The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-02-24
Bishop Brewster Announces Selection of Bridgeport Annual Convention of Church to Be Held Tn June His Address Sparkles With Wit and Humor, and Carries Impressive Message to Rectors and Laymen.


 Epdscopal c1ergymen and 1aymen te the number of 125 gathered in the At 1antic hotel last evening for the ban quet Of the United Ves1ies of thik city The banquet was held in tht interests of church. unity. It was so signal1y successful that Bdshop Brew ster, who Hitherto had hesitated, on account of local condi tons, about an nouncing the selection of Brddgepori for the next convention, did so with expressions oe lively confidence dr Brldgeporters.
 Able speakers mingled with the more reverent religious utterances a bril- liant flow of wit: a chorus of male vonces of St JOhn's church and cap Sta1 Arrangement Of records on a con- cert graph ophone, contributed to the enterfainment.
 The diners revered the memory of Wasl1fngtons drinking stadrding toast 10 him as a. brother churchnlan.
 It soon developed that the bishop had been blessed with an excellent press agent He had not cont ennpfat- sd annOlncang his plans relative to Khe appoautrnent of a coadjutor bishop. This he most emphatica1Iy declared And the laugh that quickly greeted this remark showed that the diners were not slow to realize that even the church has its press agents whose fan
  curiosity of toe pfibdic eqrraa1y as eff xective as t11e gentry who heard the coming of the circus and the theatracai troupe
 Ths inforrnality of the sathering the sget-tcgether' spirit-was reflect ed in the seating arrangements,o per haps it would be a better description to term it the lack of formal seating srrangfmenfs. Clergy and laity were sprink1ed about the various tables with no idea of segregation This was noted by Bishop Brewster. who remarked on it with pleasure.
 Bishop Brewster was at his best His keen saI1fes of wit, his anecdotes. and his forcefu1 ana simple style of delivery reinforced the salient points of his informal after dinner speech
 He took a good natured fling at the New Haven roads finances; he said if Roosevelt had stayed Episcopa1ian, the church might have to create the place of pope: he chaffed his fellow church men for their fndolent Christianity, and he blessed the whole gathering.
 The speakers, besides hina,were for mer Congressman Robert E.. DeFor- est, chairman of the committee of ar engagements; Rev p. J. v. Huiginn, of St. Peters. Beverly, Mass, the toast of the Holy Trinity church, Middle town and Fred R. Johnson, the retir- ing superintendent of charities of this city.
 The toastznasted pleaded for church unity, but not at the expense of tyran- my and ignorance. which h said had once made unity a. nominal condition; pr Acheson made strong appeal to 111e 1aymen to unite with the clergy; and Superintendent Johnson. who was the last on the program, spoke briefly en the possibilities of unity among all churches in the carrying on of the charities of a city such as Bridgeport
 At the guests table were Bishop Brewster, MT Huiginn, Dr. Acheson Mir Johnson, MT. DeForest, Felix AIefgs, and W. B. Palmer. Among the clergynen seated with the lajty about the various tables were Rev. F. H Kenyon, Rev. C. w. Areson. Rev. Kelly, Rev. Frank Fl. BigeIow, Rev. Alfred Go1dsboroug1a, Canon Stephen J. Sherman. Archdeacon Allen F. Bee man. of Fairfelds Rev. c. E. Knoll meyer, Milford. and Rev. A1sop Lei fngwell, Milford
 Former Congressman R. E. DeFor- est, the chairman of the comu1ittee of arrangements, WAS the first speaker. His witty speech at once set evefyone at ease and in good humor. He said that he keen1y regretted that it be- came his duty to introduce one other than himself as the toastnlaster. He felt it his due, he said, tos hold that man of the committee of arrange znents, and therefore it was not with out feeling of personal loss that he presented as the toastmaster the Rev. Mfr Huiginn- MT DeForest's sallies were punctuated with laughter and app1aa1se- There was 9 warm well come for the toastmaster-
 Tz- <<sSd 1<az ar,r,rkacj ed keen1y the opportunity of being with the get-together movement in Bridge port, for in his parish is located the first club of the sort in the country. But he couldn't help being reminded, he said, of the story of the mother whose clergyman was conso1ing her for the loss of her only child. aged 5. The rector told her she should be very happy at th4 thought of her sin1ess chiId's being an angel. Reluctantly fhe mother replied, ssTes, am very happy. am glad Tommy is in they are all strangers there. That, said the toastmaster, was an apt char acterization of his feelings
 Then he called for a rising toast to George Washington. a brother church. man.
 Mir. Huiginn spoke of this as an age of great stress, filled with great poli- tfeal. economic, education. family and other problems. But God has made the men of this generation equal to the task. given them strength to stand LID under their burdens and to bring from their trials the fruits that He expects. He introduced Bishop Berw- ster as a splendid type Of church. man.
 Bishop Brewster first expressed his appreciation of the hospitality of the governor Taking up the humorous spirit of the preceding speakers he said Ae felt i1npe1led to congratulate the diners on their ability to be seated st such a place and under such pleas ing surroundings. when in these days so many people who have had stock in the New Haven road have been on a diet of Me1len,s food.
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