Evening star., 1901-05-17
DIOCESAN CONVENTION
LAST DAY OF ANNUAL GATHERING AT
ALEXANDRIA,.
Members Of Nfssfonary SOciety's Exec
utiye COmmittee-Other
Proceedings.

Special Dispatc ch TO The Evening Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, May 1.-THE third
and last day OF the annual convention OF
the Protestant Episcopal Church for the
diocese of Virginia opened at $50 O'Clock
this morning, with prayer offered py the
presiding officer, Bishop r. A. Gibson. De-
votional services were held early this morn
Ing in st. Paul's Church. At clock quiet
hour and holy communion services 1or
Daughters of the King and others, by Kew.
P NJ. Rhinelander After the reading OF
the minutes the following members of the
executive committee Of the Diocesan Mis-
sonary Society for Virginia were elected: j:
Rev. R. A. Goodwin, Rev. l.. K Mason
Rev W. NJ. Clark, Rev. W. NJ. Randolph
Rev J. Y. bowman, Rev. j. }. Gravatt'
Rev W. D. Smith, Rev. 8. S. Hepburn, Kew.
]. c.. Jones, Rev. f. Valentine Jones, Rev
Preston Nash, Rev. w. A. Barr, Rev. Ever
ard Meade, Rev. ]. w. Ware, Mr.. Joseph
Bryan, Mr.. VIM. F. Gray, Mr.: q. u. MINOR
Dr. ]. R. Wheat, Mr.: b. r. Wexford Mr-
W. c. Bentley, Mr.. rutherford Rose, Mr.:
r. Williams Rev. DR.. Robert Strange OIL
St. Paurs Church, Richmond, and the fol-
lowing clergy from the convocati9ns OF me
diocese: Revs: E. s. links. w. u. smith,
]. r. Ellis and E. w. Temple.
Reports of Committees.
The next business before the convention
was the reading Of reports from standing
committees The first received was from
the committee on parochial reports, SUBJ
mitted by the chairman, Rev. Thomas Sem
mes. The following is the summary Of the
report: Baptisms, 657; combinations white,
500; colored, 21; total. 323. Communicates,
II 044 marriages, 263; burials, $50. Sunday
schools-teachers, 936; scholars, Z 462; total,
S,4OS; colored, teachers, 40; scholars, 703;
total, 743; entire number 9,151; contribu-
tions, $504S.32. Parochial schools-paid
teachers 25; scholars, 965; total 800 Mem
bers Of Observation-Disclosures Of St.
Andrew, AL; members Of Woman's Auxfl-
iary, 1917; total contributions, $222, 741 10.
The next report received was from the
committee on the state Of the church.
J. J. Downman, the chairman, read the
report which opened by calling attention
to the fact that the present council is the
first to be held in Virginia since the be-
ginning Of the new century. The condition
of the church at present was stated to be
good, but the committee deplored. with
Bishop Whittle, the decrease in the candi-
dates for holy orders.
Next came the report from the committee
on Sunday schools. In this paper it was
set forth that the Sunday school was the
nursery of the church. but the warning
much upon the Sunday school for the moral
and religious training Of children.
A report was received from the commit
tee on the state Of the church. recon-
menQlnS the duOpIlOn VI d TeSolulloH, OIeT-
ed by Rev. VIM. NJ. Clark requesting the
bishop and coadjutor to omit the annual
council sermon and substitute therefor a
spiritual address by the presiding bishop.
Considerable discussion followed the read
ing of this report, and several amend
ments were offered.
The matter was put to vote on the
original resolution and 1t was carried by
large majority.
A report was received from the commit
tee on new parishes showing that there had
been no new parishes established within
the past year
The committee on prayer book distribu-
tion reported good work done in slums of
cities and an excellent condition of the
treasury.
Decrease of Candidates.
A report from the committee on the de-
crease of candidates for holy orders was
read. 1t was stated that. upon investiga-
ton, the committee had become convinced
that the evil was not confined to Virginia
nor to the United States.
AS causes of the evil it was suggested
that the clergy was somewhat to blame for
not making the ministry attractive tn