The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-06-24
DIOCESE OF SEATTLE
The Opening Wedge for Its At
tainment Gained.
KING AND NINE oTneR COUNTIES


As tns convoc1slon Of the Protestant
Episcopal church Of the missionary juris-
dict'on Of Olympia, held this week in Ts-
coma, the important business OF the ses-
sion vas the consideration Of . resolution
% memorsliss the house Of bishops 10 ses
aside King and the nine other northern
counties Of Western Washington INTO .
separate missionary jurisdiction. with the
utimsse formation OF the diocese Of Seat
lie Ia 1876.
The rssoiution uas offered in rood faith
and backed By the support Of every clerical
ana lay delegate from these northern
counties except one lsyman from Everett,
ana approved also BY . number from the
southern counties. including several from
Tacoma itself. The promoters Of this
movement believe it for the good Of the
church In this stats 70 have not only zee
city 1t SPOKANE and Tacoma, but one also
1t Seattle. the chief city Of the state.
They contend that the development Of the
church in small towns now without minis
tsasions can b best ompiished by hav-
ing this additional bishop. who can 70
personally to every section Of the field and
plant the church theirs. They find that
certain valuable property owned solely BY
the Episcopal church In King county. can
b applied 70 the endow ment Of this do
cess, and that this property cannot Be used
for any object that does not directly benefit
the church in King county.
When the question was raised in the
convention Il excited the delegates from
Pierce county who desire the financial
assistance Of Seattle 70 erect Q diocese
with Tacoma - the see city. Thus . de-
termined effort was made TO defeat the
passage Of the resolution and every means
known TO parliamentary tactics was re-
sorted 70 in this behalf The Seattle pro-
jsct, however was overwhelmingly carried
By the clerical members, the vote stand
ing Is to I. and on tho ballot by parishes
and missions, the lay delegates from each
voting - . unit. the vote Was to in
favor OF the resolution.
One Tacoma clergyman who was really
in favor Of the division, but opposed to
the form OF the resolution, raised the
question Of quorum. and this, too. in the
midst Of the balIotins after the whole OF
the clerical vote Vas called and two par
roll. This altogether unparliamentary act
sustained BY the house, but still the Ia
=
quorum before, and did not Afterwards, in
sisted that there was no vote taken and had
lt'so reported In the Tacoma Ledger. The
clerical gentleman who claimed there was
no quorum wss reminded BY Rev. d. G.
Garrett. rector Of st. Marks. Seattle. that
quorum meant majority Of those clerical
and lay delegates whose names appeared
on the roll - entitled to seats. and later
on tho Tacoma clergyman admitted this
Interpretation % b correct. Another
clergy man from Tacoma who Was too
much Of . stranger 10 the jurisdiction to
understand it, needs. tried 70 make CAPT.
tai for the opposition to the division BY
duplicating that the Seattle scheme Was
fostsrsd by local jsalousy. This same
clergyman introduced . resolution
towards forming . ''diocess Of Olympia"
including both Seattle and Tacoma, but
after insisting on keeping the name
Olympia" in his motion, he suddenly, BY
his own accord, asked permission to leave
IL out. Even then the reso ution was de-
fsated. and the first step towards forming
two diocesss Of Seattle and Tacoma
strongly Endorsed.
The Tacoma papers give the impression
that this movement was An attempt TO
wrest from Tacoma the bishopric. Such,
however, is not the case. Seattle and its
nine tributary counties simply ask the
right TO form diocese Of their own and
support their own bishop. They more than
generously rslinquish the present bishop
rio and 81; Of their interests in the prop.
erty of the jurisdiction located at Tacoma,
not even asking for any portion OF those
funds now in the hands Of the treasurer or
trustees OF the jurisdiction. some Of which
were raised in Seattle. II 10 noteworthy
that the bishops secretary and chaplain,
the Rev. L. w. Apologize. who Is also
general missionary and who lives in Ia
coma. voted for the division resolution,
and those well informed say that when
the time comes Bishop Paddock himself
will indorss and help promote the propo-