BISHOP’S ANNUAL ADDRESS.
The Rt. Rev. John Watrous Beckwith
2nd Bishop of Georgia
Given in Macon, Georgia on May 7, 1885

Brethren of the Clergy and Laity:

May 18th. I ordained the Rev. C. C. Leman to the Priesthood, and Mr. A. G. P. Dodge. Jr., to the Diaconate, in St. Philip’s, Atlanta. The sermon was preached by the Rev. J. G. Armstrong D, D. ; the candidates were presented by the Rev. C. M. Beckwith, who, with Rev. Dr. Armstrong, assisted in laying on of hands in the ordination of Rev. Mr. Leman.

May 23d. I confirmed one (1) person in St. Luke’s Cathedral, Atlanta.

June 8th. Trinity Sunday. I held service and made an address in the same Church.

June 15th. I held service and made an address at Lake Gogebic, in Michigan. This, I understand was the first Church service ever held at that place.

June 24th. I performed the marriage service, in private, in Marietta. On the same day I received the Letter Dimissory of the Rev. J. G. Armstrong, D. D., from the Diocese of Virginia.

June 25th. I gave my canonical consent to the consecration of Rev. Samuel D. Ferguson as Missionary Bishop of Cape Palmas, and the Rev. Wm. J. Boone as Missionary Bishop of China.

July 3d. I baptized one infant in St. Luke’s Cathedral, Atlanta.

July 6th. I held service, confirmed one, made an address and administered the Holy Communion in the same Church.

July 7th. I held evening service, made an address and confirmed twelve, presented by the Rector, the Rev. Jno. Kershaw, in St. Peter’s, Rome.

July 9th. I baptized two children in St. Philip’s, Atlanta.

July 13th. I preached the Commencement Sermon in the Chapel of the University of Georgia, in Athens. In the evening of the same day I held, service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. J. C. Davis, confirmed one and made an address in Emmanuel Church, Athens.

July 20th. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. Dr. Armstrong, and made an address, in St. Philip’s, Atlanta.

July 27th. I attended the service in the Chapel of the University of the South, Sewanee, Tennessee, and had the pleasure of hearing the Rt. Rev. Dr. McLaren, Bishop of Chicago.

August 3d. I held morning service, made an address and administered the Holy Communion in St. Luke’s Cathedral, Atlanta. In the evening confirmed two, at mission No. 1, Atlanta.

August 6th. I confirmed one person in St. Philip’s, Atlanta.

August 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st. I held morning service and preached in Trinity Church, Chicago.

August 30th. I confirmed, in private, General Anson Stager, in Chicago.

September 9th. I gave a Letter Dimissory to Rev. J. M. Stoney to the Diocese of South Carolina. On the 20th, gave Letter Dimissory to Rev. T. M. N. George, to the Missionary Jurisdiction of Northern Texas; and on the 13th of September, I gave Letter Dimissory to Rev. C. W. Freeland to the Diocese of Connecticut.

September 4th. 1 performed the marriage service, in private, in Atlanta. On the same day I confirmed one person and made an address in St. Luke’s, Atlanta.

September 22d. I gave my canonical consent to the consecration of Rev. Nelson S. Rulinson, D. D., as Assistant Bishop of Central Pennsylvania.

October 8th. I performed the marriage service in the Chapel of the University of the South, at Sewanee, Tennessee.

October 12th. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. W. E. Eppes, preached and confirmed one, in Grace Church, Clarkesville. In the evening I held service, assisted by Rev. Mr. Eppes, Missionary in charge, and preached in Calvary Mission, Mt. Airy. The foundation of a handsome Mission Church has been laid and the building will, I trust, be completed and ready for consecration sometime this summer. This work is the result, under God, of the energy and devotion of a few faithful women, under the guidance and management of Mrs. M. E. White, of Savannah.

October 19th. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. W. B. Walker, preached, confirmed two and administered the Holy Communion in the new Church in Cedartown. This very handsome building is largely the fruit of the generosity of Mr. A. G. West, of Cedartown. Impressed by the self-denying zeal of the handful of Church people who had long been striving to earn money enough to build a Church, Mr. West came forward and by his timely gifts of money and material crowned their labors with success. May the Master reward him and them a hundred fold.

