The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-18
COUNCIL TO
MEET TODAY.
Annual Session Of Governing
Body-Among the Epis-
copolians.
SPECIAL MATTERS ARE UP
Attendance Will be Large and
the Meetings Of Very Great
Interest,"

The one hundred and ninth annual
council Of the, Protestant Episcopal
Church in Virginia will begin at 10
o'clock this morning in st. James Church,
OF this city.
From all sections OF the diocese dele
gates, clerical and lay, are gathering,
and by the time the body is raped to
order the attendance will probably be
quite full. The meeting place is CEN
trail and easy Of access, and nearly all
Of those appointed will be here. Tho
attendance OF local Episcopallans will
doubtless BIO correspondlngly large and
representative. The council Is the SUI
preme governing body in the diocese.
and It's transactions are Of the very live
Hest interest to the entire denomination
within these bounds. The sessions will
continue for three days
REGULAR BUSINESS.
The first session will begin at 10 o'clock
to-day with morning prayer, after which
the council sermon will be preached. iThe
Holy Communion will then be admins
tered by Bishop Robert a. Gibson, the
presiding officer of the council Organi-
will begin. The following order will be
observed: The appointment OF treas
uror pro tempore when the treasurer Is
absent; the adoption Of rules of order;
the reading Of the journal Of the preced-
ing day; the reading OF pastoral address:
the appointment Of committees; report of
standing committees; report of special
committees; unfinished business. Stand
ing committees will be appointed by the
president not later than the second day
of the council unless otherwise directed.
Immediately after the reading OF the
bishops address the council will pro-
coed to elect the standing committee of
the diocese, the education committee Of
the Diocesan Missionary Society. and
such other committees as are necessary.
The council will sit as board Of mis-
sions on the first day of the session at
F. NJ.
The council will receive reports from
the various committees. The past year
has been most successful one, and these
reports will be most gratifying, At S:l5
o'clock there will be a meeting in the
interest OF diocesan missions. Tomorrow
morning there will be an address by
Bishop Kinsolving. of Brazil. Tonight
there will be an address by Mr.. A. L..
Lloyd, of the Board Of Missions Of New
York.
SPECIAL MATTERS.
Several special matters will make the
present session one Of very particular
interest. Deputies will have to be chosen
to the general convention which meets
In October in Boston. The delegation will
be instructed to invite the convention to
meet in Richmond in 1907, and the in
vitu,ion will probably be accepted.
The report of the Committee on the
Bethany Institute will attract considera-
BILE attention. The committee will recon-
mend the establishment OF training
school for deaconesses and Will submit
plan of work. The institute, If the
council adopts the report of the commit
tee, will be located in Richmond, and will
be the first of it's kind in the South. Tie
building at No. COZ East Main Street,
where the Episcopal rooms have been
located, will probably be used for the
purpose.
Another important matter will be the
question of establishing the office Of
nrchdeacon Of the diocese. who, under
the direct control of the bishop. will have
supervision OF the missionary work in the
diocese. There is already an archdeacon
for the colored work and the present
movement contemplates such an officer
for work among the white churches.
There is considerable opposition to the
movement and the matter will probably
create considerable discussion.
WHAT IT REPRESENTS.
The council represents the entire de-
nomination within the diocese. Every
minister In the diocese is a member OK
ofiicio. and each vestry elects lay dc's-
cate.
The reports of last year show the fol-
lowing council statistics:
Clergy, 90, churches and chapels. lG6;
lay readers, II; candidates for orders, 8;
communicates, n,14G; last reported, H.
| 029; increase, IN; Sunday school teach
crs. 500: scholars, 1913; contributions,
| $1s2, St6.35.
| The head Of the council Is the bishop
Of the diocese. The secretary Is the Rev.
Edward Meade. of Acotink, and the
treasurer. Mr. r. l.. Chambcrlaync. The
Standing Committee Is composed Of Rev
p. y. Phillips and Rev. Bergman Green
both OF Alexandria. and Mr.. John II
Zimmerman, Mr.. Arthur Hubert and Mr.
l.. NJ. blackboard.