The record-union., 1899-10-18

ton chose me to be the first Bishop Oh
this district, and SO unexpected and
upSetting was this call that for a time
/ was as st. Paul when smitten by the
dazzling light on the Damascus road
Having heard much of the hardshlps
and trials of your late Bishops lie,
and of the difficulties of this field, |
was reluctant to exchange the happy
leadership of a strong, harmonious city
parish for duties which were great un-
tried and lifelong, and for which l
might or might not be qualified.
But the circumstances of my election
indicated so plainly the hand of Al
mighty God, and the light of His VIII
broke SO clearly and steadily on my
path, that I did not dare to put this
call from me. And you, my brethren,
by your Immediate expressions OF conn-
dence and good will, which came to me
from clergy and laity all over the dis
trict with not one word of protest or
doubtfulness-you helped me to con-
clusion by showing that God was pre-
pairing your hearts for my coming.
Many of you did still more to persuade
my acceptance by the substantial anu
generous pledge of assistance toward
the discharge of the duties of hospital
ity and charity which are bounden up
on this high office OF this matter, per-
nit me to speak later on.
Thus it has come about beloved
| brethren, that I am present amongst
you as your Bishop, and as look to-
day in your faces, which have become
more familiar and are becoming dearer
to me, L rejoice in the sacred and ten
der relation which my divine Office
| gives me towards you. Having been
about amongst you for eight months
! past, l know of your warm hearts,
your willing hands, your ready spirit
to be taught and led in the fuller SER
vice of Jesus Christ. I am proud oil
these clergy. They are noble band
as able, as Jealous, as Self-sacr1tlc1ng
as any body of clergy, Of any diocese
in the world. Many Of you have caught
the soldier spirit of your late Bishop,
and remained at your post, in spite OF
temptation to desert. / rejoice to call
about me such true and tried and sea
soned men to fortress my inexperience.
l am thankful too for the laymen and
laywomen I find throughout the dis
| trict
Here are the rich and mostly unde-
| veloped resources of our district. Oul
! strong, leading laymen need to come
to the front, to feel their responsibility
| to plan for the welfare of the church
| We have men of soul, men Of heart,
! men of brains men of means, men OF
/ force. The State appreciates these
| men, likewise the cities and commune
! ties where they live. And I would re-
mind these men to-day that the great
! est of all distinctions is to be Chris
| tian, that the first, highest, best use
| TO which they can put their strength
! of character or their other gifts is ir
! building up in this great West, the
| kingdom and power of Jesus Christ.
| distinctly appeal to the laity-and here
! tofore / have never appealed to them
! in vain--to stand by me in my work
! and plans as their Bishop. Most joy
| ously do we welcome to our fellowship
our brothers and sisters of Nevada
From them we expect a real enrich
ment Of our common family life. They
| have been reared in a spiritual atmos-
phere Of great nobleness, having
| breathed the gentle Christ likeness OF
| Bishop Whitaker and the Christ-like
| gentleness of a Bishop Leonard
| To you all. therefore, brethren be-
| loved, clergy and laity, Guilds and Aux
! iliaries, I extend affectionate Greetings
| and pray for Gods blessing on our de-
! liberations in this our first council OF
| the district of Sacramento.
Immediately upon my conservation
which took place on st. Paul's day
| January %, 1899, in st. Luke's Chmch
! San Francisco, I received from Bishop
! Graves the list Of clergy cononically
| resident, a record of his official acts anC
other papers, and the sovereignty oi
the district was transferred to me-
/ set out at once upon my episcopal la
bors, and although I felt compelled tc
share my time with my former parish
until my successor there should enter
into residence, which did not take place
until September 1st, yet in the eight
months since my conservation I have
been enabled to visit almost every par
| ish and mission in the district.
The following have been confirmed
! since the last Convocation. BY BishoI
/ Graves 135, by me $50, of which 81
were for the Bishop of California, max.
/ ing total for our own district of 42S
These were distributed as follows
Santa Rosa 10, Petaluma %, Heads
burg 16, Cloverdale u, Ukiah g. Naps
/ T. Vallejo 80, Benicia %, Colusa 3
Corning s, Redding 6, Fort Jones
I1eka 7, Hornbrook 3, Red Bluff Is
Chico II, Sutter Creek 5. Jackson
Woodland 3, Loomis 2 Colfax 3, Fern.
dale II, Eureka p, Placarville 10, 81
Faurs, Sacramento, "a; ST. Andrews
Sacramento, II; lone !, Mission at So
oma g. Auburn 13, Reno 9, Nevada
| City 1S, Grass Valley II, Suisun &
! Lakeport z, Fortuna 4, Collinsville
vacaville 2, Carson City II, Virginia
City II.
These candidates were presented by
the clergy as follows: By Mr.. George
45, Mr.. Bollard 3d. Mr. Crook 81, Mr.
Benham SO, Mr. Waterman 81, Mr.
| Partridge %, Mr.. Mel "a, Mr. CLARK
20, Mr.. Sinclair 20, Mr.. Cope 10, Mr.
Rimer IS, Mr.. Shurtleff II, Mr.. Stewart
II, DR.. Gilbert 16, Mr.. Seacoek II, Mr.
Marsden II, Mr.. Pierce 10, Mr.. Uns.
worth 8, Mr. O'Brien 8, Ifr. Thorn
Mr. Eddie u, Mr. Johnson 3.
This gives an average of 10 to eacf
clergyman, which is nearly twice as
large as the average for each clergy
man in the United States. It must no
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