Evening star., 1867-05-30
Annual Convention OF the Protestant
EpisCopal Church.

FIRST DAY.-The Eighty fourth Annual
Convention of the Protestant Episcopal
Church, corner of Monu ument and Park streets,
yesterday morning, and was opened with
prayer at O'Clock by Rev. Mr.. Brand, Of
Hartford county lessons read by Rev. Mr..
Hammond, OF Annapolis, and the Litany by
Rev. Mr.. Aids, of Washington, ID. G.. The an
nual sermon was then preached by Rev. DR..
Nelson, President OF the St Johns College,
Annapolis, who delivered a very eloque ad- :
dress, At the conclusion Of the sermon the
Holy Communion was administered by Rev
James A. McKenney, d. D.. assisted by Revs.
MessTs. Crossale and Levin.
The Right Rev. w. r. Whittingham, Bishop
of the diocese, being absent on account Of the
death of his sister, the Convention was called
to order about o'clock, by Rev. DIR. McKen-
ney, President OF the Standing Committee.
A quorum of both orders being found to be
present, the chair announced the first business
in order to be the election of q President pro
tempors. Rev. DIR McKenney being the only
gentleman nominated for the position, was de.
Clared elected.
The Convention procee ded to the election of.
Secretary, when Philip M. Snowden was
elected.
A communication was received and read
from Bishop Whittngham in reference to his
annual address.
dress, refers TO bis inability to attend to the
many arduous duties of his office on account
OF illness, and of the willin gness on the part
Of Bishops Of other dioceses to render him as
sistance. Fourteen dismissals to other dio.
ceses had been made during the year. The
accessions amounted to f1fteen-four by ordi.
nation and eleven received from other dio.
ceses; five candidates for holy orders have
been admitted, and commissions issued to four
lay readers: 9G7 combinations within the dio.
cese had been made during the year The
iaoors OF the Bishop. and those who assisted
him, embraced twelve counties, the District Of
Columbia and the city of Baltimore; services
held in forty-nine churches and chapels and
twenty-nine parishes visited. In referring to
m SS It.h
can speak no word Of praise except in refer
ence to the District of Columbia, where the
Work is carried vigorously on. In closing his
address, the Bishop urges upon the diocese
the appointment of an Assistant Bishop, if
such could be done in compliance with the
caEonical rules of the church, as his failing
health prevented him from discharging the
arduous duties imposed upon him. The Bish-
op, however. did not think that such action
could be taken: and if 1t was the will of the
diocese ne would prefer to resign: and would
the acceptance of the resignation by that BODY
The Bishop also strongly advocated the di Wis
ION OF me diocese into three separate parts,
and the selection Of bishop for each He was
OF the opinion ever since the first year of his
labor in the capacity of Bishop of Mar yiand,
that me diocese never would thrive until
division had been made.
The Chair announced the CONN, ittees and
the Convention took a recess at fiv o'clock
AT the afternoon session, Hugh Dayey
Evans, Esq, from the committee appointe1
At The last session Of the Convention, upon the
second article of the constitution, presented a
report. which was read, but no definite action
taken thereupon.
Papers were presented in reference to the
foI m alton OF new parish in Hartford county,
OF the division of the Ascension Parish Wash
1Dgton, OF the division of Grace Parish at
Georgetown, OF the division of St. Johns
Parlsh at washington, and of the intention of
Trinity Church, Howard county, uniting with
the Convention, which were referred to the
committee on new parishes and congregations,
and the Convention adjourned until this
morning Baltimore Commercial