«. V IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) « /. ,-^g m ..^toifef ' ' ' - ' -' ' .' . . « '..■:. . •■<' .r. J? 4 • ^ \ ) V l»r • .*'■ -. " .^' '' •■ ■ • - • ; ' ■ W T ' ' / t ■> 1 Hi ' i ■ I il ■f < I ' ITDNKY & KI'SSELL, PRINTERS, 79 .Iohn-Stref.t tl P il ' i • O - 1 in ar w le th ^r- ' al , 1 f T sy 1? w< * ■ •» • lull 1^^-j ^ ^lUlM> t,^^4*k>[j\iXK> u ^ik, ACCOUNT. Ox Wednesday, the twenty-second day of November, A. D. MOCCCLIV, the Rev. Horatio Poxrt-.R, D. D., Was consecrated Provisional Hishop of the Diocese of New- York, in Trinity Church, in tlie city of New-Y..rk. The following account of the services is taken mainly from the. Church Journal .— At oievon o'clock, A. M., the procession entered the Church from the south Vestry-Room, in the following dfjer :— Candidates for Holy Orders and Students of the General Theological Sem- inary ; unofliciating Clergy; Deacons and Priests officiating; and Bishops in their robes. The Bishops took their places within the Chancel-mils, the Bishop of Montreal being on the left of the Altar, and the chair on the right being left vacant for the venerable Presiding Bishop, whose health was too infirm to allow him to be present during the whole of the services of the day. The Bi«m6ps of Vermont, New-Jersey, Michigan, Maryland, Penn- sylvania, Massachusetts, Illinois, Assistant of Connecticut, and Iowa, were present. In the middle ' of the choir the Provisional Bishop- elect was seated, facing the AUar, with tho Hcv. G. T- Bedell q/i his rightf^iid the lie v. J. I. Tucker on his left. Twelve Priests, among wliom was the Archdeacon of Montreal, occupied the stalls, six on either side. The Deacons were placed immediately helow the Chancel steps. The rest of the Clergy were seated in the Navo. Morning Prayer was said hy tlie Rev. I)rs. Taylor and Price, assisted in the Lessons (1st Lesson, Ezek. xxxiii. to v. 10 : '2d Les- son, Acts XX. 17-3G) by the Rev. Drs. F. Vinton and Lewis. The IjSth yelection was then sung, verses 3, 4,5. « ^ , y I' The Ante-Communion Office was commenced hythe Bishop of Vermont, the Bishop of Iowa reading the Epistle, and the Bishop of Illinois tlie Gospel. * ' After ainging the 100th Hymn, verses 1, 2, 4 and G, the Sermon was preached by the Bishop of Montreal, from the words — Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast giveti'me, that they may he one, as we are. — St. .John, xvii. 11. An Anthem (the 1 34th Psalm) was then sung ; during which the venerable Presiding jBishop entered, leaning for support on tlie arm of the Rev. Dr. Haight, his infirmity rendering him unable to be present during the whole of the protracted services of the day. The Provisional Bishop-elect was then presented by his elder- brother, the Bishop of Pennsylvania, and the Assistant Bishop of Connecticut. The Presiding Bishop having called for the Testi- monials, they were presented and read ; those of the Convention of New-York by its Secretary, the Rev. Mr. Eigenbrodt ; those gf the Standing Committee by the Rev. Dr. Haight, Secretary of the \ Standing Cominitlcc of the Diocese ; and the Certificate ol the coii- tt ot a majority of the Bishops, by tho Rev. Dr. Van Kiceck, of tho Assistant Secretaries of tlic last Diocesan Convention The^c documents were then laid upon llie Altar. m \ The Oath of conformity and ol)edicncc to the Church was then taken by^thc Provisional Bishop-clGct. The Prcsidinff Hishop having made tlic call to Praycrjthe Litany was said hy the Hishop of Massachusetts. Tho Interrogatories were addressed by the Bishop of New-.Iersey. The Rev. Messrs. Bedell and Tucker assisted -in robing. The venerable Presiding Bishop then came forward, and the other Bishops gathered round ; the Veni Creator Spiritus was said ; six of the Bishops joined in the laying on of hands, (the Bishops of Montreal, Vermont, Nc\v- Jersey, Michigan, MarylanJ, and Pennsylvania.) The Offertory was read by the Assistant Bishop ol Connecticut the alms being collected by six Deacons, and devoted to (he Mis- sionary work of the Dioecse. Tfie :j|^ftMniunion Office was contin- ued by the Bishops of Maryland aiia Michigan, the latter iL-onse- crating. «The Bishops administered to the Clergy; and the Rev. Dr. Clark, Bishop-elect of Rhode Island, the Yen. Archdeacon Uower, of Montreal, and the ^lev. Drs. Creighton and S. R. John- son, to a very large number of the faithfuf Laity. The Post-Coni- innnion wb* said ty the Bishop of Pennsylvania ; the Gloria in Excclsis (Dr. Ilaight leading) was sung without the organ ; and the Presiding Bishop concludei-^ith the final Benediction; After the Service, the Chancel was