The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-05-26
MEETING OF THE
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CONVENTION,
OF THE DIOCESE OF MARYLAND.

OF Gay and Fayette streets. The usual devotional
services were performed by the Rev. Dr. Wyatt,
assisted by Rev. DR.. Allen, Bishop Whittingham
and Rev. Mr.. Colburn. Rev. Orlando Hilton then
preached an eloquent and ape sermon from the fol-
lowing text:
But ye are chosen generation royal priesthood
holy nation peculiar people, that ye should shew forth
the praises of Him who hath called you darkness
INTO his marvellous light Il Peter, I'd chap verse
. After which the holy sacrament of the Lords
| supper was administered, to the clergy first, and
then to the laymen and female communicates
At II o'clock, Bishop Whttingham called the
Convention to order, with DR.. j. H. Alexander.
who was Secretary of the last session of the Con-
| yentlon acting in that capacity.
The Bishop ordered the Secretary to proceed to
eau the list OF members who occupied seats in the
! last convention, which accordingly done and
large number of responses made.
Inc Secretary then called the names of those Law
delegates whose certificates and subscriptions had
been placed on the desk of the Secretary
The names of those delegates who had not signed
the constitution and declaration We're called so
that they might come forward and comply with the
| requirements.
The Bishop announced that if any Law deIagataS
were present who had certificates they would please
present them to the Secretary.
The Bishop announced that quorum was pre-
sent ana the Convention would proceed to the cleo
tion of a Secretary.
A member nominated Robert NJ. Proud, ESQ.
Dr. Alexander, who had requested to be excused
| from actlnSJ was also placed nomination.
| The Bishop.-"Shall the Secretary be elected bv
acclamaton, If so, Mr.. Alexander may be placed in
position from which he could not recede, but
would feel himself compelled to serve"
| 1hlS proposition asSented to and Dr. I II
| Alexander was by reclamation declared the Secre-
tary, and the Bishop appointed Robert NJ. Proud,
| Assistant Secretary.
The Bishop then announced the Standing Com,
mittees as follows
Con'mitee 0" Elections Of Lay Delegates.-W. D.
66owle' OF Montgomery county; DR.. Williams, of
somerset county; Mr. Lynn, of Allegany county.
COMMITTEE on Accountable. Ellicott, of Balti-
more; DR.. Marshall, of Calvert county; Wm Hay-
| ward of Worcester county.
| Committee on PorochiaL ContriJutions-Mr Chds,
OF ashington county; Mr.. Kemp of Baltimore
| and NJ j. Godsborough, of Talbot county,
Con,nHee on Rights Of CIergymen to SeGts-Rev
| DR.. Wyatt, Rev. VIM. Champion, Rev. E. f. Da-
| SHELL
Committee Admission of Ne,o Parishes and Con-
! gregatioms.-Rev. DR.. Allen, Rev. Mr. Morsell,
Rev. R. h: Waters, j. Mason Campbell Esq, Mr..
| lngle, of Washington.
Committee on CdnOns and Btsiaess-Rev Dr.
! Coke, Rev. Mr.. Hall, Rev. DR.. Marbury, H. D.
Evans, Esq, of Baltimore, j. S. Sellman, Esq., of
Anne Arundel county.
Committee on the State Of the Church.-Rev Mr..
Stewart, Rev. DR.. Smallwood Rev. Mr. Rankin
Hon. A. NJ. Smith, of Dorchester, Mr. Woodward
of Baltimore.
Rev. Mr.. levin then stated that he thought the
Convention would stutity itselfby proceeding under
the rules which governed the last Convention. He
objected to the 2lst rule, which reads "Every
proposed canon, resolution, order and rule which
does not come from a committee shall be referred
to an appropriate Standing Committee unless
specially ordered to be referred to special Com
mittee
The Bishop referred the gentleman to the 9Th
rule.
Mr.. Levin said that he was satisfied with the
power which had been exercised in the organiza.
ton, but he did not think that any resolution could
be entertained untilit had passed through commit
tee He therefore moved to rescind the goth and
2lst rules of order.
The Bishop said the motion was in order and he
therefore referred it to the Committee on Canons
Mr.. Levin moved the appointment of Special
Committee to consider the matter and on the cues
ton division was called, when the motion for a
Special Committee was adopted by vote of A
yeas, 81 NAYS.
The Bishop then decided that the Special Com
mittee would have the revision of the rules in their
charge.
Mr.. Hare appealed from the decision of the chair,
and some considerable discussion followed, when
The Bishop decided that the entire discussion was
out OF order. The reports ofthe ministry had not
been received, and the rights of delegates to seat
had not been settled, and therefore the Conven-
ton was not thoroughly organized.
j. Mason Campbell, ESD, stated that it was Gus
tomary in deliberatve bodies to adopt the rules of
order which regulated the previous meeting of the
same body, and this was done before the creden-
tlais OF members were examined. He therefore
hoped that the gentleman would withdraw his ap
peal to allow him to introduce a resolution to
adopt the rules of order of the last session. until
otherwise ordered.
