Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-01-15
Rector OF St. Stephen S
Holds Many Offices In
The Episcopal Church

4
The Rev. r. w. Simonson, rector of
St stephens Episcopal church of this
city, returned yesterday from Phoenix
He had been in attendance upon thel
sessions of the 35th annual convoca-
ton of the Episcopal church in Ari-
zona.
Reverend Simonson holds a unique
position among the priests of this
church in Arizona. He has been rector
of this single parish in Douglas for I'll
meetings of the 35 which have been
held since the. Episcopal church was
organized for it's working in this
state. He is the head of the educa
tional department in Arizona, a mem
ber of the national council of educa-
tional leaders in his church in the
United States, member of the com
mission on schools in the synod of the
Pacific, d member of the council Of
advice and of the commission on evan
gelism, and likewise a member of the
executive council of this diocese.
/ At this late convocation, Mr. Simon
son was elected, with Dean Edwin
Lane of the cathedral in Phoenix, and
Archdeacon j. r.. Jenkins, a represen-
ta-ive of the Episcopal church in Ari-
zona at the next meeting of the synod
of the Pacific, which will be held in
the early summer at Seattle, Wash
He will be sent in educational inter-
ests to a conference in Rochester,, n.
Y, May "a, 1927.
1 Speaking to reporter for the Dis
Epatch in answer to inquiries about
this latte convocation, MIR. Simonson
said .that it was considered the most
successful meeting of that church
which has ever been held in Arizonag
that there are more clergy working
than ever before in the history of 35
years, and working successfully; that
the different departments are func-
tioning splepdidly; that all the COM
mites and organized boards made
! satisfactory repordi and gave most
hopeful outlines of new and advance
work. There was an evidence, said
! Mr. Simonson in all these late ses-
sions, of Bishop Mitchells strength in
| leadership; and of the spirit of his
courage and, devotion, harmonized into
character of friendliness and cheer
is proving the very basis OF encour-,
agement and inspiration to lay and
cleric workers in the field.
The people of Douglas and of the
southern section of the state will have
better opportunity for judging the
success of the missionary activity Of
the Episcopal church in Arizona be-
cause of the fact that the next an
lnual convocation will be held in
douglas year from now.
! A great spiritual movement has been
inaugurated in this church which is
/ known as the Bishops Crusade"
This work is now at it's beginning. 1t
! will continue through January and
( February. The bishops attended with
leading priests and laymen will, by
! movements from their cathedrals and
/ their own fields of WORKING enter
! other fields assigned by q general
| commission on evangelism, and will
! there conduct a six day mission. The
! whole aim of such missions is spiritual
awakening, and by system the
! spirit of the enterprise is to be carried
/ into every parish and mission of the
Episcopal church Opening on Sunday
next at the cathedral in Phoenix the
Right. Rev. Arthur w. FMoulton, d. D.,
Ebishop of Utah, with the Ven Arch
will conduct the first central mission
of the Bishops Crusade in Arizona.
The week following another central
crusade will be held at Flagstaff. The
Right Rev. Walker Mitchell, d. D.,
bishop of Arizona, will be in his do
| cese to meet and TO strengthen these
missioners in their work. He will go
later to a diocese in Indiana to lead
in mission there.
At the crusade in Phoenix January
1921, all the priests of this church in
| the southern and central parts of the
state will assemble for study and devo-
ton; and after that they will, in turn,
be missioners in brother clergyman's
parish for period of six days. The
Rev Mr. Simonson will have with him
as missioner in Douglas the Rev.
Canon William Dixon of Yuma. Mr..
Simonson will go later in this capacity
to Prescott January 30-February 4
will mark the period of this spiritual
undertaking in ST. Stephens church in
Douglas. The rector said in his con-
versation yesterday that the church
was warning against sentimentalism
as g Characteristic of this spiritual re-
vival and that it was doing everything
in it's power to direct the effort in the
direction of a community appeal, and
for expression of all which enters es-s
sentially into the building of Christ
like character.
James N. Xalis of Douglas was with
Mr. Simonson at all these sessions and
was appointed a representative of the
local EDiScoDal congreea tion at these