The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-05-27
The EPISCOPAL CONVENTION
Opened in St. Paul's Church
Yesterday Morning
FIRST ANNUAL ASSEMBLY
Many Of the Clergy and Lalty Of South.
ern California Present

rirst Session Church Services with the Holy
communion-Orgsniz and Pre-.
limlnarlss Of Business
The first annual convention Of the do
cese of Los Angeles opened yesterday
morning in st. Pauls Episcopal church
on South Olive street. Two sessions
were held; the first devoted almost en-
tirely to divine service, followed by the
celebration of the Holy Communion and
attended with special choral music.
The bishop of the diocese of Los An
geles, the, Right Reverend Joseph n.
johnson, D. D., and the rector of the
church, the Rev. John Gray occupied
the convention, all vested. The Rev.
Milton c. Dotten, D. D., Of Riverside
preached the sermon from portions OF
the second chapter Of Acts, When the
day of Pentecost was fully come, they
were all with one accord in one place.
from which he deduced fitting thoughts
as direct address to the convention,
which in part was as follows:
Most happy it Is that this. the
first annual convention Of our diocese
falls in Whitsuntide and that thus as to
the season, we are happily conscious
of measure Of experimentation with
the first gathering of the mother of all
dioceses, the church in Jerusalem. We
can scarce refrain from paralleling our
position here with that of those earliest
disciples gathered all with one accord
in one place. We have pressed upon
us at once a sense of sacred historical
values, which are an inalienable part of
the blessed heritage of the church, land
surely it is only with the boldness Of just
confidence. nay rather. due exercise
of glad faith that we believe a like
outpouring Of the gracious spirit from
on high shall be granted us, to enlighten
our judgment, and awaken our power
for the winning of men to Christ" After
describing the preparation and the ex-
pectaney Of the disciples for the one
thing needful. though they understood
1t not-the gift Of the Holy Spirit, DR..
Dotten continued: Though in parishes
and diocese we equip ourselves with the
full Celebrations of modern organiza-
ton, though administration be never
more capable and clever though dill
gence and activity mark every depart
ment of the common labor, yet with all
these and other elements which win ap-
plause and the popular encomium, with
all these we may lack that without which
the early church would take no step in
advance-the outpouring from above,
the outpouring upon themselves Of the
Spirit of GodA without which let men be
bold and energetic ,aSsiduOuS and en-
thusiastic as they will, naught can be
done to bless and to stay. Our work is
through God to men and through men to
God. AS men are the children of God,
so they intimately seek Him and that
which is His. Again the sheep know the
Shepherds voice.
1T is part of our human weakness to
associate divine manifestations with
unusual and startling forms, but it is
through our imperfect and common
place instrumentalities that the Won
derful works Of God are made known to
us. The Holy Spirit worketh in us to
do His will. Brethren, it is only then
that diocese or parish is alive. when 1t
is alive unto God. When its people, hum
bly, conscious of the Holy Ghost upon
them dare say with the apostle, We
live; yet not we, but Christ liveth in
u.s.
At the holy communion the off1ciants
were the Right Rev. Bishop Johnson,
the rector, Rev. John Gray, DR.. J. D.
Easter of Redlands and DR.. A. G. L.
Trew of Los Angeles The choral mu-
truly majestic and beautiful, unequaled
in any church on this coast and per-
haps unexcelled by but few of the larg-
est churches Of the east. The choral SER
vice was Mozart's Seventh mass. Dur
ing the offertory Mr.. Marion Wigmore
sang theRecitative,T Thus Saith the Lord,
and the Aria, But Who May Share the
Day of His Coming.
At the close of the service the conven-
tion adjourned to the parish guild hall,
and was called to order by the bishop.
DR.. Dotten was elected secretary and
Mr.. Fletcher, assistant The following
committee on credentials was appoint
ed: H. r. Brett, S. P. Reed and DR..
Dotten. The following clergy were in
attendance: Revs. F. w: Adams, ]. D.
H. Browne, w. B. Burrows, H. j. Camp,
A. s. Clark, G. N. Deyo, M. C. Dotten,
w. II. Dyer. ]. D. Easter, A. Fletcher,
7. II. S. Gallaudet, John Gray, Wyllis
Hail. Benjamin Hartley, E. M. w. Hills,
W.. u. Jacob, l.. V. Jessup, Henderson
Judd. c. F. Loop, D. F. Mckenzie, w.
II. Marriott, I. M. Merlinjones, w. ].
O'Br1en, Octavius Parker, w. H. Ram
sey, II. B. Restarick, George Robinson.
w D. w. Shearman, U. H. Spencer, B.
w. K. Tayler. A. G. L. Trew, Edmond
Walters and s. M. Wren, H. A. Brown.
W. F. Chase, w. s. bearing, r. H.
Gushee, and delegates from Anaheim,
Carpenteria, Covina, Duarte, Ell Toro,
Escondido, Glendale, Garvanza, Monroe
via, Murietta, Ontario. Montecito, Or
ange, Pomona, Pasadena, Redlands.
Riverside. San Bernardino, San Diego,
santa Paula, Sierra Madre, South Riv-
erside, Tustin, Ventura and from all the
parishes of Los Angeles.
The afternoon session was devoted
strictly to business details. The follow
Ing reports were read: Committee on
canons. by DR.. Trew; standing commits
tee by the secretary. Rev. Tayler:
treasurer of diocese, by Mr.. George W.
Parsons: registrar Of diocese, by Rev.
Henderson Judd. The reports were long.
but were relieved Of monotony by sun
dry interpretations, that, with the spir-
tied discussions and arguments in many
points of difference in the business fol-
lowing. made the session highly enter
tanning. Mr.. George w. Parsons was
elected treasurer and Rev. Judd re-
elected registrar.
The Right Rev. Bishop johnson will
preach the convention sermon at the SER
vice beginning at $3.50 this morning, after
which the routine of the convention will
be resumed.
ORDER OF RAILWAY CONDUCTORS