The record-union., 1897-10-14
FINISHED ITS CONFERENCE.
LAST DAY OF THE EPISCOPAL
CONVOCATION.
Delegates Selected to Attend the
General Convention at
Washington.

The convocation Of the Episcopal Do
cese Of Northern California held its sec
ond days session yesterday at st.
PauPs Church, a full representation be-
ing present.
The motion to assess each parish 2
Per cent. on its gross receipts Of last
year, to go into the endowment fund,
was debated at some length and car
rled. The endowment fund, when it
reaches $4,000, win allow the chang
ing Of this diocese from a missionary
diocese to a regular one.
Rev. Waterman asked for informa-
Uon in relation to the meaning of the
word absent in the canons Of this
State. If a rector leaves his parish for
a vacation, would the Senior Warden
have authority to call a special vestry
meeting in his absence, giving him no
notice.
The Bishop thought he could do so,
and it would be a yestry meeting, but
he also thought the rector, on his re-
turn, could call another meeting, if he
thought fit to do so, to reverse action.
He had ruled in Nevada a few weeks
ago that all the members of the. vestry
must be notified and that, the rector
not having been notified, it was not a
legal meeting.
Rev. Bullard of Vallejo asked for in
formation as to a legacy of $4,000 left
to the diocese in 1887. No one seemed
TO know anything about the matter, and
the Bishop said that, if such thing
l,aI I.f
been turned into the endowment fund.
Bishop Graves said that, while he
should endeavor to visit the coast in
May, he urged that all members should,
if possible, have their combinations
while he was on his present visit, IS
he might not be able to return. He
thought the convocation should be held
in May, and all the churches should
make their reports about Easter.
The matter of selecting delegates tO
the General Convention to be held in
Washington came up, and Rev. c. L,
Mel and A A Van VoOrhies were
elected clerical and lay delegates re-
spectively.
w. B. Lardner was elected alternate
lay delegate. and Revs. Bullard and
Benham received a tie vote twice, and
the latter Withdrawing. the former was
elected clerical alternate.
The question having been asked as
to whether the Bishop approved Of lay
readers wearing vestments, he answer
ed that he approved of their wearing
choir vestments, but not of their wear
ing clerical vestments Of any kind.
A resolution offered by Rev. C. L.
Mel offering cordial congratulations
TO Bishop Wingfield and assuring him
of the sincere qualification with which
the convocation learned of his restora-
tion to health, was adopted
Rev. c. L. Mel moved that the ac-
tiOn Of the convoeation in 1889, barring
Rev. Bullard and the lay delegates of
Vallejo from participation in the con-
vocation for the reason that the Bishop
had not invited then, be rescinded. The
motion was carried.
In the afternoon Rev. John Partridge
of Petaluma read the report of the
Standing Committee alluding to Bishop
Wingheld's extended illness, and the Of
fers of Bishops Of neighboring dioceses.
rendering their services during his ill
ness. and finally the appointment Of
Bishop Graves to act during the dura-
tiOn of Bishop Wingfeld's illness. 1t
gave an account of the various vacan-
cies in the diocese, and the ministers
who We're chosen to fill them. 1t spoke
OF the death of DR.. De Lew, and the re-
ceiving into the ministry of several
candidates.
The report was accepted.
The Bishop said he understood that
Bishop Wingfeld appointed Mrs. Shurt-
left of cIeverdaIe Secretary of the Wo-
mans Auxiliary of Northern California.
He himself had conversed with Mrs.
Shurtleff in regard to forming branches
Of the auxiliary and uniting the various
guilds with it in its work. Mrs Shurt-
left had conceded with his views, and
had prepared a report, which Mrs.
Shurtleff would read.
The report stated that answers had
been received from most of the guilds,
saying that their present work occu-
pied all their energies at present The
giuld at Eureka, however, has express
ed desire to come into the auxiliary
movement She thought if the subject
We're better understood the guilds
would join the movement.
Rev. Van Derlin of Grass Valley re-
ported that the guild in his parish had
met lately and decided to join.
The Bishop said that there We're sew
eraI weak guilds which are the only
church organizations in the places
where they belong, and there are many
members Of guilds who are not church
members. 1t is a very important sub
ject. but he did not think it advisable
to call on the weak guilds to contribute.
He thought the organization would in
crease and prosper
Rev Billiard read a report on the
state of the church in California, and
giving the amounts collected for mis-
sonary work during the twenty-four
years Of the existence of the mission
airy diocere of Northern California, and
said it made a showing not at all cred
liable to the churches OF the diocese.