Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1907-11-13
WE. WATERS DISCUSSES CONVENTION
Gives Impressions of the Meeting at Richmord
Before the Arch-DescOury at Calvary
Church In Wilmington Last Evening.

w. Il. Waters, senior warden of st.
Peters Church, of this town, attended
the Arch-deaconry Meeting in Calvary
Church, Wilmington, last evening and
was one of the speakers. Mr.. Waters
had the special distinction of being one
OF the lay delegates to represent the
Diocese of Delaware at the recent Gen.
eral Convention of the Episcopal
Church at Richmond, Va. In his adj
dress last evening Mr.. Waters said as
follows: 81 very greatly appreciate the
invitation of the Archdeacon of Viii.
mington and the dean of the Delaware
deputatlon to the Convention at Rich
mond, to be here this evening. [ had
no idea, however, that he would be So
bold as to place my name on his pro-
gram for an address. In Philadelphia
the eight deputies we're invited by the
Church Club to give ten minute views |
of the doing of the Convention. II
supposed this course was to be fol- |
lowed here, and 1 was amazed when !
DIR. Hall sent me the program to speak
for the laity. This, [ am not able to
do, and L am sure it is not expected.
The Diocesan Convention, in its de-
sire to send a strong deputation to
Richmond was obliged to pass over the
ambitious Churchmen in Kent and
Sussex, and select it's deputies from
Wilmington. Six out of eight were
elected on the first ballot, and but for
the magnanimity of Mr.. Grohe, de
Ginning, you would have had seven
out of the eight. That no mistake was
made by the convention, 1 think can
be easily shown later. 1 was only an
accidental and late hour deputy, and
cannot therefore be expected to say
much about it. notice the program
expects echoes from the General Con-
, vention. We have in our church tower
, at Smyrna, four very sweet toned
bells, and if one is at certain place
: when the bells are struck, au echo is
produced, but this echo is an exact re-
q production of the bell tones I hardly
believe even DIR. Hall could produce an
/ echo of the Convention, and 1 presume
q it is meant by this figure to give you q
personal impression of the Convention
Optimistic Concerning the People aud Churct
cat the outset, you may set me down
:. as believing pound of optimism il
:. better than a ton of pessimism. be
lieve more people do right than wrong.
I believe that 81 per cent of our people
a. are honest. believe that 81 per cent
even of our rich people are honest.
ell do not believe Governments, Society, OF
the Church exist primarily for the pre-
vention of evil, but to promote welfare
- and righteousness by precept and ex-
ample. believe in reverent criticism
fit is constructive, so you may know
M 1 am not going to emphasize any mis-
ex takes or omissions if the Convention
se made such, and 1, for one, don't be
49, lieve they did. Imagine over five hun
drsd venerable, middle aged and yOun
men, clean cut Priests, jurists, Law
yers, fnanciers, business men of nj
w tional repute, together with goodl
sum of plain people and you have
.vs picture of the Convention. You hav
all heard the story of the man electet
to Congress, who kept wondering ho'
NV he ever came to be elected for tn
OF honor, but when arriving at Washing
ali ton and seeing the other member
he changed his mind and began wonder
OF dering how the other members eve
OIL got there. Had this man gone to th
asst General Convention, think he woul
led have come away still wondering no
the he ever got there. You are all fam
the liar through the secular and chnrC
his napers with the doings of the Conve
lod tion. You have doubtless noticed
or number of criticisms, hippant, pess
Itu- mistic and good. Some complain tn
the half of the deputies were new. Th
eek seems to me a good thing, there a
in always enough of the experienced
hen guide legislation Alright, and turtle
the more. it does not follow that ne
the deputy is ignorant of the doctrine Ii
was or polity of the church. Otht
ime Thought 1t raw and restless body.
the appeared to me as most patient and
ged tentiye in listening to the discussio
or a and prompt in knowing how to d
act pose of all questions proposed
- what Church is aud Not What 1t is Call
loon "Others have said there was mari
tendency to protestantize the churC
NV understanding of the Church
that 1t is protestant in a colioqu
cry. sense, but catholic in every intrin
and important sense, and that no {
Tunls or successive age, no men,, or SET
ger. men. no council, or set oil eounc
~ aver can change its div