thronged with the Clergy and Laity, crowding to bid the Hjew Bishop God-speed ! Ij f 'I'lio Jay was sojiiowhat rainy ; but tliu uiipleasaiitul'ss of the wuallier^ did not jjrevcnt tho whole disposable (irca of Twnity Church from being crowded to iti utfiiost capacity^ Tlie iihnunse preponderance of nialo voices — especially of the Clergy— gave great' vofumo and solemn -force to the responses of the, iwahnody, especially in the Old Hundredth Psalm tune, sung to thi one hmi- drodth Hymn. Tho music indeed — as on all occasions 'at 'J'fTnity Church— deserves, and ought to have, a special mention by itself. <^ Hut our limits will not allow us to do more than mention that the 'ij'c Dcum andJubHate were Boyce i^i A. The Anthem^ I'sahn 134— a" beautiful composition by Dr. Hodges— was originally written for the e;tpected c6nsc!tration of the llev. Dr. Greighton. IJeginning^ith a solo, the composition becomes gradually richer and fuller towards the closing chorus, the whole ending with an admirable and elabo- " rate " Hallelujah, Amen." . ' I The Letter of Consecration — a magnilicent specimen of illumina- tion on parchment by tho hand of a daughter of the Church— was ready in the Vestry-room, after the Service, for tho signatures and seals of the Consecrating Prelates. i Thus auspiciously does Bishop Potter commence his Episcopate, as tho successor of the lamented Bishop Wainwright. With such a gathering of \Bishop8 and Clergy ;— with one worthy reprepenta- tivo of our Mother Church of England, again entwining the strands of the Apostolic Succession in the two Churches, and that, too, by the same hands which were %o welcome, in the same capacity, on the occasion of iJishop Wainwright's Consecration ; — with a unity of feeling in tho Diocese in regaftl to himself— personally and offi- cially — which is wholly unanimous ; — and with every confidence in f tht! afloctioirand ilovotum ol' his c*^lergy iiii^ jwippjo : — I{i.sli(>[( Poller cTommencO»}.aii Kpiscopatc wliicli \vu lointlywist will rcaliiic even inoro for tiic Cliurcli lljaii iiis most anient personal friends have ventured to antijuipate. - ' , . ^ N J ^. / \* .Ni I" ■' ii 1 V a , >r, on inity \ \, ' , ; ^. • ofli- \ - \ ■ / 1 r'~ , A ^ . ;e in - / • •' r • - ; - » ; ■\ \ \j ♦ •^"s \. s ' - 1 , t t a \ » -:.l [i, ■ :'■- '^^^idr-rZ': .;■>.■ . . ■ \ 1. ■ ■ .->^ • > :::iS^ . .^- ■■It' tf 1. ■ 1 " ■ n • 1 ^ i ' ' ft ■ El - ji"' r II 4^ . « ^^ CORRESPONDENCE. New-York, November 2i, 1864. Mv Dear I^ord Bishop: — I cannot express to your Lordship how very much 1 feel obliged, and how much the Church in this Diocese ^ obliged, by your great kindness in consenting to come to us, and to preach the Sermon on tlie occasion of my Consecration as Provisional Bishop of the Dioceso of New- York. It has endeared you to thousands of hearts, and bound more closely the ties which unite our Branch of the Holy Catholick Church to yours— the Christians of one country to those of another. But, my dear Lord, your kindness will not have all the good effect which it is so well calculated to produce, unless you will favor us with a copy of your admirable sermon for publication. The touching words used by you in relation to our lamented friend, the late Bishop Wainwright, and the very fitting terms, in which your Lordship touched a variety of interesting topics, make me very desirous that the discourse should be given to the public. The Standing Committee of the Diocese earnestly unite with me in urging this request. I remain. My dear Lord Bishop, With great respect and regard, Most faithfully yours, ^lORATIO POTTER. To the Right Reverend The Lord Bishop or Montreal. 11 Ni:w-YoRK, November 24, 1854. Mv Dkar Bi3hoi' : — Having at your request, and that of the Eecle«iastical Authority of the Dioccbf, consented to preach on the occasion of your Conse- cration, as Provisional Bishop, I shall not refuse to leave with you the manuscript of the Sermon which I delivered in'Trinity Churcii. on Wednesday last. It will then be for you and the Staudiufr Com- mittee, after having given the matter your best consideration, to decide whether any benefit is to be expected from its publication. I iim very grateful for the manner in which you have expressed yourself 111 your note, both towards me and the Church t.f England ; and I can assure you that it is a great alleviation of the regret I feel ^ttthe early removal of Bishop Wainwright, to know that his suc- cessor IS so eminently qualified worthily to fill the vacant office. I remain. My dear Bishop, Very sincerely and faitlifully yours, F. MONTREAL. The Right Hcvcrcnd Horatio Potter, D. D. .''" ' fi^^ .SERMON. A' St. John, xvii. 11. Holy Father, keep through Thine owu name those whom Thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. \ These words form part of that solemn and earnest prayer, which the Lord Jesus Christ offered up to the Almighty Father, when He was just about to he be- trayed into the hands of His enemies. He knew the importance of prayer, as a means of obtaining good gifts from God. He prayed as 'the prevailing Inter- cessor ;' and He has taught and commanded us to pray also, in and through His name. He had pFeviously prayed for one of His disciples in particular : " I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not." And though Simon Peter fell in the hour of his temptation, yet was the prayer effectual in that he was restored again, and afterwards witnessed a good confession. On this occasion Christ's prayer is not confined to an individual, but is offered up for all, in every age, that should believe on Him ; for those disciples then present with Him, yet not for those only, " but for them Ml i V. 14 ^■t also which shall believe on me through their word : that they al^Tnay be one, as Thou, Father, art in me and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us ; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent me." And shall not tlds prayer of Christ's be effectual too? Again He says, at the same time, "I pray not that Tl^u shouldst take them out of the world ;'' that would not have fulfilled the purpose of God. His disciple?, the members of His body, were to be in the world for its sanctification, through the Spirit, wliich was given to them : they were to be the leaven, which, by its pervading influence, was to leaven the whole lump. But while He prays earnestly that they may be sancti- fied and " kept from the evil" of the world, in which they were to continue. He prays also with repeated and strong supplications, that they may be knit together in unity, in the closest, holiest bonds; even as is the unity /of Christ with the Father. Which unity would be a consequence of God's protecting grace being with them : " keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are." And farther, this unity would be a witness for the truth, as it is in Jesus : " that they also may be one in us ; that the world riiay ])elieve that Thou hast sent me." Christ then prays for His disciples, who are to be in the world, that they may be sanctified and kept from the evil ; and as a consequence, may be knit to- getJier in one body, as a witness for God in tlie world. After this manner, then, it was in the mind and jiurpose of Christ, for the advancement of God's glo- 15 ry, and the furtherance of men's salvjation, that His ■ disciples were to be manifested to tlie world, as wejl " So we, (as St. Paul writes to the llomans,) being as known unto God ; forming His body, the Church, many, are one body in Christ : and every one members one of another." And it is of this body of Christ that so many glorious descriptions are givfin in Scripture ; of which the faith of every true believer anticipates ' the full accomplishment— albeit the time is not yet. Tlie existence of evil, and sti^l more, its frequent triumphs in the world, have otyen been used by the infidel as his strong argument for his unbelief of the Gospel. And certainly the C9iiflict that is being ccise- lessly waged by the powei;i^ of darkness against the ■ Church of Christ, is most ftwful and mysterious. But whether in the case of individuals, or in that of the Church, as a body, nothing has occurred in connection with our present ;1fiilitant state, but what has been as plainly foretold, as those very principles of our Christian faith, on which our salvation depends. The present period is oiie of probation and. trial, which God has appointed for some wise and merciful purposes : and whereas Christ, as He prayed, so lie might have altogether prevented the fall of Peter, but did not ; so He might have preserved His Church from all present evil whatsoever, and manifested it at once in its per- fect statue, " a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinkle; nor any su.ch thing." But lie has reserved this manifestation of it for its full realization hereafter. He has left a treasure, but it is in earthen vessels ; and €\ #. 