I 
 
COL. GEORGE WASHINGTON FLOWERS 
 MEMORIAL COLLECTION 
 
 DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 DURHAM. N. C. 
 
 PRESENTED BY 
 
 W. W. FLOWERS 
 
A 
 
 PASTORAL LETTER 
 
 ADDRESSED TO THE DIOCESfi 
 
 JVORTH-C AROLIIVA ; 
 
 February 4tli, 1S3S(. 
 
 HT TBI 
 
 RT. REV, LEVI SILLmAIV IVES, D. P, 
 Bishop of the MHocese^ 
 
 RALEIGH: 
 
 PTINTED BY J. OALBS & SON. 
 
To the Clergy of the 
 
 MPiocese of JMrnrth-CtirolUuB: 
 
 Rev. & Dear Brethren, 
 
 My convictions of th6 
 importance to our Diocese, of a more earnest spi* 
 rit and efficient plan of Charity, have constrained 
 nie to address to our Congregations the following 
 Letter. The views contained in ifc^ I doubt not, 
 will secure your active concurrence. 
 
 I have omitted to do more than give the bare 
 principles of a plan of doing good, in the belief, 
 that its details might be more appositely arranged 
 by yourselves, in your several Parishes. 
 
 Requesting, that on some suitable occasion of 
 Public Worship, you will read this Letter to your 
 Congregations, and adopt such measures in regard 
 to it, as by you, may be deemed proper to carry 
 its principles into effect, I commend you to that 
 God, loithout whom nothing is strong j nothing is 
 holy, and ivho has taught us^ that all our doings 
 without Charity are nothing tvorth. 
 
 Your affectionate brother in Christ> 
 
 LEVI ^iLLiin[Ai\ ivm. 
 
 P2 3^/f a V- 
 
4 
 
 To the Congregations of the 
 
 Diocese of JV orth-Carolina : 
 Dear Brethren, 
 
 As the state of my health obli- 
 ges toe to lessen my active labors, during the pre- 
 sent season, I have felt it to be my duty, in the 
 hope of strengthening among you the cause of 
 Christ, to address you on the important subject of 
 doing good, 
 
 A Christian man ought not to be supposed in 
 ignorance upon such a subject; still the human 
 heart lies open to so many delusions, and upon 
 the very simplest matters of duty, that it would not 
 be altogether surprizing to find, upon due exami- 
 nation, that here too there was much to lament 
 and rectify. 
 
 I have long been convinced, that the Gospel du- 
 ty of doing good is much less known and practiced, 
 than the imposing and multiplied schemes of mo- 
 dern benevolence would seem to indicate. Not 
 that our day is wanting in appeals to Christian 
 sympathy, or in the bestowing of liberal gifts. In 
 truth, it is the era of such appeals ; and seldom are 
 Ihey made without effect. But the very existence and 
 frequency and necessity of so much importunate 
 solicitation, furnishes, to my mind, a startling evi- 
 dence of some great deficiency in the proper sjpirit 
 
 and habit of doing good. 
 
5 
 
 Dught it to be belieVcd of redeemed sinners, 
 that theii- sympathy for the destitute is to be en- 
 kindled, and their offerings obtained, only by some 
 earnest appeal, or some extraordinary exhibition 
 of human misery ? Is this according to tlie Chris- 
 tian rule P Is it what might reasonably be expec- 
 ted from tbose, wlio are pressed to every good 
 work by the infinite mercies of God in Christ? 
 
 My dear brethren, let us examine (his matter. 
 
 God so loved the world, that he gave his only 
 begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him 
 should not perish, but have everlasting life.'' — 
 Here is the basis of Christian duty ; particularly 
 the duty of doing good to our fellow-men. It is 
 enforced with admirable simplicity by the Apos- 
 tle JoHX : — Beloved, if God so loved us, we 
 ought also to love one another.*' What heart, that 
 knows any thing of the love of Christ, can resist 
 an obligation urged upon such grounds ! 
 
 But there is a command, touching this mattet ; 
 a new command — one of peculiar sanctions — utter- 
 ed by Him, who purchased the right by his blood 
 to exact our compliance. " This is my command- 
 ment,'' says the Son of God, that ye love one 
 another, as I have loved ynu.^' And now, how did 
 he love us ? Where has he furnished an expres • 
 sion of his love ? 
 