Mr.. Hare withdrew his appeal by permission of |
the Convention, and the suggestion of Mr. Camp
bell was placed in the form of resolution and was
adopted
petition received asking leave to organize
a new congregation in the northwestern part of
Baltimore; also asking leave for the formation of a
congregation in Baltimore county; also for in
St Bartholomew parish, in Montgomery county.
These petitions were referred to the Committee on
New Parishes and Congregations.
A resolution inviting to the floor visiting breth-
ren and candidates for holy orders was passed.
Hugh Davy Evans, ESQ.,, offered a resolution or
dering to have printed on the journal of 1859 all
proceedings affecting the lines of division between
the different parishes passed the session of the
Convention of 1858. Adopted.
Mr.. j. A. Harold presented the evidence of the
organization of st. Andrews parish of Washington
city.
The Bishop referred the evidence to the Commit
Bishop Whittingham then asked the Convention
if it was ready to receive the address of the Bishop
and 1t having signfed its assent he proceeded to
read
The address commences with a reference to the
death of the late Dr. J. V. d. Johns. 1t states that
for over thirty years he was not only an active
but most useful minister of the Gospel. His emf
nent piety, winning manners and ardent zeal had
endeared him to all who had ever heard of him,
and his character Christian familiar to the
membership of the entire Church in this country
The ministry had sustained a great loss in the
death of DR.. Johns, and he might truly say
that there We're but few in the diocese whose
death would be so generally lamented, or whose
usefulness would be much missed. The Bshop
said that the richest eulogy would be poor. and no
language could do justice to the virtues of the de-
ceased. He then referred in most feeling terms to
the death of Rev. VIM. w. Arnett, of Emmanuel
Church, Allegany county, who died during the
same week in which DR.. Johns died. The Bishop
then referred to the great increase of his labors
throughout the diocese and the great prosperity of
! the church. His labOrs had increased until his
| time had to be divided with most scrupuous care
tn 0npth rie6 +l,o
he had labOred in seven different places where the
foot of Bishop had never trod and he believed
| that there was not section OF the State where,
! in every five miles square, congregation could
not be gathered to listen to the teachings of the
| church. He then referred to the inadequate pay
which large number of the ministry received,
stating that full third of all the congregations
| were so poor that they were unable to pay their
pastors sufficient to furnish food and rament for
themselves and families. The self-sacrifcing de-
votion with which these pastors discharged their
duties, notwithstanding this limited allowance, was
referred to, and the ministry expected to i'm
press upon their different congregations the neces-
sity OF supplying the means to carry on the work
| OF the church. He stated that during the year II
| rectorships had been vacated and 10 filled; and
that thirtysix changes had taken place in the min
! istry, the most ofwhich were merely changed from
field of labor to another. The address then re-
fers to the immediate labors of the Bishop for the
! year, giving the names of the different parishes
| and congregations which he visited and the num-
| Der of confirmations made The Bishop offciated
! 253 times in "a different localities. There
| are II candidates for Holy orders, and five
have been ordained. The Bishop refers to the
prosperity of the Church Home Infrmary and other
institutions of charity and learning, and exhorts
the ministry to urge upon the membership the
claims of these great auxiares in the furtherance
of Gods work. He next calls attention the Bible
and Tract distribution causes, and calls for more
| earnest endeavors in behalf of these labors. The
address closes with appeal for united effort in
| the different fields of labor and PRAYER that God
will prosper the church.
After the address of the Bishop, DR.. Kerfoot
Chairman of the Committee on on the proposed di-
vision OF the Diocese, presented and read their
port After stating the precise objects for which
| the Committee was appointed, the report goes
| to advocate the pecessity for the division. The
duties attending office of Bishop have increased
so much within the past few years. that they have
become too Onerous for one person to discharge
The report sets forth the numerous and varied
claims which made upon the time and abilities
! ofthe Bishop, and asserts that the good of the
! church and the prosperity of the Diocese demand
that division should be made In the prosecution
of the duties assigned them, the Committee issued
two crculars-one on the 2Sth of Nav, '5S, and the
other the ls of January, 1859, addressed to the
Clergy and Vesries of the entire Diocese, request
ing each to inform the Committee whether they
were favorable to the division of the Diocese of
Maryland, and the following the result:
Of the Clergy of the Diocese, "a say aye, West
ern Shore 55,-Eastern Shore 1917 and SO say no.
western Shore 35,-Eastern Shore 81 the rest of
the Clergy, 40 in number, made no response.
of the Parishes and Congregations, AS say aye;