The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-22
THEY HOLD DIFFERENT VIEWS.
TWO SAVANNAH CHURCHES FAVOR
AND ONE OPPOSES DIVISION.

| Advisable at This Time, But in the
| Event 1t Is Decided on VIII Ac-
/ ccpt an Assessment of S6JO-St.
Johns and st. Paurs Churches
/ Practically Unanimous in Favor OF
the DIvisfOn-ConventiO to Be
! Called by the Bishop in October.
Rev. Chas. II. Strong Mentioned
for Bishop.
/ Christ C1urch is the only one of the
| white Episcopal churches in Savannah TO
dissent to the division of the diocese. This
| question was brought before the diocesan
! convention at its meeting here last month,
and after some discussion was left TO the
different parishes of the diocese, and the
final action of the convention which is 10
meet In October, will depend upon the
action taken by the various churches
throughout the state.
Christ church vestry held q meeting yes
terday morning at $3.50 o'clock. Mr.. II. c.
Cunningham, senior warden, presided.
There were present besides Junior Warden
C. Lucien Jones, Vestrymen DR.. w. II.
Elliott, John NJ. Bryan, J. Moultrle Lee,
| Edward S. Elliott and Rev. Robb White,
rector and J.F. Kollock treasurer. Only the
wardens and vestrymen had votes in the
meeting
The vestry voted almost unanimously
against a division of the diocese on the
ground that it is inadvisable at this time.
In the event, however that the conven-
ton decides on division
of the diocese after
IF all ha hac fotr
was decided that Christ Church would ac-
cept an assessment of $3.50 annually, but
not more. The assessment which was put
upon Christ Church or which Christ
church was asked to assume by the con-
yention, was $50. The vestry, however,
was opposed to this. and went back to the
original report of the committee on the di-
vision of the diocese which put Christ
Church's assessment at $3.50, or 81 for each
communicate about. Christ Church now
has GAL communicates, and the vestry
agreed therefore to an assessment of $3.50.
The present assessment placed upon Christ
Church for diocesan expenses is $3.50
The Vestry of St. Johns Church voted
unanimously in favor of the division of the
diocese. It's meeting was held a noon yes
terday. There was some little opposition
at first, but when the vote was declared
II was made unanimous. The Vestrymen
also decided to accept the increased assess
the division.
St. Paurs Episcopal Church held a con-
gregatiOnal meeting last night for the pur-
! pose of considering the matter. There was
a discussion lasting a few minutes, but
when the vote was taken it was found that
the majority favored division, and 1t will
be so reported.
Just what the result will be at the con-
vention in October 1t Is impossible to say
| at this time. Most of the parishes in this
section of the state are favorable to a di-
| vision of the diocese but il is said many
! of those in the northern or northwestern
| part of the state are opposed to It. so that
/ the final vote in the convention, when it is
| called together by the Bishop in October,
! will no doubt be very close one.
Bishop c. K, Nelson has favored a di-
| vision of the diocese for sometime. He
/ finds the matter Of devoting proper atten-
/ ton to all the parishes and missions in the
! diocese, a very troublesome one, and he
! considers that it would be for the general
! good of the church in the state to create
/ two diocese of it. Bishop Nelson even went
/ so far as to suggest and map out line
| of division, which is one of the five lines
which have been presented to the conven-
| ton. -Four other lines have been presented
! the object being to divide the diocese as
| nearly as possible so as to make two do
! ceses of equal financial strength, and with
an equal or nearly equal number of COM
! municants.
In the report of the committee on the
| division of the diocese there has been pre-
! scented a. table comparing the two dioceses
which would be made of Georgia, with
! other newly created dioceses in the South.
! According to this table the diocese COM
| prising the northwestern part of the state
| to be known as the diocese of Atlanta,
| would contain about 5000 communicates,
while the diocese of the southeastern part
I of he TO foE he - ~,
diocese of Georgia, would contain about
! AGO communicates. The table then takes
| up these figures and compares them with
| other dioceses in the South newly created
| The number of communicates in these
dioceses are given as follows; Arkansas,
221S; Dallas, 2974; Delaware, 1850; Easton,
| 1870; East Carolina, 1858; Florida, 3,075,
| Lexington, 2,77l; Marquette 1,727; Missis-
| sippi, S,642; New Hampshire, 1907; Ore
8on, 24ll, ana Quincy, s2752. The nora h
! western diocese of Georgia would exceed
five of these in the number of communi-
cants, and is way in excess of eleven in
population and eight in area.
In case the division of the diocese is
carried through the convention, the right
| is left to the present bishop to select the
diocese of which he will take charge. He
has The right therefore, to take either one
! of the two. Division means a new bishop
! and that new functionary might come 70
savannah to preside over the diocese Of
Georgia, or Bishop Nelson might come
here, in which event the new bishop would
! take the other diocese. The name of Rev
! Charles H. Strong of ST. Johns Church
| has been prominently mentioned in counec-
ton with the new bishopric in case Bishop
! Nelson should decide TO take the diocese
| of Atlanta. lie is an able man, and As
well known in the church
ST. Stephens Church, cOlored viii hold
d congregational meeting tonight, for the
purpose Of deciding on the question of the
| division of the diocese. Rev. r. BRIGHT
rector Of the church, said last night he
thought the church would decide in favor
of a division. Tho members of the con,yre-
cation, with whom he has talked, consider
IL an ADVISABLE course at this tme and
that action will. in all probability he
taken.
WILL, On AIIErNn AVN ,.o~-r,~.