 Whose heart has not melted, in view of the toils 
 and hardships, the prayers and sufferings, the hu- 
 miliation and death of the man of sorrows I And 
 
 P 2 yi4.t Lf- 
 
yet these are to be the measure of our love to one 
 another^ even, if necessary, to the last. " Herein 
 perceive wc the love of God, because he laid down 
 liis life for U3 ; and ive ought to lay down our lives 
 for the brethren, This is indeed strong language, 
 and may be regarded in a degree iigurative ; still 
 it sets forth, with an emphasis truly appaling to 
 the indolent and selfish, our duty to our brother — 
 the truth, that no man liveth unto himself- — that 
 ice are not our own — but, that having been bought 
 ivlth the precious blood of Christ, we are under the 
 heaviest obligation to glorify him, by carrying 
 forward, to the very extent of our power, that work 
 of benevolence among men Vviiich he so signally 
 commenced. In short, the expression is meant to 
 inculcate, in the most emphatic manner, our duty 
 as the ransomed of the Lord, to those who need our 
 advice, our prayers, our alms, and self-sacratices ; 
 and also to show the spirit in which that duty is to 
 he discharged: that we should possess the ??2f/zf^ 
 that teas in Christ Jesus — cherish within us some- 
 thing of that heavenly zeal, Avhich brought our 
 Saviour to this miserable world, animated him as 
 he ivent about doing good, and prompted him to pay 
 ^^ith his own blood, the price of our redemption 
 from woe. 
 
 In view of truth like this, and who does not see 
 tliat it is the ti^ith of God, what are u^e autliorized 
 to expect from the man, who is blest v>'ith a know- 
 ledge of atonement by the death of Christ ? Arc 
 
7 
 
 we to consider him al liberty io couccntrale Ins 
 thoughts and elForts upon his own soul and body; 
 to wrap himself up in the narrow covering of his 
 private concerns, and to shut from his mind the in- 
 terests of the Church of God and the well being of 
 his dying race, except as lie may l)c forced to think 
 of them, by some direct and j^tirring application ? 
 That tliesc topics are to be left to the few, wliose 
 piety may have gotten the better of their avarice, 
 or whose office may comi)el them to be occupied 
 about holy things? Or ^«ave we not here brought 
 fo view, a principle of action for every Ciiristian 
 man ? ^1 sjnrit of dolns; good to others, that should 
 spring up in every heart, so soon as the heart is ca- 
 pable of perceiving its obligations to Christ, and 
 should pervade every desire, design, and action of 
 the life, while that life shall last. 
 
 The work of Christian benevolence then, is the 
 work of every individual^ and of every day. Instead 
 of the enquiry— when will these calls upon me 
 cease?'' — the sinner,//??' ivlioni Christ died, may 
 be expected daily and anxiously in search of ways, 
 in wliich to manifest liis gratitude for the enjoy- 
 ment of God\s mercy, and to make some return in 
 acts of kindness and charity to his destitute fellow 
 men ; to be meditating how he may increase his 
 earnings, or lessen liis expenditures, that he may 
 have to give to him that needeth, or to lay hy him in 
 store, on the first day of the iveek, as God hath 
 prospered him, that, when the claim of the neces- 
 sitous is presented, he may be a]>le-io nieet it. 
 
This you will say, perhaps^ k expecting of you 
 a great deal. But is it morej my brethren^ than 
 your own reason tells you is right? Every hon- 
 ourable feeling within you prompts the payment of 
 your just debts to your fellows-man. But do you 
 owe nothing to your God? Did he not give you 
 life^ and all that makes life a blessing ? And 
 when you rebelled against his just authority, and 
 sold yourselves to the miserable servitude of Satan 
 and the world, did He not give his only son for 
 your ransom? For all this are you not his debt- 
 ors ; and to an amount, which you can as little 
 conceive, as pay ? But He has condescended to 
 receive your poor services ; to look upon your 
 deeds of charity to your needy brethren, as if 
 done to himself. 
 
 Who, then, will contend that the demands up- 
 on his bounty are not reasonable and light ? And 
 who will not confess, that he ought to be making 
 daily provision to meet them ? 
 
 This view of the subject, while it shows how 
 far we have wandered from the Apostolic rule, 
 exhibits tlie strongest motive for our immediate 
 return to it, in the adoption, each one for him- , 
 self, of a plan of systematic charity. I 
 
 But before presenting such a plan, I must show I 
 you still more clearly its necessity. The princi- 
 ple of doing good for Christ^ s sake, may be readi- 
 ly admitted ; w hile an habitual charity, as neces- 
 sary to ji proper action upon tlie principle, may 
 perhaps be questioned. 
 