1 16 He has foretold us in His word, not only of the persecu- liona^ which shall assail His Church, but of the evils which shall creep into it. But it shall nevertheless bear a charmed life ; the adversary shall not be able to prevail against it to destroy it ; and in God's own good time there shall be an end of these trials, and Christ's prayer shall effect a perfect work. And while notwithstanding that in many things we offend all, yet in every age individual saints are being gathered, one by one, to ^eir rest ; so shall the day surely ar- live, when the whole body of the faithful shall be manifested^ as the body of Christ — " a glorious Church ;" " Christ in them, and God in Christ, that they may be made perfect in one." Jut in the mean ^ime, as wdfare taught to pray for'" tl ■ coming of Christ's kingdom, so must we labor for Ls advancement; that the truth maje work for the ^sanctification of His Church, and be a witness for God in the ^orld. And what more tended to extend the triumphs of the Gospel in the Apostolic ages than the unity of the Church ? And what has ever been impair ing this unity of the visible Church, but the creeping in of heresies and false doctrines ; which obliged the faith- ful in contending for " the truth," which is the end, to put in peril present outward unity, which, however great a blessing, is still a means of seeking that end 7 " The wisdom which is from above is jvrst pure, then peaceable." And this was the great principle of " the * Reformation." It was always jme first duty of the Church, in every age and every place, to contend for 17 " the trutli :" whether it were endangered by the Ju- daizing compliances of St. Peter, the heresies of Arius, or the corrupt teaching of Rome. And if the conse- quence of our maintaining " the truth" in its purity should be, that any portion of existing Christendom, however large, refuse to hold communion with us, " sin lieth at the door" of them that speak not the simple " truth as it is in Jesus." That is the first point to be guarded. And ho morbid yearning after present uni- versal outward unity must be allowed to be put in competition with the paramount duty of bearing tes- timony to " the truth." "Sanctify them through Thy truth : Thy word is truth." To uphold » the truth" in all its purity, which was corrupted by the Church of Rome, (which Church of Rome, be it remembered, had already long cea»«w.,r3 maintain any visible unity with the Eastern Churches,) was, I repeat, the great principle of " the Reforma- tioh," as proclaimed and acted upon by the Church of England. It set up no new body: it retained its "Apostolic order and polity," but proclaimed the ful-' ness of " evangelical truth." ^ Constituted, then, as the Anglican Church is, teach- ing what she teaches, believing that she retains the primitive polity and the sacraments, and unity with the Head of the Church : it is her duty and privilege to labor for the advancement of Christ's kingdom, for which He has taught us ever to pray; and to seek this not merely by maintaining her own purity at home, but by imparting to^others the kn g yjfidge and gifla ^ ^ ' ' • ^ 18 which Hho onjoys; and, as far as may- ))e, promoting the unity of tlic })o(ly of Christ, not only in spiritual ' relationship, as true mein^)ers of Christ, but in that outward and visible uni'ty, which shall be a witness to the woi-ld, that .the world ifiay believe that Christ ia with her. While, therefore, the body of Christ, in its first and holiegt intention, consists of the faithful of all ages, who are knit together in one, through union with Christ, the head, those still in the flesh, and those who have fought the good fight, and are already gathered to their rest ; so also, in order to the completion of the number of the elect, there is nmu a militant Church ©n earth, of which we are severally members, by vir- tue of our rhembership in an outward and visible Communion, into which w^e have been baptized, and. m which we are . partakers of the means of grace. And this, which for distinction I will call the Church of the Reformation, bearing witness for the truth, protesting against the corruption of it, the Catholic Church, in its fullest sense,^in.H8 positive identity, not merely with any body i^ of believers now in the flesh, but with the Church of Christ in all ages, knit together in one body, with a countless multitude, in unity of faith, and doctrine, and polity, "continuing- steadfastly in the Apostle's , doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread and in prayer:" this Church hgs a present existence, jmd claims to be one body in every part of the woiTd, presided over by one hundred and sixteen Bishops, served by 20,000 f / 19 ministers, and jiourisliing wi^i her fold millions of faithful children- Without pronouncing upon the state or privileges of others, it is for us jto he assured of our own.. And . who aniojigat us will douht that the power of Christ's prayer in the