Evening journal., 1914-05-13


delivered unto the saints; but re-
member that the only contention
worthy of soldiers of "the Captain Of
our salvation and that the main
tanning of right relations to all
in the same campaign,
depend upon our constantly looking
to Jesus. the Author and Finisher Of
our faith"
Conditions of the Diocese.
On no previous occasion when It
has been my duty to address this
Convention have / had so much
reason to report a favourable condi-
tion of affairs in the Diocese. Any
one who knows the Diocese as a
whole, and compares present con-
ditions with conditions as they have
been for a number of years past,
can scarcely fail to be conscious that
there is apparently an assured steadi-
ness in our work. which we have not
had in recent years In the same de-
gree. There is no Parish or Mission
in the Diocese, with one exception,
in which conditions are less promis-
ing than they were a year ago. In
some there has been no change; but
i'm more than half there has been
change which is obviously in the
direction of substantial gain. While
there have been no changes of a
striking sort, there has been an ac-
cumulation of small gains, which
taken together constitute substan-
tial body of achievement. in which,
with all humble acknowledgment of
shortcomings. we may take solid
fuf nt
do / wish to suggest that we have
any ground for self-complacency or
the slightest excuse for relaxing
effort; but in a small Diocese, in
which we constantly face discour-
agements and difficulties, TO which
the Bishop is forever calling atten-
tion. | feel bound at this time TO
make the most of the encouraging
outlook due to unmistakeable pro-
gress during the past year.
The reasons for this seem obvious.
We have a good body of clergy.
Though we have lost recently some
Of our best men, whose places no one
can exactly fill, we have gained other
good men. ready to take their own
places; and, on the whole, our body
of clergy is stronger than it was a
few years ago. / believe, too. that
we are not likely to have many
clerical changes during the next few
years. and that our clergy, who are
learning more and more to work TO-
gether, will be doing more efficient
work in the days TO come. For my
self, | could not expect to have n
more loyal or more helpful body of
colleagues. But, even more impor-
tant than this, we have a better
spirit. and more of sense of church
responsibility, among our laymen.
For at least ten years, there have
been those in the Diocese, clergy and
laymen, who in different ways have
been trying to deepen the sense of
what is involved in Christianity and
I In Churchmanship. Such effort is
always made; but there have been
special attempts made here during
the recent past when the general
drift is strongly away from the in
terests of definite religion. These
efforts have now borne obvious fruit.
We have no large body of strikingly
vigorous leaders-perhaps we can
never expect that; but we have a
somewhat larger body Of men whose
intelligence and conscience in Church
matters has been deepened and
broadened in such a way as to
/ strengthen the Church in the Diocese
/ Of Delaware. There is more readi-
ness TO undertake things in behalf Of
| the Church. Although there may
not be much difference in any one
place. the aggregate Of small ad-
vances makes a gratifying total.
We have had many material gains
Better than that, We have made some
progress in spiritual ways. There is
no use whatever in providing more
beautiful churches, or well-equippeo
parish houses. unless the former are
! regularly used by devout wOrshippers
of Almighty God. and the latter made
centers of social work, effective be-
cause II has a religious basis. From
some of our posts there has beer
nothing special to report; but from
I the majority come information moi
only of material improvements, bu
also of unusually good observance o
Lent, Holy Week and Easter. In
half of the places which have
visited this spring. the classes pre-
sented for Confirmation have beer
the largest for years, making ths
number of Combinations during IN.
year slightly above the average II
spite of there having been no persons
presented in few Parishes and NOR
than half of the Missions. 1t IL
gratifying also to note that specia
interest has been shown In courses
of religious instruction given by SOM
Of our clergy.
Let me enumerate some of tn
items. If | speak chiefly OF materia
improvements, il is not that / con
slider these the things of chief i'm
portance. but that spiritual gains
even when perceptible, are Difficult
TO. specify and describe. Claymon
has a resident Rector, since who's
coming the church has been repairel
and redecorated and the congrega
ton increased; in Talleyville, wher
there had been only one person con
frmed during five years, Mr.. Aresol
recently presented a class of four
teen. This is an interesting illus
tration of what can be done in al
isolated country church by assiduou
pastoral activity. Trinity, Whining
, ton. has completed the refurnishin
of its chancel and has exceeded II
own achievements in giving for mis-
sionary work. This year Trinity ha
given $1,000 for General Missions. o
, approximately one fourth OF the ap
portionment of the Diocese. Tn
new Rector of Emmanuel Whining
ton, has without delay carried ou
plans for Improvement in the churc
and its services. long planned by hi
beloved predecessor, and has alread
, inaugurated plans for the buildin