9 
 
 1, Observe, in the first pLace, that we are look- 
 ed upon in the Grospel, as stewards ; as being en- 
 trusted with the means of grace and salvation for 
 the needy. 
 
 The parable of the ten talents furnishes no slight 
 confirmation of this view, and- one can hardly con-^ 
 ceive, how the lesson taught in that parable can ba 
 acted upon, without a constant reference to the 
 kingdom of Christ, in ourplaas and employments. 
 Were we to conunit to a steward, some important 
 worldly trust, we should hardly be satisfied with 
 any thing short of his c^iV/ attention to it. Only 
 au occasional thought about it, or effort in its be- 
 half, would be regarded by us, as a virtual aban- 
 donment of his duty. So our Saviour seems to, 
 judge in the matter, when he says — He that lo* 
 veth father or mother, wife or children, more than, 
 me, is not loorthy of me. Yea, he that for saketh 
 not all that he hath cannot be my disciple.'^ In 
 which, a supreme regard to the things of Christy 
 is clearly and solemnly demanded of us in all that 
 we Aesign or do. So engrossed must we be in pro- 
 moting his honour,in the salvation of men, that na 
 blow could affect us so deeply as that which should, 
 destroy or interrupt our spiritual work. 
 
 Beloved brethren, we think too seldom and too 
 lightly, upon the fearful position we occupy in this 
 world of sin and death. To be co-workers with 
 God, fellow-labourers with Apostles and Martyrs^ 
 in destroying the ivories of the Devil f involves a res- 
 
 2 
 
161 
 
 ponsibility too tremendous to estimate, and too en- 
 grossing to admit of any endeavors to meet it, short 
 of our best energies both of mind and body. 
 
 But add to this, the strong motive to future 
 constancy in doing good, arising from a conviction 
 of the evil we have already done. No moment of 
 our lives has found us exempt from an infinite 
 obligation to act for Christ and the good of men. — ^- 
 But, as we cast an eye back upon our past exist- 
 ence, are not the best of us constrained to confess, 
 that hitherto we have done but little to efface the 
 dark and ruinous impression of our own bad deeds? 
 What Christian, with any just view of the value 
 of an immortal soul, can conceive the possibility 
 that his own past conduct may have jeopardized 
 the salvation of a single sinner — perhaps hindered 
 it for ever — and not be eager to pass every future 
 hour of his sojourning here, in doing good to others; 
 that so far as possible, he may redeem the time] may 
 bring honour to that Saviour, whom he hath cru- 
 cified afresh, and repair the injury occasioned by 
 his own misdoings. 
 
 Thus, our relation both to God and our fellow 
 men, as stewards of the means of grace, calls upon 
 us to be faithful. But how fidelity can be made 
 to comport with inconstant and negligent habits 
 of Charity, it is impossible to conceive. 
 
 And here, no one can plead exemption. The 
 poorest, in a Christian land, if they have strength 
 to labour, are expected to do something for the 
 
cause of Christ. The man with the one talent, it 
 was found, had no move right to neglect his Lord^s 
 money, than the man w ho had been entrusted with 
 ten times the amount. God hath said, he will re- 
 quire of us at last^ according to what a man hath. 
 The widow's mite was accepted, and she held up 
 as an example to the poor of all generations. 
 
 It is a duty then, incumbent upon every one of 
 us, to lay by him in store, on the first day of the 
 week, as God hath prospered hitn/^ 
 
 2. In perfect agreement with this Apostolic di- 
 rection, is the tenor of all the Apostolic writings. 
 
 We are exhorted, to let our love abound more and 
 more ; not to he weary in well doing ; to let all 
 things be done ivith Charity ; as we have opportuni- 
 ty y to do good unto all men, especially unto them who 
 are of the household of Faith ; to seek riot our own 
 merely, hut also another^ s good ; for Charity seek- 
 eth not her own ; not to for get to do good and to com- 
 muniiate.for with such sacrafices God is well plea- 
 sed. And the Ministers of Christ are commanded 
 to exhort the rich in this world, that they do goody 
 that they he rich in good ivorks ; and all persons, 
 that they give, as God hath prospered than ; and to 
 present as a motive, that ivhatever good thing any 
 man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, 
 whether he be bond or free. 
 
