Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-09
THE CHURCHMENS LEAGUE.
The Proposed Diocese of Washington and
the Endowment Fund.
Meeting of an Influential Church Or
ganizatiOn-Report of the EndOw-
ment Fund Committee.

The November meeting Of the Church
mans League of the District was held last
evening at Epiphany Church rooms, about
100 members, being present. The president
Chief Justice Fuller. was unavoidably alb
| sent, and the third vice president, Commits
sicner Truesdell, presided. Gen. Jno. A.
kasson was expected to make an address,
but was also unable to be present
Rev. DR.. Mackaye Smith opened the meet
ing with prayer. The secretary, Mr.. Ed
| ward F. LOCKER, read the minutes Of the
last meeting, and DR.. w. P. Young, the
treasurer, made his report. Twenty-one
new members were then elected, raising the
| membership to 237.
DR.. McKim, chairman Of the committee
| to raise the endowment fund, explained the
| reasons for the division Of the diocese as
follows:
First: The Relief Of the Bishop.-The spe-
cial committee Of four clergymen and three
laymen. which was appointed to consider
the subject. and which made its report to
| the convention Of 1894. declared that no
bishop ought TO be called upon to endure
| and perform the work which Is now laid
upon the head Of this diocese
Second: The Demands Of the Work.-The
growth Of the church in the diocese, and
especially in the cities Of Baltimore and
Washington, has been such. and the proper
items Of the work have become so great, that
| In the interest Of its proper Episcopal super
vision a division Of territory and of labor
Is imperatively demanded. The bishop said
| to the convention in 1893: The wonderful
end rapid growth of our two great cities
will make division absolutely necessary be-
fore long. Shall We wait until the absolute
| necessity comes upon us-until the work
| really suffers because too great for one man
| to bear? Or shall we. by wise forethought,
go before the absolute necessity and provide
| for 1t before ii comes?' The special commit
tee already quoted went farther and said
the work is already far more than any one
| man can satisfactorily discharge And they
gave 1t as their opinion after long and ma
| ture reflection that the division Of the do
cese is not only advisable. but necessary;
and that to delay 1t longer Is to imperil the
best interests and progress of the church of
our love- Let 1t be remembered in this con-
, nection that unless We consummate division
now II cannot be done under our constitu-
ton until the end Of the year 1864 delay
| of four years.
Importance Of This City.
Third: The Peculiar Importance Of the
City Of Washington as a Center of Influence
and Power.-We must here extend the hori-
ION Of our thought. AS churchmen. believ-
| ing thoroughly in the apostolic faith and
order CT this church and in it's great posi-
BILE destiny among the American people, we
| must think not only Of our own interests,
but Of the interests of the whole church as
affected by the organization and equipment
| OF The church here at the capital OF The ia
| ton. We need bishop in Washington in
order that the work of the church here ray
be more effectively and vigorously develop
ed; in order that open doors Of opportunity
| may be more promptly entered; in order
that under a leader whose whole mind and
energy shall be devoted to this city and it's
adjacent counties the church may the bet
| ter rise TO the full measure OF its duty and
| its responsibility.
But We need bishop and an autonomous
| diocesan organization in Washington still
more because of the peculiar position of this
metropolitan city as a center of national in
huence and power. These are, We think, the
chief considerations that influence the &C
ton of the convention. That action was,
we believe, unanimous in favor of the divis-
ion of the diocese, and it was ordered that
| two committees be appointed, selected re-
spectively from the proposed diocese, who
shall take such measures as they may deem
best to secure adequate support for the two
bishops"
The Money Needed.
1.-The sum deemed by the committee Tin
agreement with the bishop adequate for
the support Of the bishop of the proposed
diocese Of Washington is $1,000 per annum
since there Is no Episcopal residence, and,
therefore. house rent must be provided
''Of this sum we estimate that the exist
ing assessments upon the parish. together
with the income from our share of the
Episcopal funds. will yield, say, $3,O55 per
adjustment Of some evident inequalities in
the assessments to $500 This leaves an
additional annual sum Of $3.50 to be pro-
vided. representing principal sum of. say.
$5OOO0, which must be obtained as an en-
dowment, by subscription Of individuals or
parties, or both. in such form as to be bind
ing upon the subscribers.
For this sum. then. the committee makes
Its appeal to the churchmen of Washington,
relying at orce upon their loyalty.
their lberality and their love on be-
half of the church. We believe Ii
is entirely feasible to raise it. IL those men,
bers Of the church whom God has blessed
with the possession of wealth, even in a
moderate degree, will unite with their
brethren of lesser means in this great work
for Christ and His church"
Rev. DIR. A. r. Stuart, rector of Christ
Church, Georgetown; Mr.. S. w. Tuloch and
other members of the league, clerical and
lay. ably and earnestly Endorsed DR.. Nc
kims clear presentation of the scheme, his
general views ard suggestions and the fol-
lowing resolutions were then unanimously
adopted:
Resolved, That it is the sense Of this
league that the recent unanimous action of
the convention in favor of the division Of
the diocese has our dial approval.
"R asolved, That We believe the erection
of the proposed diocese of Washington is
of great importance, not only on account
of the interests of the church in this city,
but also,even more, because Of the peculiar
position of this metropolitan city as a CEN
ter Of influence and power.
Resolved, That We earnestly indo-se the
efforts of the special committee appointed
by the bishop to raise the necessary funds
for the support of the episcopate in the pro-
posed diocese Of Washington"
On the conclusion of business. Rev. Dr.
Addison, rector Of Trinity Church, pro-
nounced the benediction, after which an
excellent collation. was served, and a frater-
nal interchange of thought and feeling was
heartily enjoyed.
ENCOURAGING FACTS.