The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-22
THE EPISCOPAL COUNCIL.
interesting Report Of the Second Days
Proceedings.
PROPOSED DIVISION OF THE DIOCESE.
Tho subject Discussed by Bishops Whitue
and andoIph-opening Services "o-
mans Auxiliary Society.


divine service at $3.50 o'clock. Morning prayer
was read by the Rev. J. y. bowman OF An
Saints church. Richmond. The hev. a. D.
Lloyd, of ST. Luke's church, Norfolk then
addressed the council on the work Of the
Woman's Auxiliary Society to the Board oil
Missions of tho Church. a branch of which IS
now established in the diocese and IS now IN
session in connection with the missionary
work Of the council.
REPORT OF TIE woMAS's AUXILIARY.
DR.. Burton. of St. Johns church, Rich
mond next presented the report of the Wo-
mans Auxiliary in behalf Of the secretaries
Miss Saliie Stewart. of Alexandria and Miss
l. f. TAILOR. Of Norfolk. The report showed
that "a. 900 had been contributed durps me
mast wear In money and boxes. III this
amount $500 80 were contributed 10 the Dlo-
cesar Missionary Society, S4l4.4 tor dOInes-
tic missions outside of the Diocese OF Virginia,
and 1900 for foreign missions. me yaIue OF
the boxes sent out amounted 10 fl6iZ. Inc
foreign missions assisted by this society were
Brazil. China. japan. Mexico Cuba and
Biehop White then made favorable adj
dress commenting the society 20 the diocese
and hoping that many branches would he
formed this year. Services then closed VIII
the benedictlon by the Bishop.
BUSINESS SESSION.
The business session of the council com
menced at II O'Clock. The minutes OF yesteT-
day were read by the secretary and approved.
Bishop White next read his annual address,
from which we gather the following sum
mary: Episcopal visitors. %. ConhIlnatoDs-
white. C3s: cOlored. "a: total, 6s2. fostniahts
received 20. Candidates for deacon orders
Admitted 2, present number 3. Candidates Tor
PRIESTS orders admitted 7. present number
white p: colored, /; total %. DeacOns or
dained- white, t. eolored !; total D. PreSoy-
tiers ordained, 2. Ministers deceased, 3. Let
tiers dsmissory given, D. Letters dlsmlssory
accepted, T. churches cOnsecrated, 3; lay read
ers licensed 80: present number ministers
white i40, colored, u. Total l53
THE BISHOPS ADDRESS.
In the opening portion of his address the
Bishop very gracefully acknowledged the
action If the last council taken during his alb
sence requesting him 20 take a vacation OF
four months. and nppropriating the means TO
enable him TO do 50. He expressed his CRATE
Iul appreciaton of their cOnsderate kindness,
and Of the unfailing confidence, torbearance
and affection which his brethren of the clergy
and laitv have manifested toward him for
twenty-three years. and of which 1t humoied
him to know he IS unworthy.
The Bishop adds that 1t VIII appear from
the various reports TO be presented to the
council that while the Church may not have
made any great progress during the past
year, yet there is nothing TO discourage us
and much for which we should be thankful.
The combinations have been about as usual
"A number of new churches have been conse-
Grated, the list of ministers remains
nearly the same as last year, the amount of
contributions had been large. and our differ
ent societies and institutions continue to
prosper. Think of the treasurers reporting
the contributions from the children as reach
ing the great sum of "a .305. 97-exceedlng that
of last year by more than S1,3l0-and swell
ing the amount from the whole diocese TO the
grand total Of Sl3. S94-more than was ever
given before and more than the most san
puine of ms had ever ventured TO hope for
Firmly. if not "out of the mouth of babes and
sucklings"-yet by the hearts and hands Of
little children God has obtained strength TO
carry on our work and advance His King
dom.
CODORED MISSION CHURCHES.
The Bishop referred TO the organization,
under canon XIII. Of the Conyocation com
posed of the cOlored mission churches. All
the colored ministers OF the diocese except
one were present The best spirit animated
all the members of the ConvOcatiOn. and 1T IS
believed that it will prove a great help toward
advancing the interests of the Church among
our colored brethren III Virginia.
DIVISION or THE DIOCESE
The Bishop concluded as follows: 1.-THE
question which, no doubt, will engage more
OF the attention Of the council than ,any other
is that of oil viding the diocese. ! think IT my
duty to try 10 clearly explain my position on
this subject. because ! find that IN many quar-
ters tits misunderstood. year or two ago,
for reasons which were mentioned, recon-
mended that a committee be appointed TO
consider the question of dividing the diocese
of Virginia into two or three dioceses and TO
report TO this council. A committee of SIX
teen was appointed, OF which ! was made
chairman The committee met IN Richmond
Ill Il, ,,aVc hatp apt
and unanimously adopted report to be pre-
aented TO the council. But before any,
thing was done / distinctly stated
that in my Judgment it was mistake TO put
me ON the committee; that was present
merely as chairman and to get all the lntOr-
nation could; that would not feel bound
by the action of the committee or commit
myself to anything until ! heard all that
might be said ont OF and in the council. /
think the committee understood that to
be my position then, and that is my position
now / have not expressed myself as being
either in favor of or as opposed to any par
ticular line or lines of division, and
do not consider myself bound TO con-
sent 10 any such, or indeed 10
any division whatever that may be agreed
upon. | trust, therefore, that there may be a
free and full discussion of the important sub
ject in all its bearings. and that no one will be
IN the least degree influenced in his speech or
action by what he may suppose TO be my
views and wishes.
BISHOP RANDoLPH's ADDRESS.
Bishop Randolph then read his address. He
reported $40 combinations and five persons
ordained 10 the priesthood. He referred in
feeling terms to the death of the Rev. Mr.
Shields, of Mount jackson. The greater part
of his address was devoted TO the consider
alton of the question of division of the do
cese. He took the ground that division into
small dioceses was most ineXpedient. Illus
trating this by the history of the Church on
this subject for the last twenty years. The
size of diocese in his opinion. should
be governed by the ability of bishop in good
health TO attend TO its work. The position of
an assistant bishopwas, historically speaking,
an anomaly. In saying this he had no refer
ence TO the relations between himself and the
diocese which had been most harmonious,
but he felt that IL was necessary at this time
for ham as well as Bishop Whlttle TO
state their candid opinions. He APP
proved of the division of the Diocese
of Virginia into two parts, either on
the line suggested by the committee
or by those suggested by some making the
james river the dividing line between the
two proper dioceses. In conclusion he prayed
that wisdom should be given to the council IN
discussing this question and implored the
blessing Of God on the Church in Virginia
STANDING COMMITTEES.
The following standing committees were
elected for the ensuing year: