CHAPTER X.

CONSECRATION OF BISHOP BEDELL.

1859-1860.

ELECTION OF DR. GREGORY THURSTON BEDELL AS ASSISTANT-BISHOP.

TO REV. W. CARUS.

Cincinnati, June 14th, 1859.

My active work is ended for the present; and I know not for how long. I have visited and confirmed in, and addressed thirty-three parishes since I returned, and travelled a great deal. Towards the last, though I was careful, I stopped preaching entirely; my head became troubled; and now I can only write a short time without feeling wrong there. My physician says that I must not do anything at all of a mental kind that can be avoided; and moreover, that, had I stayed abroad six months longer, I probably should have been well. But the Lord has ordered all right. During my visitations, I had the pleasure of seeing many encouraging evidences of the work of God. You know that in my diocese the number confirmed is the number admitted to the communion; and that, therefore, the preparation for Confirmation is the spiritual preparation for the Lord's Supper-in other words, candidates are received only on a personal profession to the pastor of a hope that they have truly given themselves to the Lord in repentance and faith, etc. I do not know of more than some five or six of my clergy who admit on lower terms. They being inclined to the sacramental views, lean to another platform. Well, in the thirty-three parishes, of which was only one of that sort, the number so received was considerably more than double the previous Confirmation, or any other in the same parishes. The average interval between the former visitation and the

ELECTION OF AN ASSISTANT-BISHOP.

191

last to the same parishes is about eighteen months. The Lord be praised for this.

In consequence of the state of my health, and the necessity of relieving me of a great deal of my burden at the Convention of the Diocese, about ten days since, an Assistant-Bishop was elected, under circumstances very gratifying to me, and calling for a great deal of thankfulness to God. The Convention was exceedingly orderly and prompt. On the first day, after my address, in which I spoke briefly of my health, a committee was moved for and appointed to consider and report on that part of the address. They soon reported the necessity of electing an Assistant-Bishop. It was approved by a strong vote, some six or seven only out of one hundred and seventy-three, clergy and laity, voted against it. The next day, at 10 A.M., was fixed on for the election. At that hour, nominations were made. Then a space of silent prayer, all kneeling where they sat in the church; then the clergy proceeded to vote for a person to be thus nominated to the laity. As each name on the roll was called by the secretary, the clergyman came forward to where the tellers stood, before my seat (presiding), and deposited his ballot : clerical vote finished and counted. The laity voted and confirmed the nomination by eighty-six to twenty-four. Of the latter probably one-half would have been for Dr. B. on a second ballot. After the laity had balloted, the minority expressed a cordial assent, and moved that the election be recorded unanimous. The whole business was as quietly done as if we had been doing the least exciting of all work. The great gratification is that, in the largest Convention ever held in Ohio, there was such decision and determination in choosing for my assistant and my successor, if he survive me, one who is so entirely of my mind, and who will enter so cordially into all the views and policy that I have endea

voured to sustain. It is universally considered a most decided, as it is an almost unanimous, declaration of the diocese, that the flag which I have nailed to the mast is to be kept there.

NOTE ON THE ELECTION OF DR. BEDELL. BISHOP MCILVAINE'S PEACEFUL ANTICIPATION OF SOON

DYING.

Last Friday, June 3rd, the Convention elected an Assistant-Bishop, the Rev. G. T. Bedell. The choice was gratifying to me, because of the good man elected, and because he was elected by such strength of vote as showed the determination of the diocese to sustain the policy, the doctrine, etc, which have marked my Episcopate. The Lord be praised for this. In the prospect of being soon removed from hence, it relieves my mind to think that my office will fall to one in whose piety, knowledge of the truth, wisdom, and faithfulness I have so much confidence. Now, gracious Master, order all influences bearing on the mind of that brother, so that he may see what his duty is, and come to us heartily and devotedly, if Thou dost approve the choice. But all this, how it speaks to me of my nearness to my last week on earth and my departure hence! I expect to die suddenly-most likely it will be by sudden stroke of insensibility. Blessed Lord, I have no request to make in that regard, but whatever the mode, and whenever the time, Thou wilt be with me. I trust Thy grace to be sufficient for me, to be my help, my need, a very present help. I earnestly desire to glorify Thee by a lively hope at the last. But if it please Thee that I go too suddenly to do that, Thy will be done. I am amazed at the little dread and feeling of sadness that I have in surveying, as so near, my end, and in realizing, as I do, how very uncertain is each day. I can think

HARMONY AMONGST THE CLERGY.

193

and speak of going as if it were a pleasing journey home; the darkness of the valley is overlooked in the bright vision of the blessedness beyond. The prospect seems familiar. All here seems as it is but for a day or two. Eternity- the home of the people of God — stands always in sight. I feel that I have a home and treasure there. And why? Simply, dear blessed Jesus, because Thou art there my life, my refuge, my righteousness, all my hope; and I trust I am Thine, in Thee, a true believer, a living branch of Thee, the Vine. Whenever I think of eternity, instantly all my thoughts and hopes and affections run to Thee. O Lord, give me more of Thy Spirit of life, that I may have more of this witnessing that I am Thine. Be indeed my inheritance. 'Let me not be ashamed of my hope.' Jesus, hold me up when I go down to death, and fill me with the joy of Thy presence.

ON THE HARMONY AMONGST HIS CLERGY.-EARLY PRAYER MEETING OF BISHOPS, CLERGY, AND LAITY. Cincinnati, December 2nd, 1859.

TO REV. W. CARUS.

Your letter supplied me with materials for a speech at a meeting of a similar sort-on what the Church of England is doing for missions, etc. Much obliged to you for the digest. It was a meeting of about forty of the clergy of the diocese to meet and greet my Assistant-Bishop at his first entrance on his work, composed of the clergy residing in the part he was then going to visit. There was besides a large congregation of laity, and we spent three days together in different devotional and other religious exercises. God has greatly blessed me in my assistant. He was consecrated at the General Convention in October, which met at Richmond, Virginia. Four other Bishops were then made--two for new fields-men all of whom are pre

pared to rejoice in the best success of any good and faithful preacher of the Gospel. Some of them go to very large, hard, and untamed fields, on the outside of our civilization, where new countries are being populated, and their institutions are yet to be founded-fields which, I think, are more trying-where the heart of affectionate refinement sickens more for want of its own element -than in China or India. In the latter, if the institutions are evil, they have formed the people to a sort of order and respectfulness and civilization. Our General Convocation was very pleasant. I have never attended one so harmonious, or evincing so much religious spirit. There was at no time, on any subject, a drawing of party lines. . . Moderate High Churchmanship (united with a manifest growth of religious spirit and missionary zeal and of disposition to affiliate with those, whom men of extreme Church views are wont to repudiate as Churchmen), was the feature of that part of the Convention, which one would not call, and which does not desire, the name of Evangelical, but prefers to be called by a name more Churchy. It was a good sign of the state of things, that at 7 A.M. every day for two weeks and a half, (the session of the Convention) there was kept up a prayermeeting in one of the largest of the churches, attended by Bishops and Presbyters, and a full congregation of laity, at which the prominent topics of prayer were the Lord's blessing on the Convention, on the Bishops to be consecrated, and the outpouring of the Spirit on all our churches. Often clergymen not in the habit of attending such meetings were there. There was a strong manifestation of interest in, and prayer for the work of God in England, Ireland, and Scotland, and God's blessing especially on the Church of England. . .

I am now enjoined not to preach, but I feel so well when the attacks are not present, that I find it very difficult to realize that I should not. But my head has