The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-09-11
PUT OFF FOR THREE YEARS.
GEORGIA DIOCESE WILL REMAIN
AS 1T Is FOR THE PRESENT.

while the Majority of the Churches
FAVORED "a Division, They Could
Not Provide Means at the Present
Time for the Proper support OF
T,vo Diocese - The Change VIII
Doubtless Come In the First Year
of the New Century.
Rev. Charles H. Strong. rector of st.
Johns Church, after a pleasantly spent
vacation in the North, has returned and
resumed his duties here. Among other
nauers which will demaDd his early at
teution is the compiling of the returns
from the various parishes and missions
relative to the matter of division of the
diocese of Georgia. Printed forms, 1t will
he remembered, were sent out to, obtain
an expression of views on this important
ouestion as well as a statement of the
amount of money that each church or
mission would raise for the support of the
separate diocese The matter of a proper
support for the two dioeeses into which
il was proposed to divide Georgia was
equally as important as obtaining the
support of a majority of the churches for
the division itself.
All of the replies received were forward
ed to Rev Mr.. Strong, who sent them to
the late Rev. A. G. P. Dodge of st. ST.
mons Island After it had been ascer-
tanned that the promises of support were
not adequate to justify a division of the
diocese at this time Mr.. Strong telegraph
ed Mr.. Dodge to inform the bishop that
the committee in charge of the matter
would not advise the calling of a special
session of the diocesan convention as pro
vlded for, but would allow the matter to
remain in its present status until after
the meeting of the general convention in
October.
Rev Mr.. Dodge, along with MIR. Strong
and the other members of the committee,
had manifested much interest in the ques-
ton of division and, as is well known, the
Two clergymen mentioned had given I'M
stintedly of their lime in the preparation
OF a voluminous report, presented al the
recent convention here, which covered,
every phase of the matter completely. But
for his death, Rev. Mr.. Dodge would
doubtless have prepared a report from the
returns which would have given a thor
ough review of the opinion of the church
in Georgia on the question, so far as the
returns indicated. This work viii now fall
on Mr. Strong. The papers will be returned
10 him al an early day and a comprehen-
sive statement will be made up and given
the church.
1t was deemed unw.se and useless TO
call an extra session of the convention,
said Mr.. Strong last night, when the
statements from the churches Indicate
plainly their inability at the present time
10 bear the greater burdens which a di-
vision of the diocese would throw upon
ss-sr
ent 10 by far the greater number, it was
felt that the progress of the church would
be advanced by Ii, but even with this SEN
tment acknowledged by them it is evident
that the present is not the time to make
The division. The times are not such that
men feel that they assume
greater financial responsibilities. Two
dioceses mean a considerable heavier ex-
pense and that is the barrier at present
TO the consummation of the plan. Time,
with its greater prosperity, will overcome
this difficulty and at the same time make
more nearly unanimous the sentiment in
favor of the division To press the mat
ter further at this time would be mad
visable."
The decision to allow the question TO re-
main in allegiance will render it impOssi-
bic TO divide the dioceses for at least three
| years to come. The question of a division,
| even after a diocesan convention approved
| of it, would have to go before a general
| convention for its consideration and in
| dorsement. AS stated, the general con-
| vention meets within short time now,
and there will be no further meeting of
that body until 1901 At that time the
financial conditions prevailing may have
so improved that the chief obstacle will
have been removed. 1t would be betting.
| too, 10 open the first year of the new
| century with such an important change.
Mr.. Strong has no doubt that the division
Is but temporarily postponed. The needs
| of the church in Georgia, he feels, require
| 1t, and but a short time win doubtless be
| necessary to effect it, now that the agi-
taton has reached such an advanced
stage.