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'TT>T>HV>t»H»"»^

CENTENNIAL SERMON,

DELIVERED IN

EASTER SUNDAY, P. M.
(Being S-ith. April, 1859.)

Br the Rev. CUTHBERT C. BARCLAY, Rector.

NEW HAVEN.
PRINTED BY GEO. TUTTLE.

CENTENNIAL SERMON,

DELIVERED IN

>l

, m®m %.

EASTER SUNDAY, P. M.
(Being 34th. April, 1859.)

By the Rev. CUTHBERT C. BARCLAY, Rector.

NEW HAVEN.
PRINTED BY GEO. TUTTLE.
1859.

North Haven, May 1th, 1859.
Rev. C. C. Barclay, Rev. and dear Sir, — At a meeting of the Wardens and Vestry of
St. John's Parish, North Haven, held on the 2nd day of May, 1859, the following resolu
tion was unanimously adopted :
" Resolved, — That Evelyn Blakeslee and Ezra Stiles be a Committee to ask of Rev.
C. C. Barclay, a copy of his sermon preached in the afternoon of Easter Sunday, 1859,
in St. John's Church, North Haven."
In accordance with the foregoing resolution, the undersigned respectfully ask a copy
of said seimon for publication. Most respectfully, your obedient servants,
EVELYN BLAKESLEE,
EZRA STILES.

North Haven, May Wth, 1859.
Messrs. Evelyh Blakeslee and Ezra Stiles, Committee of Vestry of St. John's
Church.
Gentlemen, Your favor, conveying request of Vestry for a copy of my sermon, preached
on the anniversary of your hundredth year of existence as an organized parish, is
before me.
If I were to consult my own feelings, I should decline your request ; but I am aware
there may be matters of historical interest, in the sermon, to the parish, and will, there
fore, prepare a copy for publication.
I sincerely hope, that when it is known it was written during the pressing duties of
the Lenten Season, and the preparation of candidates for Confirmation, that I shall be
held excused for any faults that may be in, or found with it.
I am, your Friend and Pastor,CUTHBERT C. BARCLAY.

SEEMON.

ISAIAH, 54th CHAPTER, 17th VERSE.
"NO WEAPON THAT IS FORMED AGAINST THEE SHALL PROSPER; AND EVERY
TONGUE THAT SHALL RISE AGAINST THEE IN JUDGMENT THOU SHALT CONDEMN.
THIS IS THE HERITAGE OP THE SERVANTS OF THE LORD, AND THEIR RIGHTEOUSNESS
IS OF ME, SAITH THE LORD."
This prophecy of Isaiah has been truly verified in our
land, and in our midst, — for the intent of the whole
chapter from which our text is taken, is to foreshadow
the flourishing estate of Christ's Church on earth, as a
fruit of his death, and also to explain and enlarge upon
the promise of His having a numerous seed. We do
not propose to explain the text after a critical manner,
but only place it before you, as a fitting portion of
Scripture for meditation on this the centennial anniver
sary of your parochial existence. To you, brethren
beloved, — many of you the direct descendants of those
who were the first to come forward and declare
themselves henceforth as the supporters of what was
then the Church of England, — this must be a day of
great joy, as also of deep and earnest thankfulness,
in that you are permitted to celebrate your centennial
anniversary on this Easter Festival, commemorative of
our Saviour's being raised from the dead, and thus "be-