 Is it possible for us, beloved brethren, to com- 
 ply with these admonitions, or to be actuated in a- 
 ny proper degree, by their spirit, except, as we 
 
give to .the duty of Cliristian benevolence, a con- 
 trolling sway in our daily concerns ? 
 
 3. The practice of systematic charity may be ur- 
 ged on the further ground of its necessity, to the 
 steady and efficient support of our Christian Insti- 
 tutions. 
 
 We are much oftener entertained with splendid 
 accounts of good reported to hare been done, than we 
 are blessed with -an actual view of the good itself. 
 The story of our deeds of love is trumpeted far 
 and wide. But, after all, what real claim have we 
 to the credit of discharging toward others, even the 
 ordinary duties of Christian men ? In sight, as it 
 were, of our own dwellings, how much moral de- 
 gradation and ruin is suffered to pass, without an 
 anxiety or an effort on our part, to give relief. And 
 in this land of blessings, how far is a knowledge 
 of the truth from keeping pace with the march of 
 our increasing population ? While the means of 
 propagating error,and deepening delusion, are mul- 
 tiplying almost beyond conception. * And not- 
 withstanding our present efforts are so dispropor- 
 
 * The spiritual state pf the great valley of the Missis)>lppi 
 alone, presents a most lamentable proof of what is here affirm- 
 ed. Wild fanaticism and Jesuitical imposture seem to be stri- 
 ving for the mastery in spreading darkness and disorder thro' 
 that most interesting country. See the statements of Bishops 
 McIlvaine, Otey and Smith. See also an able Sermon, 
 '*on the Signs of the Times," by the Rev. John McVickar, 
 •D. D. Professor of Moral and Intellectual Philosophy and Po- 
 litical CEconomy, in Columbia College, New- York. 
 
13 
 
 iionei to the wants of the tlestitute, and to our actual 
 ability, still observe, with what apparent difficul- 
 ty these efforts are kept up! Agencies, Charity 
 Sermons, Newspaper appeals, with numberless 
 other expedients, are resorted to, to keep alive this 
 feeble interest, and to draw forth this reluctant 
 bounty in behalf of the needy* ^- 
 
 This state of things is not so much owing to a 
 positive indisposition to give, as it is t& bad habits 
 in giving. The Christian community, through 
 improper training, has become callous to ordinary | 
 tnotives ; seems to have lost the power, as it Avere, 
 ^0 do good,except on an extended scale, and at some 
 earnest and extraordinary call. The consequence 
 is, the bulk of Christians really suppose, they 
 have no permanent, every- day concern, in the works 
 of Charity. One goes to Ms farm, another to his 
 merchandize-, and all suffer their minds to become 
 wholly engrossed in the cold speculations of self 
 interest ; all seek their own and not the things which 
 are Jesus Chrisfs. No w onder, tlierefore> that the 
 common representations of human misery should 
 seem to them like idle tales ; and that the task, of a- 
 Bousing them to benevolent action, should daily be- 
 come more difficult. 
 
 Now, before any important impression can be 
 made upon error, or any thing like an adequate 
 
 * See the last Missionary Record," and our Religious Pe- 
 riodicals generally, on the state of the Treasury of the Domes- 
 tic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal 
 Church, in the United States. 
 
11 
 
 provision be runiLsiuHl for those in want^ this evil 
 must be corrected. Each individual Christian must 
 awake from his apathy^ and put forth his energies ; 
 and he must continue to do so^ as a part of his dai- 
 ly labour, till his energies arc palsied in death. 
 No irregular and disjointed efforts, however zeal- 
 ous for the time, will give proper stability and ef- 
 fect to any Christian enterprize. But let the friends 
 of Christ arise as one man^ and move forward in 
 this holy cause, with a steady and determined step, 
 and however slow may be their progress, their ul- 
 timate success is certain. And this, in a country 
 like ours, where the Church of Christ has no large 
 endowments upon Avhich to depend, is peculiarly 
 essential. 
 
 My dear brethren, I am aware that your means 
 are limited ; but if each Episcopalian Avould act 
 conscientiously upon the principle of fet. Paul, 
 and laij hij in store on the Jirsi daij of the iveeJc, as 
 God hath prospered him, we should be able to sus- 
 tain every Christian enterprize within our Diocese ; 
 and have something to spare, in aid of the general 
 objects of the Church. 
 
