Evening star., 1898-10-26
CONVENTION CLOSES
Pastoral Letter Read by the Bishop
of Tennessee.
IMPRESSIVE RELIGIOUS SERVICES
Forty-Eight Bishops in Solemn
Procession in Epiphany Church.
L II EIR FIN AL ACTION

The reading of the pastoral letter from
the house of bishops to the clergy and
| laity of the Episcopal Church in America
occurred last night in Epiphany Church as
the final event of the triennial convention,
during exercises very similar to those
which marked the opening of the sessions.
A great audience filled the church. which
had been restored, after the afternoon ses-
sion, to its usual appearance and condition
The ladies of the choir, in white vestments,
We're seated in front of the chancel
AT O'Clock Mrs. Poatz played the pro-
cessional hymn Onward Christian Sell
diers,' accompanied by the young ladies'
The song was taken up by the male choir,
! in cassocks and cottas, they entered the
church at the south entrance. Rev Dr.
Hart, secretary of the house of bishops
Rev. DR.. Randolph II. McKim, rector of
Epiphany Church, and the Rev. DR.. DIX,
| chairman of the house of deputies led the
| procession of bishops, who proceeded in
reversed order of seniority. They were
garbed in cassocks chimeres, rockets.
stoles, berettas and the various hoods en-
blematic of their doctorate degrees. Bishop
Nhipple, the venerable presiding bishop.
was at the rear. AS the head of the line
reached the female choir the bishops halt
| ed and formed on both sides of the aisle
the presiding bishop and the senior fathers
| being the first to pass between their fell
lows, preceded by DR.. Hart. to the chan
eel There were forty-eight bishops pres
ent.
The Service Opened.
Rev. DR.. Dix opened the service by re-
| peatlng the Apostles creed and the Lord S
| prayer, in which the audience joined After
| a song, Bishop Gailor of Tennessee read
y-h ial,
| prepared by committee of bishops and
sent to every parish to be read from the
pulplt 1t was, in part. as follows:
10 Our Well Beloved in Christ the Clergy
and Laity Of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in the United States of Ameri-
ca; Grace be Unto YCu. and Peace from
God. Our Father, and the Lord Jesus
Christ
"one more triennial convention of the
church has met and concluded its deIihera
tons. Never before we believe has !.
spirit OF profounder seriousness pervaded
the minds OF bishops and deputies; never
mas council of this church felt more
deeply the responsibilities of the hour.
with new and tremendous obligations
pressing upon the church of the nation:
win problems of vast import for the fu-
lure confronting us; with strong cries for
nelp from the peoples of many lands sound
ing IN our ears, your bishops and YOUR rem
resentatves in convention assembled have
prayed and have labored reverently we
trust. in the spirit of Christ
our attention is specially called by
resolution adopted in the house of depu-
tles. TO the fact that next Whitsunday Will
ne tne seventh seml-centennial anniversary
OF the BOOK OF Common Prayer, and we
MUST earnestly ask that it may be observed
In our churches as an event which moro
than any other single gift of God has
reversed the confusion of tongues by Civ
Ing TO the lips of countless worshipers .he
one mouth in which to show forth Gods
praise.
Christian Unity.
we hail with satisfaction the wonderful
harmony with which this general conyen-
ton, by the adoption of an amendment to
our constitution, has, without weakening
the use or lowering the value of the prayer
book, opened the way toward training
congregations of Christians Unused to our
liturgical ferns to accustom themselves.
by processes of education, to approach ana
desire them. Maintaining intact the sacra-
mental services, and the offices which con-
serve the policy of the church. we are free
to adapt the ordinary forms of com
mon prayer to national and racial habits
OF thought and expression. and SO to win
them by degrees to the old and better way.
And we are glad. while insisting upon
the Importance OF keeping the public school
system of education free from political in
trigue or denominational intrusion to urge
all the more, that 1t must be complemented
and consecrated by the more careful and
definite training in religious truth in the
family and in the Sunday schools, in
church schools and colleges, and in the
careful teaching of the clergy of the
church.
1T is good for US to know that the num-
Der of persons confirmed during the last
three years is thirty-five hundred more
than in the like preceding period; that our
list of communicates has grown by 3d. 145,
an increase of 10 per cent, and that he
contributions Of the last triennium exceed
those of the like preceding period by sl,15o,
1O4.7O.
Yet, the record of statistics, spiritual
and material, while it encourages us on the
one hand, leaves us impressed, almost, we
may say oppressed, with sense of duties
left undone, of open doors into which we
have not entered, which must mingle the
penitential utterances of confession with
the words of thanksgiving and praise.
The Work to BE Done.
The cry of the colored people, who are
our wards as Christian citizens of America
for adequate expenditure of labor and mon
ey to train them to citizenship Of the ma
ton, and the church, the call for means
to seize the openings and opportunities
in, the missionary districts, and the huge
unoccupied areas in dioceses of the west
and SOUTH the claims from our stinted
missions in foreign lands; all these are
painful evidences of wide Indifference, and
OF inadequate support. Meanwhile, we
stand confronted with large problems, and
with larger possibilities for the preaching
of a pure gospel, and the extension of
Christ's kingdom among people whom the
providence Of God, in strange and wonder
full ways, has brought within the range of
our responsibility, national and ecclesiaSt!-
cal.
1--WE dare not face the future without
recognition of the fact that this church
needs the stirring up of the wills of the
faithful to the plenteous bringing forth of
the fruit of good works, of the giving Of
their substance and themselves 20 farther
the Masters work. Assured of our apos-
tolic lineage, we need to be filled with
apostolic love and zeal. And as the new
century opens up before us. we plead with
the clergy and the lay people to rise to the
splendid possibilities of richer and more
real discharge of their stewardship for God,
who has put us in trust with the treasures
of His love and His means Of grace, for the
salvation of men.