ing given to be Head over all things to the Church;"*
that Church in which, by God's mercy, you have been
reared and permitted to enjoy unnumbered mercies,
priviliges and comforts.
A hundred years have passed away since your fathers,
small in numbers, but " strong in the strength of the
Lord," declared their intention of entering the Church
Primitive and Catholic. The first person, in the town
of North Haven, who sought entrance in the Church, was
Mr. James Wetmore, who in Nov. 1718 became pastor
of the Congregational Society in this place. "Mr. Wet-
more was greatly esteemed and beloved by his people;
but after he had labored with them for nearly four years,
he altered his sentiments, and in September, 1722, de
clared for Episcopacy ."f
Before proceeding to the direct history ofthe parish,
we shall endeavor to show by what means Mr. Wet-
more was led to change his views; and it will not be
inappropriate, inasmuch as Mr. Wetmore might almost
be deemed the father of the Episcopal Church in
North Haven ; for at the time of his leaving the Con
gregational Society, several families left with him,
owing no doubt to his influence and instruction.
Along with Mr. Wetmore, in the neighboring towns,
who avowed their belief in Episcopacy, were Samuel
Johnson ofthe Congregational Society at West Haven,
afterwards the first president of King's (now Columbia)
College, in New York ; the Rev. Timothy Cutler, pastor
of the Congregational Society at Stratford, afterwards
the President of Yale College. The circumstances
which led them to change from Congregationalism to
* Ephesians, 1, 22.
t Dr. Trumbull's Cent. Ser., page 23.

Episcopacy, were the following: *" A collection of books
were sent over to Yale College by a Mr. Dummer, an
agent of the colony, amounting to some 800 volumes,
to which collection many eminent writers ofthe Church
of England, both laymen and clergymen, contributed,
by giving a set of their own works ; amongst the theo
logical were the writings of Drs. Barrow, Patrick, South,
Tillotson, Sharp, Scott, Whitby and Sherlock. Under
these new advantages one would imagine that the gen
eral literary state, both of the country and the college,
would soon have put on a new and better appearance.
Yet Mr. Johnson observes, that but very few discovered
an inclination or curiosity to consult any of the above
writers, except Messrs. Cutler, Elliot, Hart, Whittlesey,
Wetmore, Brown and himself; their common fondness
for the new library often brought these gentlemen to
gether, and occasioned them to enter into a particular
acquaintance, and correspondence with one another;
they confined their reasoning chiefly to the writers in
theology. Mr. Johnson was of a serious and devout
turn of mind, and was always averse to enthusiasm ; he
had never been reconciled to the practice of public ex
tempore prayer, which he looked upon as one of the
great engines of enthusiasm.
In 1715, he met with Arch-Bishop King's discourse,
" of the inventions of men in the worship of God,"
which most excellent writer proved, with an evidence
that Mr. Johnson thought but little short of demonstra
tion, that public worship carried on the extempore way
was wrong and unscriptural ; and that preconceived,
well composed forms of prayer were infinitely prefer
able. He had been educated under strong prejudices

1 Chandler's Life of Johnson.

against the Church of England, of which he knew bat
very little ; but the next year, 1716, the Book of Com
mon Prayer, was for the first time, put into his hands by
one Mr. Smithson, a pious member of the church, who
had lately settled at Guilford. On perusing the Lit
urgy, he found that it chiefly consisted of a very judi
cious collection of sentiments and expressions, out of
the Holy Scriptures, and these he had always reve
renced and loved. This inspection, together with Dr.
King's book, before mentioned, caused all his prejudices
against the Liturgy of the Church of England to vanish.
Mr. Johnson had likewise been much embarrassed
with the rigid Calvinistic doctrines, in which, from his
infancy, he had been instructed ; he thought himself
bound to believe them, because every body else did, and
because some sound Scripture seemed to favor them ;
but then, at the same time, as many passages in Scrip
ture seemed to be utterly inconsistent with them, he
could never be perfectly reconciled to these opinions.
When the library came over, and after he and his as
sociates had read and considered the writings of some
of the most celebrated divines of the Church of Eng
land, and conversed together freely on these subjects,
they had the unspeakable satisfaction of being able to
remove all their doubts and objections, and of obtain
ing rest to their minds, which had been long wearied
and agitated with the perplexities that attended their
inquiries. However, the times were such, that they
found it necessary to be very cautious in these matters,
and to keep their thoughts much to themselves. In the
course of Mr. Johnson's inquiries, the doctrines and
facts of the primitive Church, among other things, came
under his examination. With regard to this sub-