 One can hardly conceive, who has not entered 
 upon the calculation, what large sums might, in 
 this w'ay, be brought into the Treasury of the 
 Lord; with no other effect upon the giver, than 
 to insure to him t])e delightful consciousness of 
 doing goody and the gracious benediction of 
 heaven. 
 
15 
 
 4. There are additional reasons, however, 
 which enforce the practice I would liere recom- 
 mend. 
 
 This conscientious appropriation of something 
 daily, or iveeJcly to the works of charity, is the 
 only method of giving, which will ensure a nwll 
 directed lib er edit y , 
 
 How often does it happen, on the present plan 
 of irregular contribution, that a man of benevolent 
 feelings, after a long inattention to the wants of 
 the destitute, becomes suddenly awakened to his 
 duty, and, as if to make up for. past deficiencies, 
 is induced to give to some comparatively minor 
 claim with so liberal a hand, as to leave him little 
 or nothing to bestow upon more important objects. 
 Under this system, or rather absence of all sys- 
 tem, charity becomes the creature of mere whim, 
 subject to all the fluctuations of individual sympa- 
 thy ; and hence is liable to be perverted to the 
 most frivolous, if not injurious purposes ; while, 
 upon the principle here urged, it will be under 
 the control both of a lively sensibility, and of an 
 enlightened judgment. For, the habit of giving 
 systematically J not only keeps alive the sympa- 
 thies, and calls for an habitual exercise of the un- 
 derstanding of the person who gives ; but also se- 
 cures to the distribution of our charities the best 
 experience and wisdom of the Church; and where 
 these are permitted to advise, little can be appre- 
 hended from an indiscriminate and ill-judged lib- 
 erality. 
 
5. Again. To be engaged habiiiially fbv the 
 good of otbers, affords the best security to the ad- 
 vancement of our personal welfare. Had we no- 
 thing to strive for, but au earthly inheritance, this, 
 would be true. The needful good things of time 
 are, by divine promise^ to he added to him who 
 steks first or s.upremelij, " the kingdom of hea- 
 ven.^' Neither is this promise a mere matter of 
 revelation ; tliou&ands have experienced its truth. 
 It is verified almost daily before our eyes. Who 
 has not remarked that the truly benevolent man^, 
 is blessed in his basket and in hi^ store. That 
 the liberal soulis, in truth, made fat. But this is 
 not what the child of a heavenly Father^ chiefly 
 desires. His treasure is above ; and there are his 
 supreme affections. It is that treasure Avhich he 
 longs to see increased ; and it is in reference to that 
 principally, that I would press upon your regard, 
 the practice in question. It will furnish one of the 
 most effectual safe-guards, in this world of temp- 
 tation. Let the feet of the Christian be once firm- 
 ly fixed in those paths of benevolence, which the 
 Saviour trod ; let his heart be lifted above the gro- 
 velling desires of mere self-love, by the divine tem- 
 per of doing good ; let it be his daily prayer, car- 
 ried ou,t into his daily action, that his guilty race 
 may become reconciled to God, through faith iii, 
 liis crucified son, and where is the insinuating ar- 
 tifice, that can entice him into the way of sinners i 
 that way, Avhich, at every step, nins counter to eve- ^ 
 ry human 2;ood ! 
 
17 
 
 In the prosperous career of business, the heart 
 of the Christian lies open, on every side, to the 
 incursions of evil. Pride^ covetousness, and 
 pleasure, take advantage of each unguarded mo- 
 ment to insinuate themselves into his affections: 
 And they are too often, and too fatally successful. 
 Their progress is so silent as seldom to awaken 
 suspicion of danger, till ruin is hard at hand. — 
 Now from these so common foes, the good man 
 may find protection in the habitual practice of 
 charity: and protection of the most effectual kind,, 
 as it shuts out the evil, by pre-occupying the mind 
 with good. A daily contemplation of the miseries, 
 of his fellowmen, while it checks the engrossing 
 passion of avarice, and dissipates the bland seduc^ 
 tions of pleasure, will at the same time, suggest too 
 many humiliating considerations to allow of any 
 other sentiment, than compassion for the needy,, 
 and gratitude to God for his own distinguishing 
 blessings. This will help too, to settle many 
 a perplexing query about worldly amusements. — ^ 
 It will often save the christian the trouble of ex- 
 amination into the lawfulness or unlawfulness- of 
 an indulgence, by engaging his sympathies so. 
 strongly for the unfortunate, as to make him feel 
 that he has neither time nor substance to squander,^ 
 while so much spiritual suffering is still unreliev-. 
 ed. Thus the sphere of doing good, he finds most 
 congenial to his growth in grace.* 
 