text shall extend to us, aa living brandies of His Church, Avhich are now bearing, and have lx)rne, iuucIk fruit--" clouds of witnesses" for "the f" truth?" "Holy Father, keep, through Thii^ own qaiue, those whom ^rhouliast given me, that they may be one, as^e are." But if so, must we not seek after the perfecting of this , oneness, that it may both he a reality^ and be manifested^ in order that we may bear Avitness for Christ that the world, may believe that God has sent Him 7 , And it is as a consequence of this unity between several membei-s of Christ's body, that, as a chief pastor of a Diocese in an imperial colony of British North America, I am here this day to take part in these solc^in services for consecrating a chief pastor for this, the most important Diocese \t\ yofur great Eepublic. To the same eflfect have been those interchanges of ministerial offices, and that com- mon counsel on subjects of deep Concern to the wel- fare of t^ie Church, which have so reciently bepn "cheering the hearts, and strengthening the hands of thd brethren, on either side of the Atlantic ; and forcibly reminding us of the great fact, that " we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." But however real may have Been the advantages of such intercommunion, 20 A llei*^ have rather Leen the w » ices of individuals, or at Inost of ,si)ecial societies formed witliin the Church, than soleinii acts of tlu> great body corporate itself. Must it, however, always be tlie unfulfilled yearning of earnest s^nrits tliat the day nuiy come when the whole body of the Reformed Church shall mefit together in her corporate character, bearing witness for Catholic truths, and testifying, in some recognized and official manner, both for her own true Catholicity, and for the unity of her members in every quarter of the world ? When combinations are ever being made to give force to the promulgation of" what we believe, to be error, are we not bound to unite for tlie maintenance of truth ? Is it not bur positive duty, in oi«|» that the world may believe that God has sent Christ, and that He is in the midst of us ? Are we not bound to give the greatest force and publicity to our testimony ? " Ye are the light of tiio world. A city that is seton an hill can- not be hid. Neither do men light a candle and put Ifeynder a bushel, but on a candlestick ; and it L'iveth lignt to all tbat are in ^he house. Let your light go shine before men, that they fiiay see your good w and glorify your Father which i^^n heaven." It is true there are some different accideW a-.v^v^i,- ing the position of the Church, for good or foV evil, in ^^l^^t localities — whether in England or sJjotland, •n'^ljjyjipi'frl^^ America or this Empire, in th^ East i" civllkation, that is brought to' bear upon her in tlie various nations wherein she is publishing her rapsage, add strength to the unvarying sameness "of that " faith, once [for all] delivered t6 the saints," which she everywhere believes and contends for. And if at any time the force of any passing crisis, internal revolutions of the State,«|Or the irruption of foreign conquests, the decay of learning 6r piety, or the overpowering influence of the master-mind of some bold heresiarch, should, in any one place, cause the trumpet to give either an un- certain or a false sound, a corrective power would be found in the united testimony of the collective body of the Church, so that " in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established." The im- portance of such united testimony, and its corrective ip;fl«ence, was well understood by Gregory the Great, as far back as U\e sixth century, Avhile as yet the claims of the Papacy were undeveloped : that very Gregory, be it, remembered, who, as simple Bishop of Rome, sent over Augustine on his mission to England. . Condemning the idea of any one assuming the title of only or u^iiversai Prelate, he i^^rites to Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch : " This is a point of the last, im- portance ; neither can we comply with the innovation \ • ^ i> « . ■♦ i'- 22 without betraying religion, and adulterating the faith of the Catholic Church. For not to mention the in- vasion upon the honor of your character, if any one Bishop must have the title of universal, if that Uni- vei-sal Prelate should happen to miscarry, the wholfe Church must sink with him."