Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-14
THE EPISCOPALS
Re-arranging Their Missionary
Work in the State.
To Be Three Archdeaconries, Aroos-
took, Kennebec and Penobscot.
Other Work Of the Diocesan Convention
at Portland.

Portland, Me-, May 13.-The forenoon
session of the annual Diocesan conven-
ton of the Maine Protestant Episco-
pal churches was devoted to the bust
ness of the Missionary Society, the
principal part of which was the
changes and additions to the bylaws.
There will be three archdeaconrieS in
the State, to be presided over, if the
bishop so pleases, by an archdeacon APP
pointed by him. These archdeaconries
will be known as Aroostook, PenobscOt
and kenncbec. The officers of the Mis-
sionary Society hereafter will be a
president, who is the bishop, a secre-
tary, treasurer and board of missions.
All members of the church are to be
members of the society.
These officers We're elected: SeCre-
tary. G.. w. Sargent of St. Stephens
church, Portland; treasurer, Walter G..
Ellis, Bath; board of missions, Rev. w.
G. Stuart Bath. r. II. Gardner, Car
diner, H. V. +. Nash, Newcastle.
The meeting of the Missionary So
ciety adjourned at 1925 and the Do
cesar convention re-conVened for
|
ment was taken.
The changes and additions to the
bylaws were taken up and discussed
at length at the afternoon session.
At the afternoon session a lively dis
cussion was started by Il motion to
reconSde" the vote upon the proposed
| change of name. II Was voted to re-
consider, % to Il.
Then it was proposed that the vote
| be taken by orders. This was carried.
a motion to indefinitely postpone was
| lost. Rev. Mr. Degen of Augusta, de-
precated the feeling that the matter
should not be discussed. He said that
| he was going to discuss the question
and he did not think it was at all
necessary to create partisan feeling. If
Ianythng of the kind should result, he
| would deprecate it as much as any
one.
"But it seems to me-" said Mr.. Degen,
| that we ought not to be like children.
We ought to be able to discuss this
question like men and without ran
cor. 1t is most unfortunate thing
but the church stands before the world
today, under false coiors and under q
|
descriptive of it's character. To call
it an Episcopal church is just as abb
surd as to call 1t a Protestant church.
There has been but one church ana
this is the church and so the Eps
| copal church, and it is the Catholic
church because it is the universal
| church.
| Rev. Mr.. Hart said that he favored
|
of his love for historical accuracy. He
said that this church is a branch of
the church of Mt. Ascension and is q
part of the body of Jesus Christ and
its work in the world is to evangelZe
the people in the world. He said: AT
| least let us appear before the world
| for what we are and as we are, let us
stand not as a Protestant Episcopal
church but as the Holy Catholic
| church,
Mr. Charles Flagg of Portland saI-
the position of the laity in the church
| is that they DO not wish to give up a
certainty for an uncertainty.
| Rev. Mr.. Lee of Newcastle, said that
| he had found that the laity did not
| approve of a change being made and
| for that reason he should vote against
Il change.
| Rev. Mr.. Green of Bar Harbor,, urged
| that the change be made. Herbert
| Sears spoke against the name Of the
( church being changed and predicted if
| it were changed Il division in the
| church.
| Rev. Mr.. Dalton had the last word
| to say. He said that the laity are now
| far away from the clergy and the ten
| dency of the clergy seems to be di
rectly in opposition to the laity and the
| clergy is therefore losing its influence.
A vote on the question was then
taken and it was voted not to change
| the name, 10 to Q, on the part of the
laity, and to on the part of the
parishes.
The parishes voting yes We're ST
| I.ukeS st. PaulS, st. stephens of Port
land. and st. Andrews of Gardiner and
Bath.
st. Marks of Augusta, and Bar Har
Dor, voted no.