 * Here I might have added, the good effect of systematic chari- 
 ty in i^romoiuv^fnirgality. Habits of wastefulness & negligence 
 S 
 
18 
 
 Aud here, the thought may not be irrelevant, 
 that this practice of Charity is to outlast all other 
 employments, except j^raise to God and the lamh. 
 Mutual offices of kindness, errands of disinteres- 
 ted love, are, without doubt, to occupy a large 
 space in the fair field of our labours above. While 
 all secular employments will cease with the wants 
 of the dying body, and a;ll cares for the soul be re- 
 mitted, when the soul shall have bepn saved, the 
 spirit of heaven-born Ch?a*ity will still survive, to 
 animate the breasts of the redeemed, and lead them 
 on forever, in the delightful work of doing good. 
 
 Surely it will make us better, to cultivate a tem- 
 per and a habit now, which are to be identified 
 with our immortal nature ! 
 
 are often caused, -or very much strengthened, b^? not having an 
 engrossing object before the mind, upon which to bestow those 
 fruits of our labour, not called for by our own necessities. But 
 let us be daily reminded, by daily acts of Charity, of the just 
 claims, which the destitute have upon us, and we shall be a- 
 roused to the importance of husbanding our means, of aug- 
 jnenting them in every proper way, and of checking all lavish 
 expenditure. 
 
 And in how many cases, God only knows, this habit of do- 
 ing good, might be the instrument of saving our children from . 
 a ruinous prodigality. 
 
 God has mercifully adapted the duties of life, to the reme- 
 dying ot its evils: made charity to our neighbour an eflBcient 
 and essential means of securing and advancing our own hap-^j 
 piuess. 
 
19 
 
 6. Finally, by divine appointment, we are daily 
 to pray — thy kingdom come. Our practice should 
 correspond with our prayers ; for upon that prac- 
 tice, as the means, depends their fulfilment. Af- 
 ter having laid, by the immediate exercise of his 
 Almighty poAver, the foundation of his Church, our 
 Lord committed the diffusion of its blessings thro- 
 out the earth, to those, who first enjoy them 5 but 
 not till he had given the admonition, without me ye 
 can do nothing. Here then, an indissoluble con- 
 nexion is made to subsist, between our prayers and 
 charitable exertions. Hence, it is vt orse than use- 
 less, it is mockery^ to utter the daily petition, thy 
 kingdom come; while the efforts put forth for its 
 fulfilment, are languid and inconstant. The heart 
 cannot expand with the w arm emotions of univer- 
 sal love, while the bands are busied in minister- 
 ing only to personal gratification. True, we must 
 pray, and pray daily ; but for God's blessing on 
 our daily exertions. 1 need not add, that no or- 
 dinary motive is here furnished to systematic cha- 
 rity. For tliis, and this alone, Avill infuse into 
 the mind that constant and healthy stimulant, ne- 
 cessary to dispose it to heavenly aspirations, and 
 to keep it active and in earnest upon the great 
 topics of Christian philanthropy. 
 
 These, beloved brethren, are some of the lead- 
 ing motives, for the adoption of a system in doing 
 good, calculated to influence every mind. But 
 there are considerations, connected with the state 
 
of our DiocesCj which give to these motives, addi- 
 tional weight with ourselves. 
 
 Our necessities are many— our pecuniary ahility 
 is small ; and the means we have put in operation, 
 so essential to our well-being, as a Church, require 
 much ^^nursing care/^ to bring them to a vigorous 
 maturity. The question, which, under these cir- 
 cumstances, demands from each one of us a prompt 
 and serious answer, is — how can w« collect and 
 put forth our strength, with the leastburden to our- 
 selves, and the greatest amount of good to our fel- 
 low men ?'* As the person, sustaming the high- 
 est responsibility, and to whom you have a right 
 to look for direction in this matter, I reply : 
 
 In the first place, each one of us must do what 
 he can ; must feel that he has a jpersonal interest 
 in the thing ;— that he will be called to account at 
 last, for precisely the number of talents entrusted 
 to him by his divine master. And believe me, bre- 
 thren, there is not a man, woman or child, in our 
 Church, who may not do something to advance the 
 holy cause. Most can give— all can pray. But 
 in order to ajfford an opportunity to each one, to 
 give according to his means, some system of 
 
 Church offerings,'' must be introduced. 
 