ject, he consulted freely with his friends above-men
tioned, who often met together at the College, or at one
another's places of abode. The result of these conver
sations and inquiries was, that they could see but little
resemblance of the primitive Church in the discipline
and worship that were established among them, and that
the Church of England appeared to them, in its general
constitution, to come the nearest to the purity and per
fection of the first ages of Christianity, of any church
upon earth. These gentlemen, however, formed a reso
lution to act honestly and impartially ; accordingly they
carefully compared together what was offered by Hoad-
ley and Calamy in their long controversies; they put into
the opposite scales, Sir Peter Knight's Inquiry, and
Slater's Original Draught ; they then examined Arch-
Bishop Potter on Church Government, and Mr. John
son read several of the earliest Fathers in their original
languages ; the effect was, that from facts in Scripture,
compared with those of the primitive Church, it ap
peared plain to them, that the Episcopal rgovernment
was universally established by the Apostles wherever
they propagated Christianity; that through the first
order of the ministry, called Bishop's, the power of the
priesthood was to be conveyed from the great Head of
the Church ; and although presbyters preached and ad
ministered the Sacraments, yet, that no act of ordina
tion and government, for several ages, was ever allowed
to be lawful without a Bishop at the head of the pres
bytery; all this appeared as evident from the universal
testimony of the Church, as from the canon of Scrip
ture itself. It was therefore impossible for them, after
this inquiry, not to suspect, not only the regularity, but
even the lawfulness and validity of their own ordina-

8
tion. At this time, however, the Church had scarcely
an existence in Connecticut; there were about thirty
families at Stratford, and the Rev. Mr. Pigot, the vene
rable Society's Missionary, ofiiciating; Mr. Johnson
visited the Rev. Mr. Pigot in June, 1722, and in course
of conversation invited him to visit the College ; he
consented, and appointed a day ; Mr. Johnson gave no
tice to his friends, and they agreed to meet there on
that occasion. They all met at the College on the ap
pointed day, and these gentlemen expressed their love
and veneration for the Church of England ; this was
so unexpected, and so agreeable to the Rev. Mr. Pigot,
that he could not forbear giving some hints of it to his
people at Stratford. By this time the frequent meet
ings and intimacy of these gentlemen began to be no
ticed, and became the subject of speculation; some
thought these gentlemen were about to become Armin-
ianists, which was looked upon as one of the vilest her
esies, and others went so far as not only to utter their
own suspicions, but raise and propagate false reports con
cerning the principles of these gentlemen. In short,
by the commencement following, in September, the
whole country was iu an alarm, and many peeple came
to New Haven expecting to see strange occurrences.
The Trustees of the College, who highly esteemed
all the gentlemen, did not doubt but that they would be
able to clear themselves of every unfavorable suspicion.
Accordingly, the day after the Commencement, they
sent for them, with no other expectation, and with a
view of removing the dark apprehensions of the people.
They were all requested to meet the Trustees in the
College Library, upon which Messrs. Cutler, Hart, El
liot, Whittlesey, Wetmore, Johnson, and Brown, made

3
their appearance. The examination was formal, and
they were desired, from the youngest to the eldest, to
declare the true state of the case about which they
were questioned. The declaration of some of them
was, that they doubted the validity of Presbyterian or
dination ; and of others, that they were fully persuaded
of the invalidity of it. The Trustees were struck
with astonishment, and expressed the utmost grief and
concern. They desired that the declaration might be
given them in writing ; this was accordingly done. In
return, the Trustees sent them a paper, in which they
entreated them to consider the matter again, with great
er attention, and if possible to get over their scruples,
or, at worst, to desist. This was in September, 1722,
and the General Assembly was to sit in October follow
ing. In this interim, Gov. Saltonstall, who had an es
teem and affection for these gentlemen, and was desi
rous of reclaiming them from their errors, proposed that
they and the Trustees should meet together and argue
the points, in a friendly manner, in his presence. They
accordingly met and disputed, and he acted the part of
a moderator with great candor and politeness. The
subject in debate was, for the most part, new to the
Trustees, who had never much considered or studied
the points in controversy ; but, on the other side, the ad
vocates for the Church had weighed and examined
them with the utmost care, and were at no loss for an
swers to every objection.
The principal argument of the Trustees was, the
promiscuous use of the words Bishop and Presbyter.
Messrs. Cutler and others, in their reply, took notice
that men might wrangle forever about the meaning
2