October 26th. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. A. J, Tardy, preached and confirmed one, in St. Marks, Dalton. I agree with the congregation of this Church, that they are fortunate to obtain the services of Mr. Tardy, and I trust his faithful services may be richly rewarded.

November 2d. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. Jno. Kershaw, preached and administered the Holy Communion in St. Peter’s Rome. In the evening I held service, preached and confirmed ten, in the same Church.

November 6th. I accepted the Letter Dimissory of the Rev. A. J. Tardy, of the Diocese of Minnesota.

November 9th. I held morning service, assisted by Rev. A. O. P. Dodge, Jr., preached, confirmed eleven white and two colored persons, and administered the Holy Communion, in the Union Church, on St. Simon’s Island. In the afternoon I held service, assisted by Rev. Mr. Dodge, made an address and administered the Holy Communion, in Christ Church. Frederica. The old Church in Frederica was fast falling into decay when the Rev. Mr. Dodge took charge of it. The old ruin has been removed and a new building has been erected.

November 14th. I held evening service, assisted by Rev. Mr. Dodge and Rev. H. B. Stuart-Martin, missionary in charge, preached and confirmed one. in Valdosta.

November 16th. I held morning service, assisted by Rev. Mr. Dodge and Rev. D. W. Winn, missionary in charge, preached and confirmed three, in Grace Church Mission, Waycross.

November 10th. 1 held evening service, assisted by Rev. Messrs. Dodge and Winn, and preached in the Presbyterian Church, in Blackshear.

The opening of these Missions is due, under God, to the generosity of Rev. Mr. Dodge. The Diocese owes a debt of gratitude to him for building a beautiful Church at Frederica, and furnishing the salaries of two Missionaries. I need hardly state that I thank God that He put it into the heart of Mr. Dodge thus to help us in the missionary work of the Diocese.

November 23d. I held morning service and preached in St. Luke’s, Hawkinsville.

November 26th I performed the marriage service, in the same Church; and on the 27th—being Thanksgiving Day—I held service, made an address and administered the Holy Communion, in the same Church.

November 30th. I held morning service, assisted by Rev. C. M. Beckwith, Priest in charge, and preached in the Cathedral, Atlanta.

December 3d. I accepted the Letter Dimissory of Rev Chas. J. LaRoche, from the Diocese of Maryland. On the same day I performed the marriage service, in the Cathedral.

December 5th. I baptized, in private, one infant.

December 5th. I accepted the Letter Dimissory of Rev. H. B. Stuart Martin from the Diocese of New Jersey.

December 7th. I held morning service, preached, confirmed six and administered the Holy Communion in Calvary Church, Americas.

December 10th. I gave my canonical consent to the consecration of Rev. William Paret, D. D., as Bishop of Maryland.

December 14th. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. J. C. Davis, preached and confirmed one in Emmanuel Church, Athens. In the evening I held service, assisted by Mr. Davis, preached and confirmed three in St. Mary’s, Athens.

December 21st. I held morning service, preached and confirmed three in St. Stephen’s Church, Milledgeville. ,

December 25th. I held morning service, assisted by Rev. Mr. Beckwith Confirmed five and made an address in the Cathedral, Atlanta.

December 28th. I held morning service, assisted by Rev. Edward Denniston, Missionary in charge, and preached in Zion Church, Talbotton.

January 4th, 1885. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. Byron Holly, preached, consecrated St. Andrew’s Church and confirmed three in St. Andrew’s, Darien. In the evening I held service, assisted by Mr. Holley, preached and confirmed three colored persons in St. Cyprian’s Church, Darien.

January 11th. I ordained to the Priesthood Rev. A. G. P. Dodge, Jr., in St. Mark’s. Brunswick. The candidate was presented by Rev. H. E. Lucas, who, with the Rev. Wm. C. Williams D. D., assisted in the laying on of hands. On the same day I preached and confirmed thirteen in the same Church. In the afternoon I confirmed one person and made an address in the same Church.

January 13th. I sent a Letter Dimissory to Rev. R. C. Foute to the Diocese of California.

