The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-08
BISHOP WILLIAMS is DEAD
CONTINUED from First Page.)

|
| erage annual baptisms have more than
| doubled, while the combinations have
nearly tripled. There have also been
| founded in connection with the various
parishes a number of charitable insti-
| tutions, such as homes for the aged
| and infirn, and for orphans The con-
| tributions for parochial and benevolent
| purposes have multiplied forty-fold.
Honorary degrees of S. 7. D., or d. D.,
! were received from Union college in
1S47, from Trinity in 1S49. from Column
bia in 1851 and from Yale in 1888; that
of LII. D. was conferred by Hobart COL
lege in 1870. The bishops mother died
in 1872 on the day OF the ordination Of
the graduating class of the Berkeley
Divinity school, With that faithfulness
at once to filial and official duty which
had characterized his whole life, the
bishop remained at her side during the
early part of the service, giving direc-
lions that he should be summoned when
his official duty began. Before that
moment arrived Mrs. Williams had
passed to her rest, and the bishop, hav-
ing watched her last breath, entered the
chancel to bestow the authority of the
ministry upon the young men whom he
had trained for it's duties. According
to the rule prevailing from the organi-
cation of the Episcopal church in this
country, the oldest of the bishops in the
order of conservation has always been
the presiding bishop of the church. In
the growth of the church this office,
which at one time was of little more
than formal honor, has gradually be-
come of considerable responsibility and
Importance.
At the general convention of 1883 the
rule was so far changed that Bishop
Williams, then being fourth in order Of
seniority, was chosen chairman Of the
house of bishops and assessor" Ga new
office to the presiding bishop. He thus
became practically the recognized head
of the American Episcopal church. At
ter the close of the War Of the Revolu-
ton the American church applied to the
English church for the conservation of
bishops. Dr. Samuel Seabury was the
one chosen by the church in Connecti-
cut, and went to England for this pur-
pose. 1t was found, however, that the
connecting of the church in England
with the state interposed serious obsta-
ter long negotiations and tedious de-
lays, of the successful termination of
which there seemed little hope. DR.. Sea-
bury, in accordance with his instruc-
tions, finally turned to the Church Of
Scotland and was duly consecrated at
Aberdeen November IA, 1854. This
event supplied the American church
with the long-desired Episcopacy and
was the turning point in the negotia-
lions by which two other bishops, White
and Provost, were consecrated in Eng
land February 4, 1887, and a third, Mad
ison, September 10, 1890. Bishop Sea-
bury, however, was the first presiding
bishop of the American church. 1t was
deemed eminently fitting that the CEN
tennial anniversary of his conservation
should be observed at Aberdeen, and
Bishop Williams, with several of the
other bishops and with several Of the
clergy of Connecticut, were present by
invitation upon the occasion. Bishop
Williams, as the direct successor of
Bishop Seabury, and as the representa-
tive of the American church, preached |
the especial sermon of the anniversary, |
and spent several months in Scotland 7,
and England.