10
of words, and therefore they urged, that in the case
before them, the surest and the safest way was to
have recourse to facts. Now the facts they appealed
to were, the evident superintendency of Timothy over
the clergy as well as the laity at Ephesus ; of Titus, in
Crete ; of the Angels in the several churches of Asia,
&c. That these facts were rightly stated was evident,
as they contended, from the testimony of the very next
writers after the Apostles, and of succeeding ages, as
well as from the authentic history of those times, with
out exception. Mr. Johnson was so warm and enthu
siastic in the defence of the Church and Episcopacy,
that it excited some irritating remarks from the Trus
tees, which caused the Governor to put an end to the
controversy. Three of the gentlemen who appeared
on the side of the Church, (Messrs. Elliot, Hart, and
Whittlesey,) though they could repel the arguments of
their opponents, yet were not able to withstand the
alternate reproaches and entreaties of their friends, and
continued in their stations. Messrs. Johnson, Cutler,
Brown, and Wetmore, formally resigned their places,
and went to England for orders."
Several families left the congregational Society
with the Rev. Mr. Wetmore, in 1722, which was the
commencement of the Episcopal Church in North
Haven. It is impossible to gain any accurate account
of the welfare and progress of the Church, from the
time of these families withdrawing from the Congrega
tional Society, until the year 1759. It is known that
when Mr. Ichabod Camp went for orders to England,
he had several subscribers for him ja.t North Haven, and
that on his reiurn he officiated at Middletown, Walling-

11
ford, and North Haven. The next clergyman that offi
ciated in North Haven was the Rev. Ebenezer Pun-
derson. Mr. Punderson* graduated at Yale College in
1726, and in 1730 he became the minister of the 2d
Congregational Society at Groton ; at what time he
joined the Episcopal Church, it is not precisely known ;
probably in 1740. In 1755 he began preaching one-
fourth of his time at North Haven, preaching the other
portion of his time at New Haven and West Haven,
which he continued to do till 1762, when he removed
to Rye, N. Y. It was under his pastoral care the par
ish was organized. Dr. Trumbull, in his century ser
mon, speaks of this fact on this wise. fThe first man
in the society, of this profession, was Mr. Ebenezer
Blakeslee ; he went off from the Congregational Soci
ety in North Haven with Mr. Wetmore ; the Church
increased considerably in nearly forty years, by the
population of his own family; some families of the
same persuasion moved into the parish, and some oth
ers joining them from among the Congregational So
ciety ; towards the latter part of Mr. Stiles' ministry,
they, on the 24th of April, 1759, had attained to such
numbers, that they in a solemn manner formed into
church state, and for the first time chose wardens.f
We cannot forbear quoting in full the noble, open, and
manly avowal they made on their forming of them
selves into a parish. It is headed, " A Subscription."!
" We, the subscribers, having seriously and in the fear

• Rev. A. B. Chapin's Cent. S., of laying foundation of Church at West Haven.
t Dr. Trumbull's Cent. Ser., page 29.
X Parish Records.

12
of God, considered the melancholy divisions of Christ's
mystical Body, His Church, which He has purchased
with His own Blood, which, above all things, ought to
be at unity within, and as much as may be, at all times to
endeavor to preserve the unity of the Spirit, in the
Bond of Peace, is the indispensable duty of every
member of His Body, who is the Head over all things
and the Judge of all men. Also disregarding the fear
of man, which is a snare, and having in the fear of
God examined into the doctrines of the Church of
England, summed up in the twelve articles of the Apos
tle's creed ; which is the one Faith into which all her
members are baptized ; and in some measure acquaint
ourselves with Her government by Bishops, Priests,
and Deacons, which the greatest enemies of the Church
of England acknowledge to have been the government
of Christ's Church for 1500 years together, and being
sensible of the expediency and excellency of her wor
ship by forms of prayer in public, which all may under
stand, and join in gloryfying our Heavenly Father
with one mind, and one mouth, according to the Apos
tle's doctrine and command. (Rom. 15 c, 6th v.) Con
sidering the particulars above mentioned, we do pro
fess ourselves members of the National Established
Church of England, and submit ourselves to the pas
toral care and charge of the Rev. Ebenezer Punder-
son, the Venerable Society's Missionary in Connecti
cut, but more especially in this town, hoping and trust
ing to be at all times entreated in his prayers and bles
sings and pastoral labors, as far as his extensive charge
will admit of, and humbly hope his labors among us
will hot be in vain ; nor our own in working out our

