Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-10-17

The House OF Deputies Decides on New
GominissIon-Bishops to BE Left Out
Report on the State of the Church.
Minneapolis, Mimi, Oct 10. The
House Of Deputies of the Protestant
Episcopal general convention to-day
passed the resolution offered by Mr..
Joseph Packard of Baltimore, referring
the subject of constitutional revision
to new commission composed of six
clerical and six lay members. The
bishops will have no connection with
the work of this commission. The
house had previously defeated pro-
posal to refer the matter back to the
present Joint commission. The estab-
lishment of provincial system was
expected from the matters referred to
the new commission.
DIR. Littell of Delaware submitted a
report on the general theological semi
nary of the church, its progress and its
needs.
The petition for the new missionary
jurisdiction of Duluth, approved by
the bishops yesterday was presented to
the house and referred.
Resolutions were passed recommend
ing that the expense committee raise
fund to pay the travelling expenses of
bishops in Europe visiting churches
there, and declaring it expediont TO
name deputation to attend the next
meeting of the Canadian Synod of the
Church Of England.
Rev. H. g. Duncan Of Louisiana, in
his report on the state of the church,
said that since the last conference in
1892, 10 bishops had died and II had
been conseerated. four of whom went
into missionary duty The church had
now 10 bishops, lola clergymen, ST.
candidates for lay orders, 100, $50 bap-
tlsms in the past year and 13l, 473 con
firmations. There were now 61S, 500
communicates, 5,117 church edifices
and nearly 500 institutions of beneyo-
lent or educational character. Contri-
buttons from all sources had reached
s3s, 900, 600.
Dr. Duncan showed that the body of
commandments was growing more than
the number of the clergy. The increase
in the triennium had been Go, 79l, while
the list Of priests had grown but 157,
a fact he attributed TO "insuficiency
and dlminution of stipends. . The in
come for the three years was s35, 600 less
than for tho preceding period.
The committee made recommends
tions for patriotic services on the
Fourth Of July, for stricter regard for
the divorce law of the church. for
better Sabbath observance and for a
more active propaganda for Christian
teaching.
1t being sought to thank the author
of publication for its gratuitous dis
tribution, a resolution refusing TO per-
nit the distribution in the convention
of any publication not officially recog-
lied was offered by ]. Pierpont Morgan
and unanimously adopted.
The House of Bishops to-day con-
CURED in the action of deputies provid-
ing for final adjournment on October
22d, on which day the pastoral letter
will be read. Most of the morning SEES
sion was devoted to constitutional re-
vision. An amendment was adopted to
article 5 making the consent of the
bishops of dioceses affected as we'll as
that of the convention necessary before
any diocese or missionary jurisdiction
could he erected.
The action of yesterday assigning the
charge of Alaska to the bishop of
Olympia was reconsidered by a two
thirds vote, and the advisability of the
election OF a missionary bishop was
considered.