The Portland daily press., 1872-09-04
Annual Convention of the Protestant
EuiscOpaI Church ..


Messrs. Washburn, Sill and Gardner officiat-
ing, the Bishop took the chair The roll of the
clergy was called and the Bishop and the fol
/ lowing clergymen answered to their names
Rev. Messrs Murray, Dalton, Hayes, Ogden,
Ward, Smith, Alger, Washburne, Upjohn,
| Root, Marsden, Leffingwell, Atwell, Yeweus,
jackson, Gardner Sill, Miller and Bolman.
The credentials of the lay deputies were pre-
| scented and referred to a committee consisting
of Rev. Messrs. Smith, Ogden and Alger, and
nineteen deputies, representing seven parishes
answered to their names.
Rev. Charles w Hayes was elected Secretary,
and with the consent of the convention APP
pointed Rev. Frederick S. Sill as his assistant
| Clergymen present from other dioceses and
candidates for Holy Orders were invited to
take seats in the convention. Revs. James w.
| Clark of Connecticut and William S. Bartlett
of Massachusetts,, appeared and took seats.
| The presence of the Rt. Rev. Bishop of Freder-
teton, n. B., being made known, Rev. Messrs.
Smith and Lefingwell were appointed to con-
dnct him to a seat in the convention.
The President announced the following
standing committees: tf
I'm NeU SUrlSneS-1nC heV. MeSSrS. AUWel
| and Washburn, Messrs. Parsons, j. A. Merrill
and Rowse.
On Cdnons-The Rev. Messrs Hayes AL
ger, Upjohn and Messrs. Williams and Jack
son. ...a t#
On Fi,,ance-Messrs. j. NJ Brown Bridge
| French, ingalls, and Gardner.
Unfinished BuSineSS-Rev. Messrs. Letting
well, Dalton, Marsden and Messrs. Fogg and
| Kaler.
| The Standing Committee reported that dur
ing the past diocesan year they had given can
onical testimonials in behalf of the Rev. M. A.
DeWolfe, d. D., Bishop elect of the Diocese of
Central Pennsylvania, and had recommended
to the Bishop for admission to the Holy Order of
Priests, the Rev. Herbert c. Miller, deacon.
The convention resolved itself into the Maine
Episcopal Missionary Society. After organic
alton the society adjourned to afternoon, and
the convention resumed its session and ad-
iourned for divine service to o'clock.
After the ante Communion service the Bish-
OPP of the Diocese delivered his annual address.
Though chiefly statistical and confined mainly to
recital of his official acts, it possessed much
interest to Churchmen, and we select some por-
tions that are of general interest. The num-
Der of combinations for the year were 147 in the
ulOCeSC auu IL OuO VI tHC uIOCcSc. hCiclIlnS W
the acts of the last General Convention in Bal
timore last October, Bishop Nicely says in his
address:
A considerable portion of the time was de-
voted by the Convention to the discussion of
the organization and training of Christian
women for work in the church; and the final
action of the convention on this subject is ex-
hibited in the following resolution:
Resolyed, That it be further recommended to
establish in every diocese where practicable, an
institution for the training of Christian women
for the various works of mercy for which their
services are needed; that when qualified they
may be employed in missionary and other
church work under the direction of the Bishop
and the parochial or missionary clergy; such
women to be under rules and regulations sane
toned by the Bishop, with full and uncontroll-
ed liberty to each, and whenever she shall
think fit, to leave the institution, but those
who persevere in the service undertaken, to
have the assurance of support in sickness and
advanced age. have brought this important
resolution before you, my brethren, not that L
suppose it to be practicable for us at the pres
ent time to undertake the establishment of
such an institution as is recommended (which
would require considerable outlay of money!
but because would declare my own hearty en-
dorsement of this well as of other and kim
dred measures looking to the more thorough
| utilization of the hitherto unemployed power of
! the laity, whether women or men, in the church,
and because if shall receive your own formal
approval the ability may at some time be Civ
en- us to realize our desire. There is large
field for organized woman's work in this as in
every other diocese, and perhaps we may find a
way, if not to train skilled women for our
Selves at least to avail ourselves at least of the
services of those already prepared for such Ia
Dor.
OF the Hymnal the Bishop says: ,7
OF the New Hymnal adopted by the Gener-
al Convention, 1 shall say only this; that it is
| so superior to our former collection of Psalms
and Hymns that l trust its general adoption in
the several parishes of this diocese will not be
much longer deferred. The impression seems
to have prevailed that &en this Hymnal is put
forth only temporarily and experimentaly, and
that another may be proposed at the next Cen
ersl Convention; or at any rate extensive al
terations be made in the one now issued. But
there is no ground for such an opinion in the
| action of the late Convention. This Hymnal
| after various notifications and additions dur
| ing the Convention, was adopted and prescribed
| for present use, just as the collection in the
| Prayer Book was adopted and prescribed; and
though it may be thought expedient to add 9th
er hymns at some future time, it is not prob
| able that any of these will be dropped, and GER
tainly the use of them will not be forbidden
/ For another reason L am DESTROYS to see the
| Hymnal come into general use: From the
sales of it,when so used throughout the Church
| there will be accumulated a noble fund for the
| relief of the aged or disabled clergy, and the
widows and orphans of deceased clergy. We
who cannot at present undertake to build up a
| diocesan fuEd for that object are especially in
terested in the increase of the general fund, and
| every one who purchases Hymnal makes, in
so doing, small contribution to that fund
The Bishop refers briefly to the extngnish
ment of portion of the parish debt Of St
Luke's ($20,0OO). OF this sum half was con-
tributed by members of the parish, and of the
remaining amount $4,000 was obtained in Bos-
ton The Bishop Acknowledges the liberality
of E. r. Nudge of Boston, who not only made
the munifcent contribution of $4,000, but de-
voted no little time and effort to obtain, the
contributions of others. The Episcopal Fund
has also been enlarged by the gift of $1,000
from gentleman Of Biddeford.
OF his labors in Aroostook the Bishop gives
very encouraging account. Church services
were held at Alya for the first time in Jun'
last, and the signs of interest warrant the be
lief that that people will ere long be entitled
to stated services A mission organization
uuder the name of the Mission of the Advent
has been consented to at Limestone, and it is
hoped that chapel will be built there as Their,
is no tolerabe place of public assemblage in
the village The reports from the other mis-
sonary stations IN that county are equal,
cheering. On the 10th of June, at Ashland
Rev. Herbert Clarkson Miller, the missionar,
in charge, was ordained to the priesthood.
AT the conclusions of the address the Hol!
Communion was administered by the Bisho
Fredericton, assisted by the Bishop of Maine
and Messrs. Leffingwell, Upiohn and Hayes
AFTERNOON. Maine Episcopal Mission
airy Society met according to adjournment, tn
Secretary Rev. Mr.. Lefingwell of Gar
diner, presented his report.
The subject of establishing monthly @
quarterly church paper was warmly discusss
at length, and motion was passed requestin
the Bishop to publish DIOCESAN monthly pa
per similar to the experimental number alread
published, as soon as he shall have receive
enough subscriptions, at not exceeding fit
cents per annum to warrant such publicatio
without loss About 800 copies were at one
subscribed for.
The Treasurer of the Society submitted h
report, showing the total receipts to have bee
$2,3S6.55
The election of lay members of the Board
Missions from each parish was the next bu,
ness in order.
A resolution was adopted authorizing men
bers of the Board unable to attend sessions
nominate substitutes.