The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-11-12

The Progress OF the Episcopal Church!
1t is but sixty two years since five clergymsn
and eleven laymen of the Episcopal Church met in
this city and formed the first convention of new
diocess This was in the year 1885, There WIS
then but one Episcopal parish in this city-Trinisy
Church.
Energetic measures were adopted to procure the
conservation Of bishop of the diocsss. The Rev.
Dr.. Samuel Provost was unanimously elected, in
the year l7s6. he and DR.. White, of Pennsylva-
MIA, proceeded to England for conservation, whi,h
they received in the year 1877. In June, Of that
year, on his return home from England, Bishop
PROVOST, in his first address to his diocess said
The object Of my late mission, being the ndepsn-
dence Of our church, and the regular succession
OF the ministry, was Of such magnitude, that its
happy accomplishment cannot fail Of inspiring
all its members with the deepest gratitude
to Almighty God, and to all, who, under
Him, have, by their good Offices, contributed
to its success. To the English bishops particularly
we are under 'indellible obligations. And l cor.
daily unite with you in public testimony to them
for their benevolent and paternal exertions in our
favor Whenever we shall reflect on this important
era in the history of our church, they must be re-
membered with honor and reverence. Let us, my
beloved friends, zealously strive to make due i'm
provement Of the spiritual privileges which we now
enjoy. Let our faith be sincere, and our lives I'M
blemished as our doctrine and worship are pure and
holy, and God will continue to shower wn his
blessings upon us and eur church with bountiful
hand.''
Among the lay members of the diocess, at that
period, Q7S6 to 1852 were James Duane, Marinus
Willet, join Alsop, John Jay, R r. Livingston,
Richard Morris, William Duer, Pascal Smith,
John Lawrence, John Rutherford, Richard Har-
rison, Augustus AN Cortlandt, and William Samuel
johnson, with many others. who were eminensly
qualified to take part in devising the best mea-
sures for the accomplishment of the important
objects contemplated. Any one among us who is
acquainted with the public doings of the men who
bore these Names need not be told that there were
''giants in those days" And these mighty men,"
men of renown," wisely as well as powerfully CO.
operated with Bishop Provost and his clergy in
their good work The number Of clergymen in The
diocess had increased to twenty three, when QS)I)
the Bishop was compelled, by his bodily infirmites
and domestic Affections, to resign his jurisdiction of
the diocess
The statistics for the first seventeen years repre-
sent the number of the clergy, at six successive
periods, as follows:-17S5, five clergymen I7SS
twenty one; 1901, twenty three. During the epis.
copate Of the second bishop, the Right Rev. DR.,
Moore, from 1901 to 1911, when Bishop Hobart was
elected Assistant Bishop, the clergy increased to
forty-seven. In the nineteen years of Bishop Ho-
bart's eminertly successful labors, the number of
clergymen continually advanced, until QS3O) it
reached one hundred and twen.y.seven.
The chief increase, however, was after the COM
4 L. l.. n
in 1880 Eight years after that time there were in
the diocess Of New York two hundred and forty six
clergymen, and two hundred and thirty eight
parishes. In the year 1888 the docess was d.
vided, the thirty eastern counties of the State
being included within the limits Of the diocess of
New York, and all the other counties being embraced
by the docess Of Western New York. The dividing
Lire was formed by the eastern boundary lines of
the counties of Broone, Chenango, Madison, Oneida
and Lewis, and the northeastern line Of the county
Of Jefferson.
The diocess Of New York, Therefore, Tow COM
prises, besides Manhattan Island, Long Island, and
Staten Island, the counties Of Weschester, Rock
land, Orange, Putnam Duchess, Ulster, Sullivan,
Delaware, Greene, Columbia, Rensselaer,, Al
bany, Schoharie, Otsego, Herkimer, Montgomery,
Schenectady, Saratoga, Fulton, Hamilton, Warren,
Washington, Essex, Clinton, Franklin, and st.
Lawrence The area Of the diocess was reduced by
the division from fortysx thousand square miles to
twenty.four thousand. Yet in ten years, USl31
the clergy numbered two hundred and forty. eight;
and last year, US5l,) ther. were two hundred and
seventy nine clergymen, forty n va candidates for
holy orders, and two hundred and twenty. four
churches and chapels in the diocess. The Aoni-
cal collections for the episcopal fund, and the do
cessn, the education, and the missionary funds, and
for aged and infrm clergymen, amounted during
the year to len thousand six hundred dollars There
are eighty six clergymen in the city Of New York,
twenty two in Brooklyn, and five in Williamsburg
Most Of these are rectors assistant ministers, or
missionaries.
1t is now proposed again to divide the diocess Of
New York, 70 as to reserve about fourteen couu-
ties Of the present thirty one, and to constitute
with the remainder new diocess. That
great benefits would flow from such dvi-
zion there can be little doubt The old diocess
would yet retain a geographical area Of moro than
eight thousand five hundred square miles, the
Bishop could more readily and more frequently visit
the parishes, and the division Of labor would pro-
duce in ecclesiastical affairs, as it SO wondrously
does in temporal affairs, from the conduct Of our
civil government to the manufacture Of pin, 70.
suits not TO be well nor expeditiously effected
in any other manner.
The prospect that invites the efforts of the new
bishop Is exceedingly alluring He has before him
enough to occupy the whole mind and tax all the
energies OF any man. And the influence which his
elevated station enables him TO WELD may produce
such fruits as II is the lot Of few to have the pryi-
lege and blessedne@ Of gathering.
The most venerable parish Of our city, cold Mother