Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1894-11-21
CONVOCATION CLOSED
Concluding Service Held at St.
Johns Last Night.
INTERESTING SUBJECTS, DISCUSSED

Yesterday afternoons session Of the
convocation Of the Diocese of Delaware
was called to order shortly after 3
o'clock by Bishop Coleman, the presiding
officer. The committee OF two appointed
to audit the treasurers report, reported
1t to be correct.
The afternoon subject of discussion
was "The Well Organized PARISH The
first to take up the subject was John Nj.
Newbold, OF st James parish, Newport,
who read a paper on THE Part and Duty
Of the Rector : Among other things be
considers that the Clergyman should
help the vestry, should frequently visit
the homes OF the pRrishioners aud en-.
courage them to visit his home. He
should visit the sick, and poor, and
stiilcted, and should show special kind.
ness to the stranger visiting his church.
He should be a model citizen, and not be go
immersed in spiritual things as not to be
interested In common matters OF veal or
woe. He concluded by saying that 1t is
easy to say how things should be done,
but not SO easy to do them.
Rev. E. X Miller followed with his
paper, which set forth the first duty
and part Of the congregation TO be at
church every Sunday, and attend the
week day services as often as possible
1t should be so familiar with the SER
Vices as to join in 1t sudibly. The mem
bers should make 1t possible for strangers
to take part In the service, which would
add much to their interest The rich
and poor should meet together, for God
Is no respecter OF persons. Each mem
ber should bear in mind that he is re-
quired to be q worker None is eman-
cipated from the responsibilities that
rest upon him. AS the Lord worked. SO
must his followers work, and they must
open their eyes to see work at hand
Another duty Of the members of the
congregation Ia to keep the minister in
formed of sickness and sffliction in the
parish. SinglehRnded and alone, he
might not hear Of such cases until too
late
The paper throughout was interesting,
and full Of earnest. deep thought care.
fully expressed
Rev. a. NJ Bartlett expounded the
duties Of the vestry He treated his
subject in bright. original manner,
giving, at the same time. not q little
pertinent advice to that class Of church
men. Above all things he considered 1t
necessary for the vestry to hear sermons.
The sermons might be very poor speci
mems and WEAKNESS to the church, still
It would be better than its hearers. The
vestryman should persuade others to
attend church He should not rely on
his own example to bring that desired
end about. but use persuasion TO get men
into the church of Christ
A duty Of the vestryman, In which
there Is not unmixed pleasure, is to
smoSth the difficulties that besst the
pathway Of the rector-to quell the
tempest that sometime will arise in the
best regulated teapots. He must make
himself useful by doing away with any
little Misunderstanding that the minis :
ter Is p0werless to remove, and whose
attempt to do SO would only add to the
difficulty.
Then the vestryman should give the
rector kindly advice. He may not be
able to give advice wisely, nor may the
minister be able to receive it witely.
The latter may be one of those persons
who knows everything, but won't take
advice-but he is Just the man who
needs it moro than anyone else Again
the minister is often impracticable
Learned though he may be in the
knowledge Of God, he may not be versed
In the ways of the world. Then his
Heavenly service must be modified by
the common sense of the laity. The
vestryman must not only be faithful to
the interest Of the parish, not only the
rector's friend, but must be the guardian
Of the parish, and see that
its interests are we'll cared for. The
papers were discussed by Rev. Mr..
Rogers, Rev. Joseph Beers and others.
Before adiourning for recess Rev H.
Ashton Henry proposed the appointment
Of committee to have the papers pre-.
served and resd before the various
parishes. The bishop appointed Rev J.
X. Hammond, Rev. H. A. Henry and
Joseph Swift as that committee
The social half hour was an enjoyable
period. Old friends greeted each other,
and acquaintRnces were made At It's
close the subject Of missionary Needs
and Methods" was discussed. Rev. X.
j. Harmon, on the parochial side of the
question, advocated division OF mission
work and the forming OF many
branches, each to work in It's special
sphere, and all working together 1t ia
the church's duty to work, and God gives
the increase Rev. A. R. Walker read q
paper on the diocesan mission, which
gave statistics from which he induced
| that there should be an average Of 81
for each communicant Of the church fol
missions The paper Of T.sGardinel
Littell, ID. D., was interesting in the
extreme 1t was chiefly on the progress
OF missions, and urged the general mis-
sionsry work OF the church. The papers
were discussed by Revs Henry, Hall snC
Beers
The election of secretary and treas.
urer resulted in the unanimous re
election of Joseph Swift. who also re
celved vote Of thanks for his forme
efficient work. About 5 80 the session
adjourned until s o'clock
The Closing Session.
A large congregation attended tn
impressive closing exercises Of the con
vocation in the auditorium Of st. John
Church last night. The music wa
unusually fine and the program was ful
of interest. After brief devotions, ther
were addresses on the subject, 9Th
Worlds Great Need. !" 1t was subdivide
as follows: 1.-The Faith, Rev. Charlie
e. Murray; "The Church, " Rev. Georg
). Gassneri ''The Life, Rev. George N
Bond.
Mr.. Murray. in his paper, said that th
MnNA II. A