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to a mere numerical statement of the baptisms, marriages, and funerals which occur in the different congregations, thus rendering it impracticable for your committee to furnish a report which embraces any interesting matter, or which would enable the readers of our Journals to form any estimate of the state of piety in the diocess. They do, therefore, recommend, that it be enjoined on every clergyman, to embrace, in his parochial report, such prominent facts, or to suggest such remarks as may serve to exhibit the state of experimental piety among the people to whom he ministers.

H. L. DAVIS, Chairman."

The committee appointed to draft a constitution for the Theological Seminary reported the following, which was adopted :

Constitution of the Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church of Maryland.

Of the Management of the Seminary. ARTICLE 1.-The management of this seminary shall be vested in a board of trustees, who shall have power to constitute professorships, appoint professors, prescribe the course of study, make by-laws for the government of the seminary provided, that no such bylaws shall be inconsistent with the Canons of the General Convention, and the diocesan regulations under which this seminary is established, and that no course of study be appointed which shall be inconsistent with the course laid down by the General Convention.

ART. 2. The board of trustees shall consist of eight clergymen, and five laymen, who shall be elected triennially by a ballot of the Convention, and shall continue to act as such until their successors are appointed; and the Bishop of the diocess shall be, ex officio, president of the board of trustees.

ART. 3. The regular meetings of the board of trustees shall be semi-annual, at such times, and at such places as they may think proper. They may also, from time to time, hold any occasional meetings which they may think expedient.

ART. 4.-The board of trustees shall

choose out of their own number a vicepresident. They shall also choose a secretary and treasurer, whose duty it shall be to execute such duties as may, consistently with this constitution, be required of them.

ART. 5.-The president, or, in case of his inability to act, the vice-president shall, at the request of any two clerical, and one lay trastees, call, by circular letter, a special meeting of the board, and, at any stated or special meeting, four clerical, and three lay trustees shall form a quorum for the transaction of business.

ART. 6.-It shall be the duty of the secretary to submit the records of the board to the inspection of the Convention, at every annual meeting of that body, and at any other times when the said Convention may call for them ; and it shall also be the duty of the se cretary, or any member of the board whom they may appoint, to make a report to every annual meeting of the Convention of the state of the seminary in all its departments.

ART.7.-The board of trustees shall have power to supply any vacancies which may occur in their body during the recess of the Convention; provided the elections made under the authority of this article be laid before the Convention at the next meeting after such elections have taken place, to receive their approval.

ART. 8.-All the acts of the board of trustees shall be subject to the revision of the Convention, and the votes of two thirds of the members present at the Convention shall be sufficient to annul any one of their proceedings. The Convention may propose any business for the deliberation of the board.

ART. 9.-The number of professors in the seminary shall be increased or diminished as the funds may justify, and the number of students or other circumstances may require. No one shall be appointed as a professor in the seminary who is not a Presbyter in full standing in the Protestant Episcopal Church of the United States.

ART. 10.-The location of the se minary shall be determined by the Convention, and any resolution to change it shall be proposed at one Conven

tion, and determined at the Convention next ensuing. And, to effect any such alteration, the concurrence of two thirds of the members present shall be required.

ART. 11.-Alterations and amendments to this constitution shall only be carried by being proposed to one Convention, published in the Journals of that Convention, and passed by the vote of the succeeding Convention.

On motion, it was resolved, That the Theological Seminary of this diocess, established by this Convention, be located in Washington county, in the District of Columbia.

The following gentlemen were elected Trustees of the Diocesan Seminary :— The Rev. Henry L. Davis, D. D. the Rev. William E. Wyatt, D. D. the Rev. John P. K. Henshaw, the Rev. George Weller, the Rev. William Hawley, the Rev. John Johns, the Rev. Charles P. M'Ilvaine, the Rev. Stephen H. Tyng, the Hon. John C. Herbert, Francis S. Key, Esq. John Goldsborough, Esq. Dr. Thomas Henderson, Clement Smith, Esq.

Resolved, That the thanks of this Convention be given to the president and secretaries for the performance of the duties of their offices.

After prayers, by the Rev. Mr. M'll vaine, the Convention adjourned sine die.

The following managers of the Mişsionary Society were appointed by the above Convention :

The Right Rev. James Kemp, D.D. ex officio, President; the Rev. John P. K. Henshaw, 1st Vice-President; Tench Tilghman, Esq. 2d Vice-President; the Rev. John V. Bartow, CorResponding Secretary; Robert Neilson, Esq. Recording Secretary; Philip Hoffman, Esq. Treasurer.

Managers. The Rev. Joseph R. Walker, the Rev. John Johns, the Rev. William Hawley, the Rev. William Wickes, William Krebs, Esq. Francis S. Key, Esq. John Goldsborough, Esq. Noah Ridgely, Esq. E. G. Woodyear, Esq. H. Brice, Esq. G. Shaw, Esq. W. Ragan, Esq.

