Page:Bruton parish church restored and its historic environments (1907 V2).djvu/176

 Church because of her English connection. Thrown upon her own resources the Church made a desperate struggle until almost the middle of the last century.

In 1789 the Prayer Book, adapted to the changed political conditions and otherwise revised, was ratified at the General Convention of the Church, held in Christ Church, Philadelphia. In many of the churches the prayer for the President of the United States was pasted over the prayer for King George III in the old Prayer Books. In 1784 Bishop Seabury was consecrated for the Church in Connecticut, Bishop Provoost for New York, in 1787, Bishop White for Pennsylvania, in 1787, and Bishop Madison for Virginia, in 1790.

From the dark days of the beginning of the last century we look forward into an ever increasing circle of light. We can not pause to mark the place where, in her onward march, the Church has placed the lamp of truth to lighten the darkness. We can not follow Bishops Meade, Chase, Kemper and Whipple, or Boone, Williams, Payne and others who have led the Church in the partial fulfilment of her mission to the world. We can not venture to measure her influence upon education and social life and upon the religious life about her in the world, or count her spires, or number her homes of mercy. God has blessed her, and through her He has blessed the nation and is blessing the world. Rich with the heritage of far more than three centuries, the American Churchman faces the new century. The years that have gone have brought us blessings immeasurable. The year that is now brings us a responsibility and a duty. Made, through God's Church, in Christ, sons of the King, and the heirs of His blessings, we face the responsibility of determining in what measure and in what way we shall return thanks to the King. The suggestion of the Church for a "" simply indicates one of the many ways in which we may manifest our gratitude. Every Churchman in Virginia and every true American should respond