The herald., 1895-05-15
Opening Communion Services in
st. PauI's Church
CHARGE BY BISHOP NICHOLS
The Parish Ladies Serve a Luncheon
in the Guild Hall
Of Reports by Various Committee
and to Other Business

"
the regular church service. In place OF
the sermon. Rt. Rev. Bishop Nichols de.
livered charge to the clergy and laiety.
The music was in charge of J. G. Dun
ster, the organist Of the church, and was
sung by the clergy, Rev. John Gray, the
rector. acting as preceptor.
Following the regular service the holy
communion was celebrated, Rev. G. G.
Foute, rector of Grace church, San Fran
cisco. celebrant. The Rev. Dean Restarick
of San Diego was gospeller; the Rev.
Dean Maynard of San Francisco. episto-
Ter; the Rev. DR.. Spauldlng of St. John s
church. San Francisco. the Rev. Deans
Lucas and Tillotson of Fresno and San
Jose, and the Rev. DIR. Tree and the Rev
F.. II. Church, secretary of the conven-
tion, assistants The rector of st. Paul S
church announced the order of service.
At noon the ladies of ST. Paul's parish
served luncheon to the visiting and resi-
dent clergy and laity in the Guild hail.
which had been beautifully decorated
with flowers for the occasion. and Low
inskys orchestra was in attendance.
The bishops charge was entitled. The
Trial of Your Faith, which he opened by
expressing his appreciation of the solemn
responsibility vested in him; yet he felt
there were some things general and dio-
ccsan, which his office compelled him to
say. He spoke OF the single phrase in
your faith which scripture applies as
key to both history and prophecy.
BY faith the church won its way
through persecution to imperial power.
oy faith she conquered heresy and awoke
to purging of dead works in her great
renaissance. In the plain perspective we
PICK out OF the centuries great eras of
faith and unfaith. We note the quality
of the faith that has stood the mighty
test; We lose sight of the throes in the
process OF testing.
This phrase of scripture furnishes our
theme because it fixes so well the right
point of view for the thoughtful and anx-
10 presenu.day believer in Jesus Christ.
10 test the soldiers mettle in the bat
lie is not to prove him coward; it often
reveals the hero. This battle Tor and
against the faith is only the trial of the
faith, not its deathblow. Even so the
rebellious ones in a flock who want to
know why God did not make everything
pain and ask other such questions, are
being put TO trial of tho faith by the
difficulties OF doubtas well as by practice
of things in human life.
When we are fully awake to all these
things then are we Just ready to study
faith. To see further than has been seen
Is the stimulus in all science; nothing is
too ambitious in the way of effort to see
and to know whether 1t be of sacred or
secular nature. Trial of faith is very
different thing from trial of sight. or of
nearing, in the individual and in gen
grafton; and missing this distinction
leads to serious confusion of thought and
practice. Faith cannot be felt, cannot
descry, cannot argue, but man and the
truth that lies about man have fields
which muscle and eye and mind cannot
reach; and there remain vast stretches of
human reach that faith alone can explore.
Defense OF faith without a faitn factor
is simply the blind leading the blind. We
have been trying for centuries to hold
Christianity up in the lap of logic. rea-
son, science and the natural understand
ing. 1t is lmpotent shadow that has
lost the substance. The objective faith IN
the creeds and standards of belief is being
tried today; if the eye is blind we do not
ask questions about mirage.
The faith in God the creator the God
man Jesus the church. man future and
other articles that are challenged, is de-
livered to us and must be passed to 9TH
ers without addition or diminution; it is
a trust ana bishops. priests, deacons by
solemn VOWS are pledged to give a ac-
count OF their stewardship. When we
have trials of our nerve we nerve our
selves for them; when the providence of
God brings trials of our faith we should
faith ourselves for it.
This convention and the leadeins issue
that is to come before it is AN out and out
demand upon positive faith. We must
be men of affairs in dealing with th is
measure; in studying how to provide for
church extension and church enterprise
In southern California. Conditions and
dollars and balance sheets, we dare net as |
prudent men ignore. Into the questi on !
must enter trial of financial strength. |
and even more of strength CT Christian |
principle III giving of financial strength.
That trial is now on the diocese of Cali |
1ornia in this its forty-fifth annual con-
vention.
This question must run the gauntlet
of full and free dicussion here, and tlat
100. constitutes another aspect of It's trial.
bove and over all this charge you re-
member there is. too critical trial of
,he faith OF this diocese and of this con-
Tention. Write trial of your faith over
'oul deliberations. We must in an as.
oect OF the case sit as a business boara.
We must not dream. nor mistake folly for
attn. but we must not forget to look at
t as members of the church of God expect
ng in such matter, very trial of our
alth. pure and simple. to be put to the
endowment. We must have faith in re-
ource that is not insight, faith in the
blessing quick to come, with the new
Episcopal and the new opening mp of
ocal diocese; we must have faith in
iod. that God whose promise echoes
Iown through the ages.
Below will be found the names of the
lergy present at yesterdays 1oll-call,
10Th visitors and residents
Right Reverend William Fold Nichols,
sevs. q. A. Hartmann. T. w. Haskins.
.. M. W. Hills, Henderson Judd, w. j.
sip, j. o. Lincoln, G. S. Linsley, Il. J.
!ion. U. +. Loop, w. Lucas, d. +. Nc
Aenzie. f. d. Miller, f. j. Mynard, W.
1. Ramsey. W. NJ. Riley II. b. Res
arick. r. Ritche F.. w. Adams, John
BLACKWELL ID. d.. A. l.. Brener. ]. d. IT.
,rowne. W. b. Burrows. II. r. Camp,
|. Chetwood, +. ii. Churcn, A. s. Clark.
|. B. Collier, J. r. Dew. Cowne, ].
}. Eastee. ID. ID. Ph. D.. J. A. Emery.
\. Fletcher. j. G. Foute, John GRAY
Wills Hall, B. Hartley, W. ID. n. Shear.
nan. 4. B. Spalding. l.. II. d., n. III.
pencer. B. W. r. Tayler, A. G. l.. Trew.
!. Walk. NJ. ID. Wilson.
Deacons Il. II. Gushee, G. B. Monees
:. n. Deyo.
The afternoon session of the convention
'as calleh to order by the bishop at 4 !
clock. II. L. Lee of this city asked the !
indulgence OF the convention in behalf of
he cmmittee on division of the diocese
nd presented certain resolutions for the
hanging of the order of business SO that
specified time might be set for the dis
ussion of the question upon division.
aid resolutions were carried.
The committee upon apportionments
nd assessments and the committee upon
lnons reported, the reports of the stand :
ny co m iftep treasurer of tha a drocaSo |