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 PORTIONS OF THE ANNUAL ADDRESSES OF 
 BISHOPS ATKINSON AND IZMAN 
 
 
 
 
 
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THE LIBRARY OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF 
 
 NORTH CAROLINA 
 
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 THE COLLECTION OF 
 NORTH CAROLINIANA 
 
 Transferred from the Department 
 of Archives and History 
 
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 PORTIONS 
 
 —OF THE— 
 
 .1 
 
 • ANNUAL ADDRESSES 
 
 —OF— 
 
 Bishops Atkinson and Lyman 
 
 » 
 
 • —TO THE— 
 
 DIOCESAN CONVENTION OP NORTH CAROLINA, 
 
 ]VIA.Y 1ST II, 1876. 
 
 Printed by resolution of the Convention, under Me direction 
 /of the Bishops, to be read by the Clergy to their con- 
 gregations and to be distribided. 
 
 ♦ •« 
 
 From Ihe Address of Bishop Atkinson. 
 
 "I intimated in the beginning of this Address that I 
 considered the condition of things in the Diocese as en- 
 couraging, and it certainly is so. Our Pafishes and our 
 Clergy are increasing in number, and where we have 
 towns of any size, very much increasing. When I first 
 went to Raleigh, I found two Clergymen there ; now there 
 are, including Bishop Lyman, six, all actively and use- 
 fully employed. When I first came to Wilmington, I 
 found but one Clergyman ; ^there are now seven, includ- 
 ing myself, of whom six give their whole time to the 
 work of the Church, and one, very much of his, although 
 maintaining himself by his labors as a teachei\ And I 
 may say, with confidence and with pleasure, that the con- 
 
 
gregations throughout the Diocese, generally, are en- 
 larged and strengthened. There are better Church- 
 buildings — are far more rectories, than there were some 
 years ago. 
 
 We, on the other hand, have but sixty Clergymen in an 
 area where the Church of England has about twenty 
 thousand. And even sparse as the population of the 
 State is, on that area we still have within its limits a mil- 
 lion of souls for the benefit of which we contribute the 
 labors only of those sixty Clei'gymen, and these, in many 
 instances, have to live on incomes so small as not only to 
 expose them to great inconvenience and anxiety, but to 
 divert to secular cares and objects, time and thought which 
 should be appropriated to their holy work. It is easier 
 to see the evil than the remedy, but suggestions can be 
 offered, which, if carried out, would tend, at least, to 
 mitigate that evil. 
 
 In the first place, each of us should do what he can to- 
 wards increasing the supply of the Clergy, for the rules 
 of political economy do not hold good in the region of 
 the soul and of our spiritual Life. There, it is not the de- 
 mand which produces the supply, but it is the supply 
 which causes the demand. Our Saviour says to His dis- 
 ciples, "go !" He does not say, "wait until the people ask 
 you to come " If a Minister establish himself in a town 
 or in a country neighborhood, the people after a time feel 
 that they are benefited by him, and they deshe his ser- 
 vices. But if one be withdrawn from a congregation and 
 the vacancy be not supplied, the religious life of the people 
 declines and ar sort of paralysis of the soul comes over 
 them, so that they do not feel their own spiritual wants. 
 The work of the Church, therefore, is to send out men 
 who shall call their fellow-men to repentance and to sal- 
 vation. Each follower of Christ has this obligation rest- 
 ing upon him, and must answer to God for what he does 
 or what he leaves undone in carrying to his fellow-men 
 the life-giving Gospel of Christ. And we shall very cer- 
 tainly all find, sooner or later, that we might have done 
 much more than we are actually doing. Impoverished as 
 we are, there are individual members of the Church in 
 
3 
 
 this Diocese, who could, singly, sustain a Candidate for 
 Orders, and yet have none of their domestic comforts 
 abridged. More, much more, might be contributed to 
 the feeble, struggling Ravenscroft Mission and School at 
 Asheville. A High School, and in due time, a College, 
 might well be established on the grounds we have secured 
 at Morganton. And the Clergy already in the field, 
 might, without any real sacrifice or even serious self-de- 
 nial on the part of their congregations, be placed in a 
 condition of greater comfort and consequently of greater 
 usefulness and stability in their pastoral relations. 
 
