On motion of the Rev. Mr. Lines, it was Resolved, That it be referred to the Committee on Constitution and Canons to consider and report upon the advisability of inserting the word "final" in Canon I, Section 4, ninth line, so that it shall read, "on the final adjournment of which the said person shall become a member," etc. On motion of the Rev. O. S. Prescott, the following Resolution of the New Haven County Convocation was referred to the Committee on Constitution and Canons : Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Convocation that there should be some canonical provision by which a Rector may drop from his list of communicants the names of such persons as no longer communicate in the Parish Church, and that a committee of three be appointed to bring the subject before the next Diocesan Convention. The Rev. Dr. Harwood presented a printed report of the Committee on Constitution and Canons, appointed at the last Convention; and, on motion, it was made the special order of the day immediately after the recess. The Committee on Credentials of Lay Delegates made the following REPORT. The Committee on Credentials of Lay Delegates beg leave to report: That they have examined the Roll of Lay Delegates and Substitutes prepared by the Secretary, and find it correct; and that the certificates are duly attested. Respectfully submitted, F. W. HARRIMAN, ARTHUR H. WRIGHT, Committee. The Committee on Admission of New Parishes presented the following REPORT. The Standing Committee on the Admission of New Parishes beg leave to report: That they have examined the papers presented to the Convention from the Parish of St. Paul's Church, Waterville, in the town of Waterbury, and find them correct, and in due form, excepting that the paper required by Canon I, Sec. 2, paragraph (2), does not bear the signature of the Parish Clerk. The Committee recommend to the Convention that the attestation of Mr. Harry O. Miller, Agent and Lay Delegate, be accepted in lieu of that of the Clerk, and the request of said Parish be granted, and that it be admitted into union with the Convention. They further recommend that Mr. Harry O. Miller be recognized as the Delegate to this Convention from the Parish of St. Paul's Church, Waterville, in the town of Waterbury. Respectfully submitted, JAMES W. BRADIN, Committee. On motion, it was then Resolved, That the Parish of St. Paul's Church, Waterville, in the town of Waterbury, be admitted into union with this Convention, and that its Delegate be received. Mr. Harry O. Miller responded to his name, and was received as the Lay Delegate accordingly. The Bishop read his Annual Address, as follows: THE BISHOP'S ADDRESS. My Brethren of the Clergy and Laity: I am thankful to be able to say that notwithstanding my nervous prostration last summer, the effects of which prevented my attendance at the late General Convention and laid me aside from much active service for many months, eighty-eight visitations have been made during the Conventional year. I gratefully acknowledge the most kind aid rendered me by my Right Reverend Brethren, the Bishops of Pittsburgh, Tokio, Wyoming and Idaho, and Indiana, without whose assistance this number of visitations must have been very seriously diminished. The list of Parishes, etc., visited is as follows: Trinity Church, Brooklyn; Church of the Good Shepherd, Grace Church, Norwalk; (2) Holy Trinity Church, Westport ; Church of Our Saviour, Plain- Christ Church, Pomfret; Holy Advent, Clinton; St. Thomas's, New Haven ; St. John's, Warehouse Point; Holy Trinity Church, Middle town; St. Paul's, Norwalk; Trinity Church, South Norwalk; St. Peter's, Monroe; St. Mary's, South Manchester; St. John's, East Hartford; and In the course of these visitations, and at other times, I have officiated on ninety-five occasions; preached and delivered confirmation and other addresses eighty-four times; baptized two infants; solemnized three marriages, and officiated at one burial; one thousand three hundred and fifty-four persons have been confirmed. Six clergymen have, since the last Convention, gone to their rest: the Rev. William G. Spencer, D.D., the Rev. William E. Vibbert, D.D., the Rev. William Tatlock, D.D., the Rev. Thomas B. Fogg, the Rev. David M. Ellwood, and the