The herald., 1894-10-25
THE DIVISION OF THE DIOCESE.
Nl
Tie Episcopal Convocation Dis
cussing the Subject.
Several Laymen Speak Warmly
Against the Project.
BY No Means n Universal Sentiment In
Favor of Creating u New Diocese,
with . Bishop at Los
Angeles.

The concluding session of the Epaco-
pal convocation was held yesterday,
and to the lay mind, unscquainted with
or at least not individually interested in
She details of church government, the
session was the most interesting of any
held. On motion of Rev. A. s. Clark
OF Christ church, the discussion ON the
division of ths diocese had been made
the order OF the day. The question of
divieion is one in which almost every
layman in the Episcopal church and
very many outside its pale have an
abiding interest. As q consequence the
attendance yesterday was much larger
than at any previous session, many la
dies being numbered among those in
attendance.
After the usual service OF morning
prayer, held in the church OF St. Paul,
an adjournment was made to the Guild
hall. Whether many OF the reverend
gentlemen, and also many of the laity,
had foreboding OF the opposition to the
scheme of division and determined to
accept the challenge and make q con-
test on the worldly ground OF finance
and the general wisdom of the non-
elect. certain it is they did not put in
an appearance at prayers. The remarks
of some lacked devoutnegs that other
wise might have distinguished them.
sad could only be excused on the ground
of that righteous anger" for which
tbereyis scriptural warrant.
Right Revernd Bishop Nichols cleared
the ground, or perhspsit would be moro
L. ,kaH ro hxyH Hxt m
the limitations of discussion. By the
introduction Of matters ultra-vires to
conyoeatiou, If entered into largely,
would retard rather than encourage the
scheme OF division OF the diocese. He
outlined the action taken eince the pro-
posal was first mooted in 1891, until in
the convention OF 1894 committee
recommended division to take place in
1895, Oonvocations not being a legisla.
tive but consultative body, it did not
come within its scope to discuss W neither
division would be either advisable or
desirable. The convention had done
that. 1t only had the power to say
when and how it shoald be done.
Rev. A. s. Clark made molten that
the rules be suspended and officers
elected. The motion carried and in the
interim some time was afforded the op-
posing forces to collect their thoughts,
possibly somewhat dsorganized by the
limitations placed ON discussion by
Bishop Nichols. The following officers
were then elected: Dean Rsstarick of
San Diego was rt-appointsd as dean
without any opposition; Rev. DR.. M. @.
Dolren OF Riverside to be secretary, vice
Rev. B. w. r. Tayler of st. Johns, who
refused to be renominated, and DR..
Towels to be treasure.
That little bit of business having been
concluded and breathing spell afford
ed, Rev. ]. Gray, as chairman OF the
ways and means subcommittee, stated
thar he was in peculiar position. He
was amenable to the convention only,
and therefore it seemed outside his prov
ince to make any statement to convoca-
tion. He stated, however, that a sub
committee of their subcommittee had
been appointed to ascertain the feeling
on the question in all the parishes.
There being demand that Rev. A. 8.
Clark, through whom the matter had
been brought up for discussion, should
say something, he began to make few
remarks touching the financial side Of
the question, when the bishop inter
rupted him by ruling that the financial
question had been referred by the con-
ventiou to subcommittee and did not
fall within the province of convocation
to discuss.
The question OF the advisabIlty and
desirability of division he also declare ID
to be ultra wires. He explained that he
stood representing not only the oonven-
tion but also as responsible to other
Conversations. The functions OF convo-
cation had been defined and the law
laid down. He might, in the event OF
permitting Unrestricted discussion, be
brought to tack for allowing such a
course to be pursued on q question af-
fecting the entire diocese. While desir.
ing the fullest and fairest discussion, 1t
necessarily must be limited by canoni-
cal law.
Mr.. John Wigmore. q lay delegate, on
obtaining the floor. stated he had Just
one dry fact to present. The question OF
division was much one OF finance. There
had been assessed to the parishes and
missions OF Southern California $l077. so ;
there had been paid in s1l77.O5; the
difference in partial arrears were $298 05 /;
still in arrears, $34275. "Now," said
Mr.. Wigmore, warming to hin subject,
"it is q question for the parishoners and
vestries to consider whera 10 sufficient
money to pay the bare salary of the
bishop, expenses of convention and mis-
sions to be obtained. To provide for a
bishop properly, less than $1,000 cannot
be offered. OF necessity. then, $4,000
more must be paid than the assessments
yield. Three parishes only that pay
more than 500, and in San Francisco
there are only two that pay less than
$3.50. This is one point OF defense
against division and the crucial point Of
discussion. We have had many prom
ises. One from the rector of San Diego
that a rectory should be built in San
Diego. 1t has vanished into thin air.
There were $4,000 guaranteed, but none
have been paid in. There is not one in
convocation who can say that $4,000 can
be raised toward the requisite fund.-
Mr.. Wigmore had touched on forbidden
ground, but as the opinion seemed to be
general that the discussion should take
wider scope than that defined by Bishop
Nichols, the latter gave. way trifle by
reminding debRters that a broader mar.
gin might be obtained ii they bore in
memory that members OF the su5'com-
mistee present were anxious to gain in
formation.
JuuRe IL. L. Lee being called Tor 70
read statement he had prepared. said
that he had become more conservative
than he had been. "My personal opin-
ion, ne remarked, has become merged
IN my position as a committeeman OF the
olocesan convention. | have prepared.
ngures OF the diocesan expense under
the present regime and have estimated
tne h2ures OF the acheme gone through.
A w me NJ f,xs 4