13

own salvation with fear and trembling, always consid
ering the words of St. Paul, in Heb. 2 c, 3 v. ; ' How
shall we escape, if we neglect so great Salvation.' "
This subscription is signed by the following persons,
whose names we deem we had best quote to you, as we
see before us many descendants of those very persons,
and it may serve to awaken their interest, if not al
ready exerted in the Church's work, as it shall animate
and lead those who are desirous of building up the
Church, and " of enlarging the place of her tent, length
ening her cords, and strengthening her stakes/' unto the
still more earnest and greater interest in her behalf; hear
ing, almost as it were, their forefathers speak to them.

Ebenezer Blakeslee,
Edward Little,
Daniel Fince,
Matthew Blakeslee,
Ebenezer Blakeslee, Jr.,
Abraham Seely,
Abraham Blakeslee,
Daniel Fince, Jr.,
Zophar Blakeslee,
Oliver Blakeslee,
John Winston,
Samuel Brocket.,
Joel Blakeslee,
Samuel Mix,
Stephen Mix,
Gershom Todd,
John Blakeslee,
Ashbel Stiles,
Mecca Potter,
Wm. Walter,
Thomas Walter,
John Spencer,

Benjamin Barnes,
Gershom Barnes,
Benjamin Smith,
Reuben Bachelor,
Jude Cooper,
Aaron Tuttle,
Wm. Sanford,
Samuel. Pierpont,
Simon Tuttle,
James Pane,
Amos Allen,
John Clenon,
John Robeuson,
Nathaniel Tuttle,
Timothy Shattuck,
Samuel Little,
Amos Frost,
Titus Frost,
Titus Barnes,
Isaiah Blakeslee,
Abraham Gilbord.

14
In 1760 the first Church was built, measuring some
40 by 30 feet. On the 23d of January, 1762, the Rev.
Samuel Andrews, on his return from England, became
the missionary of North Haven, Wallingford and Chesh
ire; he delivered his first discourse in St. John's Church,
North Haven, February 14th, 1762, to an audience of
100 people. On the 28th of December, 1763, the Church
in North Haven agreed with the members ofthe Church
in Northford, to release the Rev. Samuel Andrews three
Sundays in that year, in consideration of the Church at
Northford- paying one fourth of the rate due Mr. An
drews from North Haven parish. By vote of the ves
try on the 15th of December, 1785, we perceive that
the Rev. Mr. Andrews gave one-half of his time to the
parish. In 1788 this parish sent' a delegate to repre
sent the Church at a convention held at Waterbury, on
the 13th of February, 1788, to provide support for the
Rt. Rev. Bishop Seabury, the first Bishop of Connecti
cut. And here let us add, that it is a pleasant thing to
behold in the records of this parish, the evident interest
taken in, and earnest desire of supporting that noble
and revered Prelate of the Church.
On the 5th of January, 1790, in a meeting of the
vestry, it was reported that an agreement had been made
with the Rev. Edward Blakeslee for his services in the
ministry, for one year, in North Haven, Hamden and
Northford, for _£65 and forty-five half cords of good fire
wood. Rev. E. Blakeslee remained until some time
in 1791. In December, 1792, Rev. Samuel Andrews
gave the parish one third of his time, till the Easter
of 1793; from this time till June, 1794, the parish
was supplied by Rev. Edward Blakeslee, Rev. Solo-

