The herald., 1894-04-28
EPISCOPALIANS IN CONVENTION
RectOrs From Different Par
ishes Of California.
Progress of the Missions Shown by
Reports.
RopOrts of Oonamttteos Indicate General
Good stAndlug-PriVRtoS schools
Given Preference Over
Public.

San Francisco Examiner OF Thursday:
The eecond days session OF the forty.
fourth annual synod OF the Episcopal
diocese of California brought out a
large attendance at the Church OF the
Advent on Eleventh street yesterday.
Bishop Nichols, wearing the robes OF
Office, presided.
The question of dividing the vast
jurisdiction over which Bishop Nichols
presides came up for discussion, but
final action was deferred. The senti-
ment OF the delegates is favorable to
division, and three archdeaconries In
California may be expected at an early
date.
THE BOARD OF MISSIONS.
The board of missions, which was
organized in June, 1898, with Rev. John
Ewing as secretary, reported that 1t had
held IL meetings during the year.
Rev. Hamilton Lee resigned from the
charge at Haywsrds and San Leandro
and took charge OF the mission work in
Contra Costa county.
The missions of Haywards, San Loan
dro, Lorin, West Berkeley, Hill Valley,
Walnut Creek. Baden, Mountain View,
Gilroy and Hollster were placed under
the charge of the secretary.
Rev. George q. Mitchell resigned his
charge OF Kings CITY and was succeeded
by Rev. @. M. Hoge; Rev. W. II.
Kuowltou was appointed to San Miguel
and Ell Paso del Robles, and Rev. III. ].
Camp to San Diego.
The tabulated reports of the missions
are as follows: Number of communi-
cants, 1706: baptisms, 266; confessions,
1856; marriages, 81 burials, So; public
services, 1859; communions, 900.
The receipts from pledges and offer
inGs were $12, l74S9 gifts and eubncrip-
tions, $40, 0,962.l3; quarterly and confir.
nation offerings, $6l3O.73; a total Of
$40. .267.73.
The additions to church property in
real estate amount to $9350.
The auxiliary board of San Francisco,
consisting of the rector and a lay mem-
ber from each of the city parishes, pro-
vides reading rooms, resorts, Rmuae.
ments, etc., to all who desire to accept,
and ia doing good work in the city.
The disabled clergy fund amounts to
$17, 7,75l.21, and the widows and orphans'
fund to $10,560.50. The report was
adopted.
The above figures were also included
in the treasurer's report, which was
also adopted.
The question OF allowing women to
become vestrymen, with the privilege
OF voting, was discussed, but no action
was taken.
PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SCHOOLS.
DR.. Spslding read report from the
committee on the advancement of
Christian education and science. He
raid.
tis,5snd, mon tha da,nsnd a. .a scno ooie
Is like any other commodity thrown on
the market. No mere sentiment will in
any reasonable way account Tor these in
Httutions. A thoughtful examination
will show that this demand springs,
first, from an anxiety on the part of the
parent to shield the child from indis-
criminate contact with any and every
kind OF life that must of necessity be
gathered under any system of public
education.
1t ia, indeed, true that nothing can
take the placg of our public schools for
the welfare OF this land. No greater
calamity could befall our country than
to have their usefulness impaired, much
more than have their existence endan-
gered.
1t is equally true, however. that this
indiscriminate gathering of good and
bad and indifferent is one Of the disad-
vantages of any public system. No one
recognizes this more fully than the pub
lie educator. Side by side with the one
the parent has guided from evil COM
panionship may be placed life that
from unhappy circumstances has be-
come evil and vile. In such an at
moBphere and amid such surroundings
the child may be placed at tie most i'm
pressionable age, and when character is
forming. The danger is great, and it
cannot be avoided in any general sys-
tenn OF training. No discrimination in
the selection of scholars can with any
justice find its place in public system.
THE SOCIAL DISTINCTIONS.
1t is not, ae it is so sneeringly re-
marked, the attempt to make distinc-
tions between grades of society-the at
tempt to draw lines between the wealthy
and the poor-but it ia to protect at al
most any expense the life that ia SO
dear from bad influences. Many q
mother before now has seen her child
slowly deteriorate, to find too late the
fruitful cause in schooiboy compan-
ionahip with some one that was vicious.
The private school offers an oppor-
tunity for the development of individual
gifts and personal talents that makes q
private training specially valuable.
The synod will meet again this morn
ing.
THREE PERSONS INJURED.