The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-18
MEETING IN ANNISTON
COUNCIL OF EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN
 SESSION.
A Warm Discussion as to Admission ch Women Delegates from Church of the Advent at Btr-
 mfBQham.

Anniston, May 17.--(Special)-Tne seyenty-fourth annual council of the Episcopal Church of Alabama con vened in this city this morning wi.n about forty clergy and sixty laymen in attendance. The opening service was held at Grace Church. The processions of priests in the vestments headed py boys choir made an impressive sign.. Bishop C.. M. Beckwith of Aiapama followed in the procession. The ser vice was conducted in theepresence or a large congregation by the Bishop, the rector. Rev. Jas. G. Glass, ana DTS: Cobbs and Beard. respectively oi Greensboro and Birmingham
 Rev. H. w. Jones of Decatur preached the Council sermon on tho text Seek ye first the Kingdom or God and his righteousness and all things will be added unto you" The sermon was a masterful effort in which he con fined himself closely to the text.
 Following the service the council met in a hall adjoining the church, where a Committee on Credentials was ap- pointed before the noon adjourament { When the body reconvened at 3 o'clock the report of the Credential Committee was taken up and when the names of the women delegates from the Church of the Advent of Birmins- ham were read, Bishop Beckwith stated that these had been selected from church where the canons of the church had been violated, and he suggested that this matter be referred to the Com mittee on Credentials. A heated dis cussion followed where several points of order were raised and R. H. Pear son and E. P. Riggs, lay delegates from this church, were repeatedly call ed to order in an effort to argue the matter before the Council. Rev. J. w. Johnston was heard on several points of order but the Bishop held that the body was not organized. hence all de. bates were out of order. An appeal from the decision of the Bishop was made but did not come to vote on account of it being withdrawn.
 The matter was finally settled by the reading of the full report of the Com mittee on Credentials and 1t was ac- cepted with the exception of the lay delegates from the Church of the Ad- vent The question raised by Bishop Beckwith is that this church had not followed the canonical law in regard to the selection of a vestry. fourteen members being named when the canons provide that not more than eleven shall be selected by any church. The dele- gates were afterwards extended the courtesy of the floor.
 Rev Jas. G. Glass of Grace Church. AnnlSIOnt WdS t1CCLSQ oOCTSluEy lU succeed pr. R. H. Cobbs of Greens boro, who has held the office for thirty two years consecutively. pr. Cobbs is the oldest member from point of mem- bership in the Council and he desired thatlthe work fall on younger should CTS. This was the cause of the name not being voted for
 Bishop Beckwith read his annual address, a document of some length, ,l~ tatf r1F tt.a ,'es work in the diocese. The address last ed for an hour and thirty minutes and was listened to with increasing inter est by the body and the woman's auxil- iary, which was present for this occa- sion. The Bishop made a strong point regarding the selection of vestrymen in the latter part of the address. Several reports were heard and the house of meeting and several committees were named before adjournment.
 Many of Alabamas prominent busi- ness men are present as we'll as near ly all of the clergy. Among these att tending the Council are ex-Governor J. F. Johnston, R. H. Pearson, S. E. Green, Robert Jemison and othcrs of Birmingham; Major w. w. Screws. Fl. H. Ruth, Dr. B. J. Baldwin and oth- CTS of Montgomery, and other promi- nent chdrchmen from all over the State. Many important questions are to be settled at the session. Tonight Bishop Beckwith addressed a large at Grace Church on ''The Society for the Relief of Disabled Clergy" Following this topic Sunday Schools were discussed, the discussion | being led by pr. Mathew Brewster of | Mobile and Rev. W. N. Claybrook of | Several volunteer speak | ers were heard also.
 The Council will be in session through Friday.