The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-05-24
DIOCESAN CONVENTION
TWenty-frst Annual Session
of the Newark Diocese
Opens in East
Orange.
BISHOPS PATRIOTIC ADDRESS
Mans Duty to His Country
Should Be in Alliance
With the Influences
of Religion.
Especial to ..The Jersey CITY News."1

Especial to 1.-THE Jersey City News."1
EAST ORANGE, May "a. 1s9S.-This
pretty suburb of Newark was on its best
behavior this morning. for today opened
the twenty-fourth' annual convention of
the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of New
ark, and judging by the well dressed
people vending their way to Christ
Church one would have imagined it to be
Sunday.
Christ Church, in which the sessions
Will be held. IS a handsome stone building
Of the early English style of architecture
and is very properly accounted one of the
most beautiful churches in the diocese.
It is sometimes known as the Cathedral,
because Bishop r.. A. Starkey resides
near it. and. when not engaged in
pastoral duties elsewhere, attends its
services. 1t was in this church last sun
day that the public services in honor of
the Bishop of Newark's fiftieth anniver-
sary of ordination as a priest took place
n it was decorated then as it was this
morning with the exception Of a huge
American nag which almost covered the
west end of the church.
The clergy were not very punctual in
arriving, but when they did come they
made up for their tardineSs by rushing
into the vestry and hastily robing for the
communion service, which always pre-
cedes a business session and at which the
Bishop himself always officiates. 1t was
remarkable that when the service began
there were only two lay delegates pres
ent, Col. Robert Mitchell Floyd of Jersey
City and Capt. Whittemore of Hoboken.
Tar-1x- r.+,-f- aior~x- --,1f ,1rra~an+ad
by Rev. DR.. G.. s. Bennitt of Grace, Rev.
w. c. Mcguire of st. Matthews, Rev.
d. f. Warren of st. fMary's, Rev.
Augustine Elmendorf of Holy Cross, Rev.
Elmer S. Forbes of st. Johns. and Rev.
f. e. Mortimer of St. Marks. Later every
church was represented.
The service over, a small corps of men
lugged in tables for the secretaries, a big
chair and a table for the Bishop. which
they placed at the entrance to the chan
eel; a longer n for newspaper men and
q plentiful supply of camp chairs and
stools. The Bishop having nov his
yestments appeared in a close black cas-
sock and opened the twenty-fourth CON
vention by reading his annual address,
which is generally a not over-intersting
resume of church work. One portion of
it aroused the wandering atteIation of the
clergy. 1t was in reference to the present
war. The Bishops words were as fol-
lows:-
1--WE meet today not as in the past, with
the silence OF peace over and around us,
but amid the clamors of war forced upon
us, as we believe. not by the ~prolnptings
Of ambition or the heats of passionate re-
= zu+ I,t+ ~ +l,1 al oc,o VolJipo nh1i.
CATIONS of humanity. Let US hope that
these highest thoughts and conceptions
of duty may animate and control the
minds and hearts of our people 20 the
end; for so will they secure, as they de-
serve to do, the respect and admiration of
mankind. 1t is not possible for the Church
to evade or ignore conditions like these,
which confront US today, however small
her responsibility may be for their exist
ence. Patriotism and the duty which ev-
cry man owes to his country are not obli-
cations confined merely to the domain of
secular affairs; there are moral duties also
which need and should have in alliance
with them the purifying and refining in
fuences of religion.
war is at BEST continued the Bishop,
"a fiery ordeal to be justified at last by
it's results. Let us hope that in the pres
emit instance these. may prove to be a last
ing and effectual rebuke to oppression
everywhere. in the end the lifting up
of at least one debased and unhappy peo-
pie to a higher ideal of Christian citizen
ship, its blessings and its responsibilities
Turning aside from the engrossiag
theme of the war, Bishop Starkey spoke
OF the diocese during the year, and re-
ferred to the enlargement of Christ Hos
initial. Jersey City.
at is about to enlarge its accommodate
tions.s continued the Bishop, land in
come together by erecting in he course
of the summer a new wing. which will be
largely used for the accommodation of
pay patients. This addition will cost
S25. Goo, which is already secured"
The business session was opened with
the reading of the roll by the Assistant
Secretary. the Rev. John Keller, of Ar
iington, in the absence of the Secretary,
the Rev. j.. P. Appleton. The Rev. J.
Keller is also the Bishops chaplain and
chaplain to the First Regiment. n. G.
N. j. He was obliged, much against his
will, to stay at home instead of going
to the front with the boys; but the Con-
vention coming on and other duties to be
attended to enforced his presence at
home.
A recess was taken at noon and in the
afternoon the committees for the year
were appointed and reports of the Arch
deacoDs will be read.