Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-06-08
ApiscoraL conrnNrlnN
me 10Th Annual CDnyocaLion of the
Diocese of Delaware,

Yesterday, Mt 8 o'Clock. a. in. Bishop Cole
man presided and the attendance was
large.
Morning prayer was conducted by the
Rev. l.. W. Gibson and the benedfction
WAS pronounced by the Rev. N. Il. Dunlap.
Tho bishop appointed the Rev Messrs.
Dame, Miller and Hall q committee to ex-
anime the credentials of the lay delegates,
and the committee reported the names OF
those who had been duly elected and they
answered roll call and took their seats.
The bishop announced the presence of q
quorum of both orders and that the first
business was the election of secretary
). NJ. Curtis was unanimously reelected
Mr.. MGKim called for the report OF the
special committee on standing order of
business for the convention MIR. Dame
read the report as printed in the journal of
the last convention. On motion of DR..
Lltell the report Of the committee was
adopted rs the order of business for this
invention.
The rules Of order of the last conven.
ton were adopted.
me bishop appointed the following adj
dllonal committees: Unfinished Business
the Rev. Messrs. Henry and Bartlett aud
MT. j. III. Houecker. Jr. Next Place of
Meeting the Rev. Mtssrs Dame and Glib
son and Mr.. ID. j. Cummins.
Mr.. Kerr asked for the construction of
the convention AS 10 his right to be an
active mernher of the convention. The
bishop stated that his construction OF
article is of tine constitution did not Ell
title Mr.. Kerr. who is chaplain in the
United states army, to vote and speak in
the convention. Mr.. Dunlap moved that
the convention proceed to decide the ques-
ton Of MIR. kerr's right Mr., Lightner
offered us a substitute a resolution that the
claim of Mr.. Kerr be referred 10 a com.
mttee consisting Of the Rev. Messrs Lit
tell, Dame and Gibson, General l'ostles
and Mr.. holfeCker. which was adopted.
H. was resolved to meet daily at . u. m.
and take recess from | to 5 p. M. and
from to p. m.
Recess for divine service was taken.
The convention assembled for divine
service at ll.SU O'clock The bishop and
clergy entered during the singing of a
hymn. Mr.; Kerr read the litany, the
bishop read the eXhortatioi,, MIR. MCKim
read the gospel and Mr.. Murray read the
epistle. 'rhc Rev. Lewis W. Wells of
Nlillsboro who preached the sermon,
chose for his text Psalms CXXlI.. /. The
oitCfiory was diocesan missions. The
holy communion followed the sermon.
Bishop Coleman was ceiebrant and was
assisted by the Rev. Messrs, Murray, Light.
ner, Mckim and Hammond.
The convention reaSscmbled at 3 o'clock
livered his annual address.
BISHOP coLEMAN's ADDRESS.
Bishop Coleman delivered his annual
address this afternoon. In his introduce
tory remarks he said ~ want to express
here what ! have had opportunity of ex-
pressing elsewhere, namely, my sincere
gratitude for the many tokens Of sympathy
and affection which came to me during
the time of my recent ailliction. They
were most welcome and helpful and were
the means OF attaching me all the more
tcnderly and strongly to Il diocese already
dear to me. | would also hlmbly place
on record my deVout thankfulness to God
for His meTCies then especially vouchsafed.
hope you will unite with Inc in praying
! tAat these may move me to such service in
| His behalf as should be more than COM
| pGnsation for what | have lost"
The past year" he continued, "haS
| been one of bereavement to several dio.
ceses. First came the death of the bishop
| of Massachusetts, familiarly known the
world over AS Phillips Brooks. 1t is but
! seldom that the decease of any man at
tracts such general observation and leads
to such eulogtstc regrets His intellectual
| and spiritual gifts were many and large
| but that which, to my mind, was his most
| conspicuous characteristic WAS his unaf
fected modcsty4 The unseltish way in
which he lived amid such universal ad
miration may well he commended to all
| public men"
Reference was next made to the death Of
the bishops of California and Vermont.
| I'm our own diocese" Bishop Coleman
| added, I'VE have been spared loss by death
of any clergymen, but there have been ar
unusual number of noteworthy losses
among the lay people, a few of which
come to my remembrance as am review
10 tIa.na It.
| ton, Col. Henry B. Judd was familiar
| figure and no one could become acquainted
with him without recognizing in him I
| Christian gentleman of the highest type.
His services to his country and his scrupu
lous manner of rendering them deserve
most grateful recognition. George ID. Arm
strong had been for years most valuable
member of Trinity parish, as also in my
| earlier days, benevolent friend of st
| Johns Church. For long time he haG
| done excellent service to the diocese us ont
of its most interested trustees.
Reference was made to the death of ex
| Chief Justice Comesys, Chief Justice Rob
insOn, i. W. j. Adams, Nathaniel Williams
Miss Margaretta Gibbs, DR.. Hugh Martin
the wife of Colonel Orr, and William P
i Cresson. Mr. GFesson, who formerly re
sided in Delaware, was for long time
3! Interested in its diocesan affairs and was /
| generous benetactor to Grace Church
| Brandywine hundred.
"The event in our diocesan affairs, y sale
said the bishop, (which, as it appears tC
me, should have the first place in Tho
yearly record of encouraging facts, is th,
| recent presentation, by deed 10 The
trustees OF the diocese, of the valuable
| property known as Bishopstead This i.
| TO be the home of the bishop of Delawar,
| and no situation could be found more an
propriate and satisfactory for this purpose
| know of no Episcopal residence il
| America, which, Tor natural surround
ings and for general conveniences, equals
| it, especially when the adjoining beauti
fnl chapel is taken into c6nsidera
| ton. The associations with the latt
bishop throughout his whole episcopal,
| give to it an additional interest in al
our minds. The munihcence of the gift
coupled with the anonymous bcstowal
will, | am sure, evoke throughout Tia,
diocese a most grateful recognition anC
many wall pray for Gods richest blessin.
factor. The conditions upon which TIN
gift has been made and accepted are slcl
rs ought to be complied with faithful,
and cheertully, viz: That the dioces
should keep it in repair and pay sucl
taxes AS may be laid upon it. A begin
ming Of permanent fund. the interest o
which is to be expended for this purpose
has already been made by the kind actor
OF the members OF the Church Club of tn
diocese, who, AT their last semi.auuna
meeting, donated to the trustees the hand
some sum of 81 ,I50. sincerely trust tina
there may be but little delay on the par
of others in making up the balance that i
still required.
I'm the way of church improvement
he past year presents most satisfactor,
record. One new church has been finished
st. Darnabas, Marshallton. This is an at
tractive and substantial edilice, beautiful.
situated 1t represents much earnestnes