The sun., 1883-10-10
THE EPISCOPAL CONVENTION
PHILADELPHIA's STREETS sWARMINa
WITH CLERGYMEN.
A Graceful Array OF Bishops In Costly Robes
on the Opentnx Dny-The Two Heuaes
md tkeir DoiDgs-A Two Hours Lunch.

Quaker City," No; there Ia not Quaker In
sight: II Is the Episcopal City. The Quakers
are dying out and tho few who arc left exist
only as we'll. preserved monuments Of the past.
The Episcopalians have taken possession Of
Philadelphia. They have the greatest wealth.
the stnteiost churches. the most eloquent
preachers and. according to some Of their ex-
ponents the highest social standing. Just now
they are happier than ever before. for they arc
entertaining the general Convention. This au-
gust body meets once In three years. its last
meeting having boon in New York In the Church
OF tho Holy Trinity. Tho streets and hotels
swarm with Episcopal clergymen. While many
of the deputies arc lodged in tho homes OF
wcll.to.do church members. there are some
houscholders who have preferred to pay gem
erous hotel bills rather than to take the guests
into their houses. The consequence Of this is
that several OF tho hotels are churchly head |
quarters. where bishops. priests. and deacons |
make themselves at home in reading room and |
parlor, and hold levees with their friends. |
rako them altogether. tho delegates to this |
Convention are healthy. hearty. and well-fed
company OF Christian gentlemen. They do
not attempt to conceal tho Importance they
feel OF being the members not Of n common
three-year Convention. but OF the great ecce-
.iastical body which commentaries tho CEN
tenary Of Episcopacy in this country Most OF
them are of very digniGed bearing, Many evil
IDENTIFY have much natural jollity in their dis
POSITION. but do not lot it out freely except when
in each other . company exclusively. Thereare
u few who arc lean and haggard but. very few.
Possibly tho most poorly paid OF the clergy
OF the deputies carry with them the air OF I'M
portanee, which clergyman man Is said TO- have
and which Impressed Q hearer with the idea
that this clergyman felt as II he had enacted
should GSsI be- enforced. Yet some Of tho clergy.
men look rs humble as anybody. AS Tor the
1 hsy sns aSa Most Of
them elderly men. A novice. either parson
or nyman, has very little chance OF being sent
to the General Convention.
One Of the most graceful sights 9f the open. zen.
ps Is services h a ss sn n GhaGa
roJes. rob There were about sixty, OF them. The
speciq! feature of the bishop's robe is the
sSE ssrmsn, which Gh,.rsGrS sSryos as ., sort
Si SaaSnsssa AVN S.nGns plsassas 95ts
COSTS rom s25S to sad
years. The bishop must not throw. his arms
topieces. The fact is that bishops are geIner,
outtived ali youthful oratorical demonstration
in the pulpit Yet many OF them arS are very el2
Island. who preached the opening sermon. is
rs popular preaehor as he was as thirty or forty
portly gentleman. looking somewhat like Bish-
consecrated just ninety and nine years ago;
tw9ud have been Historically MS pleasant Il, Idea
Gh"Heh. Gi my That % vener@bIe building was recently
treated to several coats OF white paint. some
sa1 m s Of ysW s
But tho church IS too small and it is far down
only the opening service was held there. There
800 sr Te in
In opy,ii. MT I'm n 20 w
Ho!y Trinity Church which is the most cost,
city, city il has resenty BEEN put IN Hrime erdci
for this occasion. its frescoes s md d other ad9rn
ss umas. III Il seats about 1900 poopIo. The Low,
shaeel room room aSjoin;ins Into Tie holy; Of & no 10
may be remarked t6at the pr;o!eesdlnEss g! Of th'
church, Is. presided over by the Rev. Dr.
Wat midde adF 'f e lie q light wsieS
physically, but intellectually is one Of tn
] snssa xSHn %s e. Ssef 81 % ss Hy he es
his manner is courteous. and he manages tn
Ss psolm xtR With Sm Sshsa
bn are the M 81 dhs ae
what what might n be- Clear voice II he had a smalie
eHpF N to uease Of
Ss SS SHs sssss
ment confused some OF the brethren who aI
9Pd Of haEng the & front and It
outer doors. But whatever grumbling theI
vearine Of the first lunch. '"'' "'' WV N
This lunch is one Of the important events
the day. tits spread ut hotel only ablOck ava
with generous hand. and Is partaken OF wit
thankfalness and good cheer. There is NO raj
81 Ge
astical bodies. where members rush to eat as
after a brief recess and an unsatisfying bit
Tho space of two hours is allowed for tn
lunch, and the brethren do justice to the repa
To stand at tho door Of the church and loo
sembed deputies. is to get the idea that II
Gonyention has been caught @ In snow &c y, storF
ay Hfe ynry are so @ many ny t W,e bs enrcy II n VIZ
side multitude Of visitors and grinders OF e
%Ses heIs Is a. s
have come to see what chance there is Of be-
ter%g their ~ calls d9 to
cant parishes and are looking about for ne
and feIiowship. second conc only to that whic vi
afforded by, the Passover occasions when q
Israel used to meet mt Jerusalem,
BY no means tho least part Of this great Gc
rsl i That might be cSd Wi
Gicht respect the VIA l.huy element. NcNer WI
this element seen in greater force at any r
ligious convention. 1t Is composed of god
women. some Of whom are spinsters son
widows, and some mothcrs Of families. u
voted busy women they arc. There Is n poe
liar expression on the face of the Philadelph
Eplsc2pal Elderly Lady which tells of resn
attendance at prayer meeting. faithful work
sewing society kind attention to the sick al
needy; and hospitable welcome for cues
brought 70 her door when tho Convention 81, fl
will SIT through the whole three weeks OF pr
ceedines and relgiously drink in every wo
To these faithful and pious women the Episc
pal Church In this city owes large and co
spicuous share OF its success.
lit is important to DO n bishop In this cou
try. II is much more so To be- ono in Englan
particularly u Lord Bishop" Here is the Lo
Bishop of Rochester. n gentleman of great di
nitY. Erect as stone column. ho stands
Tore the Convention. whose members rise
receive him andt listen to his brief remarl
~ Is not AN occasion for profundity or el
qG"Ice. His sentences are few and well mea