Abstract of the Proceedings of a Gonvention of the Diocess of Delaware, held in Christ Church, Dover, on Saturday, June 8th, 1822.

The Convention was composed of two Presbyters, and ten Lay-Delegates, representing seven congregations.

The Rev. Ralph Williston was appointed President, and Joshua Gordon Brinckle, Secretary.

The Convention having organized in the morning, adjourned till the afternoon, when Evening Prayer was conducted by the Rev. Daniel Higbee, Minister of St. Paul's Church, Georgetown, St. George's Chapel, St. Peter's Church, Lewes, Prince George's Church, and Christ Church, Laurel ; and a sermon preached by the Rev. Ralph Williston, Rector of Trinity Church, Wilmington.

In conformity with the 45th Canon of the General Convention, "providing for an accurate view of the state of the Church from time to time," and of the 3d Canon of this diocess, the following reports were presented and read before the Convention:

Trinity Church, Wilmington, the Rev. Ralph Williston, Rector. The present incumbent has been too short a time rector of this church and congregation to have acquired a complete Knowledge of their true state. He believes them on the whole prosperous. It is known that the parish of Trinity Church has never as yet sent delegates to this Convention. The Episcopalians of the congregation, acting under the 2d Canon of the Church, have usually appointed delegates; by which they have shown their inviolable attachment to our truly apostolic Church. And the interest taken in Sunday Schools, Bible Societies, and other be nevolent institutions, does equal credit to the heart and understanding of the individuals, who readily devote a part. of their time and talents for the promotion of the best interests of man.

An exertion is also making to erect a commodious lecture room in the borough of Wilmington. This, it is trusted, will shortly be accomplished; especially when we consider how important it is to have suitable accommo dations within the borough, the church

being too remote for occasional meetings and such a room would accommodate the Sunday Schools, and prove a fruitful nursery for the Church.Families about 180-adults about 600 -baptisms (adults 5, infants 9) 14— communicants about 180-burials 10 -marriages 12.

The Rev. Mr. Williston having visited Christ Church, Dover, (vacant) reports, that this parish could support an unmarried clergyman, and, should he consent to teach a select class, his remuneration would be ample. But should it be preferred to unite St. Peter's Church, Smyrna, (also vacant) with Christ Church, Dover, there cannot remain a doubt but that the support would be ample. There are about 20 families attached to Christ Church, Dover, and about 25 attached to St. Peter's, Smyrna and a desire has been expressed to unite in calling a clergy

man.

The Rev. Mr. Williston also reports, that the Rev. Mr. Clay not be ing able to attend this Convention, the church in New-Castle is nearly completed, and will soon be ready for consecration. In this instance is seen what a small number of families, by a zealous and well directed effort, can accomplish. Many others do likewise. St. James's parish, we are informed, are building a new church. Surely this augurs well for the Church generally.

The Rev. Mr. Higbee presented the following report of the state of the churches under his care :-Daniel Higbee begs leave to report to this Convention, that in November last, he entered into some engagements with the vacant churches in Sussex county, in this diocess; but, as those churches have been for the most part a long time vacant, the present incumbent finds it very difficult to make out a correct report to this Convention, as no records are to be found of the families and communicants belonging to each congregation, and the members of these churches are spread over a wide extent of country. Consequently, time and pains will be requisite in order to remedy this difficulty, so as to furnish a correct report. The present incumbent has taken charge of five churches in this diocess.

1st. St. Paul's Church, Georgetown, families about 20-communicants 10funerals 3. 2d. St. George's Church, families about 25 or 30-communicants 30-funerals 2-baptism 1-marriages 1. 3d. St. Peter's Church, Lewestown, families about 30 or 35-communicants 25. 4th. Prince George's, Dagsborough, families about 45 or 50-communicants 20-funeral 1-baptisms 10. 5th. Christ Church, Laurel, families about 60-communicants 25 or 30 -baptism 1-funerals 5-marriage 1.

The incumbent would likewise notice, that he statedly, on Sundays, afternoon, visits the Episcopalians in Norways-fork, and likewise on a week day, statedly performs divine service in St. John's Church, at the Little Hill. The prospect in these churches, at present, is gloomy and unpromising; but still, hopes are entertained that some favourable changes will soon take place, and that these churches will be blest with a stated ministry. But, alas! what can ministers do, unless the laity co-operate with them in the laudable work of reformation. Our Zion bleeds; our venerable and apostolic Church, in this diocess, is almost buried in the dust, and lost in the wilderness! May she soon arise and shine fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners, coming up out of the wilderness, still leaning on the breast of her beloved Saviour.

The treasurer reported that he received, at the last Convention, contributions to the amount of $12; out of which, and a balance of $25 21 cents, then in hand, he had expended $20 13 cents; leaving a present balance in the treasury of $17 8 cents.

