Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-06-09
D0INGS OF THE DIOCESE
EULL TENT or THE INNU.iL ID-
DRESS or BISJTOP LIE.


The Episcopal convention reassembled
at 3 p n., Wednesday week.
Several additional delegates answered
/ to their names, among them Hon. Il, l..
! Martin and his brother Dir. Hugh Martin.
Bishop Lee then read his annual address
which was as follows:
BISHOP LEE = ADDRESS.
Deni' Bret'reu; Since We last met our
| General Convention has held its trienuial
session in the city of New York. Az the
church increases with the rapid growth and
development Of our country THESE occasions
are invested with enhanced interest and i'm
| purtance The magnitude OF our work opens
out in vast proportions ana the solemn
| grandeur of our charge. II wo are faithful
| To u,ir grent trust, steadfast IN the muuute-
nance OF the truth as it in III Jesus, alive ~
| the stirring calls made upon lis by the Proyi-
dtnce OF God, Jealous OF good works, and aim
to keep abreast of the progress of our age
and land, no limits can be assigned to the
salutaiy and beneiiclul influences our church
may exert. Wide Id our 1eld OF operation.
rich oir resources, priceless our opportunity.
| How much do We stand III need Of the wisdom
that Is from above, the spirit OF power and of
love and OF a sound mind. There were hot
wanting indications ut the recent assemblage,
gathered from all parts of our spreading
and larger conception of her position and
responsibilities.
lie convention certainly went beyond any
that had proceeded II iii the missionary spirit
Dy which 1t was animated. The JOINT meet
| ing OF the two houses as the Board of
Missions, greatly promoted this-spirlt and
JUSTIFIED the anticipatioiis of those who had
advocated this measure. The church seemed
Indeed 10 be engaged i'll her apppinted work
while her representatives were thus coii-
suiiny how most effectnal1y to carry out her
SdyIour's injunction to 90 into all the world
and preach the' gospel to every creature.
And tbomeetlng face to face of those who
are actively engaged III the work at home and
aprvad, and the appeals of our missionary
BISHOPS and clergy, did much to eniSindlo a
wNruldr flame OF zel aud devotion.
SEVERAL moasures were proposed at this
convention. which present either for practl-
cal nctien or nature consideration as may
seem most advisable. .,..
One was a plan adopted with good deal OF
enthusiasm Tor system Of weekly OF
muhtliIy subscriptions to foreign and
domestic missions to be gathered by coliec-
tiona in the, several parishes, the nanies OF
Subscribers aid respective amounts to be
reported to the secretaries OF the Board anu
published. Winle hoping that this plan will
accomplish all that its advocates anticipate
was not entirely convinced by the arguments
tlIat Ntlc Will Ltil anu tlU-
quencp. There ID SO great diversity in the
circumstances of our parishes that the same
method may succeed i'll one and fail i'll
another, and the difficulty ul obtaining col
lsutOrs who will give tune ulld labor regtl-
latly and perseverlnGly to such efforts has
been heriously felt by myself when have
attempted anything of this kind
The foreign and domestic operations of our
general board, moreover, important as they
are. are only two among number Of slnilar
claims. Diocesan missions, theological edu-
catlOiL special calls and appeals, parochial,
diocesan, domestic, foreign, ull press their
urgent demands. Each missionary bishop
calls the attention OF the church to his own
ield Of labor. and colleges, scholarships, hos
ptala, solicit the liberal giyer. 1t cannot be
intended that any OF these excellent objects
shall be thrust aside by this plan OF systematic
subscriptions to the two specially named and
yet can hardly see how justice is to be done
to ALL
1 confess myself, dear brethren, to have
been somewhat perplexed by conflicting con-
siderations and did not therefore, feel ready
to comply with the request to issue y pastoral
letterrecommonding tue immediate adoption
of tho plan. | think u large discretion should
be left to rectors of parishes MS to the most
effectnal method of drawing out the
liberality of their people and shall be glad tu
learn that the plan recommended by the
ooaru oi Aiaaloils HAS euIully SUCCESSFUL.
CHURCH BUILpl&d FUND. ..
