Report of Commemorative Services with the Sermons and Addresses at the Seabury Centenary, 1883-1885.Episcopal Church. Diocese of Connecticut
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Report of Commemorative Services with the Sermons and Addresses at the Seabury Centenary, 1883-1885.
Episcopal Church. Diocese of Connecticut
Seabury, Samuel, 1729-1796
No words of mine can convey to you the feelings of gratitude which
animated the hearts of all Scottish Churchmen when they heard of
your remarkable kindness in coming to our shores at this time to
celebrate with us our service of praise and thanksgiving to
Almighty God for the blessing He has bestowed upon the work of our
fathers. As a small testimony to their venerable father and to the
Church of his diocese, they ask Bishop Williams to accept this
pastoral staff. May I point out that there are portrayed on this
staff figures which represent the history of the Church in this
land, and therefore a great chapter in the history of the American
Church. You will find on the staff the figure of St. Andrew, the
patron saint of Scotland; you will find also the figure of St.
John, reminding you that Christianity reached Scotland from
Eastern sources; you will find the figure of St. Ninian, uniting
the Scottish succession and ministry with the Celtic Church; and
you will find the figure of St. Augustine, signifying that act of
brotherly love and communion which we received from the English
Church, restoring to us the Episcopacy which in troublous times
had been lost; you will also find the figure of that Primus of the
Church who was the chief consecrating bishop of your venerable
Seabury, and you will find also the figure of Seabury himself. In
the head of this staff you will recognize the figure of the great
Head of the Church giving His divine commission to St. Peter and
to all others ordained and consecrated to the same sacred office:
'Feed my sheep; feed my lambs.' I will rejoice to think that this
staff, which you and your successors will carry on your
confirmations and visitations and other episcopal acts, by
reminding you of the sanctuary where we have just now held our
great service to God, and of the figure of the Good Shepherd which
stands over its altar, will not only recall to you the pastoral
work in which it is your high office and privilege ever to
minister, but will encourage you to seek also the blessing and the
favour of the chief Bishop and Pastor of souls. In now presenting
you with this emblem of your sacred office, as I have the
privilege of doing on behalf of the Scottish Church, I may mention
that many of the offerings that have been given towards it have
been the pence of the very poorest in the land.
Bishop Williams, in acknowledging the presentation, said:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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