Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1895-10-25
THE LAST DAY.
Episcopalian Convention Brought to
aClose at Minneapolis.
Letter of the Bishops to the Church
w. c. T. U. Convention Elects
Miss Willard President.


Minneapolis, Mimi, Oct. 90. - The
conventions, on it's last day Tuesday,
showed an apparent minority of dele
gates remaining, evidently only enough
remaining to constitute a quorum for
the winding up of necessary business
details.
A message was received from the
house of bishops containing joint
resolution constituting the missionary
district of northern Texas. Action con-
CURED in without debate.
DR. Elliot, of Maryland, by invitation
of President Dix, addressed the conven
ton i'll relation to the meeting of the
convention in Washington in 1898.
a message from the house of bishops
was to the effect that the new mission
airy district of North Carolina shall be
known as the district of Asheville.
The Pennsylvania delegates offered
resolution recognizing the uniform
dignity, courtesy and kindness of the
presiding officer of the house, DIR. Nor
gan Dix, of New York. The resolution
was adopted by rising vote and DR..
Dix responded in graceful and touch
ing manner.
DIR. Hoffman, of New York, moved
that committee be appointed to in
form the house of bishops that the
house of deputies has concluded it's
business and is now ready to adjourn.
1t was announced that the conference
committee on hymnals was still in ses-
sion, and DIR. Hoffman temporarily with
drew the motion.
y message from the house of bishops
announced its recession from its action
concerning the binding of the hymnal
with the book of Common Prayer.
Bishops' Pastoral Letter.
Following is an abstract of the
bishops pastoral address issued at noon
Tuesday by the secretary of the house
of bishops:
To OUR WELL-DELovED IN CHRIST. The
Clergy and Lafty of the Protestant Episco-
pal church In the United States of America:
Grace be unto you. and peace, from God
Our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Once more 1t has been our privilege to
meet with your representatives in the
triennal convention of the church. 1t
closes with signal proofs of Gods favor.
Ills mercies have not been hindered by the
shortcomings of its members or by their
misuse of His grace. The bonds of brother
hood in Christ have been strengthened:
our missions have been enlarged; and,
from statistics presented we are able to
record many gratifying evidences of the
church's ediflcation within and Of the
marked extension OF its influence without.
THE altered conditions of the church,
due to Its expanding life in the past
century, have imposed upon this body two
very grave and far-reaching tasks-thc
revision of the book of common prayer
and the revision of the constitution and
canons of the church. The one was happi-
~ completed three years ago, and the other
has made satisfactory progress during the
session now closed"
The address then considers the state
of the church as shown by the house of
deputies report, calling particular at
tention to a serious defect in the inn
portant department of domestic and
foreign missions.
Chinese Massacres.
Speaking of the recent assault upon
Christian missionaries in China, the ad-
dress ssa
Missions In China have recently suf-
fered great disaster. When least expect
ing 1t, the church has been shocked by an
outbreak of hostility and violence, which
in the worlds estimation has revived the
question of the church's right to be there
at all. Devoted missionaries have sealed
with their blood the faith they were sent
forth to teach.
Such crisis in missionary work will
not be without Its use and purpose IL, as
like ones have done in the past, 1t brings to
the front and sets In battle array larger
measure of the herOism always latent in
the militant host of Christ. For the pres
cnt, then, the moral of this calamity is,
more. not less men in the field, and larger
offerings by the church to sustain them"
On Sunday Observance.
Speaking of Sunday observance, the
address says:
Recent events in some parts of our
country compel us to call your earnest at
tention to widely spread and determined
attack upon the use and purpose Of the
weekly day of rest known from the be-
ginning of the Christian era as the Lords
day wv ox,ou. 49,,
this menace with unfaltering courage and
resolute determination, and in no oppor-
funity that may be presented to decline
battle with the insatiate greed of the
liquor traffic, and the growing desire for
popular pleasures and amusements, which
with increasing boldness claim all days
alike for their uses. In this connection
the house of bishops. in view of recent &C.
currences In several of our states, de-
sires to express It's hearty approval Of the
prompt and courageous application of the
powers OF civil government for the re-
preston Of barbarous. brutal and Indecent
exhibitions and recreations of whatever
Sort
The Turkish Atrocities.
In regard to Turkish atrocities in
Armenia there is the following:
by the tender mercies of our God, and
the Infinite compassion of our common
Saviour, we bcseech you, brethren, to re-
member In your prayers and with your
prompt and liberal help. that long suffer-
ing and down-trcdden people of the ancient
ind faithful church of Armenia. To vast
Ing oppression and prosecution extending
far back into the past, has now been
added. by the fanatical violence and hatred
of Moslem power, the unspeakable atroc-
tiles of to-day. Such a cry for sympathy
and aid has seldom been heard in all the
ages of christendom."
The remainder of the address is given
to details of church government and
articles of faith. closing with the fol-
lowing paragraph:
..And now, dear brethren, waiting for the
second coming of our adorable Saviour, and
commending you to God and TO the word of
His Grace, We pray that He will make you
perfect in every good work to do His will.
working in you that which is we'll pleasing
In His sight, through Jesus Christ. to
whom be glory forever and ever. Amen"
MISS WILLARD REELECTED.
Chosen President of the w. C. T. U. for
the Seventeenth Time.
Baltimore, Md. Oct. 22.-Miss Frances
T.. Willard was Tuesday elected pres
81, Az, ..,,.,,,