Another measure which had the sanction
OF the General Convention WAS the resolve to
| raise h fund of 81 200, 900 to and in building
churdhes Some of the larger bodies OF
Christians have established such funas and
find them, | believe, operating successfully.
According to our past standard there has un-
dunhtedly becn much larger sum annually
given to the erection of churches in weak
IHH
come OF SlUJO,0 0U0 ut the present rate OF
interest, and tine circumstances OF par
ticular enterprises stimulate zeal aud liber-
ality. A considerable donation to the pro-
posed fund would, | suppose, relieve Il church
from the recurrence of such applications as
have been heretofore frequent Whether
this would prove an advantage remains to be
seen. Doferrlng to the General Convention
commend to you an important project.
AN APPEAL.
While there is room for difference of
opinion respecting the wisdom OF undertaking
to provide by large Investments for the
erection of houses OF worship there can be no
doubt of the desirableness OF having adequate
permanent provision made for infirm aud
sufuranhuated clergymen and for the widows
and orphans of deceased clurgymen. The
operations for nine years past of the Board
created for this object by the General Con
GentuOn has made it clear that there exists ill
the Church large degree Of destitution and
suffering, little suspected, and umelieved by
Dtutt,a arrangements. The resources at the
iisl1sa of this Board have hitherto been
very limited, being largely derived from the
royalty paid by publishers OF the Hymual.
Probably no equal amonnt has done more
guGdl during this period This matter seemed
10 thp Bishops 80 urgent that they asked per
nssIon for n deputation of their house TO lay
the aibjeet before the house of clerical and
lay bputies by whom it WAS cordially vel
cjmjd and referred to committee. This
committee have issued an appeal to the
church at large, strongly coinmending th,
wants Of this Board ~ the efficient and liberal
SYMPATHY OF our people. In thii appeal it MAS
suggested that u proportion of tho CONF
luunion aims, from / 10 10 per cent. be trans
mtlad by parishes TO the trt aatirer of the
general fund. This Ieeirs to be n very simple
cNpuulUut and one which If generally adopted
would materially help this charitable work
~ the same time such an object should have
Il permanent endowment to fall back upon
aud one-tenth of the amount asked for the
church building fund would give it solid
foundations The administration Of this trust
for nine years, during which time hundreds
Of chses have been relieved and important
business negotiations conducted with publish
ing Trims. has been wholly gratmtous.
lnshis connection beg leave To suggest that
tlis convention appoint committee to attend
to mpkinS collections for and dlshursing the
lncuale of our diocesan fund of the same
nature. The custody of Investments has
been conlided to the trusteos OF tho Pro-
testtnt Episcopal Church in the diocese.
REVISION OF THE LITURGY.
A measure OF very great interest was the
appointment of Il committee TO consider and
report to tne next General Convention whether
the changed conditions Of our national life do
not demand certain alterations i'll the Book
of Common Prayer in the direction of litur-
gical enrichment and eater hexibllity of use
The report of the large and able committee
created under tins resolution will be looked
for with much anxiety. Hitherto conserv-
ative feelings, affectl0nate veneration for our
time- -honored aud beautiful formularies, and
unwillingness to enter upon work OF which
the end could not be seen. have been too
strong and deep-rooted to allow the accept
ance of such proposal. IL seemed, how
ever when brought forward at the last CON
yentlon, to meet with remarkable favor. At
any rate, the Church il willing to consider
the subject. need not say that nothing i'll
the way Of doct7nal change or serious inno-
walton is contemplated. One point of this
action strikes me as oXceptionable aud
unnecessary and that is the remoulding of
"Ihe Ratiication of the Book of Common
Prayer which has come next after the title
page since 1880. SO venerable landmark
might be lett tindisturbed "'
-. THE TEMPERANCE MovEMESr.
As amatter Of general interest it Is cause for
gratitude that a new movement to arrest the
| progress Of intemperance with its attendant
evils has been started in the Church of
England with marked approval and success
Our Diocesan Convention has heretofore ex-
| pressed itself strongly upon this subject. In
1867 the following resolution was adopted.
Res0EUe,i, That in view of the widespread