And soon, along yon moonlit marge, The sound of holy prayer, And sweet-voiced chant of youths and maids, For there the college choirs, with psalms Blest evensong! blest close of day! No note of praise, no word of prayer, And a kind Parent's patient love Shall guard them through the night. Unceasing be these cheerful rites, For, not alone on those who kneel These faithful orisons shall draw LIABILITIES OF ST. MARY'S CHURCH. At a meeting of the Vestry, held August 20th, 1860, "the Finance Committee submitted their report, by which it appears that the present liabilities of the Church are a trifle over $21,000." BISHOP ODENHEIMER RESIGNS THE CHARGE OF THE PARISH. At the same Vestry meeting, Mr. Wm. A. Rogers stated that the Bishop requested him to say to the Vestry, that he wished to resign his charge of the Church, as provided by a resolution passed January 16th, 1860. The Bishop's resignation was accepted, and the following resolution adopted: Resolved, That the thanks of this Vestry be gratefully tendered to the Bishop, for so kindly undertaking and discharging the additional labours imposed by his recent charge of St. Mary's Church. Dr. Gauntt offered the following: Resolved, That a Committee of three, be appointed to consult with the Bishop, to select with his approval, a suitable clergyman to be nominated as Rector of this parish. The resolution was adopted, and the chair appointed the following Committee: Messrs. Dr. Gauntt, Wm. A. Rogers, E. Howell. RIVERSIDE PROCURED FOR AN EPISCOPAL RESIDENCE. "On the 17th day of July, 1860, the Trustees of Burlington College, assembled at Burlington, having under consideration a deed of trust, whereby the residence on Green Bank, Burlington, known as Riverside, with a suitable curtilage, was secured forever as a residence of the Bishop of the Diocese; 'On motion, it was Resolved, That the Bishop, if he concurs, be requested to report to the next meeting of this Board that he consents to the curtilage so marked and defined, and that he be requested to state at the next Annual Convention, that the curtilage has been assigned to his satisfaction.' "It was thus made my duty, which I hereby discharge to report to this Convention that, whereas, by a deed of trust, which I append to, and make part of, this Address, the residence on the bank at Burlington, known as Riverside, with a suitable curtilage, was secured forever as the residence of the Bishop of the Diocese; I have consented, as Bishop, to the following curtilage marked and defined by the Board of Trustees of Burlington College, to wit: 'That the ground lying next to the river, west and south of lines parallel with Pearl street and the boundary line of St. Mary's Hall property, the one equi-distant between Pearl street and the River Front of the Mansion; the other twenty feet south-west of the Chapel wall, be appropriated as the curtilage, with an avenue or passage of eleven feet in width to Pearl street, on the line next to St. Mary's Hall. The passage is intended to give convenient access to Pearl street from the Mansion grounds.' "I deem it proper to state, that after having adjusted the curtilage of Riverside, as above reported, they proceeded to resolve, that until otherwise directed by the Board of Trustees, the entire grounds of Riverside, as also the Lodge, be left as heretofore in the occupation of the Bishop. Of course such part outside of the curtilage to be held at the will of the Trustees, without any responsibility on their part to repair or rebuild."—Episcopal Address, 1861. REV. WILLIAM CROSWELL DOANE ELECTED RECTOR OF ST. "The undersigned, a Committee of the Wardens and Vestrymen of St. Mary's Church, have the pleasure to announce that at their stated meeting held on the evening of the 10th inst., you were unanimously elected Rector of said Church, to assume the duties at your earliest convenience. "In the present condition of the Church we cannot fix the salary higher than $500 per annum and the Parsonage. "Sincerely trusting you will feel it incumbent on you to accept this call, as true and long tried friends we respectfully suggest the propriety of continuing the services as conducted by your late lamented Father, believing that such a course will be highly acceptable to all the congregation, make us once more a united people, and with your valuable assistance add greatly to the resources of the Parish. "Desiring an early answer, believe us "Your sincere friends, "FRANKLIN GAUNTT, "WM. J. WATSON. "To the Rev. Wm. Croswell Doane, B. D." + Wm. Croswell Doane, second son of the Rt. Rev. George W. Doane, was born in Boston, Mass., March 2d, 1832; removed with his father to Burlington in the spring of 1833; graduated at Burlington College, Sep. 26th, 1850; became a candidate for Holy Orders the same year; was ordered Deacon, by