January 18th. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector. Rev. Chas. J. LaRoche, and preached in St. Thomas Church, Thomasville. In the evening I held service, preached and confirmed four in the same Church. Mr. LaRoche has entered upon his work with energy and zeal; his congregation bus caught something of his enthusiasm, and the future opens before the Parish full of hope and encouragement.

I had appointed the 23d for a visitation to the little Church in Bainbridge. About an hour before the time for the train to leave, I received a telegram, suggesting that, on account of the violence of the rain storm, the visitation be deferred. This was done, and I greatly regret that, my engagements taking me to distant parts of the State, I have been unable to pay my annual visit to that devoted little flock.

January 25th. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. T. G. Pond, preached and confirmed three in St. Paul’s, Albany. In the evening I held service and preached in the same Church.

January 30th. I gave my canonical consent to the consecration of Rev. Geo. Worthington, S. T. D., as Bishop of Nebraska.

February 1st. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. W. C. Hunter, preached and administered the Holy Communion in Trinity Church, Columbus. In the afternoon I confirmed, in private, one person. In the evening I held service, preached and confirmed thirty-five in the same Church.

February 8th. I had appointed for a visitation to Madison. On account of letters received from that place stating the unsafe condition of the Church building, I consented to defer the visit for some weeks ; the day, therefore was spent in Atlanta, where I held service and preached in the Cathedral.

February 12th. I performed the marriage services in St. Philip’s, Atlanta.

February 15th. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. C. J. Wingate, preached and confirmed nine, and made an address in St. Paul’s, Macon. The Rector and congregation of St. Paul’s are to be congratulated on their having brought almost to completion their new and beautiful Church. There are signs of solid growth in this Parish which promise much for the future and should give great encouragement to the Rector.

February 22d. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. J. R. Winchester, preached and confirmed nine in Christ Church, Macon. In the evening I held service, assisted by the Rector, Mr. Winchester and the Rev. Mr. Martin, of the Diocese of Tennessee, now in charge of the Mission, preached and confirmed four in St. Barnabas Mission Church, Macon.

March 1st. I held morning service, preached and administered the Holy Communion in the Church of the Good Shepherd, Cave Spring.

March 8th. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. C. Dowe, preached and confirmed two in St. George’s, Griffin. After the service I confirmed one, in private.

March 15th. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. E. G. Weed; preached, confirmed eight, and administered the Holy Communion in the Church of the Good Shepherd, Sandhills, Augusta. In the evening held service, assisted by Mr. Weed; preached and confirmed one, in the Chapel at Belair.

March 22d. I held early service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. C. H. Strong and Rev. Mr. Kennard; confirmed twenty-one, and made an address in St. John’s, Savannah. At eleven o’clock I held service and preached in the same Church

March 24th. I held evening service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. J. J. Andrew; confirmed six colored persons, and made an address in St Augustine’s Mission Chapel, Savannah. Regular services are given in this Chapel by Mr. James Symmons, a devoted Lay Reader, by whom this class was prepared.

March 25th. I held evening service, assisted by Rev. Thomas Boone; preached and confirmed three in Sylvania, Screven county. Through the energy of Mrs. Black, of Sylvania, a desirable lot has been obtained, and a considerable sum of money collected, with which she hopes soon to begin the building of a Mission Church.

March 27th. I held evening service, assisted by the missionary in charge, the Rev. Henry Dunlop, and Rev. Messrs. Strong and Kennard; confirmed one, and made an address in St. Matthew’s, Savannah.

March 28th. I confirmed, in private, two colored persons, presented by Rev. Mr. Andrew; and later in the day I confirmed, in private, one person, presented by Rev. Mr. Boone.

March 29th. I held confirmation service in St. John’s Church, Savannah, and confirmed nine persons, presented by the Rev. Mr. Dunlop. On the same day I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. Thomas Boone: preached and confirmed twenty five in Christ Church, Savannah. In the evening I held service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. J. J. Andrew, and Rev. Mr. Boone; preached and confirmed nineteen colored persons, in St. Stephen’s, Savannah. It was with great pleasure that I learned of the steady growth and prosperity of the Parish, under the energetic and devoted guidance of Rev. Mr. Andrew.