* I allude now specially to the maintenance of great Catholic verities. The internal regulation of each national Church, and the administration of ecclesias- tical law and discipline, or the particulars aiyl manner of ceremonial worship, as they are not specially pre- scribed in the Word of God, so they need not be everywhere exactly alike, as is fully and plainly set forth in the Thirty-fourth Article. Having made allusion to Gregory's judgment re- specting the positive sinfulness of, and the evil conse- quence., to be expected from, the assumption of the title of Universal Bishop, by any one individual pre- late, I may notice that the Bishf)ps of the Roman Church have lately issued pastoral lettere, in obe. dience to the commands of the Pope, enjoining the people to pray unceasingly, " that his holiness may be illuminated by the light of the Holy Ghost, so as to enable him to decree, as soon as possible, concerning the conception of the Holy Mother of God, the im- maculate Virgin Mary, Avhat may appertain to the greater glory of God, and the praise of the same Vir- gin, the most loving Mother of all." And Cardinals Bishops, and Ecclesiastics from all j)art8 of the world, are now ass embling at Home, expecti ng to receive • Epist. Greg : 1. 6. cp. 24. r^ 23 from the Pope his decision on this very point of doc- trine, respecting the Virgin Mary. Let us not be less earnest, less united in the witness we bear to '.the truth as it is in Jesus.' Nor is it only against such corruptions of the truth, and in that direction, that we have to watch and guard the faith. If we cau read aright the signs of passing events, if we will give heed to thjp warning voice of Scriptuj'e, there shall yet be perilous times before the coming of Christ ; Avhen the Prince of this V world shall wage, a fearful warf&re against the elect ; when the love of many shall wax cold ; when the un- godly and the careless, as it was in the days of Noe and of Lot, shall set at naught the warnings of God's remembrancem, and think only of the business of this life, or follow greedily after the pleasures of sense ; when the name of Him that hung upon the Cross shall be named only to be derided, and the future judgment shall be boldly denied. , In such seasons it is, that the people of God, in every place, need to have their hearts cheered by mutual counsel and intercommunion : then, when the wicked make a mock at sin and despise the Crucified One ; then, " They tliat fear the Lord must speak often one to another, and the Lord^will hearken and hear it." Then it is, when the highways of this world are full of busy life; when human reason, and knowledge, and science, are triumphing in the achieve- ment of mighty deeds ; when men are thinking of eat- ing and drinking, buying and selling, planting and build- ing, as if time were everything and eternity a dream ; — / 1^ 24 then it is, that for God's honor, for the deliverance of our own souls, and for the salvation of such as shall be saved, we must publish aloud " the everlasting Gospel :" and say unto all men, " Watcfye, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things* that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man." As in a fierce storm on the wide ocean, in the midst of the elemental strife, when the winds rage horribly, and the waves swell with fury, and the ves- sel strains and groans in every part, and the crew run to and fro, engaged in anxious duty—yet ever and anon, above the noise and din that pains the aching ear, there sounds the clear, firm voice of the chief, giv- ing utterance to commands, that, being obeyed, bring deliverance : so in the midst and above the world's proud boastings, and opposing rage and busied life, must still be heard, like the clear, full notes of the trumpet, the cry of the faithful, with united voice, proclaiming the Crucified One, and saying, » Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, jind unto the Lamb for ever and ever." And if there be much (whether we think each of our own personal shortcomings, or of tirose troubles that try and vex the Church) to cause all of us to walk with fear and trembling^if indeed it seem to re- quire the continual help of God's promised grace to assure us that "sufficient for the day is the evil there- of," and to prevent us, when anticipating the things of the morrow, from being cast down through too much 25 carefulness ; yet surely we may find ground for hope and confidence, when we consider how God has merci- fully kept His Church hitherto ; and specially, how He has led His people through the varied ^struggles of the last three hundred years ; and also what present signs of vigorous life are everywhere visible in the action of the Church, the common Mother of us all. I might mention the continued safe keeping of "that good thing which was committed" to her trust— the Catho- lic faith, and