 Do you ask how all this is to be done ? I answer, by 
 our resolving, as Christians, at least to come up to the 
 level of the JeAvs, and by faithfully carrying that resolu- 
 tion into our practical life. Let us lay by, month by 
 month, and if we can, week by week, according as God 
 has prospered us, returning to Him not less than a tenth 
 of what He bestows on us. And if to this we would add 
 a religious horror and avoidance of debt, we would find 
 that we should thereby open fountains which would soon 
 refresh and build up the waste places of our Zion. Nor 
 need we fear that the stream would be too large. There 
 are very many objects to be provided for, for which we are 
 doing very little. There ai e missions to many neglected 
 portions of our own widely extended and now very popu- 
 lous country. There are missions to the Indians and mis- 
 sions to colored people. There are missions to Africa and 
 to China. There is a feeble Evangelical Church, in alliance 
 with our own, struggling into existence in Mexico. There 
 is another in a similar condition in Hayti. Asylums are 
 needed for destitute orphan children and for infirm and 
 friendless old men and women. Indeed, in whatever direc- 
 tion we look, we see that very much needs to be done by 
 Christian people. We cannot certainly do everything our- 
 selves, but let us at least attempt to do what we may, asking, 
 always, God's help and God's blessing and God's forgive- 
 ness for past omissions of duty, ever remembering that 
 what we do we must do quickly, for that the time is short. 
 
 THOMAS ATKINSON. 
 
 > 
 
 4 
 
4 
 
 From the Address of Bishop Lyman. 
 
 "Few, even in our own Diocese, are able to realize how 
 very large is our strictly missionary field, and how few 
 the laborers, in comparison with our pressing necessities. 
 The observation and experience of the past year have 
 convinced me that in no part of our land, are the open- 
 ings more promising and encouraging; for in every quar- 
 ter our services are warmly welcomed, while old and un- 
 founded prejudices are rapidly wearing away. The ears 
 and the hearts of the people seem alike open to us. * * 
 
 Under date of August 2d, the Bishop says : "Left with 
 Mr. Barber for Ore Knob, Ashe county, and on Tuesday, 
 August 3d, preached in the school house at that place. 
 Thursday, August 4th, in the Methodist House of Wor- 
 ship, Jefferson, Ashe county, Rev. R. "W. Barber read 
 morning prayer, and I preached. Thursday, August 5th, 
 at a private house between Jefferson and Boone, I bap- 
 tized two children. Friday, August 6th, in the Masonic 
 Hall, Boone, "Watauga county, I read the service and 
 preached. Saturday, August 7th, in the Church of St. 
 John the Baptist, near Valle Crucis, in the same county, 
 I read morning prayer, preached and administered the 
 Holy Communion. This neat little Church has been for 
 a long time without a service, and I was sorry to find that 
 its windows and doors had suffered from the wanton abuse 
 of mischievous persons. 
 
 Eleventh Sunday after Trinity, August 8th, in the 
 Methodist building, at "Valle Crucis," I conducted the 
 service and preached. In all this extensive district, we 
 are now without any missionary, although there are many 
 who are attached to the Church and anxious for its ser- 
 vices. Especially in the neighborhood of "Valle Crucis," 
 there is an urgent ci'y for a Clergyman, and no doubt 
 great good could be accomplished for the Church, in that 
 beautiful, salubrious and fruitful region, if one could be 
 found to do there the work of an efficient pioneer. I was 
 touched by the affectionate mention made by so many in 
 that neighborhood, of the faithful labors of the Rev. W. 
 W. Skiles, whose death some years since has deprived these 
 
simple-hearted people of a Shepherd, whom they deeply 
 loved and honored. * * * * 
 
 Under date of August 23d, he says: I left on horseback 
 for a visitation in Yancey and Mitchell counties. The 
 Rev. Dr. Buxton joined me in the evening, at a farm 
 house, where we had appointed to meet, and continued 
 with me through the week. 
 
 Wednesday, August 25th, I had an appointment in the 
 Court House, at Burnsville, Yancey county, where I found 
 a large and very attentive congregation. Rev. Dr. Buxton 
 read morning prayer, and I preached. In the afternoon 
 we rode seven miles to the residence of a family much 
 attached to the Church, but who had been wholly de- 
 prived of its services for more than a year. Here we 
 passed the night, and the next morning I administered 
 the Holy Communion to them. In the afternoon we pro- 
 ceeded on to Bakersville, Mitchell county, where I had an 
 appointment for the next day. 
 
 Friday, August 27th, in the Methodist building, at that 
 place, Dr. Buxton conducted the service, and I preached. 
 This was the first Episcopal visitation ever made in that 
 county. The service was attended by a large congrega- 
 tion, and a great desire was expressed, on the part of 
 many, that they might enjoy regular and stated sexwices. 
 A missionary in Yancey and Mitchell counties would find 
 a very inviting and encouraging field. I was much im- 
 pressed by the extreme beauty and attractiveness of this 
 Mountain district. The people too, seemed to be more 
 intelligent than is generally the case in these remote re- 
 gions, while the wonderful salubrity of the climate, and 
 the richness of the soil, make it a specially desirable home. 
 