During Holy Week, beginning with Tuesday, I held daily services and made addresses in the Cathedral, Atlanta.

April 1st. I held evening service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. Dr. Armstrong, the Rev. Mr. Cositt, of Central New York, missionary in charge, and the Rev. Win. H. Hunt; confirmed five, and made an address in the Mission of the Redeemer, Atlanta.

April 5th. Easter Day I held morning service, assisted by the Rector. Rev. Dr. Armstrong, and Rev. Mr. Hunt; confirmed thirty-five, and made an address, in St. Philip’s, Atlanta.

April 5th. In the morning I held service, assisted by the Priest in charge. Rev. C. M. Beckwith, Rev. Dr. Armstrong and Rev. Mr. Hunt, preached and confirmed thirteen in the Cathedral, Atlanta.

April 8th. I performed the marriage service in the Cathedral.

April 10th. I held morning service, assisted by Rev. J. Knowles, preached and confirmed one in the Methodist Church, Madison.

April 12th. I held morning service, assisted by Rector Rev. W. B. Walker, preached and confirmed eight in the Church of the Atonement. Augusta. In the evening I held service, assisted by Rev. Messrs. Walker and Weed, preached and confirmed nine persons presented by Mr. Walker for the Rector, Rev. C. C. Williams, and one person presented by Rev. E. G. Weed. The Rev. C. C. Williams having been suddenly summoned to New Orleans, on account of the extreme illness of a member of his family, was unable to be present. A number of persons belonging to his confirmation class were thus deprived of the instruction necessary to their preparation, and were consequently compelled to wait for a future visitation.

April 19th. I held morning service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. C. C. Leman, preached, confirmed seventeen, addressed the candidates and administered the Holy Communion, in St. James’, Marietta. It was a great happiness to me to see the evidences of life and growth displayed by this Parish under the guidance of its earnest and devoted Rector. In years gone by St. James was one of the strong Parishes of the Diocese. Since the war. in common with many Parishes in our smaller towns, it has suffered from the poverty of its people. The remedy for this !b, of course, increase of members and of zeal. I have strong hopes that the day is not distant when its young Rector will, by God’s help, see it once more in its old place among the strong influences of the Diocese.

April 22d. I confirmed four persons in St. Luke’s Cathedral, Atlanta.

April 26th. Held morning service, assisted by Rev. Mr. McConnell, confirmed two, made an address and administered the Holy Communion, in the Church of the Ascension, Cartersville. In the evening, preached by request, to young men, in the Methodist Church, in the same city.

April 29th. P. M. service, assisted by the Rector, Rev. Thos. Boone and Rev. Mr. Holley, confirmed eleven and made an address in Christ Church. Savannah. During the same evening I confirmed three colored persons in St. Stephen’s Church, and still later, confirmed five white persons, in St. Matthew’s, Savannah.

May 3d. I held morning service, assisted by Rev. Mr. McConnell, and preached in the Baptist Church, in Canton.

May 5th. Received Letter Dimissory of Rev. H. K. Rees, from the Diocese of Alabama. ,

I wish it were in my power to speak encouragingly of our growth in the missionary field. Cedartown, Cave Spring, Gainesville, Madison, Sparta. Milledgeville and Hawkinsville are without services. Washington, I have some reason to hope, may soon have the services of the Rev. Mr. Macauley. There are a number of other places where the Church would be gladly welcomed, if only we could send the missionaries. We must look these facts squarely in the face. The evil grows upon us. A man of energy and ability is induced to take work in one or more of these places. He enters upon his duties with enthusiasm. The people are poor, and can do but little towards his support; the missionary stipend is small and is paid irregularly. Debt or want—these are the alternatives before him. When either takes up its abode with a man, it preys upon his spirits, it paralyzes his energies, it changes courage into despair; a call to another Diocese is looked upon as a God-send, and is accepted as a kind of escape from disgrace. This is a condensed statement of history. Time does not seem to mend matters. What is to be done? It is easy to point out the remedy; but to state a remedy is not to obtain it. Knowledge may declare what a sick man needs, but if what he needs cannot be obtained, then knowledge only widens the circle of suffering by appealing to sympathy. The remedy is money. The question is, how can it be obtained?

