The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-18
They First Create Three New Mission
airy Districts and Lay over the
Huntington
LETTER TO CHURCH MEMBERS
TRIENNIAL PASTORAL Is READ BY
BISHOP DUDLEY.
Decentralization of the Tendency ia
Defy God-Mckinley's Assas-
sinatiOn One Of the Results.

America has adjourned. The next con-
vention will be held in Boston in 1904. The
day was a busy one in both houses, most, OF
the time, however, being taken UP in the
discussion of matters which were not
definitely decided. 1t was agreed to make
Honolulu and Cuba missionary districts,
and to create the missionary district of
Salina out of the diocese of Kansas. The
houses failed to concur, however, in the
proposed setting apart of a portion of the
diocese of Springfield, ILL.,, as a missionary
district. The election of Rev. Cameron
Mann as missionary bishop of North Da-
kota was concurred in by the House of
Bishops.
Both houses agreed to the report of the
committee on the proposed Huntington
amendment to Article 10 Of the COnstitu-
ton. This action virtually relegates the
matter to the next General Convention.
Following is the text of the joint resolu-
ton as adopted:
Resolved, The House Of Bishops con-
curing, that it is the sense of this con-
vention that a bishop of this church has
the right to take under his spiritual over
sight any congregation of Christian people
not In communion with this church that
may desire him to do so, and that IT is
further the sense of this convention that
the use of the book of common prayer
is not obligatory under such circumstances,
provided that such congregation be not
admitted. to a union with the diocesan
congregation until ii has been organized
as d parish or congregation OF that char
acter, in accordance with all canonical re-
quirements and duly certified that the
book of common prayer is in use in such
congregation.
On adoption of the report DR.. Huntington
said he would now leave to younger men
the continuance of the fight he had begun.
Agreements were reached by the two
houses on several minor matters, and the
usual resolutions of thanks were passed.
The closing exercises of the convention
were impressive. The bishops, attired in
their robes Of office and preceded by DR..
Samuel Hart, secretary OF the House of
Bishops, and Rev. g. l.. HuIchinS, secre-
tary OF the House of Deputies, marched in
procession into the church. AS they walked
up the main aisle the vested choir of Trim
ity and the congregation joined In singing.
The bishops were seated on the platform
inside the chancel, and pra yer service was
conducted by President Lindsay, of the
House of Deputies. Bishop Doane, of AL
bany, then called for a contribution to be
applied towards reducing the dencit in the
general missionary tund. The amount given
was not announced, but was very liberal.
THE PASTORAL LETTER.
The triennial pastoral letter was read by
Bishop Dudley, of Kentucky. 1t is very
lOlS anu DSSluS do lOllONS.
I'm compliance with your request, dear
brethren OF the clergy and of the laity,
ana In accordance with our time-hOnOrSd
custom, your bishops are come TO speak
parting words of exhortation and of bless
ing. The session OF the great synod is
ended. We have taken council together
of the things concerning the kingdom of
God; we have made more nearly perfect,
as We trust, the organization for the &C.
complishment of its WORK; we have chosen
new leaders OF the militant host; we have
devised. as we hellHVA larger pQfprnTiSp nf
future advance. Surely we have gained
new courage by clasplng the hands of
into the night, the night of trial and OF
battle, LOOKING for and waiting for the
dawn of victory and peace"
The letter then reviews the missionary
work of the church and continues: Per
hapS We may describe the chief hindrance
in the way of the Kingdoms advancement
In our time, as, indeed, 1t has been in every
period of the church's history, as the Zeit-
geist, the spirit of the age, the very at
mosphere in which we must have our life.
Because that spirit changes, because that
Unfolding atmosphere is different now from
any that before did encompass Christian
warriors, therefore ii is that the new dam
gers are apparent and new methods of
warfare must be employed.
But we must bid you note and strive
against the last and most evil result of
the tendency of our age-the reckless spirit
of Individual license. the caricature and
contradiction of that ideal of personal lib
erty which the church has created and per-
ptludlCu dLlOilS IiCll. Il He 1901 VINO satin
in his heart there is no God is quick TO
go forward to the natural corollary that
there is no human authority or right de-
manding his recognition and obedience.
The man who derides the revealed founda-
ton of all ethical obligation is the easy
victim of the devils delusion that self
interest is the sole motive of human action,
and self-advancement the only test of
moral conduct.
"And finally. the defiant denial of the
God who ordaineth finds elimination in the
assertion that there shall be no longer
powers of human of government TO whom
In superstitutious faith obedience has been
mate offspring of unbelief. The crime at
Buffalo a month ago by which the head of
our Nation was taken away. was but the
natural fruit of this tree of God-defying
denial. The great and good President was
slain by the spirit of our age. We must
recognize that this awful crime. thrice re-
peated within forty years, is the offspring of
the spirit OF lawlessness. full grown to ma
turity, and of malevolence, and that other
children OF this same evil spirit are close
about us on either hand themselves. the
strength of the family of lawlessness who
make possible, and certain these giant
monsters whose deeds of violence have
shocked our souls. The failure of the citi-
zen of a republican government to do his
duty in the endeavor to elect honest and
true men to the offices of that government
is the earliest political manifestation of
this pernicious life.
THE citizen who first selfshly refuses
his civic duty and then. in natural descent
NACA-S LAX 1a10 pain b01OBAt bAC SlNtI VI
brides and the cOrrupter of his fellows, is
himself degraded more and more i'm the
process, and the bottom is found when civic
rights and civic righteousness are alike
forgotten, when duty 20 his neighbor TO
longer demands performance. when protec-
ton to weakness, the equality of freemen.
the conservation of honesty are no longer
the ends of the government, but only the
securing of peculiar privileges for a class.
the comfortable enjoyment of a protected
license: when duty TO man is forgotten be-
cause duty to God is denied"
The people are called upon to guard the
sanctity of their homes. and the growing
disregard of the Observance OF Sunday is
deplOred. Lastly the letter urges the MEM
bers to carry away from the great synod
the w~atchword OF battle for the time
10 cOme-missi0ns. missions. missions" The
close of the pastoral letter is a benedictIon
on the workers in the Christian field.
The henediction was pronounced by
Bishop futile. of Missouri, and the con-
ventiOn adjourned. Many OF the bishops.
p~resbyters and lay delegates will remain i'm
California for some time. visiting places
OF interest. but the majority will depart for
their homes.
GhrisfiauS Onuose Couteeu