his father, in St. Mary's Church, Burlington, March 6th, 1853; elected Assistant Minister of St. Mary's Parish, Burlington, April 4th, 1853; proceeded M. A. in Burlington College, Sep. 29th, 1853; was advanced to the priesthood, by his father, in St. Mary's Church, Burlington, March 16th, 1856; resigned the Assistantship of St. Mary's, May 2d, 1856; and, the same year, proceeded B. D. in Burlington College, and founded St. Barnabas' Free Mission, Burlington; where he was ministering when chosen Rector of St. Mary's Parish. REV. MR. DOANE'S LETTER ACCEPTING THE RECTORSHIP OF ST. MARY'S PARISH. "Burlington, Sept. 18th, A. D. 1860. "To Franklin Gauntt, M. D., Wm. J. Watson, Esq., Committee: "GENTLEMEN-MY VERY KIND FRIENDS: "My necessary absence from home, under the pressure of a severe bereavement, kept from me until last night, your letter announcing, on behalf of the Vestry of St. Mary's Parish, my unanimous election to be your Rector. I pass over the kind suggestion of the latter portion of your note, as not bearing upon the question in hand, and as trenching upon those spiritual cares which are the sole province of your Rector. But I must say that the reference you make is most grateful to me as recalling the fact that you have honored me with the offer to succeed my beloved Father, in a charge to which he devoted so much of his life and love. Hallowed to me by such associations, I feel deeply touched in the mere thought of coming to be the Guardian of his memory, his labours, and his grave, in the Parish of my Christian training and confirmation, and first communion and double ordination at his hands; and among the people for whom he lived and died, and to whom the first three years of my ministry were devoted under him. "After an earnest and solemn consideration of the whole subject, and acting under the entire approval of the Bishop, and under the advice by which my life is mainly governed, (more urgent now since death has sealed the lips of one who gave it,) I have decided, God helping me, to undertake the great and solemn trust, to which, I believe, He calls me through you. You have taken me, 'a man of your coasts,' and set me for your 'watchman,' knowing me thoroughly and well. May God direct and bless the issues of your choice. "While I authorize you to communicate this fact to the Vestry of St. Mary's Parish, I must ask you also to add to such communication the following statement which I deem necessary to a full and clear mutual understanding from the first: "In coming to St. Mary's Parish to assume entirely and discharge, to the best of my ability, the full round of Parochial duties, I cannot reconcile it to my conscience or my heart to give up the work of my mission, which, under God, owes its origin and continuance to me; and to the people of which I am bound by the strongest ties of sympathy and love. I know that I ask in such a declaration the exercise of your fullest confidence; but I ask it, sincerely believing myself able to serve the interests of both, by making those interests one; by a plan whose details I may communicate to you hereafter. "It will of course be essential to this end, that I should have an assistant at once. I believe the way is opening to secure this at slight additional expense to the Parish. And I have no desire to make the Vestry responsible except to me. "The selection and appointment of the Assistant resting with me, his remuneration would also come from me. But, while I respect the manner in which the Vestry mention the amount of the Rector's salary as fixed only for the present;' indicating their own impression of the unfitness of the amount either to the dignity of the Rectorship or to the ability of the congregation, and while I desire in no way, to seek the 'hire' which is the due of every laborer,' I must ask of the Vestry that in acting upon my acceptance they should take ground which will enable me at once to secure and pay for, the services of an Assistant, at, at least, one-half the salary proposed for the Rector. "Beyond this there is no need of words. I shall count upon the hearty co-operation of the Vestry and Parishioners, in an earnest effort to lessen and liquidate the debt resting upon the Parish, and it will be my constant aim to train the people of my charge, to what I believe the essential element of Church extension, and the only true motive and manner of Church support, the abolition of pews, and of every other seeming equivalent for the free gift of our substance to God. "In such heart and such hope I am willing to change my humble and more congenial position for one of harder labours and higher responsibilities. Many personal reasons and pressing duties will prevent my asking for Institution at the Bishop's hands, before the first Sunday in Advent, Dec. 2d, and until |
