New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-05-18
VOLUME XIV.

et;tor in july last. When called upon by me to
God willing, the restoration OF the
parish, they responded nobIy and promptly, and
5od has prospered their efforts far beyond our
most sanguine anttcpations. The congregation
has 80 far outgroWn the capacity Of the church
building that though chairs and benches occupy
every available place, seats cannot be found for
those who seek to attend the services. II has
never been my privilege to labor among people
more active and earnest in good works. Although
broken in fortune by the war they determined to
rid the church of the debt which for years had
parali2ed its energies and impeded its progress In
this work ALL both young and old, Joined; the
man OF comfortable means gave of his comparative
abundance, and the widow cast in her mite. God
blessed tile effort, and IN four weeks the church
was declared free from debt and ready for conse-
Grafton. All did we'll Many were the sacrifices
made to save (by selfdeniaD mething TO pay the
price of the chnrch's freedom from debt. 1t was
heavy burden to be moved by an impoverished
congregation and at one time the effort seemed
upon the verge of failure, when we were pro 1pty
and fally relieved by the generous liberality of
three of the yestry.
The Ladies' Benevolent Society, which existed
in the parish before the war; was revived under the
name of " The Bishop Polk Benevolent Society"
The twelve managers (ladies in the parish) divided
that portion of the city occupied by the parish
toner's into twelve districts each district presided
over by one manager who, aided by ether mem
bers, became the visitor Of that district. Their
object is to minister to the spiritual and temporal
wants Of the poor and needy In this work have
reason to believe taey have been active, devoted
and faithful.
The fund reported above as the "rectory fund )"
was raised by the ladies of the parish. They felt
as all Christians should, that no parish is complete
without rectory, and that if people demand of
rector the devotion of all his time, abilities and
energies to their welfare, the least they can do iii
able) is to furnish his family home. It is con
ddently expected that by fall (God willing) this
work will be completed.
Weekly collections are made in the church. By
setting apart the collection of one Sunday in each
month"; d parish missionary fund has been estab
lished, which has enabled the yestry to devote $50
per month to the aid of one earnest brother cler-
gymen who is laborpg to build up parish near
the city, and to make such other contributions as
they were able and seemed advisable. The
amount of S25 per month is contributed out of
communion aims to the g Childrens Home" A
parish circulating library has been established
ing the people in the doctrine, discipline and
worship of the Holy Catholic Church. The
hourishing condition of the Sunday school is due
| (under Cod to the complete system and un-
| tiriug attention of the superintendent, Mr.
| Chas. Dupuy, aided by the ladies and gentlemen
| of the school who, with him, appreciate the i'm
portance to the church of guiding her children in
the old paths. During the months of January and
March the parish was favored by visits from the
| Right Reverend the Bishop of Alabama. On the
9th Of March the church, free from debt, was con
secrated by the bishop to the service of Almighty
| God
| In conclusion, the rector desires to record his
| appreciation of the zeal, devotion and energy o
| the wardens and vestry, and Of the hearty co
| operation given him by the entire parish. Above
all he thanks God for the evidences which He hatl
vouchsafed of His presence among us.
Most respectfully,
| JHo. W, BEcKwGTH, Rector
Mr.. Mcconnell presented resolution which, OF
his motion was, without being read referred to tht
committee on the subject of the restoration of thu
diocese in its relations to the Protestant Episcopa
Church of the United States of America.
Resolutions of Mr.. Mcconnell:
| WHEREAS, the Diocese of the Protestant Episco
| pal Church, in this State, in convention assembled
| at st. Francisve Louisiana, did on the LIST day o
May, 1861, adopt the following resolution, to wit
| g. ReSotred, That the Diocese of Louisiana ha
ceased to be Diocese of the Protestant Episcopa
Church in the United States of America
| Therefore be it now
ReSolred, That the said resolution be- aud th
| same is hereby rescinded.
ReSolUed, That this diocese accede TO and re
adopt the constitution and canons of the Protes
! tant Episcopal Church of the United States o
| America.
Be It further Resolued, That the presiding off
! Ger Of this convention be directed to forward
copy of the foregoing preamble and resolutions t.
| the presiding bishop of the Protestant Episcopa
| Church in the United States of America.
The Rev. Mr.. Mccoy suggested that the conven
tion should to-day meet for morning service, at
o'clock but no action was taken en- the matter.
On motion of Mr.. Nugent, which was adopted
the president appointed Messrs. Dix, Murison
Lloyd, Grtmshaw and Nugent, of committee t
report on the Indebtedness of the diocese to tn
late bishop, and to report measures for the extin
guishment of the same.
The president called attention to the folIowin
provision of the ffth canon: ' 1t shall be the dut
of ir ,rs4 4
send annually to the treasurer of the convention
sum equal to one per centum on the salary of il
minister, lat least ten dollars) annually; and tn
sum so raised shall be appropriated by the treasr
rer to pay for Publishing of the journals and othe
contingent expenses of the convention" And h
intmated that the treasurer was present an
would be glad togeceive assessments.
! On motion of the Rev. DR.. Lewis, the conYentio
! then took recess of half an hour, to enable til
committees appointed to meet and prepare the
Ireports.
On resuming,
The Rev. DR.. Lea3ock said he found That he ha
inadvertently done great injustice to a brothe
clergyman by leaving out his name from anon
those of the clergy entitled to a vote in the cor
yantion. He alluded to the Rev. Anthony Vaas
Of whom he asked pardon; and as from the Con
nit ee on Credentials, lie recommended and move
his admission.
On motion of Mr.. Mcconnell the motion wa
unanimously adopted.
TIE secretary read The report of the standin
committee. 1t related to the episcopal labors Q
Bishop Ley, Of Arkansas, and those of the stend
ing committee from 1861. Bishop Lay, it will b
recoilected, performed episcopal duties in thi
diocese at the request of Rishop Polk, Curing tn
absence of the latter. The report was receive
and unanimously adopted.
The president, as chairman of the committee Of
the subject of the decease of the late BishopPok
presented a report on motion Of the Rev. Dr
Hedges. Ee said lie presented the preamble anl
resolutions with all the love Of friend and~Gd
mirer of the late bishop, and then proceeded tt
read them as follows;
4 WHEREAS On the idth day of June, in the yea
of our Lord 1864, it pleased Almighty God, in Hi
wise providence to take out of this world, the
Right Rev. Leonidas Polk, d. D., chief pastor o
the church in Louisiana, The convention of thi
diocese, assembled in st. Pauls church, NeU
Orleans with entire submission to the will of Go(
! uuder this trying dspensation, desiRa to put OF
record heir profound sense of the great loss whicl
the church has sustained in the removal Of one
who, during long period of uninterrupted labor
in the episcopal office, mot only had greatly
endeared himself to the affections of the people
whom he served, (by the manifold attractions o
his personal character aad by the wisdom aut
Figor of his official adminstFaton,) Yves the
means, under God, of layiag broad and deep the