 The plan hitherto pursued, of making occasion^ 
 al collections or subscriptions, invariably throws 
 the burdens of Charity, if burdens they may ht 
 called, upon a few individuals. Many who might 
 contribute their mite, are by this means, induced, 
 
SI 
 
 from a fooUsli pride, to give notliing, because they 
 cannot give much. Bat suppose the practice were 
 to become general in our Episcopal families^ of 
 •laying aside something weekly, no matter how 
 small the amount^ as an ^^oifering" to the Church; 
 and where is there an individual, so poor, or so 
 young, as not to be disposed to devote a little to 
 Christ, in return for his infinite love ? And thi^i 
 mode would have the double advantage of helping 
 the needy, and blessing ourselves. The compara- 
 tively poor, while saving a penny for the still more 
 necessitous, would learn a lesson of contentment. 
 The children of prosperous parents would be taught 
 to know and feel, tliat tjicre are ohildren born to 
 adversity— in want of the means of comfort, of in- 
 struction and of salvation ; and i a this way, their 
 young hearts would soon learn to sympathize with 
 the unfortu^nate, and become anxious to sacrafice 
 some of the little, needless luxuries of life, to re- 
 lieve them. And ^hat could be more gratifying 
 to a Christian Parent, than to see the earliest 
 thoughts of his infant offspring engrossed in laying 
 up something for the benefit of the needy ! And 
 ^vhat more encouraging evidence^could we have, of 
 the improving state of our corrupt world, than to 
 observe a general inclination and diligence among 
 all degrees of men in the Church, to diffuse the 
 blessings of Christ's kingdom ! Adopt then, dear 
 brethren, the counsel of St. Paul, and 7^?^ everyone 
 of you lay by him in store, on the first day of the 
 
•39 
 
 iceek', as God hath prosjiered him ; and your eyes 
 shall be blessed with beholdiug the happy fruits of 
 beiitivolence iu your families and neighborhoods, 
 and the prosperous state of the Church in our Di- 
 ocese. 
 
 2. In the second place, to act effectually, we 
 must act in concert 
 
 Those small and scattered efforts, whicli put 
 forth singly would be entirely lost^ when brought 
 together, present a moral force hardly to be resis- 
 ted. My brethren, those pennies, which, because 
 they are pennies, you either do not give, or send- 
 ing them out alone, you give to little purpose, if 
 collected and cast as an offering into the Treasury 
 of the Lord, w ould enable us to carry into full ef- 
 fect those schemes of good, so near our hearts, and 
 so identiiled with the prosperity of our Church. 
 Let us test the soundness of this remark by actual 
 estimn.tc. 
 
 At our last Convention, the number of Commu- 
 nicants reported, was 1080. Add to this, for cliil- 
 dren old enough to give, and for adults who have 
 not communed 1500, which is below the fact, and we 
 have 2580* Now of this number, 500 at least would 
 experience no burden, in appropriating to charitable 
 uses too cents a day— making an annual amount 
 of S3, 650. Another 500 might give one cent a day 
 — making S 1,825 more. The remainder might give 
 at least one cent a iceek — making the further sum 
 of S82 1,60— producing an aggregate of S 6,296 60. 
 
Small as may be our resources, this amount I am 
 clearly convinced^ might be more easily raised, on 
 the plan I propose, than the reduced sum of about 
 Si, 500, wliich is usually contributed; besides ma- 
 king us a much happier, holier, and more prospe- 
 rous people. 
 
 In thus estimatina: your ability, I have not for- 
 gotten the efforts you are called upon to make for 
 your own parishes. In reference to these efforts, 
 however, you ought to remember, tliat you are more 
 than remunerated, in the accession which they bring 
 to your daily enjoyments. You must beware, lest 
 your reward be only that of the persons in our Sa^- 
 viour's time, lohogave, exjjectiiig to receive as much 
 again. Whatever you may do, to increase your 
 own spiritual advantages, you should bear in mind, 
 is not done to help the needy ; neitlier without the 
 expectation of an earthly reward. It is true, we 
 are to love ourselves no less than our fellow-men; 
 and hence, to make provision fur our own wants ♦ 
 but we must take care how we transfer, in our 
 minds, the benefits designed for ourselves, to tlie 
 account of charity to our neighbour. This mistake 
 is not an uncommon one, and requires of us much 
 candour and impartiality of judgment, wholly to 
 avoid it. 
 
