There was a time when the Diocese of Virginia was sliding into obscurity. The laity was leaving in droves to the Presbyterians, the Baptists, and the Methodists. The remaining churches were falling into decline. How did the Virginia revive from the brink of disaster?
The year was 1814 when a clergyman by the name of Richard Moore became both rector of a church in Virginia and the bishop. Bishop Moore was "a man of strongly Protestant and evangelical outlook," a history of the Episcopal Church in Virginia describes the early bishop. His preaching brought people to Christ. He revived parishes, founded an evangelical seminary, and turned his attention to overseas mission. He was followed by another robust evangelical bishop, William Meade. Their vision for preaching the scriptures, of centering the diocese on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, of evangelism, of standing firm for truth in the House of Bishops - their vision revived the Episcopal Church in Virginia. How far we've traveled from the foundation of the church to what it is now, today.
Here's an excerpt from the history of the Diocese of Virginia from thediocese.net:
"In 1814, the Rev. Richard Channing Moore of New York, the first man ordained by Bishop Provoost, was persuaded to accept election as rector of Monumental Church in Richmond and as Bishop of Virginia. A man of strongly Protestant and evangelical outlook, Bishop Moore was a gifted and eloquent preacher. There is a story about a congregation that listened spellbound to one of his long, 19th century-style sermons, and when it was over, demanded that he preach another. When that homily ended, they called for another. After the third sermon with supper time near, Moore declared that he had preached enough!
"An able and tireless leader, as well as a great preacher, Bishop Moore crossed and re-crossed the Commonwealth, reviving parishes, replacing the reprobate priests who had come in during the early years of the century, and building up the financial support of the Church. Virginia's second bishop's episcopate was marked by the founding of the Virginia Theological Seminary and of the Diocesan Missionary Society.
"In 1829, the Rev. William Meade was elected and consecrated assistant bishop and, until Bishop Moore's death in 1841, gave his diocesan bishop immense help in reviving the Church in Virginia. Bishop Meade was a prolific writer of letters, prayers, devotional guides, and of historical articles that were later collected in Old Churches and Families of Virginia. Historians and genealogists owe Bishop Meade a great debt for collecting and depositing many of the colonial parish registers and vestry-books with Virginia Theological Seminary.
"By the time Bishop Meade became third Bishop of Virginia in 1841, he was himself in ill health and another assistant bishop was chosen, the Rev. John Johns, D.D. Bishop Johns was the first bishop to be consecrated in Virginia, at Monumental Church in Richmond, October 13, 1842. By the time he became fourth Bishop upon Meade's death in 1862, the Diocese had assumed a leading position in the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States and was large, wealthy, and strong in every respect, its evangelical character and witness owing to the tireless ministry provided by Bishops Moore and Meade.:
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And here is an excerpt from the sermon preached at the consecreation of William Meade by Bishop William White of Pennsylvania. Could this be preached today at a consecration in Virginia?
"Every age has its peculiar dangers, and ours has not the least of them; consisting of the corruptions of many within, and the enmity of many without; and creating especial calls on the conscientious professors of the Gospel, to defend it by their zeal, and to adorn it by their lives. But there is one danger common to all times and places--that of falling short of the standard of Christian morals which it prescribes; and consequently of the life and immortality which it has brought to light.
"In order to prevent this, let every one consider the Gospel as resting on his conscience a weighty trust; comprehending truths which were designed to make him "wise unto salvation;" promises, by which he should become a partaker of the divine nature; and precepts, rendering him "thoroughly furnished unto all good works." These, with whatever they imply of instruction to guide us to our duty, and of grace to enable us to discharge it, are a part of the trust, which gave a ground for the admonition in the text."
William White, August 19, 1829
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