Morning journal and courier., 1883-01-24
1ssd Convocation.

The Episcopal Churches in the County gsE = Interesting Exercises.
 KThe 183d annual convocation of the Epis- copaI clergy of New Haven county was begun in St. Thomas church yesterday forenoon at 10 o'clock. Professor E. T. Russell. of Wa terbury, preached the convocation sermon. His theme, '"The Apparent Decline of Pulpit Power" was based on the Fist verse of the first chapter of First Corinthians He argues that it was not the pulpit which had declined in efficiency, the interest of the people and the clergy in gospel truth remaining undi- unfinished. The real change was in society and the surroundings of the pulpit, the agency of the secular and religious press and the increased intellectual activity of the times. The Sunday school also menopolized the children. Fervent and zealous work en. dowed the pulpit with power to-day. About twenty clergymen were in attendance, includ- ing Rev. Drs. Beardsley, Spencer and Shears, and Rev. Messrs. Thorne, Horace and Buck, of this city Rev. Dr. Horton of Cheshire, Brewster of Mt Carmel, Rev. MT. Roberts of Ansonia, Rev. George Bush of Northford, Rev. Messrs. Micou and Russell of Water bury, Rev. MT. Bailey of Oxford, and Rev. Dr. Vibbert and Rev. MT. Sanford of Fair Haven. The service of morning prayer which commenced the exercises, was con- ducted by Rev. Messrs. Micou, Rafferty ard Bailey. The holy communion was then cele- brated by Rev. Drs. Beardsley and Vibbert. The archdeaconry of New Haven county will meet to day at 10:30 o'clock for the pur- pose of electing an archdeacon in place of the late Dr. Olmsted.
 EVENING SESSION.
 At the evening session addresses were made in the interest of the Missionary socie- ! ty of the church. The first speaker was Rev. Dr. Vibbert, of St. James church, Fair Haven. He said in substance as follows too apt to give too little interest and concern. God has given us our birth and education in Christian land, yet hundreds of millions ot our fellow beings are destitute of the bread of life, and their Macedonian cry is, "Come over and help us." They have no common schools, no hospitals, and no asylums. These are only seen where the gospel of him who came to preach 'speace on earth and good will toward men" is heard. God works I by means to accomplish his benefeent de- signs. It is by our prayers and contributions that he accomplishes his purposes. What field of labor is presented to us! The Church of Rome is busily engaged in erect | ing churches, while our own evangelical ! church is languishing. Should not church men awake, then, and as God has given us I the means should we not freely give and make the less destitute of our race partakers | in the blessings which we enjoy :? God will | hold us responsible for so doing The heathen will become converted through the | instrumentality of man if not through the | labors of the present generation, through | bat Nf .EkH1 T.akrT nnE l1ca present golden opportunity. but let us co | operate with God in the faithful discharge oi I our duty in this matter. Let us arouse tC new activity and diligence until we make the l barren deserts of heathenism blossom as the ! rose. To him who is freely given, let him | freely give.
 l Rev. Dr. Spencer, of Christ church, wal l the next speaker. He said the great mis I sionary was he who was ''the light of tht i world and who went about doing good" Tc | be Christian was to be fmbued with Chris l tian spirit. Missionary activity tests oul I ground of faith. We live in an age of doubt | We can have no missionary spirit if there ii no gospel to send forth. Let us then tes ! our personal faith by our interest in mis l sions. Zeal in missions will bring the fund.-
 to carry them forward. The missionary
 work and missionary need is lying at ou
 own doors. The speaker then made an elo
 quent appeal for the weak and feeble parish
 
 consideration on the part of the church. l
 was field he said that demanded the earnes consideration of the church. He urged tha
 the poor parishes should be supported an
 in this method the church would be benefte
 in it's spiritual life.
 Archdeacon Kirby was the last speaker
 He dwelt on the will of the master in hi
 opening remarks, who said, "Go ye into a
 the world and preach the gospel to ever
 creature" There were only two courses, on
 of obedience and the other of disobedience
 All power is Christ's, and we have only to g
 forth in our work leaving the result wit
 Him. This is the great missionary century
 God puts golden test upon us. The speaf ] CT gave history of early missionary work
 and referring to the present work said tha , in India alone last year sixty thousand pe1
 sons were given to the church. He also re
 ferred to the work in China and Japan, an
 said the church had two thousand convert in Japan to day The speaker then gave a interesting history of missionary work in th
 northwestern territory.
 collection was taken at the close of th 1 services.