15
mon Blakeslee and Rev. David Butler, In June, 1794,
Rev. Seth Hart received a call to give one third of his
time to the parish, at the rate of _£100 per annum. —
Mr. Hart continued until the summer of 1798 ; after
this the Rev. Solomon Blakeslee preached for a portion
of his time. April 18th, 1799, the Rev. Reuben Ives
received a call to officiate one fourth part of the year;
he continued his labors in the parish, giving a third or a
fourth part of the year, till the 15th of May, 1807 ;
from 1807 to 1809, Rev. Messrs. Edward Blakeslee,
Tillotson, Bronson, and Solomon Blakeslee, supplied
the Church. In 1809 the Rev. Smith Miles took charge
of the parish and remained till 1813; from this time
to 1822, the Rev. Messrs. Plumb, Burgess, Cornwall,
Jones and Holcomb officiated, but not in regular succes
sion, and only at intervals. In 1824 the Rev. Mr. Perry
gave the parish one fourth part of his time, and he
seems, as near as we can learn, to have remained in the
parish until 1827. In 1828 the Rev. Ashbael Baldwin
came and remained until 1831. The next clergyman
who came to the parish, was the Rev. Charles William
Bradley; the call was given him in 1833. It was under
his rectorship this present Church was built; the cor
ner stone was laid by him on the 12th of June, 1834.
To show how prone mankind are to mistakes, the
Rev. Dr. Trumbull had often said he should have the
Episcopal Church for his barn, no doubt thinking the
Church could never sustain itself; but time has shown
the contrary ; a fine brick Church takes the place ofthe
old one, a brick parsonage stands on the site of the old
Church, and even the good old Dr. Trumbull's house
has passed into the hands of a churchman.

16
The Rev. Mr. Bradley was succeeded by the Rev.
Robert Shaw, succeeded by the Rev. Wm. Woodward,
succeeded by the Rev. A. B. Chapin, succeeded by the
Rev. S. Stocking, succeeded by the Rev. H. Fitch, suc
ceeded by the Rev. C. W. Everest, succeeded by the
Rev. Mr. Paddock, succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Sill,
succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Shears, succeeded by the
Rev. Seth Davis, succeeded by the Rev. Joseph Scott,
succeeded by your present rector. Thus we have en
deavoured to give you the names of all the clergy who
have ministered in your midst; it has been impossible
for us to fix any exact date as to the time, and what
proportion of it was given.
Brethren beloved, few parishes of the Protestant
Episcopal Church have had more to contend with than
has been your lot. Few and feeble in numbers have you
been, from the first moment of your existence as a par
ish till the present time; and in consequence thereof,
unable to support one who should exercise the full pas
toral oversight in your parish ; and seldom, till of late,
has the minister of God officiated for you regularly every
Sunday. There has been the interval of three weeks,
two weeks, and for a time, a month ; but under all this,
what redounds greatly to your credit, as well as also to
prove how loyal and true you were to "the Church of
the living God, the pillar and the ground of truth," is,
that when none of God's ministers could be procured,
the portals of this Church did not remain closed, but
Sunday, Festival and Fast, saw them open, and the
devoted layman reading the prayers and a sermon. —
Ye did believe, ye trusted in God, abiding His good
will and pleasure, when he should so bless you, that

17
you might be enabled to support a clergyman, and enjoy
his full services; this was accomplished by your divine
Father moving the heart of a servant* of His, to leave
his property to the Church, for her benefit and welfare.
From that very hour your Church may be said to have
aroused, and prosperity was her portion. A parsonage
was erected, whereby a comfortable home was provided
for those who should become your rectors; and you
felt authorized, moreover, to call a rector to your midst.
One came, who since, by the providential hand of God,
has been brought upon a bed of sickness, and thereby
disabled from working ever again for you, or for the
Church whom he had so long and faithfully served.
On his resignation, your present rector assumed the
charge of the parish. We cannot but acknowledge, that
we feel grateful to God to be an instrument of suggest
ing other and greater improvements for the adorning and
enlargement of your Church, which you readily acqui
esced in, and which now stands as a monument of your
willingness, and devotion to the cause of your religion.
Age, it is most true, has not added largely to your
numbers; but this can be accounted for in several ways.
First, that you have not, till of late, been privileged to
enjoy the full services of a clergyman. Second, that
the Church in this place has had much to contend with
in the form of bitter predudice, growing out of early
education, habits and associations. And third, there
not being any manufactories, whereby those from with
out are led to seek employment and a home in your
* Ebenezer Pierpont ; and since the delivery of this Sermon, Mrs. Betsey Gilbert hai
departed this life, leaving a legacy to the Church in her will.
3