From May, 1868, to May, 1869, the missionary contributions of this Diocese were $3,552.60, the number of communicants was two thousand six hundred and sixteen. Now our missionary appropriation is $3,500.00, and our number of communicants (if ever we should be so blest as to get a correct statement) is, I believe, over five thousand. These are simple facts for your consideration. On the other hand, it must be said that some of our strongest Parishes are weighted with debt. Then, again, there have been and are troubles in the financial world, which have impaired the giving power of many of our people. What is to be done? This is a question which you must answer. Can we raise more money? If not, shall we continue to labor to fill these places, feeling all the while that if we get a good man he will probably leave us ? or shall we frankly say, to a portion of these places, we can do nothing for you, and then concentrate our little means upon a few missionary fields and secure permanent work, thereby making certain the support of the missionaries? Is the Diocese poorer than in 1869? I do not know. The Journal gives as the total amount of contributions for that year, $34.289.96, and for 1884, $77,647.90. It cannot, I think, be said that the Church has not increased. Comparing the dates, 1869 and 1884, I think it can be safely said that there are two Church buildings new for every one that existed then, and two communicants now for every one in the Diocese then. I have ventured to place these facts before you, simply as data, from which you may reason. I feel that something should be done, and I humbly trust that the blessed Master may give us wisdom to see the way out of these troubles, and the faith to follow it. Before closing this portion of my address, I would like to say that, in looking over my address to the Convention for the year 1869, above mentioned, I find the following words: “Indirectly connected with the missions of the Diocese is another matter to which I invite your serious attention, viz: The Episcopal Fund. The salary of the Bishop is now $5,000.00. The collections for the support of the missionaries of the Diocese will not, I think, much exceed $2,500.00.” (In this I was mistaken, the amount was $3,552,60.) “If we had an Episcopal fund sufficient for the support of the Bishop, the amount now raised for his salary could, altogether or in part, be devoted to missions. This would at once place these missions upon a footing of independence,” etc. I quote this to show that, as far back as the first year of my Episcopate, I had in mind the desirableness of using the income of the Episcopal Fund—so far as it will serve—for the support of the Bishop, in order that, relieved of that burden, the Diocese could more freely devote its energies to the support of the missionaries. The Bishop’s salary is now $4,000.00, and it seems to me that if, in your wisdom, you should conclude that the time has come when the income of the Episcopal Fund may be devoted to the Bishop’s salary, we might hope to find some relief from the difficulties which beset this question.

By Canon 17, Title 1, of the Digest, entitled, ‘” Of the mode of securing an accurate view of the state of the Church,” it is made the duty of ” every minister of this Church, or, if the Parish be vacant, the wardens,” to present to the Bishops, on or before the first day of every annual Convention, “a statement of the number of communicants in his Parish or Church.” I respectfully ask your thoughtful attention to the following statement taken from the Journals of 1883 and 1884: “Number of communicants in May, 1883, four thousand, seven hundred and sixty-eight. Number of persons confirmed from May, 1883, to May, 1884, three hundred and twenty nine. Number of communicants in May, 1884, four thousand five hundred and sixty-nine.

