Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-05-24
.EPISC0PALIANS MEET
One Hundred and Twenty-Second
Annual Council Convened in Fred
ericksburg Yesterday.

The 122nd annual Council of the
Protestant Episcopal Church in the
Diocese of Virginia met in St:
I Georges Church, Fredericksburg
yesterday. 1t will be in session
three days.
The Council opened yesterday
morning with the celebration of Holy
Communion at the above house, with
Bishop Gibson, Bishop Coadjutor
Brown, Rev. E. L. Goodwin, D. d.,
the Secretary of the Council, the Rev.
George Mel. Brydon, and the Rev.
J. J.-Lanier, rector of st. Georges
Z Church. At this service Bishop Glib
son delivered his annual charge from
which we summarize as follows: The
Bishop referred to the fact that this
was the twentieth year Of his episco-
pate and he wished to call to mind
the great development Of the pros
perity of the South during that time.
He spoke of the desolations which
fell upon Virginia and the marvellous
rehabilitation of the country which
seemed impossible at the close of
the Civil War and said that in the
years to come the awful desolations
that now overwhelm Belgium, Ser
bia, Russian Poland, and the north
west of France will be things of
the past and these countries flourish
again.
The Bishop then called attention
to the Canon on Business Methods as
approved by General Convention and
as the General Convention belonging
to the whole made it ours as dio
cese it was important to follow its
enactment in this matter. The
church's fiscal year is to commence
on the first of January in each year,
and the accounts of each parish are
to be properly audited annually. In
parishes where the income is above
$3,000,00 there must be an expert
accountant employed; in those where
it is under this sum a good
accountant not connected with the
parochial funds may be employed.
The important question of clergy
entering the army was discussed by
the bishop. He told the council that
there was a resolution passed by
the General Convention after the
Civil war that it was against their
judgment for clergy to bear arms.
This was printed at the end of the
General Canons until 1910 and has
never been published since. So Bis
hop Gibson came to the clear con-
cluson after corresponding with
Bishop Lawrence of Massachusetts
that the matter be left to the con-
science of the minister as to whether
he should serve in the church or in
the army during the continuance of
the present war. The Bishop there
fore would give the advice to his
candidates for ordination that they
be ordained at the appointed time
without deferring it. The bishop spoke
eloquently upon the entrance of this
country into the great war as it is
it's duty to stand up with the al
lies in their just defense of right
eousness and liberty against the
hostile forces arranged on the side
of outrage, oppression, wrong. AS
out of the Civil War Notwithstanding
our disapproval of the positions
taken, there came the passing away
of slavery and the unification of this
whole country almost accomplished
now and which will be wholly ac-
complished at the close of this war.
Bishop Gibson at the end of his
address paid a tribute to the MEM
Dry of the following clergy of this
diocese departed during the past
council year. The Rev. Robert ].
Nc Bryde, ID. D., the Rev. Walter
Williams and the Rev. Andrew Glas-
sell Grinnan. He also paid noble
tribute to the memory of Bishop
Peterkin, of West Virginia.
The council convened for business
shortly after divine service. Before
organising, the Rev. Matthew Por-
ter, secretary of the South Atlantic
Agency of the American Bible So.
ciety, was given an opportunity tt
present the claims and the needs O.
the society especially at this TIM
when a large humber of bibles AM
testiments are needed for the sold
iers and those who are now in tn
camps, which are chiefly found j
this South Atlantic district.
The council then organized an
after the usual routine incident t
IL;. I,,1ro Uy,l1oco p,oya1 fhot