18
midst. Notwithstanding all this, however, you have
progressed, and you will each and every year gain both
in numbers and pecuniary ability. It is but barely one
year since you thought you could support a rector
entirely unaided ; many thought at the time, that it
was an experiment that would fail ; but such has not
been the issue. The experiment is a reality ; you feel
none the poorer for the endeavor, but are thankful to
God for being enabled to accomplish your purpose. A
very encouraging fact, which we cannot forbear men
tioning, is, that in the leasing of pews this year, each
one brought a much higher price than ever heretofore.
This advance is of very great worth in betokening the
life of your parish, when calling to mind that which
you have already contributed this year for the enlarge
ment of your Church. You have the proper principle
in your hearts ; persevere in this course, and God will
bless your endeavors, and give prosperity and success
to your undertakings.
Beloved, bear in mind, it is not the numbers which
you have in your parish, that give vitality and onward
progress to the Church's work ; by no means ; for if
there be not in each heart a warm, abiding love for the
Church of God, her interest and welfare, then all will
be cold and lifeless, though the Church be filled to over
flowing, and instead of. progression, she will be either
inactive or entirely lifeless. Therefore remember,
though you are unable to count many in number, yet
you have, (and we say it not to praise, but rather as it
were a thankful recognition of God's grace, which has
effected it,) you possess that which is of far more
worth than mere numbers alone, for carrying on the

19

Church's work in sincerity and integrity; to wit, a deep
and an abiding love for your Church and her welfare.
Persevere in this course, beloved; go straight forward ;
heed naught from without, nor allow selfish motives'
distraction, or party spirit, to have an entrance in your
midst, having ever before you that your " Church is of
God, through Christ;" or to speak in the words ofthe
revered Bishop Beveridge.f "we must remember to show
forth His praise for so great a mercy, not only with our
lips, but in our lives, by giving up ourselves wholly to
His service, according to the rules and orders of the
Church which he hath thus graciously settled amongst
us; that as we have the best of Churches, we may be
likewise the best of people, and so shame our adversa
ries on all sides into an hearty compliance with our ec
clesiastical constitution, by letting them see how far we
exceed them in true piety and devotion, and read the
excellency of our Church in the excellency of our
lives, who hold communion with her. For if we do
but live answerably to the means we enjoy, and serve,
and please, and worship and obey God, as our Church
directs us, we need not fear what men or devils can do
against us, nor concern ourselves with what may or
what may not happen hereafter, but still trust in God.
We have no cause to doubt of His kindness and favor
to our Church, having had so great, so wonderful expe
rience of it already."
In fine, brethren, we bid you be earnest and ready to
spend and to be spent for your Church, as was the Apos
tle for his Corinthian converts ; and if, perchance, the
days of darkness should lower over you, be not cast

t Bishop Beveridge, vol II, Ser. iv, page 167.

20
down ; remember the words of St. Chrysostom on the
text that " the Catholic Church may be assaulted, but
not defeated ; it may be distressed, but not destroyed ;
it may be wounded, but it shall not fall ; it may be
tossed, but not wrecked ; it may and shall be militant,
but never overcome."f " And may the God of peace,
that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus Christ,
that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of
the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every
good work, to do His will, working in you that which
is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ ; to
whom be glory for ever and ever."f — Amen.
•St. Chrysostom on Isaiah liv, 17.
t Heb. xiii, 20, 21.

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