The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-10-04
EPISCOPALIAN CENTENNIAL
Meeting of the Thirty-Third General
Convention OF the Church.
An Unusually Large ~Assemblage of the
Leading Men of the Denomination
Sermon by Bishop Clarke
Meeting of the Thirty-Third General Con-
vention in the United States.

morning, with services held in the Venera-
BILE Christ Church on Second street, near
Market, the cornerstone of which edifice
was laid in 1872. The gold alms-dish pre-
sented to the House of Bishops by the con-
vocation of Canterbury, England, occupied a
place upon the altar, surrounded by vessels
of silver, and the communion service pre-
sented to the parish by Queen Anne in 1850.
The church was crowded, 1,108 tickets having
been issued for the service. At 1875 the pro-
cession of clergy filed in as the 202d hymn
was sung. Rev. c.. L.. Hutchins, of Medford,
Mass, secretary of the convention, read the
services. Bishop Smith, of Kentucky, pro-
nounced absolution. The first lesson, from
Micah, fourth chapter, was read by Rev. DR..
ii. J. Morton, of Philadelphia,
the second lesson from Ephesians, third
chapter, by Rev. DR.. Henry G. Potter, as
sistant bishop-elect OF New York. Rev. DIR.
Austice, of Rochester, N. Y, read the praises
to the litany; the ltany was read by Rev.
DR., W. Nelson McVicker, of Philadelphia,
and the creed and v~ersicles by Rev. DR.. E.. a.
Foggs, rector of Christ Church. The gospel
was read by the Bishop of Ontario, and the
epistle by the Bishop OF Rochester.
Bishop Clarke, of Rhode Island, delivered
the sermon, taking his text from Exodus XIV,
IL. He treated of the history of the church
at the time when the first general convention
of the Protestant Episcopal Church OF the
United States met in September, 1885, the
dangers that assailed it, and its want of or
ganization, while other churches in the late
colonies were fully organized. The superin-
tendency of the Bishop Of London removed,
it had no head, and worship could only pro-
coed with strange and mutilated forms.
1t was an object of suspicion
the offspring of the Church of
England. Some of its member wished, in
s~evering their connection with the mother
church, to break the chain of succession
from the apostolic church, and thus become
a mere sect, while others favored drawing
the episcopal tension closer. From the
lahors of this convention, begun in a meek
and humble spirit, he showed how the
church had grown until it had become a
great power for good throughout an empire
greater than that of the Romans in the
height of their power. He showed the want
of success that had attended the attempts of
elaborate definitions of the doctrine that
should have the same weight and meaning
from age to age. The Protestant EPISCOPAL
SAoACD ~ CO VIZ III bAC
church to draw men to Christianity. An in
teresting feature of the church is it's con-
sentative striving to build on a foundation
good for it-nothing more ambitious than
that laid by the apostles. 1t is recog-
nized that the unanimity which comes
from a suppression of private judgment is
spiritual death. 1t required of its communi-
cants what the apostles demanded, and moth
ing more. Many were drawn to enter its
communion by the stability and simplicity
of it's creed, who are alarmed by the disin-
tegrating influences discernibie in some of
the modern churches, Christ meant that His
teachings should enter into every heart, into
mems lives, and His church has com to
learn that there is nothing foreign to it that
pertains to humanity. The evil resulting
from un-Christian influences in the public
schools, unworthy men in Office, and other
evils of the day, the church must grapple
with, if it would do its duty. In late years
the Episcopal Church has recognized the fact
that nothing which pertains to humanity is
outside its mission, and in founding hospi-
practical charities, the church had
but lone its duty. Some individual
parishes had lone more in a few years lately
than all the churches did fifty years ago.
The abolition of party lines had not been eff
fected by argument, but at the call for help
Christians forgot their differences and Joined
in common labor for the cause. He eau
toned the delegates to the convention that
faithful conformity to the necessities of the
people could not fail to promote them, and
that arrangements which might have suited
a state of society 200 or 800 years ago might
not be adapted to the wants of the hetero-
geneous, shifting body of communicate of
today. While continuing TO move in the
old paths, it should be with accelerated pace,
looking forward, not backward.
Following the sermon came the commun-
ion service, in which Bishop Lee read the
| conservation after which he was assisted nv
the bishop of Rochester.
THE HOUSE OF DEPUTIES.
The House of Deputies of the General AS
sembly of the Protestant Episcopal Church
of the United States met this afternoon in
the Church of the Holy Trinity. Rev. Chas.
L. Hutchins, of Massachusetts, secretary of
the last convention, called the names of the
general and lay deputies, and having de-
clared that the church was represented by a
majority of the dioceses, L.. N. Whittle, of
Georgia, moved to proceed to the election of
a president. The secretary appointed as
tellers to conduct the clerical vote, John r.
Triplett, of Missouri, and Rev. L. S. Osborn,
of Ohio; to conduct the lay vote, Rev. N. E.
Wright, of Fond du Lac, and Horace Burr,
NJ. D., of Delaware. Rev. DIR. L. E.. Boards
ley, OF New haven, WIS nominated IOr pres
ident by Rev. DIR. Orlando Hutton, of Mary
land; seconded by Rev. J.. F,
Girault, of Louisiana. Many other
nominations were made, and several
declined. United States Senator Edmunds
said, in declining the nomination, that he
was not a candidate for president for this or
any other place at this or any other time.
Result of the ballot-whole number of votes,
265, necessary to choice, 1873. Rev. L. f..
Beardsley 1873, Rev. A. A. Watson 70, Rev.
F. Edmunds 10, Rev. w. Fl. Schenck 4, Rev.
John Fulton 2, Rev. e. N. Vandeusen l, Rev.
w. w. Battershall /. Rev. DIR. Beardsley
was therefore elected president. Rev. ]. r.