Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-06-03
Protestant Episcopal Church.
OF THE DIOCESE OF YER
MONT.

This body is composed of the Bishop,
who is president thereof, &C oficto, of the
Rectors of all the parishes, of such mis-
sionaries within the Diocese as are en-
ployed by its authority, and of lay dele
gates from the several parishes A eler-
gyman, however, to be entitled to a vote,
must have been in canonical connection
with the Diocese at least one year previous
to the meeting of that convention where
he desires a seat and vote. Otherwise he
would have but an honorary seat therein,
with other visiting clergy, to whom an
invitation is annually extended.
The lay delegates are chosen by each
parish respectively, at the annual Easter
elections, which occur between one and
three months before the annual conven-
ton. At these elections, all male mem
bers of the parish, including those who
contribute to its support, being of legal
age, are voters The delegates must
be chosen from the vestry, which
is body composed, in this Do
cese, Of seven men Including two
wardens) chosen at the Easter cleo
lions, to act as the temporal guar
dams of the parish, and to assist the Rec
tor in the discharge of his pastoral func-
lions. Each parish is entitled to at least
one lay delegate and, if it has ten male
communicates, to two delegates if
twenty male communicates, to three, and
SO on. According to this ratio, most Of
the parishes in this Diocese have from
two to three lay delegates, and two or
three may be entitled to four At the
convention in March, 1868, for the elee-
ton of Bishop, three parishes had four
dolossa.As .aach-namelv those a Dur
lington, st. Adams, and Bellows Falls.
The convention is the legislative body
of the church in the diocese. No law or
canon can be made or altered without the
concurrence of both clergy and laity. As
general rule, it requires the united
voice of both orders to complete the cleo
tions as well as to ordain the laws of the
church, both general and diocesan.
At each annual session, the clergy are
expected to furnish to the Bishop reports
of their respective fields of labor giving
their spiritual state, while the laity re-
port their temporal condition. From
these reports, as printed in each years
journal, may be gathered an accurate and
detailed view of every parish and mis-
sionary station. The Bishops annual ad-
dress gives the general view OF the
Diocese. From these sources, as well as
from the several missionary, educational,
and other reports, full and reliable infor
nation is presented in the annual Journal
of Convention.
Each annual convention makes choice
of three clergy and three laymen to com
pose standing committee, for the year
ensuing. This committee is the ecclesas-
teal authority of the Diocese in the alb
sence of the Bishop. and is also his coln-
Gil of advice. In the elective judiciary,
and governing function of every diocese,
this body occupies an important position,
and is intended to help the bishop, as the
chief officer, in the discharge of his mani
fold duties.
A missionary committee is also annual
ly chosen, to whom is entrusted the APP
pointment of missionaries, and the gem
eral supervision OF missions. 1t consists
of five clergy, (the Bishop being, cxofficio,
chairman, who are chosen by the convo-
cation, as authorized by the convention
And every third year, four clergy and
four laymen are chosen to represent the
diocese in the general conven, ion or coun-
Gil of the church, at which all the bishops
form separate or uppen house.
The convocation must not be confouud-
ed with the convention. To the eonvoca-
ton, the convention has, by vote, entrust-
ed the care of missions and the missionary
field. of the diocese. This body is COM
posed only of clergy, and it meets three
times year, it annual session being held
on Tuesday, which is the day before the
Annual Convention While then the Con-
vention embraces the Legislative, the
convocation comprises the Missionary De-
partment of the diocese. In other and
larger dioceses, like New York and Penn
sylvania, there are several convocations
but in this diocese which is co-extensiye
with the State, there is but one.
sion, which, we hope and trust, will be for
the edifcation of all who may be present
Tuesday next will be devoted to the
convocation, and Wednesday and Thurs
day to the convention, of whose proceed
ings specific announcement may be ex-
pected next week
The last Diocesan Convention held in
Rutland, was in 1854, in the old Trinity
church. The last but one held here, was
in 1842.