Please examine this statement. If from May, 1883 to May, 1884 there had been no losses, then the number of communicants would have been four thousand, seven hundred and sixty-eight, and three hundred and twenty-nine added by confirmation, making a total of five thousand and ninety-seven. Instead of this, the Report gives us a total of only four thousand five hundred and sixty-nine. That is to say, we lost a number equal to all who were confirmed (three hundred and twenty-nine), and one hundred and ninety-nine in addition. I have no hesitation in saying that a great mistake has been made somewhere. Whatever may be the real number of communicants in the Diocese, I feel perfectly sure that we did not lose five hundred and twenty eight in one year I am aware that much trouble and no little confusion have been caused by efforts to answer the question: “How long may a man absent himself from the Holy Communion without forfeiting his right to be numbered among the communicants of the Parish?” and by neglect of Sec. 1, of Canon XII., of Title 11 of the Digest, which requires a communicant removing from one Parish to another to procure “a certificate seating that he or she is a communicant in good standing.” This Canon declares that the Rector of the Parish to which a person removes, “Shall not be required to receive him or her as a communicant until such letter be produced.” If the clergy would take the trouble to keep their congregations informed as to this Canon, the laity would gradually be induced to aid them in securing a trustworthy list. As to the question mentioned above, there is more difficulty. I doubt if a clergyman will feel at liberty to answer this question for himself. If the English Rubric which requires that “every parishioner shall communicate, at the least, three times in the year, of which Easter to be one,” were in force in our Church, there would be no trouble; but inasmuch as it was dropped from the American book, we seem to be without guidance, except such as may be inferred first, from the Rubric at the beginning of the communion office—which gives the causes for which a communicant shall be warned “not to come to the Lord’s Table;” and second, the Rubric in the “Book Annexed,” which is now before the Church and was acted upon by the last General Convention. This Rubric is not yet the law of the Church, though it may become so It is valuable as showing the mind of the Church upon this subject. It differs from the English Rubric—first, in the use of the word “should” instead of “shall,” and the word “communicant” instead of “parishioner.” The latter change simply makes the Rubric more specific, while the former, by changing “shall ” into “should,” makes the law advisory instead of mandatory. Should this be adopted by the Church—as probably it will—it still leaves the question open for the action of the Diocesan Conventions.

If the Church were to adopt the word ” shall,” as in the English Rubric, then I think a clergyman would be justified in dropping the name of one who had violated the Law, unless satisfactory reason could be given; but the proposed Rubric simply expresses the opinion that each communicant should receive the Holy Communion three times within the year, but makes no Law. Evidently, therefore, while this is the mind of the Church, she has not deemed it wise to make a rule, applicable to all Dioceses, requiring that this be done. Practically, therefore, we are without guidance beyond the Rubric at the beginning of the Communion office. If this be considered sufficient, then every person who has ever communed, and is not suspended, must be reported. It is for you to decide whether or not this rule shall suffice. Something, I respectfully suggest, should be done. The clergy should not be left without some rule, applicable to all the Parishes, and binding all. Until this is given them I doubt if we can ever be sure of the accuracy of our reports. It is cause of great mortification to me to have my attention called, by persons outside the Diocese, to the evident failure of our Church work, and to be told that we are losing ground, while the Church elsewhere is moving steadily forward. I know that the Church is not shrinking, but steadily growing in numbers and influence, and I respectfully ask that you will take such steps as will make our report give evidence of the truth. One of the clergy has informed me (and I mention it because there is some doubt as to his ability to be present) that he intended proposing a Canon, which shall provide for a double list of communicants: first, a list of taxable communicants, upon which shall be based our calculations for Convention expenses; second, a full list giving the entire number of communicants. This may be a move in the right direction, but still leaves unanswered the question: Who are to be numbered as communicants? There are Parishes which have a number of communicants who are too poor to aid in the support of the Church. When this class of communicants outnumbers the few who support the Parish, it hardly seems fair to add to its burdens by a per capita tax for Convention expenses. It occurs to me that possibly some such idea as this may have influenced some of the clergy or wardens in making out their lists. They may have made the taxableness of the communicant the rule by which to determine the numbers to be reported to the Convention. If this be true, then the suggested Canon will be a good one. At any rate, as matters now stand, great injustice is done, I think, to the Diocese by the reports to this Convention of the number of communicants in the different Parishes and missionary stations.

We have in the Diocese a number of regularly organized Parishes which have, practically, never been other than missionary stations. These Parishes are taxed regularly; when they fail to pay, the tax is generally remitted, a new tax declared, to be again remitted, etc. One of these dependent Parishes applied to me, during the past year, to be remanded to the condition of a missionary station. There is no law by which this can be done. I mention it that you may consider the matter, and, if you think best, make provision for it. I doubt not there are cases in which such a law could be wisely used, still I think the law would be liable to dangerous abuse, and I therefore respectfully suggest that you carefully examine the matter before deciding to legislate.

