The times., 1898-09-29
Preparing for i Next Wednes-
days Iriennial.
MANY DELEGATES COMING
Ii VIII He the Most Important Gath
erins the Episcopal Church Has
Ever Held In This City-The Rev.
DIR. McKfm's Address to the Menu
bers of the Epiphany Church.

of activity. Both clergy and laity are
pressed into the work of preparation for
the forthcoming convention which will |
begin on the 5th of October and last for
three weeks
1t can readily be seen that there are
many things to be done in preparing for
the entertainment for three weeks of
delegates and their friends to the num-
ber of several thousand. The work, how
ever, Is being handled in a systematic
way under proper committees and is pro-
crossing rapidly.
Each diocese throughout the country
is entitled to send eight delegate to the
convention, four chosen from among the
clergy, who shall each have vote in
the house of bishops, and four from the
laymen, who shall have a vote in the
house of clerical or lay delegates. The
delegates which have been chosen to rep
resent the Washington diocese are as
follows: Rev. Randolph II. McKim, d.
D.; Rev. John II. Elliott, S. T. D.; Rev.
Alexander Mackay-Smith, d. D.: Rev.
Alfred Harding, ]. C. Bancroft Davis,
w. d. Baldwin, Charles II. Stanley, and
Arthur S. Browne.
Rev. DIR. McI<im's Address.
The following address has been sent TO
the members of Epiphany Church by the
Rev. DR.. McKim, rector:
1T has been the pleasure and the privi-
lege of the rector and vestry to place our
church in the hands of the officers of the
general convention for their use. for three
more Or less from October = Ia
Inconvenience which this will entail in the
prosecution of our parochal work WILL of
| course. be cheerfully borne, but il Is prop
| er TO explain that at the opening service,
| October ), 1t will be necessary for the
| good people of Epiphany TO completely
surrender their privileges in order to ac-
| commodate our distinguished guests. All
| but about 100 seats will be required to ac-
commodate the bishops, clergy, and lay
| delegates, with one additional seat for the
| families of each Of these, the choir and
| the vestry. The result is that there is no
| accommodation in the church at that
| opening service for the congregation of
Epiphany. The obIiga of hospitality.
1 which you would be the last 10 fail to
recognize, will compel you to deny your
| selves the great privilege of attending on
| that occasion. / am sure that you will
| cheerfully make the sacrifice.
"Of one thing let me assure you-your
| rector has no control over the matter. 1t
| is in the hands of the committee appoint
| ed by the bishop"
DR.. McKim then takes up the work the
| convention is expected to accomplish. and
| compliments the Washington diocese on
| its good fortune in having the convention
| held in this city. He says:
For the first time in its history the tri-
| ennial council of our church will meet in
| the capital OF our country-the center OF
| its political and national life-the metro
| politan city which mirrors the manifold
/ phases of the social culture and religious
| thought of the republic over all its wide
| domain. IT must be, If for no other rea-
| son, for this. an occasion of unique inter
est in our ecclesiastical history. because
| it opens the door of opportunity for Pro-
| testant truth and for Catholic order. for
| the principles of liberty and progress on
the one hand, and of continuity and prim-
| tive tradition ON the other to make her
self better known to the people of the
| United States than ever before.
| Occasion of Interest.
| ITO us churchmen of Washington the
occasion is one of peculiar interest and
! pleasure. We feel 1t a great honor that
| our young diocese-the youngest daughter
| of the church-should be permitted to en-
| tertain the great council of the church at
| its triennial assemblage. Three years ago
we made our petition to the convention
! for permission to organize as a diocese.
| Today we are permitted TO open our doors
and offer our hospitality TO the bishops,
the clergy and the laity who represent
! the Protestant Episcopal Church
throughout the entire extent of our coun-
| try and in all its mission fields.
| There are fifty-eight diocese in the
| United States, each of which is entitled
! to send eight delegates, four clergymcn
| and four laynlen. These constitute the
| house of clerical and lay delegates, which
sits and deliberates separately, having
| coordinate powers with the house of
| bishops The latter house comprises all
| the bishops of the church, domestic and
| foreign, of missionary jurisdictions and
| of organized dioceses. OF these there are
eighty-four. The presiding bishop is the
venerable bishop of Connecticut. Right
| Rev. John Williams, d. D., LII. d.
| I'm addition to the organized dtoceses
| there are twenty-one missionary juriSdic-
| tions in the territory of the United States.
besides seven in foreign lands. There is
] also an important and flourishing mission
| in Brazil, which yet has no bishop, be-
| sides that in Mexico. which is also aceph-
| alous. The missionary Jurisdictions are
deputies, who may speak but not vote.
| Thus the entire body of bishops, clergy
| and laity comprising the general conven-
ton aggregates about $50, but of these
| possible 10 per cent may De expected to
/ be absent from various causes
Marriage and Divorce.
Among the subjects to be discussed the
| question of marriage and divorce will
doubtless occupy q prominent place. 9th
| er important questions will concern the
! provincial system, the establishment of
an appellate court, Christian unity, Swed-
i ish orders, ecclesiastical relations, the re-
| lations TO the Lambeth conference, the
| translation of the, prayer book, marginal
readings in the Bible, etc. The report of
| the joint commission on the constitutions
and canons of the church is by far the
heaviest piece of work before the conven-
ton. 1t is enough, indeed, to consume
the whole three weeks of the session If
given that careful consideration which it
demands
"It appears that by far the most impor-
tant and urgent work of the convention
will be the consideration of the mission
airy work of the church at home and
abroad. including the question of admin
istration. We may hope that this first
convention of the church at the Capital
City of the nation will be noteworthy for
the emphasis laid upon the chief and
noblest of the functions of the church
its office as missionary of the cross of
Christ among the multitudes of our own
and other people. The spirit of Wash
ington is a cosmopolitan spirit. We are
accustomed to look out hence upon all