Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-04
EPIsCoPALIANs IN SESSION.
The Thirty-third General Convention
Meets IN Philadelphia.

PHILADELPHIA. Oct. 3.-The thirty
third general convention of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in the United States
was opened this morning with services
held in the venerable Christ Church,
on Second street, near Market,
the corner stone of which edifice
was laid in 1927. The gold aims
dish presented to the House of Bishops by
the convocation of Canterbury, England,
occupied a place upon the altar. sur
rounded by vessels of the silver
communion service presented to
the parish by Queen Anne in
170S. The church was crowded,
1,1OS tickets having been issued for the
service. At 1925 O'Clock the procession
of clergy filed in as the 22d hymn was
sung. Rev. c. L. Hutchins, Of MedfOrd,
Mass, Secretary of the convention, read
the services through to the psalter, Bishop
Smith, of kentucky, pronouncing the
absolution. The first lesson. from Micah,
4th chapter, was read by Rev. DR.. III. j.
Morton, of Philadelphia. The second
lesson, from Ephesians, Sd chapter, was
read by KeY. Dr. Henry c. Potter, Assist
ant BishOp-elect of New York. Rev. DIR.
Austlce, Of Rochester, n. I :, read the
prayers to the litany. The litany
was read by Rev. DIR. w. Nelson
McNickon, of Philadelphia, and the
creed and versicles by Rev. DIR.
E. A. FOggo, rector of Christ Church.
The collect and commandments were read
by Bishop Lay, of Easton, Md. The
Gospel was read by the Bishop of Ontario,
and the Epistle by the Bishop Of ROches-
ter, Bishop Clarke, of Rhode Island, de-
liyered the sermon, taking his text from
Exodus, 18th chapter, 18th verse. In con-
Guiding, he cautioned the delegates to the
convention that an excess or deficiency of
legislation might defeat the object for
which they were assembled, while faith
ful conformity to the necessities of the
people could not fail to promote them,
and that the arrangements which might
have suited the state of society
200 or 800 years ago might not
be adapted to the wants of the
heterogeneous and shifting body of CON-
municants today. While continuing to
move in the old paths it should be with
an accelerated pace. looking forward, not
backward. Following the sermon came
the communion service. in which Bishop
Lee read the conservation; after which
he was assisted by the Bishop of ROcheS-
ter.
The House of Deputies met at O'Clock
this afternoon in the Church of the Holy
Trinity, at Nineteenth and Walnut
streets. Rev. DR.. +. +. Beardsley, OF
New Haven. Ct, was chosen President,
and Rev. Charles l.. Hutchins, Secretary.
DIR. Beardsley addressed the convention,
and stated that they had come together at
the most interesting period in history.
Fully a century has passed since
an effort was made to restore what
had been broken at a time when the
church was without nominal head. The
result of this effort was the adoption of
the Book of Common Prayer, with a pre-
siding Bishop in the Scottish line of sue
cession, and two in the English line. He
trusted that the Holy Spirit would be
with the deputies in their deliberations.
\ message was received from the House of
Bishops announcing the organization Of
that body by the election of Rev. Fl. G.
Potter, of New York, as Secretary. Both
bodies then adjourned until Tomorrow.