I have long since noticed that, in the confirmation services, immediately after the candidates have answered the question asked them by the Bishop, and he begins the versicles: “Our help is in the name of the Lord,” the congregations take no part in the answers. In this way the heartiness of the service is destroyed, and what should be an outburst of prayer and praise, is reduced to a weak and timid form.

May I not ask my brethren of the clergy that they will suggest to their congregations the desirableness of joining heartily in these responses? I doubt not the people will gladly do their part if only told that it is expected of them.

I desire to call the attention of the clergy to Section 1, Canon IX., Title I., “Of Lay Readers,” which declares that the license of a Lay Reader “must be given for a definite period, not longer than’ one year from its date.” I will be glad if the clergy will see that such Lay Readers as have not been licensed since the last Convention, be so licensed, if, in their judgment, it be best to continue to them authority to act.

The Appleton Church Home continues its faithful work of training and providing homes for orphan girls. I trust that the members of this Convention will not leave the city without visiting the Home, and giving it a careful examination. I wish that, as individuals, you would go through the building and over the grounds; see the Sisters and the children; ask such questions as will give you full information, and enable you to decide whether such an institution should be encouraged and enlarged, until its influence for good is felt throughout the Diocese; or whether the Church has no need for such a charity. I think that, in most of our Dioceses, a Church Home of this kind, admirably managed, as all familiar with its work allow, with a large and valuable property of nearly five acres, and with a partial endowment, would rouse the enthusiasm of all who long to help and bless the Lord’s little ones, and it would soon become a great and growing institution, educating children, finding them homes all over the State, training Sisters and establishing branch institutions in every city in the Diocese. This rich legacy came to us so easily, and has cost the Diocese so little, that I sometimes fear we undervalue its influence for good, and have grown indifferent as to its success. Since the last Convention the contributions from the Parishes, made in accordance with the law of this Convention, amount to $182.03, and from friends and relatives of children in the Home, given to aid in their support, $134.00, making a total of $316.03. In addition to this, I have received from two ladies in Savannah, gifts in money, (upon which I have, of course, no right to count in the future,) from one of $200.00, and from the other, $100.00. There are now in the Home, twenty-seven children and three Sisters, and during the year thirty-two children have been cared for.

We are greatly in need of one or two more Sisters to aid those who, for so many years, have been giving their lives to this noble work. I trust that you will bear this in mind and aid me, if you can, to give them the needed help. I also beg that you will remember that you have, by Canon, appointed Whit-Sunday, the 24th of this month, as the time when the alms of the people are to be asked for the Home. Will you not, brethren of the clergy, tell tour congregations that you have visited the Home, and looked into its management and general condition, and then ask them to give as, in your judgment, the work deserves?

Doubtless, my dear brethren, you have all felt and do feel the absence of one of our clergy, who, during my entire Episcopate, and for many years previous, never, so far as I know, but once failed to be present at our meeting to help us with his wisdom and cheer us on by his unfaltering faith in Christ and his Church. Those of us who knew the Rev. Wm. C. Williams, D. D., best, and were nearest him in his daily life, have long felt that disease was wasting his powers, and that, ere very long, he would be compelled to lay aside his armour, and, in retirement, await the will of the Master whom be so tenderly loves and has so nobly served. Years ago, while Rector of St. Peter’s, Rome, he was compelled to rest from work for a year. He returned to his labors with renewed energy, and we hoped that a vigorous constitution had banished disease, and that long years of usefulness were before him. During the past two years, now and then, it was evident that his old enemy was once more making encroachments, and I, as his friend and Bishop, have watched him with an ever increasing anxiety. Suffice it to say, he has felt compelled to resign his places of honor and usefulness, and seek essential quiet in the home of his brother, and amid the surroundings of his early life. A truer, nobler Christian gentleman, or a more faithful Priest, I have never known. May the good Master bring to his declining days that joy and peace which passeth man’s understanding.

As I look over the Diocese and try to anticipate the coming year, I must confess that I am oppressed with anxiety. So many small Parishes and missionary fields vacant, and so many of the stronger Parishes burdened either with debt, or with current expenses, threatening debt, I feel that all our faith is necessary to meet the future and successfully encounter its approaching difficulties.

