The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-09-24

house OF bishops, the clerical and lay
delegates, the secretaries and all on
nected with the convention.
This luncheon from 1 to 3 D. M,
has proved in former conventions to
be the leading social feature, it being
pre-eminently a. time for the making
OF acquaintance and for the meeting
OF members of the various delegations.
On the evening of October LIST, the
night before the convention opens.
Bishop Gibson will give a reception in
honor of the Bishop of London at his
Park avenue residence, All the bish-
ops In attendance on the convention,
as well a the distinguished visitors,
will be present.
b Bishop of London takes part in
the great gathering OF the st. An
drew's Brotherhood in Washington
city the week previous to the opening
OF the convention. In company with
the other English bishops, he will be
met in Washington by Bishop Gibson,
Of Virginia, Dean Crawford, of the
Theological Seminary, and other Vir-
gln1ans. The party will visit the Theo-
logical Seminary at Alexandria Oh the
morning Of September Both, proceed
ing that afternoon to Charlottesville.
where the Bishop of London will adj
dress the students of the University
of Virginia.
This change in the announced pro-
gram has been specially arranged by
Bishop Gibson because of the world
vide reputation of the Bishop of Lon
On as a speaker to young men, to
whom he seems, in fact, to be pecu-
l1arly attractive. Following the
speaking at Charlottesville the par
ty will take sleepers for Richmond,
arriving here early on the morning
of October 1st, in time to lake part
in the conservation of Holy Trinity
Church. Bishop Gibson will be the
consecrator.
The formal exercises of the open
ing of the convention will take place
in Holy Trinity Church on the morn
ing of October I'd, the Bishop of
London preaching the m On
Thursday, October Sd, the visiting
bishops will dine as the guests of the
Virginia delegation at the Jefferson
Hotel.
On the afternoon of October 4th,
| Mrs. Stewart and the Misses Stewart
| will entertain in honor of the Bishop
| of London at afternoon tea at Brook
Hill.
Trip to Williamsburg.
Saturday, October 9Th, will be Civ
up by the convention to a trip to
Williamsburg and a celebration in
old Bruton Church, at which prac-
tically the whole convention and the
visitors will be present. The Bish-
op of London will present to the
parish a Bible, the personal gift of
His Majesty King Edward VII. of
England. AT the same service there
will be presented to the church a
lectern, the gift of President Roose-
welt.
1t is regarded as peculiarly appro-
pirate that the house of bishops
should meet in the Virginia State
Capitol, as it was here that the
church in Virginia vas organized.
Through the colonial period the
church in Virginia was a d%ependen-
cy of the See of London. With the
outbreak of the Revolution the au-
thority of the Church Of England
was o~verthrown and from about 1875
to 1885 a period of disorder and
chaos reigned. Two years after the
close of the Revolutionary War, a
conference of the churches located
in Virginia was held in the hall of
the House of Delegates in the Vir-
ginia State Capitol, then located in a
temporary building not in the pres
ent Capitol Grounds, and the Dio-
cese of Virginia was organized. Bish-
op Grif1ths was elected presiding
officer, but as there was no bishop
in America to confirm or consecrate
him, his title has always been ques-
toned by strict do%ctrinaries, but
there can be nc real question as to
his right to the position of first
bishop in the American church, as
he exercised dc facto powers for
some years.
Not only is Virginia the cradle of
the church in America, but it may
we'll be called the mother of bish-
ops.
The American church has conse-
ted in it's history 234 bishops, of
whom twenty-three are known to be
Of Virginia origin, and there may be
other names to be added. The list
includes Bishops Grifiths, Madison,
Meade, Newton, Johns, White, Ran
dolph, Gibson, Tucker, Peterkin,
Strange, of North Carolina; Burton,
of Ohio; Wingfeld, Nelson, Dudley,
R. H. Wilmer, and Wilmer, of Louis
lana; Penick, K~insolving, of Texas;
Kinsolving, of Brazil; William Ca
bell Brown, Funston, of Idaho; GRAY
att, Ingle and Beckwith.
Services Held There.
Not only has the State Capitol a
significance because of the founding