Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-08-13

lions for Years TO come. The provincial
system is intended TO join contiguous dio-
ceses into groups. each group OF dioceses to
have an archbishop aid a provincial coun-
ell for transacting certain business now
done only by the general convention. This
plan has many opponents.
The matter of primate for the Episco-
PAL Church was brought before the last
convention, but the plan failed 10 material
lie. as the deputies thought the proposed
primate. or archbishop tended in the direc-
ton OF papaey, CT at least toward too
much Capitalization. and so the matter
rests. The subject of primate may, how
ever, be brought before the convention
again in October. Possibly IL q new canon
should b. laid before the house OF deputies
embodying the idea of a primate, but using
the designation of president moderator
In place of primate or archbishop. the depu-
ties would pass the measure.
Another matter of much int Nrest to claim
the conventions attention will be the sub
lect OF the use Of the revised version of the
scriptures in the services of the Episcopal
church only that known as the King
JdIhea version being authorized a. present.
The Star has been furnished with a sy--
nopsis of an interesting report which viii
be submitted at the coming meeting n Inc
general assembly of the Presbytorian
Church. as follows:
There is first the ministerial suppIv.
Which is always subject to fuctuations
IN 1881 The number of candidates was
I3lI: the next yer showed falling OF
OF 81 then came period CT steady in
crease 1888 showing a gain of ~. ISoa of
i54: iS99. of 43: with the maximum of
LOIS in 1893 a showing not eaualed nv any
cther church in the whole country az men
IN course of thorough preparation The
following year, 1897. there was a failing
en- of %, and for the past wear the figures
ere the smallest since the year 1850 being
l,l6l. or 212 less than the year 1891 and
"it below the high-water mark az ISaG
Zen years ago there was a parallel and
something more, as the figures of ISIS were
barely 93I. But these were regarded as
large figures for their time 1851 the mi
uai yea OF that decade. showing only
t'o2 ca 1didates Offering or so less than
lne ngures of the current year.
Our local evangelists have been a d.
nllhishins number for the last three years.
considerable number of them become
pastors and others, IL NAV be- find on ar-
tual test that they are not we'll asapto1
TO the work. Then many of our pastors
are not at all backward in undertakIn,,
special efforts that promise results An
honor. however, to faithful heInftI e,a,i
selists! Happily for the church. thcre are
many active and devoted men and women
whose work and spirit rank them under
ms mead OF elders there are now n round
2o,oO all told and of deacons 9.6o6. Of
whom many hundreds. or rather many
thousands. are active men and Influential
In the work of the church
The total of our ministers is 7IOo TIE
gam IS only 81 over last year. but II Is 10
be said that this item was never in a et,
gIe year since the reunion a diminished
nieo since the reunion. Our churches have
been increasing until their total is 7G35
or 40 more than our ministers who are
supposed to supply them all A total OF
IA new churches has been 'organIzed' and
63 dissolved the past year What rro-
Portion Of these latter had houses of wor-
snip we do not know. Probably many of
mem were merely organized societies. vor-
shlping In house or han. Our civ minis
tefs, especially the downtown ones. Ia
ment the yearly fluctuations of pop,lla-'
tlon not rejecting that perhaps hundreds
OF their brethren at the far west as well
as the east suffer from the same cause
There is nothing for it, we suppose, but
10 follow where the people go.
The number added by examination THIS
year. 5I.Oil, is almost identical with the
year before, as also those comi1e by cor
tihcete. 31,l25. CHANGING back we note
that the former totals have an interesting
development, so ID speak. High-watcr
mark was reached in 1894. when 74S4s
were received on confession of faith Ten
years before that, 1854. the number re-
cetved was 3493S, and stfll back to 1881 the
total was only 25344. The round figure II
$1,000 was first reached in 1856, when the
total was 81 la, which was Il marked in
crease from 42,JT2 the previous year. and
that year (ls95) an advance from 81 aSS IN
1884.