ministerial gifts. I might mention the earnest, and sustained, and successful efforts now mak- ing for the furtherance of the Gospel kingdom by Mis- sionary enterprise abroad — the zeal, and wisdom, and munificence manifested so generally in the erection of churches among our own people — the increased care in the training candidates for Holy Orders, and gene- rally in the work of education — the multiplied demand for devotional and theological works, as well those of a standard character, as those adapted for more popu- lar circulation. And I have already taken notice of that yearning after closer and more real, as well as visible, intercommunion between the difterent mem- bers of Christ's body ; which, in a certain measure, has had a partial accomplishment. But I would also re- mind you of that extraordinary, and entirely unde- signed coincidence in the action of two important branches of the Reformed Catholic Church, which has lately been witnessed ; giving evidence that they both are actuated by one and the same spirit, under a deep ^fi°^^ QtsQ^g^P respo nsibilities, and w ith a d esire to 26 meet tliem. I allude to the important Reports pre- sented, in the last Session, by the Committees appointed by the Upper House of Convocation in England ; and to the Memorial presented to the House of Bishops at your last General Convention, with the subsequent proceedings connected therewith. Time will not al- low me, nor is this the occasion, to enter into any de- tails respecting these matters, about which there may, at this early date, be well allowed to be many dif- ferences of opinion. I will merely observe, that neither we nor our fathers have witnessed many more important movements in ecclesiastical affairs ; and that there certainly is a manifest desire in all parties con- cerned therein (in which I am sure the great body of the faithful will heartily sympathize) to endeavor, while upholding the great landmarks of the Catholic faith, and maintaining in all their essential integrity the formularies and principles of the Reformed Church, so to increase her efficiency, and adapt her machinery, and apply her teaching and ministrations to the pre- sent condition and necessities of the people, as shall enable her most successfully to fulfil the work of her ministry, and gather into her fold those for whom Christ died. But who is sufficient for such a task ? Wiio shall be the skilful workmen, " that need not to be ashamed," to whom the Church shall look for wise and prudent counsel, and vigorous action, in such high arid holy efforts? Let us but have faith in God*s promises to His Church, and plead them iu prayer to Him, and we need not doubt, but that in the time of «l 21 need, there will always he raised up able and willing- sons, both to do and to suffer for the honor of Christ and the maintenance of Hi^ truth — " aa thy day is, so shall thy strength be." There is the name of one individual attached to the documents issued in connection with that Memorial, who, with every necessary qualification of character, at-' tainments, and official position, and earnestly desiring to see the efficiency of the Church promoted, and her unity maintained in all her members, had zealously devoted himself, with others of his brethren, to the carrying forward this most important work; but whom it has pleased Almighty God to remove from this, his scene of active and useful laboi-s, when to our finite sense they seemed calculated to be most benefi- cial, if not necessary, to the Church. It is not, how- ever, on this occasion only that we need to learn a les- son of submission to the will of God, and to receive the warning admonition of Christ, " What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." Scarcely two years have even now elapsed, since I was invited to be present at the consecration of him, of whom we must, alas ! already speak, as the late Bishop Wainwright ; and now I am with you again for a simi- lar purpose, on the appointment of his successor. Well do I remember the grateful joy that was felt, and ac- knowledged, by all the members of your Church, at the elevation of Bishop Wainwright to the Episcopate ; it was a time of no common mercy to your long-afflict- ed Diocese. Nor were the hopes and expectationsj ; .