 Neither has it escaped me, beloved brethren, that 
 many of you belong to parishes w ithout adequate 
 resources in themselves, to sustain the ministrations 
 of the Gospel. I5ut I have regarded this very 
 
fact, as an additional inducement to adopt the plani 
 I have suggested ; and for tivo reasons. The one, 
 that in this way, you could do much more for your- 
 selves, tlian in the ordinary way. The other, that, 
 by entering heartily, with your more favored bre- 
 thren, into such a plan, a holy sympathy would be 
 excited in your behalf, that would most effectually 
 secuve to you the privileges of the Gospel. He 
 that watereth, shall he watered himself. Let it 
 be seen, that a people are alive to the great inter- 
 ests of Christ's kingdom, by doing all in their pow- 
 er to advance it, and they may rest assured, they 
 will not be suffered to want. Let then, the few 
 Episcopal families, in our Missionary stations, re- 
 solve that henceforth, each individual of them wiU 
 lay hj him, something, each iveek, to be deposited 
 monthly, or oftener, in the liands of the Church,* 
 and I am confident, they will have reason to bless 
 God, for an important increase of their spiritual 
 ?i,dvantages. 
 
 And let me entreat each of the Parishes in my 
 Diocese, to meditate seriously, and prayerfully up- 
 on this subject, af constant systemcktic Charity* 
 Under the strong cQnvictions of duty, I have thus, 
 called your attention to it. What I have said, is. 
 the result of much and prayerful deliberation. The 
 ylan, I have long contemplated, as one most like-- 
 
 Let these weekly ofrenngs*'be entrusted to the Mission- 
 ary, or soiriG other suitable person, to be forwarded to John 
 \V.. ^Y»IGH;T,, Esq.. Fayetteviile, Treasurer of the Couvention^ 
 
ly to revive in the Church, the primitive spirit^ fts 
 it accords with the primitive practice, of doing 
 good. And now, I have the gratification of present^ 
 ing it to you, brethren, not as an untried expedi- 
 ent, but as a thing well tested and approved. 
 
 My excellent brother, the Bishop of New Jer- 
 sey, who comes behind in no gift, has carried the 
 principle here enforced, fully into practice, and 
 experienced from its operation, for the last two 
 years, the most desirable results. 
 
 Beloved brethren, follow this example : or rath- 
 er follow your duty to Him who died to save you. 
 ''For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christy 
 that though he Was richy yet for your sakes he he- 
 came poor, that ye through his poi^erty might be 
 made rich.^^ Act under the influence of this truth. 
 On the first Uay of the week, the blessed light of 
 which so clearly discloses the riches of divine love^ 
 in a crucified and risen Saviour, let each one of you 
 lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him ; set 
 apart a certain amount, according as God hath 
 given him ability, to be sacredly devoted as an 
 ^^offering'' to the Church:^ and should we be spar- 
 ed by a merciful providence to meet again in Con- 
 vention, we shall rejoice together in view of our 
 well-sustained Missionary operations, the cheer- 
 
 *See a beautiful paraphrase of the Apostolic direction, 1 
 Cor. xvi. 2. in the '* Postscript" to Bishop Doane's last Ad- 
 dress to his Convention, 
 
36 
 
 ing promisic of our Episcopal School, our enlarg- 
 ed ability to aid the general institutions of the 
 Church, and of an increase among us, of personal 
 interest in the blessings of the Covenant of Re- 
 demption. 
 
 That you will do this, my experience of your 
 past desire to do good, does not permit me to 
 doubt : — that you may do it, under the constrain- 
 ingpower of Chrisfs love, as faithful members of 
 Ms mystical body, the Church, I shall not cease to 
 make my humble petitions unto ALMIGHTY 
 6rOD, our heavenly Father, 
 Most truly, 
 
 Your affectionate friend, 
 
 and brother in the Lord, 
 
 LEVI JSILLOIAiX IVJES 
 Balrigh, February 12, 1835.