Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-10-04
ACENTURY OFLABOR
In the Cause of Christ Becomingly and
Appropriately Celebrated by the
Episcopal Church in
Philadelphia esterday-HistOricH Review
by Bishop Clarke, of Rhode Island
Meeting of Deputies.

PHILADELPHIA, October 3.-The thirty
third general convention OF the Protestant
Episcopal Church of the United States
opened this morning, with services held
in the venerable Christ church ON Sec
Ond street, near Market the corner stone
Of which .edifice was laid in l772 The
gold alntsdislI presented to the House of
Bishops by the conyOcatiOn OF Canter-
bury, England, occupied place upon tie
altar, surrounded by the vessels of the
silver communion service presented to
the parish by Queen Anne in 1880. The
| church was crowded, 110S tickets having
been issued for the service. AT 10 :35
o'clock the procession of the clergy filed
into the church as the 202d hymn was
sung. The Rev. G. L. Hutchins, of Med
| ford, Mass, secretary OF the convention,
read the services through to the psalter,
Bishop Smith, of Kentucky, pro-
nouncing the absolution. The first
lesson from Micah, fourth chap
ter, was read by the Rev. DIR.
II. ]. Morton, of Philadelphia. The sec
ond lesson, from Ephesians, third chapter,
was read by the Rev. DR.. Henry C. Potter,
assistant bishop-elect of New York. The
Rev. DIR. Austice, of Rochester, n. y,
read the prayers to the litany. The litany
was read by the Rev. DIR. W. Nelson Nc
| Vickar, of Philadelphia, and the creed and
versicles by the Rev. DIR. L. A. Foggs, rec
tor OF Christ church. The collects and
commandments were read by Bishop lay
of Easton, Nd. The gospel was read by
the Bishop of Ontario, and the epistle by
the Bishop of Rochester.
Bishop Clarke, of Rhode Island, de-
livered the sermon, taking his text from
Exodus, XIV, xvii. 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, 1875, the
| dangers that assailed it, and its want of
organization while the other churches in
the late colonies were fully organized. The
| superintendency of the Bishop OF London
removed, it had no head, and worship
could only proceed with strange and mu-
tilated forms. 1t was the object of sus-
picion as the offspring of the Church of
| England. Some of the members wished,
| in severing their connection with the
mother Church, to break the chain of sue
cession from the Apostolic Church, and
| thus become mere sect, while others ia
vored drawingthe Episcopal tension closer.
From the labors OF this convention, begun
in meek and humble spirit, be showed how
the Church had grown until it had become
a great power for good throughout an en-
pire greater than that OF the Romans in
| the hight OF its power. He showed the
want OF success that had attended at
| tcmpts 10 elaborate definitions OF doc
trine that should have some weight and
meaning from age to age. The Protestant
| Episcopal Church recognized its mission
as church to draw men to Christ, and an
interesting feature of the Church is its
conservative striving to build on founda-
ton for good, nothing more ambitious
than that laid down by the Apostles. 1t
| iaI Nt-hia oh
from the suppression of private judg-
ment-that is, spiritual death-and it re-
quirod of its communicates what the
| Apostles demanded, and nothing more.
| Men were drawn to enter its communion by
the simplicity of its creed, who are alarmed
by the disintegrating influences discerni.
bic in some OF the modern churches.
Christ meant that his teachings should
enter into every heart, mems lives, and
His Church has come to learn there is
nothing foreign to it that pertains to hui
manity. The evil resulting from unchris-
tianity i'll the public schools, unworthy
men i'll Office, and other evils OF the day,
the Church must grapple with, il it would
do its duty. In late years the Episcopal
Church has recognized the fact that moth
ing which pertains to humanity is outside
OF its mission, and in founding itself, re-
sembling other practical charities, it was
vain DOdStlnS 10 say lile OnuTCn Ilal TAKEN
some individual parish and done more in
few years lately than all churches did
fifty years ago. The abolition of party
lines had not been effected by argument
but by the call of Christianity. He eau
toned delegates to the convention that
excess or deficiency of legislation might
defeat the object for which they were as.
scmbled, which, while not in conformity
to the necessities of the people, could not
fail to promote them, and that arrange
ments which might have suited the state
OF society 200 or 800 years ago might not
be adapted to the wants OF the hetero-
geneous, shifting body of COMMITMENTS
of to-day. While continuing to move in
the old paths, it should progress with
accelerated pace, looking forward, not
backward.
Following the sermon came the com
munion service, in which Bishop Lee read
the conservation, after which he was as
sisted by the Bishop OF Rochester.