- 28 then 80 warmly^therished, disappointed. Brief as has been the period of his official life, ho crowded into it such an amount of active labor, and, I believe I may justly say, so wisely.knd affectionately applied himself to all matters of bu^ines^^ that whether as a preacher of the (Gospel, o.r overseei^of the flook, liis praise is in - all the churches ; and he ha\ earned a name worthy to live with those of the emiiieii^ prelates who have gone before him<-with that of Steabury, first father of a ti-ans-Atlanti<3 seed, witiv the Apostolic White, with your own revered Hobart, and alkhose who have aided in the work of building up the Church of God in this land. Xor is Bishop Wamwriglit's death felt" and mourned for only b> yourselves. Wherever he was known in England— and that was iti"ho narrow circle —there will be hearts ready to sympathize in all your grief And for myself, independent of my previous ac=^ quaintance with him, he was so very recently with me, ^ a guest in my own house, and taking part in solemn' services in my own Cathedral Church, that I cannot but claim the right- to feel the loss, as that of a friend for Avhom I had a warmN regard, as well as of a Bishop, whose character I respected. / But if God, in His inscrutable wisdom, has been pleas- ed, thus early in his I^piscopate, to ca]i.nway Bishop Wainwright to his great account, let us with thank- fulness .-acknowledge that He has tempered this visita- tion with meiu-y. For certainly it is no small mercy that you should have been enabled at once to agree in the choice of a successor. O'f him whom you have 29 thus chosen, it becomes not me, almost a stranger, to speak in your presence, except that I may justly as- sume, that he should, in so large a Diocese, with so many individuals amongst^ you eminently qualified for such a post, without any delay or difficulty have been ^ selected with so much, unanimity, cannot but give a pledge to all the Church, that he will be no unworthy successor of your late Diocesan. And he fulfils the 1 Apostolic rule, in that he is no novice. His early \ theological studies and training, and his more recent ^ pastoral duties in a large and important charge, will •*^' 1- , have gained him jnuch exi)erience, that cannot but be exceedingly useful in administering his future office. In conclusion, as^^who has himself now fully felt the burden of the Episcopate, I will only further ex- hort our revei-end brother, now about to enter upon similar duties,- how needful indeed it is, that he should more than ever seek for an increase of God's manifold gifts of grace ; that, as we shall presently join in, what I trust may be effectual, fervent prayer for him, he may '.duly execute the office whereunto he is called to the edifying of the Church, and to the praise and glory of God.' If the Church of Christ is eVer adequately to fulfil her mission in the world, if she is to be » as a city set upon a hill," a city of refuge for wayfarej-s, " a city which is at unity in itself, whither the tribes may go up, the tribes of the Lord;" it must, under God's blessing, be, in no small measure, owing to t^e degree / 30 of faithfulness, and wisdom, and love, with which those who fill her places of authority, take oversight of the flock committed to their charge. And though we may not in these daysNbe called on to give our bodies to be burned at the stake, foi- a testimony for the truth of the Gospel ; yet the steadfast and enduring spirit is not less needful now than in those times of fiery per- secution. Nay, more— we must seek that spirit of love which shall teach not only endurance, but hu- mility ; which " vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, nor easily provoked;" which "beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." And if a blessedness is in store for those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, , there is one also for "the peace-makers, for they shall be called the children of God." And if we wish to see the present prosperity of our Zion, let us remember that, however the world may boast its power, and make light of them that fear the Lord, ' yet that "blessed (says Christ) are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." O let us pray that with such graces, and in such a spij-it, this our brother may go forth, from this sanctuary, as a chief watchman over God's house, and a leader in the armies of Israel. Then shall his work prosper ; then shall he "so guide you through the strife and the evil of this world, that you may learn to walk in unity of spirit, in the bond of .peace and righteousness of life, until the wilderness shall be passed, and that^day shall arrive, when Christ's priayer for His people shall have its perfect work ; and i^: 31 all the sheep shall be gathered together, one flock in one fold, safe from every danger, secure from every ' fear, under the immediate and ever-abiding care of the one great " Shepherd and Bishop of our souls.'.' ^ •J \ ~\ r x^ v ;#