I would not speak discouragingly; I know full well the single hearted devotion with which the clergy of this Diocese, not merely attend to the claims which their Parishes make upon heart, head, energy and time, but invent time—if I may so speak—to give extra services, visits and sermons, to vacant fields. I do not believe that, in any Diocese, more faithful or laborious men can be found. I know that we have faithful, self denying laymen and laywomen. There is scarcely a Parish that does not bear visible witness to their devotion; but it seems to me that emergencies call for extraordinary effort, and an emergency is now upon us.

We are drifting toward our centres. Unconsciously, perhaps, we are becoming absorbed in Parish life, where that life is the strongest. The glory of the Parish is absorbing interest at the expense of the Diocese. We are brought face to face with the question: Shall our missions perish that our Parishes may become great; or shall our Parishes draw strength and vigor from earnest, self-denying efforts, to help the helpless and build up the waste places of the Diocese? The individual who devotes all his time, his means and his affections, to his own family alone, soon finds his life shrinking and contracting within the hard, unyielding grasp of selfishness. With such citizens, enterprise languishes and cities decay. The same law governs Parochial life. It is a Divine Law, and is in these words: ‘” He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord, and look, what he layeth out, it shall be paid him again.” When, years ago, many of the now self-supporting Parishes were in their infancy, struggling to secure services for a handful of poor people, then the stronger congregations, recognizing that blessing and prosperity are the reward of liberality, gave generously and trusted the Lord’s promise of repayment. The history of the Parishes which gave, and of those which received, is a living proof that the word of the Lord will not be broken, and that the safest, surest investment a congregation can make, is in self-denying appropriations devoted to the missionary fields outside its own territorial limits.

If we look out upon the world at large, it can be truly said that our Church was never so active. A few years since, we were disturbed by discussions as to elevations of the elements in the Holy Communion, bowings, prostrations, genuflections, a clergyman’s dress and his position before the altar. Practical men, anxious to learn how to struggle with temptations and how to take the law of Christ into their hearts, and make it a controlling principle in their daily lives, looked on in sorrow and amazement to see their leaders apparently absorbed in matters of sentiment, and the services of the Church degenerating into forms suggestive of the hollowness of a drill rather than the humility of genuine worship. Meanwhile, a great movement of a very different kind was going on outside the Church, which soon began to threaten the very foundations of our faith. The great volume of nature was being examined, studied and tested as never before in the history of mankind. Men of learning and ability became convinced, in some instances, that the world and all that is therein, is simply matter in its infinite forms and development. Man, as an individual, has no future beyond the grave; no responsibility beyond this life. Christianity is but one of the many phases of morality evolved by man’s experience; God, but a superstition evolved from an ignorant belief in ghosts. The power of Christianity was declared to be no longer a power of restraint. Man is moving on and beyond it. The high and ultimate truth is now opening before him, and the religion of the future will be based upon worship of an omnipotent energy unknown and unknowable, or of humanity, whose worship consists in an “enthusiastic regard for the noble men who have gone before us, and by whose lives and deaths we are what we are.” It might be important to decide whether, in the Rubric in the communion service which declares that, at the time of consecrating the elements, the Priest must stand ” before the Table,” the word “before ” means the North end or West side, but it is far more important to decide whether or not we are to have a Holy Table at all. It may be desirable to know exactly when to turn towards the altar, and whether, in passing before it, we shall or shall not bow or genuflect; but it is of infinitely greater moment to defend the truth of the existence of God, and the reality of the Blessed Trinity.

The robust mind of the Church is now intent upon these mighty questions, which involve all that we hold dearest in this life, and all we hope for in the life which is to come. There are still those who linger lovingly amid the booties of adornment and the charms of posture, but as the battle for our faith waxes the hotter, we cannot but hope that these things will find their proper place, while all the energies and powers of the Church will be actively engaged in defending “the faith once delivered to the saints.” I pray God that we may wisely read the signs of the times, see our duty, recognize our responsibility, and with unfaltering faith in God do, with our might, whatsoever our hand findeth to do, for his glory, the good of the Church and the salvation of souls.