The Brownsville daily herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1897-1910, 1905-01-11
MISSIONARY
CONFERENCE
OF Episcopal Diocese Of West
Texas Meets at Brownsville.
Opening Services at Church Of the Ad-
vent Tuesday Evening-Able Ad-
dress By Bishop JOhnstOn-At.
tending CIergymen and
Today's Program.

The fifth annual meeting of the
Missionary Conference of the Epis-
copal diocese of West Texas was
opened Tuesday evening at the
Church of the Advent in this city,
the service comprising the usual
Evening Prayer and the opening
address by Right Rev. J. S. John
ston, bishop of this diocese.
The opening of the service was
quite imposing, the attending
clergymen in full vestments, pre-
ceded by the vested choir singing
the hymn Onward Christian Sol
diers, filing down the aisle to the
chaneel in stately procession.
The service was conducted joint
ly by Rev. A. J. Trustworthy of
Corpus Christi and Rev. NJ. A.
Barber of San Marcos. The sing
ing by the choir was especially fine.
The address by the bishop was
the feature of greatest interest, the
subject being Marriage and Di-
vorce. 1t was prefaced by a few
remarks regarding the objects of
the Missionary Conference, etc,
in which the bishop referred to the
fact of this being the first meeting
Of that body ever held in Browns
vile, althoug h the Episcopa
church has been organized here for
over half a century, the inaccessi-
bility of the place before the open.
ing of the railroad having made it
impossible to meet here. 1t was
the design of the clergymen of the
diocese to signalize the opening of
the railroad and to contribute their
part to the new life now stimulat-
ing Brownsville, as we'll as to re-
cognize the work of this parish
during over fifty years, by holding
this meeting here. The bishop re-
gretted that more of the clergymen
of this diocese could not atterd,
owing to the long distance neces-
sary for some to travel to reach
Brownsville. This diocese IS one
b largest, ifnot the very Ia;
'' 49,. s''. toto co,,y i''
10000 square miles aha >Stendin
from Brownsville to the base of tn
Panhandle
Coming to the subject of his al
dress Bishop Johnston delivered
powerful discussion of the gres
social problem 'of marriage an
divorce, pointing out in forcibl
and expressive terms the evil whic
threatens the homes of the nation
which are the very bulwark c
Christianity itself, in the CROWN
number of divorces. The fact tina
there were no less that 10000 di
voroes granted in America last year
a greater number than in all Euro
pean countries combined, th
bishop declared a disgrace TO thi
country. Particularly did he dc
nounce the existing divorce law
of the state of Texas, which rende
IL so easy 10 secure a dissolution G
the marriage bond. and recommend
cd some changes in the law, sug
gesting that this conference shout
memorabilia the legislature to tina
effect. Under the present law, tn
speaker pointed out, only sii
months residence in the state is re
quired previous to securing a di
vorce, which may be granted by
district judge. He recomrEende,
that a longer term Of residence b
required, and that a trial BY jur
|. or action by three judges Of the ap
J pellate court be made iequisite
while much more stringent legisla
tion regarding the eausd justify
ing divorce should be Cad Tn