Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-24
A NATIONAL APPEAL.
All EpiscOpalians in PittSburg and
Elsewhere Called on
TO REBUILD JOHNSTOWN CHURCH.
Bishop Whitehead's Letter to the Churches
Read Yesterday.
A MEMORIAL ORPHANAGE IN VIEW

The members of the Protestant Episcopal
Church throughout the country are acting
upou the idea suggested by Bishop White
head. of the Pittsburg diocese, in regard to
the rebuilding OF St. Marks Church of
Johnstown. Not only has the matter Of
practical resusc. tation of the ruined parish
been adopted with great unanimity, but it
is proposed to 60 several steps further and
build handsome schoolhouse for the use Of
the Episcopalians OF Johnstown as a means
ofproviding children with educations, but an
orphanage to be memorial of the ill-fated
rector of Johnstown, Rev. Sidney Diller,
will be erected and handsomely endowed by
4 fund of ample dimensions. The orphaned
children of the late members of St. Marks
parish, who perished by the food, will be
taken care of in this manner, an example of
practical benevolence which should find
emulation among the adherents of other
religious denominations. A large sum of
money will be necessary to carry on these
humane plans to successful conclusion;
but, from the manner in which the sugges-
ton that the devastated parish of the
stricken city be
AFFORDED SUBSTANTIAL AID
has been received. no fear is felt as to the
speedy accumulation of the fund. st.
Marks Church and rectory together cost in
the vicinity of $40, 600, and the first contri-
buttons will be devoted to its re-establish-
ment in handsome and adequate manner.
Within a few days after the terrible
disaster, THE DISPATCH printed an inter
view with Bishop Whitehead, in which the
right reverend prelate stated that the diocese
would undoubtedly take care of Johnstown
churchmen and their families, both spirit
ually and physically. The Bishops action
is fully outlined in a pastoral letter which
was read in every church in the diocesed at
morning service yesterday. The letter con-
tains an effective appeal for help.
The following is a copy of the Bishops
pastoral letter, alluded to above:
THE PASTORAL LETTER.
BELOVED BRETHREN-The appalling calamity
at Johnstown has drawn forth most generous ex-
pressions of sympathy from all portions of our
land and from beyond the sea Doubtless you
yourselves have contributed 10 the many funds Tor
the immediate relief of those who have been SO
rnysteriously afflicted
But we owe something as members of the same
household CT faith TO the band.Of faithful Church.
men who in one dreadful moment have lost church
and schoolh ouse and rector. Many of them.
their other woes quickly melt at the mention of
this their spiritual destitution and have said TO
me s'Ch, it does seem as If we could have borne
our trouble more patiently If only Mr.. Diller and
his lovely wife could have been spared 10 us. "
themselves to rebuild their church and TO main
tain a minister. Let us bear them on our hearts
and sustain the work there out Of our great aoun-
Turgently request that offerings be made in all
our churches iand chapels on the last Sunday in
June the second after Trinity, toward the re-
building of St. Marks Church q memorial of
tnecee e be- sent TO Mr r. MorreI the senior
warden of the parish. If the amount received
of the work, l shall hope to lay the corner stone
on the Festival OF Ali Saints, or near that date.
To all who knew and loved our brother. and 20
all who desire the prosperity of our Church in
that afflicted community, am sure that the ap-
peal for aid will not be made in vain.
Faithfully your Bishop and Servant in the Lord,
CoRTLANDT WHITEHEAD.
Subsequently to the reading of the letter
in all the city Protestant Episcopal
churches in this city, the several rectors
ADDED EARNEST APPEALS
to their congregations. At Trinity church,
fhe rector, Rev. Samuel Maxwell stated
that the Bishops plan for the spiritual
resuscitation OF the ruined parish was most
feasible and expedient and was an action
that would commend itself to every
churchman in the diocese. Anyone
who could afford to aid such a noble
cause should esteem it q privilege to
contribute. Subsequently, in con-
versation, Rev. Mr.. Maxwell gave
the strength of the diocese as 20 parishes,
with 5000 communicants, and said that he
should not be surprised if the Pittsburg
diocese was equal, unaided, to the task OF
raising sufficient money to rebuild the
church and get it in shape for use. There
were 60 members of st. Marks congrega-
ton lost, and quite number of their tami-
lies yet remain and are being taken care of
by private subscription. Rev. Charles A.
Bragdon, General Missionary of the diocese,
is now stationed at Johnstown, and will re-
main until a more permanent arrangement
can be made. Rev. Mr.. Bragdon is acting
as almoner of contributions from church
members.
EASTERN EPISCoPALIANS MOVING.
Letters to their respective dioceses have
been issued officially by Bishops Potter of
New York; Doane, of Albany; Littleiohn,
of Long Island, and Huntington, of Cen
tral New York, in which, after allusions to
the great calamity and its serious decima-
ton of the Johnstown members of the
church, there are urgent appeals for SUBJ
stantial aid in the work of rebuilding the
church edifce and rectory.
The projected school building is also
asked for, and the imminent need of an or
phanage for the survivors children is
pointed out. 1t is proposed that the or
phanage be erected in memoriam of Rev.
Sidney Diller, and that it be of adequate
size and with a handsome endowment. The
movement will be made national one, and
the prospects are that the Johnstown Epis-
copalians will be handsomely cared for by
their denomination ut large.