion with their owners, attend to them betimes, as we do to our own children-become regular and pious members of our communion. But whether we think of the rich or of the poor, or of those of any and every condition and character among us, with the hope of converting them to Christ and attaching them to the communion of our Church, we need not expect much success without great zeal and diligence, such as was put forth in our first efforts for its resuscita- tion. Our State is not one of those whose population is rapidly increasing, in which flourishing villages are spring- ing up in every direction calling for neat churches to fill up the measure of their beauty and excellency, and where

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the support of the ministry is sure, so that our Zion must needs lengthen her cords and strengthen her stakes. Very different is it with us now, has it been for many years, and will it in all probability be for many years to come. It is only by patient perseverence in well-doing that we can hope to make advances in the establishment of our Church. Much self-denial and enduring of hardship and abounding in la- bours and itinerant zeal and contentedness with a little of this world's goods, on the part of many of our minsters, are indispensable to the growth of the Church in Virginia much beyond her present attainment. Without these things she may, except in the towns, continue stationary, or even retrograde in some places, during years to come.

To the foregoing I only add that in the summer of i829 I was consecrated Assistant Bishop of Virginia, and con- tinued to perform the duties of that office until, by the death of Bishop Moore, in 1841, I succeeded to the place which be occupied. During all that time, I can with truth say that not the slightest circumstance ever occurred to interrupt for a moment a most harmonious and pleasant relation be- tween us. Bishop Johns was consecrated Assistant Bishop in the fall of 1842; and I can as truly say that thus for the same harmony has existed, and I feel confident that it will exist until death or some other circumstance shall dissolve the connection. Such is the extent of the Diocese, and such was the difficulty of traversing it, that, for the first twelve or thirteen years, I was engaged in visitation during eight months of each year, travelling over large portions of it on horseback, or in an open one-horse carriage. During the latter period, six months suffice for such duties as devolved upon me, and these could not possibly be performed but for the greatly-improved modes of conveyance. I need not add. what is so well known, that they are most imperfectly per- formed.

It is right that something should be said here about the Parish of James City, because it was the landing-place of our first forefathers-the seat of the first civil and religious

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establishment on the shores of North America. It dates its beginning about two hundred and fifty years ago. But it found a place in the hearts of pious and philanthropic men at a still earlier period, and we must go back to that period with our preparatory remarks. We are greatly mistaken, if we suppose that the missionary spirit, after slumbering from the early ages, was aroused to life and action only with- in the last hundred years. Instances may be shown, in which Kings and Queens of our mother-country and Church, moved to it by the pious zeal of Bishops and other ministers, have commanded, that together with the sword and artil- ery of war, and the implements of commerce and husbandry, the sword of the Spirit and the trumpet of the Gospel should be sent, with armies and navies and colonists. to the unciv- ilized nations of the earth. I confine my references to what the religious principle has done in behalf of the Colony of Virginia.

The domestic troubles of the English State and Church, the controversies with Romanists, Puritans, and other dis- affected bodies, delayed and hindered any great schemes for Christian colonization and missionary enterprise, just as civil wars prevent foreign aggressions and conquests. To the Rev. Richard Hakluyt the chief praise is due, for stir- ring up the minds of Christian statesmen and people to the duty of finding out barbarous countries, in order to their conversion to the Christian faith. To his friend, Sir Philip Sydney, he dedicates his first collection of voyages and dis- coveries, in 1570. In 1578, he republishes Peter Martyr's history of the New World, with a preface dedicating it to Sir Walter Raleigh, together with another work on Florida, in which he urges him to persevere in the good work he had begun in Virginia .* In both of them he urges Sir Walter to prosecute the work from the only true motive and design, the extension of Christ's religion,-"The glorie of God, and

* In the year 1588, Sir Walter Raleigh gave $100 for the propagation of Chris- tianity in Virginia.

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the saving of the soules of the poor and blinded infidels." The numerous volumes collected and published by this la- borious and zealous man on this subject have come down to our day, and are a most valuable depository of missionary information. After holding various preferments, he settled down as Prebendary of Westminster, and continued till his death in 1616, to watch over the infant Colony of Virginia. The honour of being buried in Westminster Abbey was con- ferred on this man of a large soul. It deserves to be mention- ed, that he not only by his pen and the press urged on the Christian colonization of Virginia, but sought and obtained the honour of being one of those to whom Virginia was con- signed, by letters-patent from King James, that he might the more effectually labour for her welfare. To his exer- tions the expeditions in 1603, and again in 1605, may in a great measure be ascribed. The language used by the King, in the terms of the patent for Virginia, in 1606, shows also the religious character of the movement. One design was, that "so noble a work may, by the Providence of God, here- after tend to the glorie of his divine majestie, in propagat- ing of Christian religion to such people as sit in darkness and miserable ignorance of the true knowledge and worship of God, and may in time bring the infidels and savages (liv- ing in those parts) to human civility and quiet government." Another evidence of the operation of the religious feeling in those who first engaged in the settlement of Virginia may be seen in what one writes, who went out with Wey- mouth in 1605, in regard to a proposal of some of the na- tives, that "the company would push their discoveries fur- ther." It was declined, he says, on this ground :- "We would ·not hazard so hopefull a businesse as this was, either for our private or particular ends, being more regardful of a public goode, and promulgating God's holy Church, by plant- ing Christianity, which was the interest of our adventurers as well as ours."*

* In the instructions of the King, in 1606, it was enjoined, that "all persons should kindly treat the savages and heathen people in these parts, and use all pro- per means to draw them to the true service and knowledge of God."

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In the following year, December, 1606, the first little colony came to Virginia, bringing with it the first minister of James City, the Rev. Robert Hunt. Mr. Wingfield, the first President of the Colony, gives the following account of his appointment :- "For my first worke, which was to make right choice of a spiritual pastor, I appeal to my Lord of Canterbury,-his grace,-who gave me very gracious au- dience in my request. And the world knoweth whom I took with me, truely a man, in my opinion, not any waie to be touched with the rebellious humour of a papist spirit, nor blemished with the least suspicion of a factious schismatic." In a narrative, kept by Stukeley and others, it is written, "On the 19th of December, 1606, we set sail from Blackwell, but by unprosperous winds were kept six weeks in sight of England; all which time Mr. Hunt, our preacher, was so weake and sicke that few expected his recovery. Yet al- though we were but twenty miles from his habitation, (the time we were in the Downes,) and notwithstanding the stormy weather, nor the scandalous speeches of some few, little better than atheists, of the greatest rank among us, suggested against him, all this could never force him so much as a seeming desire to leave the businesse, but prefer- red the service of God, in so good a voyage, before any af- fection to contest with his godless foes, whose disastrous designs, could they have prevailed, had even then overthrown the businesse, so many discontents did there arise, had he not only with the water of patience and his godly exhorta- tions, but chiefly by his devoted example, quenched those flames of envy and dissention."* It is very certain, that notwithstanding the piety which prompted the expedition, and the devotion of Mr. Hunt and some others who embarked in that vessel, there was a considerable proportion of most

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A history and record of the Protestant Episcopal church in the diocese of West Virginia, Part 37

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