 Friday, Jan. 21st, he says : "I presided at the Raleigh 
 Convocation, in the Church of the Good Shepherd. The 
 services were continued throughout Saturday and Sunday, 
 and proved of a very highly interesting character. Sev- 
 eral of the papers read, on these occasions, were of marked 
 ability, and well worthy a much wider publicity. The 
 congregations steadily increased from day to day. 
 
6 
 
 On Sunday morning, I preached the Convocation Ser- 
 mon and administered the Holy Communion. At night a 
 missionary meeting was held and several interesting ad- 
 dresses delivered. I cannot doubt that these meetings of 
 Convocation will always awaken great interest in any Par- 
 ish, where they are held, if only some special pains be 
 taken in arranging in advance the subjects for essays and 
 addresses, and a like care, in preparation, be shown on 
 the part of those to whom such duties are assigned. One 
 great reason why Convocations have so often proved fail- 
 ures, may be found in the fact that they are looked upon 
 rather as social re-unions, while the sermons preached are 
 frequently without freshness or appropriateness, having 
 been prepared for quite other occasions. Where every 
 effort is made to throw life and interest into these meet- 
 ings, they will be sure to leave behind them a salutary 
 and encouraging influence. 
 
 Friday, Jan. 28th, at the Chapel of Trinity College, 
 Randolph county, I read the morning service and litany, 
 made an address and afterwards preached. The large 
 new Chapel had been very kindly tendered me by the 
 President of the College, who with the other members of 
 the Faculty, their families and the students attended in a 
 body. I very highly appreciated the kind courtesy of the 
 President, which enabled me to give the benefit of our 
 services to several members of our Church, living in the 
 immediate neighborhood, and w r ho are quite remote from 
 any of our places of worship. I was glad, too, of this 
 opportunity for manifesting to our Methodist brethren 
 how friendly are our feelings toward them, and that while 
 ecclesiastically separated from them, we entertain no other 
 sentiments than those of Christian kindness and cordiality. 
 I can never be brought into contact with them without 
 deeply lamenting that we cannot all "speak the same 
 thing, and be perfectly joined together in the same mind 
 and the same judgment." May He "who maketh men to 
 be of one mind in a house," in His own good time re- 
 move all grounds of misapprehension and alienation, that 
 so we may be drawn together in "the unity of the Spirit, 
 and in the bond of peace." * * * 
 
The Bishop remarks about lay services : "Wherever one 
 can be found, competent and willing - to act as a Lay 
 Eeader, it is always desirable that this provision should 
 be made, where the constant services of a Clergyman 
 cannot be secured. It serves to keep up a continued 
 interest in the Church, and a love for its edifying services, 
 while it helps also to overcome the dangerous habit of 
 neglecting the proper worship of the Lord's Day." 
 ****** 
 
 And again he says: "A zeal which does not confine 
 itself to the Parochial centre, but reaches out into the 
 adjacent districts, which, alike claim our sympathy, such 
 zeal will always re-act to the advantage of the central 
 point. There is no policy so short-sighted, so unwise, 
 and I may say so unchristian, as that which would confine 
 a Rector to toilsome labors in the Parish Church, to the 
 neglect of these outlying districts. It is a policy intense- 
 ly narrow and selfish, and which wholly ignores the 
 Apostolic command, 'Look not every man on his own 
 things, but every man also on the thiDgs of others.' " 
 
 Again he remarks: "There is no more certain proof of 
 spiritual indifference and deadness, than when Church 
 buildings are left in a neglected and dilapidated condi- 
 tion. It argues a lack of reverence for the Divine Majesty ; 
 and where this is the case, no spiritual blessing can be 
 looked for, in any Parish. The outward and the inward 
 are very closely united, and indifference to the one, will 
 surely bring evil to the other." 
 ****** 
 
 "Under date of May 2d, the Bishop remarks : "I re 
 turned to Raleigh, after a continuous absence of just 
 seven weeks. During this whole period, not a single ser- 
 vice was hindered by inclement weather, but everywhere, 
 large congregations were gathered, and a steadily increas- 
 ing interest was manifested." 
 * • * * * * * 
 
 "The extended visitation of the Diocese thus made, 
 during the past year, has shown most clearly not only how 
 
8 
 
 very great is the work which here lies before ns, but how 
 many are the encouragements to enter upon it with 
 earnestness and zeal. But on the other hand there are 
 serious hindrances growing out of our lack of sufficient 
 Clergy, and the extreme difficulty of securing them. And 
 one chief cause of that difficulty is found in the insufficient 
 means at our disposal to provide for their adequate sup- 
 port. No doubt it will be urged by many in extenuation 
 of this state of things that the times are very much out 
 of joint, and all departments of business are greatly par- 
 alyzed. Now, while thoroughly appreciating all these 
 hindrances, and feeling their full force in connection with 
 many parts of the State, still, in other sections, I think 
 that the true explanation lies still deeper, and may be 
 found in the fact that the maintenance of the institutions 
 of Religion, is looked upon rather as a luxury than as a 
 necessity. Men are too apt to persuade themselves that 
 they can get on without the Church, the Ministrj' or the 
 Sacraments, and that other interests must first be cared 
 for, before these can be attended to. And again there is, 
 with many, the feeling that the support of the Church 
 belongs to those who are in prosperous circumstances. If 
 there was only a realization of the important truth, that a 
 certain portion of every man's income belongs not to 
 himself, but to the Almighty, and which He exacts of all, 
 in order that His worship may be duly maintained, there 
 would then be no difficulty in supplying this great need. 
 
