The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-25
BISHOP NELSON'S VISIT.
SEvENTY-FIvE PEOPLE RECEIVE
THE RITE OF CONFIRMATION.

The Bishops Sermons at Christ's and
and ST. Pauls Charlottesville Views
Upon Church Missions in Georgia.
The Need for Mission Work-The
Bishops Impressions of the bloc ese
and the Outlook for the Church-He
Is Pleased With His Rec sption in Sa-
vennah.
Bishop Cleland (. Nelson made his first
episcopal visit to Savannah yesterday. The
rite of confirmation was conferred upon
seventy-fve persons, thirty-two at Christ
church, twenty-five at st. Johns, three At
st. Psups, and eighteen at St Stephens
(coloredl.
Christ church was crowded at the II
o'clock service to hear the bishop. The serv-
ices lasted over two hours. The full
morning service, including the Htany, was
read. The music by the choir was very fine.
The Easter programme was repeated en-
tirely, with the exception Of the oRertory
by Mr. Walker. The ofRertory yesterday
morning was, 20, God, Have Mercy"
At the conclusion of the service, which
was conducted by the rector. Rev. Robb
" AApOi a NAehoo VA bhAi l-bWO hRp4ASdhbs Was
confirmed by the bishop. There are two
Others to be confirmed at the service this
morning.
THE BISHOPS SERMON.
After the confirmation Bishop Nelson
preached a brief sermon from H. Cor
Inthlans, w., 3-4: but if our gospel be hid,
1t Is hid to them that are lost; in whom the
god of the world hath blinded the minds Of
them which haI{av-a Nba FferbH - h.
glorious gospel of Christ. who is the image
of God, should shine unto them.n
Bishop Nelson began by stating his pleas
ure at being able to meet the practitioners
of the diocese, with the hope that a more
extended acquaintance would prove mutu-
ally profitable and pleasant. he prefaced
his sermon with strong home mission
talk, stating some facts as TO the condition
OF the church in Georgia, which were new
TO his hearers. He said that with ali
the power aud wealth and influence Of the
Episcopal church in this country, and not
withstanding the length Of time which 1t
has been established 10 this state, il still has
but comparatively small foothold. Fully
onestfth OF all the members of the church
In the state are in Savannah.
THE NEED OF MISSION WORK.
OF the 1877 counties In this state, be said,
there are 100 which have no church edifice
or church organization Of any kind of the
Episcopal church, or even the slightest
beginnings OF such an organization.
This condition of affairs in the great state
OF Georgia, the largest state east of the
Mississippi river and the ninth largest in
the union, an empire in itself, with the
great work Of development just begun and
the vast possibilities stretching out before,
was something deserving the serious con.
sheraton Of ohurchmen everywhere, he
said. He told them that while they might
be strong in this immediate vi
entity, both numerically and nnan-
clally, they had duty to
perform elsewhere and he should not hesi-
tate to call upon them for assistance when
needed, knowing by reputation their liber-
atty and r adiness orslpold.
THE FOUR GOSPELS.
Bishop Nelson divided the subjects Of his
sermon under four heads. The gospel Of
dirt the gospel of hate, the gospel of divis-
ion and the gospel OF Jesus Christ. These
were the four gospels, he said, that the
world presented to the one in search of
light. He discussed each one in turn By
the gospel of dirt, he represented material
Ism, the belief that mems joys and pleasures
are confined entirely to the things
which he finds around him here,
that there is nothing higher and better
beyond and that he has nothing to hope for;
a belief that explains the existence OF man
by the theory OF evolution from some pre-
historic form, molecular or otherwise.
bishop Nelson said that such an explana-
ton OF the existence and development of
man and water without the aid Of a God
was entirely unsatisfactory so long as they
failed to explain where the molecules and
the protoplasms came from. They must