Evening star., 1895-05-28
DIOCESE OF MARYLAND
Episcopal Convention and the Business of
Most Importance.
VIII Discuss the Division of the DiO-
ccse-The Division of Funds an
Important Question.

meetings last but couple of days, but
there are so many important matters of
business to come before the body this year
that 1t is doubtful if an adjournment
VIII be reached before Friday afternoon.
Bishop Paret, who will preside over the
deliberations of the convention, will open
the meeting with an address, which will
take the place of a sermon, and which is
expected to deal particularly with the
questions that will come up before the
body
all probability the convention Will not get
down to actual work much before after
noon. There will be sessions morning,
afternoon and evening The diocesan con-
vent1on alternates between Baltimore and
Washington. and when it meets here the
Church of the Epiphany is selected as the
meeting place as being particularly well
adapted for the purpose. There are a
number OF smaller rooms in tire editice, and
these make excellent accommodations for
committee meetings.
Regular Dnsiness.
Under the rules there are only two mat
ters of business which are put down as
special orders. According to these the first
evening of the convention is always set
apart for the consideration of diocesan
missions, and noon of the second is the
hour for holding the election of the stand
ing committee. There is a regular order of
business to be followed, and as there is so
much on hand this year it is possible that
a motion will be made for postponement
OF the subject of diocesan missions until a
later time.
The secretary of the convention, Rev.
Mr.. Peregrine Wroth of Baltimore will
read the list of clergymen entitled to seats
in the convention, and then the list of the
lay delegates. These will be referred to
two committees for a report of the official
IL GemDerShiD of the bO6V and all re
Will be acted upon by the proper commit
tee and then settled by the convention. The
list of lay delegates is made up of the
names furnished to the secretary by the
registrars of the different parishes entitled
to represen tation. The only contest which
is expected to develop Is in the case of the
lay delegate from ST. Marks Church of
this city, where some differences of opinion
have been engendered, resulting in the
election of two vestries, two registrars and
two delegates to the convention. The list
of delegates in the two orders as already
made up was published in The Star yester-
day.
Division of Diocese.
The matter that will occupy the attention
of the gathering for the most of the time
is the question of the division of the dio-
cese of Maryland. and the consequent
question of the division of the funds of the
diocese.
At the convention in Baltimore a year
ago committee was appointed to report
this year on the provision that could be
made for the support of a new bishop, if
the diocese should be divided This COM
mtttee consists of three clergy and three
laymen, as follows: Rev. DR.. McKim of the
Church of the Epiphany, Rev. Mr.. Stuart
of Christ Church. Georgetown: Rev. Mr..
Harding CT St Paurs. Mr.. Henry E. Pei
lew. Mr.. Lewis ]. Davis and Mr.. Seymour
Tulloch.
The report which they are able to make
i-fD Dg.tf TO, rt,. f-i.a dc
of division. They will say that they have
as a foundation of a fund for episcopal
support, in cash or in pledges, about
s5i.000 This, with half of the present
episcopal fund and third of the accu-
mulating fund. which is regarded here as
only equitable division, would give up
wards of $4,000 They will probably re-
port that they are able to offer 5000 a
year to the new bishop, together with
S1,200 a year for the rental of an epis-
copal residence. 1t is thought that before
very long a permanent home for the bish-
op would be built here. either in the city
or in the neighborhood of the site OF the
cathedral
Division of Funds.
So important is the matter of an eauit-
able division of the funds of the diocese
that it will probably have to receive con-
sideration before the question of a division
of the diocese itself can be profftably dis
CuSSeu. IL IS duEHltItu llldl Il proper Se--
tlement of the first problem mfgst affect
a good many votes when it comes to taking
up the second. 1t will be no easy task to
make an equitable division of the funds
which are in prospect, and even if n do
cese of Washington should be provided for
it might be some time before it received its
share of the money. There is now in bank
in New York the sum of 5000, which was
bequeathed to the diocese of Maryland, and
a further bequest of more than 500, 900
family which hpinCr GO
tied up now.
Unless Washington should be provided for
out this amount some of the parishes in
the lower Maryland counties might raise
an objection to leaving an older and richer
diocese for a comparatively poor one, feel
Ing that their ministers, who now receive
assistance from the general diocesan funds,
would not be so well off under the new ar
The difference, anyhow. would
not be as great as they imagine, for there
has been some misunderstanding as to the
terms of the bequest, the interest from only
a third of the latter sum going to the
diocesan fund. the remainder being devoted
to home and foreign mission work. No
serious difficulty Is anticipated in the set
tlement of these questions, and the general
impression in this city is that, if they are
disposed of, division of the
diocese will follow without much opposi-
ton.
Sentimental Objection.
II
Maryland, which would belong to the do-
cese of Washington, there is something of
a sentiment against a division, as the peo
pie do not like the idea of leaving the dio-
cese Of "old Maryland" of which they
have been part from the beginning. 1t is
a sentimental objection altogether, and is
Offset by the fact that all the commercial
and social relations of this section are with
rather than with Baltimore
Another reason for waving this objection
lies in the fact that at the general con-
yention of the church In Minneapolis next
October the plan of erecting Episcopal
provinces will be taken up, with fair
chance of ultimate adoption. The idea of
a province is to combine about five dioceses
with an upper house of bishops and lower
house of delegates, with the view to sim
plifying the work and at the same time
the usefulness of the church.
If that plan is put into effect it will result
In the reunion of the church in Maryland
In one province. where now it is divided
into the dloceses of Maryland and Easton-