 Of one thing I feel certain, that so long as men refuse 
 to recognize this claim of the Almighty; so long as they 
 persist in applying to their own uses those fruits of their 
 labors, which God claims as His own, just so long may 
 they look for trouble and disaster, and the varied judg- 
 ments of God. 
 
 The principles of the Divine government are the same 
 in every age. None of us are, after all, the proprietors of 
 what we simply hold in our hands. We are, at best, 
 only the Stewards of God, and he exacts a rental for His 
 land, and a tax on all the products of our industry. It is 
 by this means that He would provide for the proper 
 maintenance of His worship, and for the support of His 
 
9 
 
 authorized ambassadors. And to withhold this from Him, 
 is to rob Him of what He claims as His own. Now, 
 whether this disposition be found with those of very 
 moderate means, or those who are more richly blessed, 
 the sin is the same, and the punishment is just as sure to 
 ensue. "Honor the Lord with thv substance, and with 
 the first fruits of all thine increase." This Divine com- 
 inaud is directed alike to all sorts and conditions of men, 
 and if that command be wisely heeded, then and not till 
 then, may we look for the fulfilment of the accompanying 
 promise, "So shall thy barns be filled with plenty and thy 
 presses shall burst out with new wine." Certain it is, 
 brethren, that we in this Dioces* are not coming up to 
 the measure of our obligations; are not recognizing the 
 fulness and extent of God's claims upon us. Too many 
 of our Clergy are left sadly crippled and straitened, when 
 surrounded by those who, though they may be poor them- 
 selves, still have it in their power, if they felt and realized 
 the obligation, to do far more for them than they are now 
 doing, and to relieve many of their pressing necessities. 
 Remember the injunction of the Apostle, "Bear ye one 
 another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." Oh 
 that all might be led to see and know and do their duty, 
 and then we may look with confidence for the bestowal 
 upon us of the richest spiritual blessings. 
 ****** 
 
 "Before closing my address I beg to say a word in re- 
 gard to an important matter, about which you would 
 naturally expect to hear something from me. I refer to 
 our proposed Diocesan School for Boys at Morganton. 
 
 The management of this enterprise has been left by the 
 Senior Bishop more directly in my hands, and it has oc- 
 casioned me great anxiety, that so little progress has been 
 made. But I have had to encounter two serious hin- 
 drances. In the first place, I have not been able to se- 
 cure as yet a suitable person to place at the head of the 
 institution. Everything depends upon this, for unless a 
 thoroughly competent, energetic and efficient man can be 
 obtained for this position, we can never look for any 
 great measure of success. 
 
10 
 
 And then, again, I have been met by the extreme diffi- 
 culty, at the present time, of raising the funds so abso- 
 lutely necessary for the equipment and inauguration of 
 such a work. I know too well how many noble enter- 
 prises for Christian education have come to an inglorious 
 end, by starting them prematurely, and without first pro- 
 viding the means so essential to success. 
 
 I was not willing to begin in a weak way, and crippled 
 at every turn, and now I am anxious to learn from this 
 Convention what steps will be judged wisest and most de- 
 sirable, under the circumstances. I feel very deeply how 
 much such an institution is needed, and what singular 
 benefits the Diocese might hope to secure from its suc- 
 cessful establishment. It is, to-day, the great want of the 
 Diocese. If once commenced in the right way, the future 
 admits of no possible question. There is no such School 
 anywhere in the South-eastern portion of our country, 
 and it is bound, therefore, to secure a wide and generous 
 jjatronage. The work is too important — too closely iden- 
 tified with the best interests of the Diocese, to permit of 
 a much longer delay. I ask, then, for your counsel and 
 advice in the premises. 
 
 Finally, brethren, let our united supplications arise that 
 God in His infinite mercy may guide, direct and bless us 
 in all our deliberations and exertions for the upbuilding 
 of His Church and the extension of His kingdom. May 
 He enable us all to see and realize our several duties and 
 responsibilities, while ever seeking to discharge them "as 
 good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 
 
 THEODORE B. LYMAN. 
 
 J. B. Whitaker, Jr., Book and Job Printer, Goldsboro, K C. 
 
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00034004407 
 
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