Smyrna times., 1866-07-11
MIS- SCELLANE NEOU
The Episcopal Church of Delaware.

The Right Rev. Bishop Lee in his annual
address delivered before the annual Convention
of the Protestant Episcopal church of Della
ware, held at Emmanuel Church, New Castle
on the 9th and 7th of June ult, gave an inter-
esting account of his labors and his Church. =
We extract as follows:
l cannot pass over without notice the fact
that the present is my Twenty-ffth Convention
al Address, and that about four months more,
if continued to me by God, will complete TWEEN
ty-tive years of official service. This period
now review with deep emotion, sensible of the
inadequate manner in which these duties have
been discharged, yet grateful to that divine
goodness by which | have been strengthened
and sustained. While not without occasional
Interruptions of sickness, there has been no
year in which L have not been enabled to make
the expected visitations, and to meet, with
small exceptions, the demand for Episcopal
services. The Protestant Episcopal Church in
Delaware, at the date of which | go back as
all acquainted with the history of the Diocese
are aware, had, from various causes, become
exceedingly depressed, and in some portions
appeared almost ready to die. The grouud
was greatly occupied by other Christian bodies,
and the population being almost stationary,
until quite lately, accessions were not numer-
Gus from abroad We have labored under
constant difficulties arising from the necessity
of uniting Parishes and Stations feeble and far
apart, in single cure from insufficient minis
terial support and frequent changes, and from
the want Of resources within the Diocese. Dis
couragements have been often multiplied, and
at times only faith in God enabled me to per-
severe. Now, when | look back over the
whole period of struggles, trials and frequent
appointments find abundant cause to Of
fer the sacrifice of thanksgiving.
In the Convention of lS4l were nresent ha-
sides the Right Rev. H. U. Onderdonk, of
Pennsylvania, seven clergymen and twenty
three Lay Delegates. On the Bishop list of
Clergy were ten names. Two of these Clergy
men were not residing in the Diocese, two
were without charge, and two resigned very
soon after-so that on my first visitation |
iound but four acting ministers, (Only one be-
low New Castle, and only seven Parishes sup
plled with regular services Three of the Cleri
cal and thirteen of the Lay members of that
Convention are no longer living, and not one
OF the surviving Clergymen is now in the Dio-
cese
At present there are twenty Clergymen ca
nonically resident, eighteen of whom are Rec
tors Of Parishes or performing regular duty as
Assistants of Missionaries. To this number
three will | trust be speedily added.
The number of Communicates reported to
the General Convention in l84l was three
anu L0lrty-nlne. present numbers
between twelve and thirteen hundred
There have been ordained nineteen Deacons
and twenty Presbyters. Seven of our Clergy
have since the date referred to rested from
their la6ors, and nine others, who had during
tins period been connected with the Diocese
but had afterwards removed are also gone.
L have, within the limits Of the Diocese, con-
| firmed two thousand and seventy six persons.
From l845 to 1852 the spiritual condition OF
the Diocese, so tar as Judgment can be form
ed from the classes presented for this apostolic
rite, was languishing and depressed. In the
year 1847 only twenty-five received the layinp
on of hands. The mum Der gradually increased
| from that time till the breaking out of the war
reaching in 1880 one hundred and forty-four,
Then check was given to Church growth, the
effects of which were most felt in 1863 Since
then the increase has been steady, aud the pre-.
sent year has witnessed larger in-gatherinp
than any preceding Let us, brethren in the
ministry, do all that in US lies so to impres.
Christian truth and duty upon those who ap
ply to us for this ordinance, that our confidence
may be strong, that all who receive 1t are in
deed added unto the Lord.
During my Episcopate | have laid the cor
ner-stones of five, and consecrated to the wor
ship of God seventeen Churches. Thirteei
new Churches have been built-0ne has beef
| aVCquIeu Dy purchase One CndC lounu iioOAi
plete has been finished two that were virtual
ly abandoned have been renewed and re occu
pied. Five others have been enlarged, ant
five more repaired. Two of the Churches bull
are In place of old edifces The others ar
new Parishes or Chapels Two ancien
churches have fallen into disuse.
~, Ihe number OF Parishes is now 26-and o
Church Building in use 29.
Ii comparison could be made between tn
amount OF Of contributions for Parochial, Mission
airy and Charitable objects, the advance woul
other statistics. Unfortunately the early re
ports are so defective that such a compariso
cannot be fairly instituted. A ten-fold increas
would seem TO me not to be an exaggerated es
innate.
But the most affecting consideration connec
ted with this review is the thought that !
many immortal souls have gone from thj