Rev. Sanford J. Horton, D.D. Mr. Fogg had done much and most faithful and fruitful service in this Diocese and elsewhere for many years, and even when he became unable to undertake the pastoral charge any longer, he was still ready and most useful in occasional services as opportunities offered themselves. Dr. Spencer passed away suddenly, and left not only in his own parish, but in many other places, saddened and sorrowing hearts, who remembered him as a faithful minister and a godly and well learned man. Dr. Vibbert's long rectorship placed him as the second Presbyter, in tenure of office, in the Diocese; and it is worthy of note, in these days of change, that he continued in one parish. till increasing infirmity compelled him to cease from active duty and become Rector Emeritus. We shall long remember him as a true servant of the Master, an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile." On the very eve of our assembling, Dr. Horton passed away. Rector for ten years of St. Paul's Church, Windham, where, for several years, he also carried on a School for boys, he became in 1862 Principal of the Diocesan Academy in Cheshire, where he remained for thirty years, and to the interests of which he devoted nearly half his life, with unsparing faithfulness. Many of his pupils, in various walks of life, will cherish his memory with deep and sincere affection. What need in this place and presence to speak to you, my Brethren, of the late Dr. Tatlock? We all know his loyalty to the Faith and to the Church, his devotion to his work, his calm, discriminating judgment, his pure and lofty character, all the qualities that secured to him the confidence and affection of his parishioners, his fellow citizens, the Diocese and the Church at large. What a gathering that was which I saw at his burial; and what a testimony was that memorial meeting held in Stamford! Of him may be truly said what was said of Gamaliel, that he was "held in reputation among all the people;" and none will challenge the statement that his reputation was well deserved. We are called on to mourn the loss of many honored laymen during the past year. The vacant places left by such men as Judge Hart of Saybrook, Judge Granger of Canaan, Judge Glover of Fairfield, Judge Russell of Stratford, Mr. Reynolds of Greenwich, Mr. Halsey of Norwich, Mr. Warren and Mr. Skilton of Watertown, Mr. Morse of New Haven and Judge Hayden of Windsor, (and I might well extend the list,) are not easily filled. We may, however, humbly hope that as they took the places of others who had preceded them, so others may be raised up to stand where they stood in coming to the help of our Lord and of His Church. One only of our Bishops has died since we last met together, the honored and truly venerable Bishop of Central Pennsylvania, the oldest in years, and in the duration of his ministry as Deacon, Priest and Bishop, of any of his brethren. He went to his rest full of years and honors. I can never forget the last words which I ever heard fall from his lips, words full of tenderness, comfort and gentleness, spoken at the burial of our late Presiding Bishop. Ten candidates have been ordained to the Diaconate, viz : Reginald Rudyerd Parker, in St. Luke's Chapel, Middletown, June 19th, 1895. Frederick Philips Swezey, in Trinity Church, Hartford, March 21st, 1896, by the Bishop of Wyoming and Idaho, acting at my request. Ellis Bedell Dean, B.A., Charles Judd, B.A., March Chase Mayo, B.A., George Hewson Wilson, B.A., Frank Howard Marshall, William Henry Robinson, Robert Clarkson Tongue, and Gouverneur Frank Mosher, in the Church of the Holy Trinity, At the same time and place, I ordained, at the request of the Bishop of Rhode Island, Thomas Henry Yardley, B.A., and at the request of the Bishop of Tokio, Kishiro Hayakawa. Six Deacons have been advanced to the Priesthood, viz : The Rev. Robert Bootman Kimber, in Trinity Church, Seymour, September 3rd, 1895, by the Bishop of Pittsburgh, acting at my request; Walter Theodore Cavell, in Trinity Church, Hartford, March 21st, 1896, by the Bishop of Wyoming and Idaho, acting at my request; and Stephen Howard Alling, John Davis Ewing, Edward Thompson Mathison and Herbert Mendenhall Smith, in St. Luke's Chapel, Middletown, May 7th, 1896. |