Morning journal and courier., 1889-06-12
THE DIOCESAN coNvENT1oN.

A S.~u,ou Wv nr Storrs-The Bishops Addresa-Only Bishop Living who Was Present at Convention or 1S53- A Lively Discussion and . Close Vote on Proportional Representat1on The annual convention of the Episcopal | ebnrch in the diocese of Connecticut opened this morning at 1O:3O o'clock in St. Thomas church. The morning service lasted until
 one o'clock. The morning prayer was read by Rev. George H. Buck of Birmingham, ! Ray C4eorpe P. Torrance of Bethel, and | Raw Edward H. Cleaveland of Seymour. The Rev. Storrs o. Seymour of Trinity cnurch. Hartford, preached an eloquent ser mon from the text, Matthew v., IS. "Ye are the light of the world." That the church
 ia the light of the world is shown in two I ways; First, by it's reaching out and admin isterine to the wants of each and every indi- vidual in it; second, by it's proclaiming the l truth which God has revealed to the world. | From small beginnings the church has pros l pered and grown to large proportions: It e1, l tended to all those things spiritual wnicn all mankind desired in greater or lesser degree. | It held salvation and 8 chance or tne L1e pe- yond the grave up to man. It Kept anve tne ! truth and words of Christ and promulgated ! them to all the world.
 | After the sermon the holy communion was partaken of by several hundred of the clergy and lav delegates present. In the commu- nion service Bishop Williams was assisted by Rev. Dr. Beardsley, Rev. Dr. Vibbert, Rev. MT. Jarvis of Brooklyn and Rev. MT. Tomp- kins of Hartford.
 At the close of the services the convention organized. The Rev. c. o. Camp called the roll which showed that there were 116 clergy men and no lay delegates present. The delegates from this city are: Clergymen, Rev. Drs. E. E. Beardsley, Edwin Aarwood, William E. Vibbert, Rev. Charles O. Camp, Edwin L, Lines, Harry P. Nichols and s. H. Watkins: lay delegates, Andrew L. Kidston, Charles E. Graves, A. Heaton Robertson and Gardner Morse, Trinity church; John c. Hol- I lister and George Hotchkiss, St. Paul's; Charles H. Phillips and George D. Johannes, St. Luke's; John B. Earle and Prof. Daniel c. Eaton, St.. Thomas; Lemuel A. Austin M. Grant and Robert A. Beers, St. Johns; William Atwater and Francis Orr, Church of the Ascension; Henry s. Parsons and Samuel K Jones, Grace church.
 At the morning services the music was furnished by choir of twenty gentlemen from among the clergymen of the State. Prof. Bonney was in charge.
 A beautiful and tempting collation. was served the delegates at 1:30 at Loomis' hall. It was provided by the ladies of the different
 parishes. A similar collation. will be served
 the convention this noon at the hall. The
 delegates are mostly stopping at private resi-
 dences among Episcopal families. A few are
 at the hotels.
 The convention reassembled at o'clock
 and transacted the business. Bishop Williams
 presided. Reports on the various funds of
 the diocese were read, and several commit
 tees reported. Bishop Williams made his
 annual address and report to the convention.
 Officers, standing committees and delegates to the general convention were elected. The bishop delivered his annual address to the convention at the afternoon session. It showed that he had visited during the year 121 places, had ofhciated 1S0 times, had preached and made addresses 1SS times, cons hrmed ,444 candidates, and in three years had confirmed 3,874 people. There have been | ordained seven deaeons and six priests. Eight clergymen have been received and \ thirteen dismissed. There have been twenty | candidates for orders, and five clergymen ! have died. Of the American bishops two | have died during the year. The bishop re- | marked that he was the only one remaining | of the bishops who were present at the general | convention in 1858, and of those consecrated | since that time twenty have died. The bishop spoke of the need of endow- ments for poor parishes but urged that such endowment should not excuse the neglect of canonical obligations. Of TO churches in the diocese 77 have not contributed. During the year the bishop has consecrated one church and the chapel of the General Theo- lORlcAl seminary. TWO cHuEou0S uaFo Deeu reopened, four parish houses blessed, and one chapel reopened. In the matter of the proposed changes in the book of Common Prayer the bishop deprecated any hesty set ling of the matter.
 In referring to the subject of proportional representation of the several dtoceses in the
 general convention, a matter which occupied
 the attention of the convention at the even
 ing session, the bishop took the position that
 6 change was necessary, as there was danger
 that the House of Deputies would become too
 unwieldy. Yet he would not have considera-
 tions of advantage to the diocese of Connecti- cut govern the settlement of the question,
 but a broad and liberal view as to what WIS
 just and equitable for all, and for the best
 good of the church.
 The present secretary, Rev. 0. O. Camp,
 was reelected, and the Rev. N. K. Bailey of
 Branford chosen assistant secretary. The
 usual routine business was transacted, re-
 ports of the various trustees and committees
 received. The report of the financial cendi-
 tion of the Missione-y society of the diocese
 was made by the treasurer, Burton Mansfield
 of this city. As secretary of the society he
 also reported the work of the society during the year. It showed that forty-seven fam flies had been helped, at a cost of 5000. The convention voted $10,O00 to be appor- tioned during the coming year among the families requiring it. \ The evening session was occupied with @ discussion of proportional representation in ! the general convention. The presentation of
 the following started the ball:
 | Whereas, The house of clerical and lay deputies
 tive either of the clergy or laity of the church in
 the constitution of it's membership and in it3 meth ! cd of voting by dioceses, in that through the | growth and progress of the church, involving
 great increase in the number of dioceses, the dio
 laity have not their due weight in the council of
 Resolved, That the basis of representation in the
 house of deputies in the genere convention should | represented in proportion to the number of their ! clergy and parishes; and, Furthermore that the | or by orders, and not by doceses.
 | Resolved, That the deputies of the diocese of
 structed to present above preamble and resolu- I ton as memorial from this diocese to the next | ration of the same.
 The object aimed at is to render the repre-
 sentation in the House of Deputies in the ! convention proportional to the number of
 communicants. As it is now the small dio- ceses have equal power with the large ones. ! To do this is difficult matter, but it is hoped that agitation will accomplish the desired | end in time.
 Rev. Dr. Beardsley offered a substitute res elution instructing the deputies from Con- necticut to bring the matter before the con- ! vention but not binding them to particular method. The division showed that this sub- stitute had been lost by a vote of 56 to 59. Judge Roberteon's motion to strike out the preamble was lost, 53-55.
 Rev. pr. Harwood then moved to strike I out all the words in the resolution after land | furthermore" But the majority seemed
 bent on yielding not point to the very large majority and Dr. Harwood's amendment was lost 45-55. The original preamble and res-
 olution were adopted, after plucky and
 lengthy fight by the opposition, by vote of ! 60-51.
 The report of the trustees of the enroll- I ment fund was received and the convention | adjourned until nine o'clock this morning. ! Four clergymen and four laymen will be
 chosen to-day as deputies to the general con- 1 vention which meets at New York in Octo- Der.
 | Leaking.
 The schooner John L. Treat arrived in the
 harbor yesterday loaded with lumber, and
 leaking badly. The vessel will be unloaded on the ats above TomIinson bridge