The sum of $28 was paid by the several churches into the treasury of the Convention.

The following gentlemen were elected the Standing Committee for the ensuing year:-The Rev. Ralph Williston, the Rev. Daniel Higbee, Kensey Johns, and John Rumsey.

The following persons were appointed delegates from this Convention, to the General Convention of the Church in the United States :-The Rev.. Ralph Williston, the Rev. Daniel Hig

bee, the Rev. Robert Clay, Nicholas Ridgely, Kensey Johns, and Daniel Rodney.

Resolved, That the Standing Committee be empowered to apply to the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, for the purpose of aiding the said committee in supplying this diocess with one or more missionaries.

Resolved, That the next stated meet ing of the Convention be held at Do

ver.

Resolved, That the thanks of the Convention be given to the President, for his attention to the business of the Convention, and for the excellent sermon delivered by him this day.

that have more recently been made to lower the value of visible ordinances. In discipline, the clergy, under all disadvantages, are admirably strict: they feel quite as strongly as we do the value and importance of a rigid adhe rence to the primitive pattern, an in violable attachment to apostolical suct cession, lawful ordination, and appointed means of grace; and they are exemplary in the boldness and the constancy with which they preach and advocate these unpopular opinions. Of the zeal and ability with which the pastoral office is discharged, and the sound views entertained by the clergy generally on the questions so much agitated amongst ourselves, we were led to entertain a very high opinion by an ad

After prayer, by the President, the mirable ordination sermon of the disConvention adjourned.

The Sermons of Bishop Dehon have recently been reprinted in London, with the laudable view of benefitting the funds of the Protestant Episcopal Society for the Advancement of Christianity in South-Carolina, and have been reviewed in most of the respectable periodicals of that city. We have abridged for this publication the review contained in the British Critic for September, and feel confident that our readers will be gratified with the manner in which this highly respectable work speaks of our Church and of its ministers, of the Sermons which it reviews, and of the piety and talents of their lamented author.

Sermons on the public Means of Grace ;. the Fasts and Festivals of the Church; on Scripture Characters; and various practical Subjects. By the late Right Rev. Theodore Dehon, Rector of St. Michael's, Charleston, and Bishop of South-Carolina.

A REGULAR Episcopal communion, formed precisely upon the platform of our own, embraces within its pale a very large and increasing proportion of that respectable class of Americans, who are descended from English settlers of education, property, and character; and who have inherited the honourable feelings, the upright principles, and the wholesome prepossessions of the mother country. In doctrine, the Episcopal Church of America is sound and scriptural; rejecting, temperately but firmly, the Calvinistic interpretations of the articles, and the attempts

tinguished American Bishop Hobart, which met with the unqualified approbation of his brethren; one of whom favoured us with a copy of it. And the success of their meritorious and judicious labours may be estimated from the Journals of the General Convention from 1784 to 1814, which have also reached us; and which hold out a most encouraging prospect of the gradual extension of pure doctrine, and effective discipline, throughout that vast and daily increasing population, which is now fainting and scattered, as sheep having no shepherd.

The history of the rise and progress of the Church is briefly this. At the commencement of the American war, near a hundred ministers of our Church were officiating in America, under the direction of the admirable Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Fo reign Parts. By that unhappy event, the connexion with the mother country was dissolved, the ministry were for the most part dispersed, and the Episcopal congregations, chiefly loyalists, were persecuted and driven from their homes. When the storm had subsided, and the scattered members of the flock began to reunite themselves, they laboured under many pressing difficulties; of which the greatest was the want of a competent authority, in a Church professedly Episcopal, to regulate the discipline and the services, and to provide a successive supply of ministers.

To

rality of its members; and that liberality is assuming a shape which will, in process of time, put the Hierarchy in possession of a suitable and * perma nent endowment.

This cheering expectation receives no trifling confirmation from the publication of which the title stands at the head of this article. Bishop Dehon was a man of very extraordinary natural endowments, which were uniformly stimulated to activity by the most pure and ardent zeal, and cultivated with unremitting industry. Even the defects of his education, and of his taste, rendered him probably more acceptable to the people, whose spiritual welfare was the leading object of his life; and great as his loss must have been to the diocess over which he presided, and deeply as his † premature death was deplored by the whole American Church, we have reason to believe, that he has left behind him upon the bench more than one equal in piety, sound doctrine, and persuasive eloquence.

remedy this inconvenience, after some
discussion, a petition was, in 1785, ad-
dressed to the English Bench, desiring
that proper Priests, chosen by the se-
veral American districts, might be con-
secrated Bishops. The petition was
well received in this country, and, in
the following year, a reply was return-
ed, signed by the two Archbishops, and
by a great majority of their suffragans,
assuring the American Church of the
warm interest which they felt in their
welfare, and of their earnest desire to
co-operate in the holy work of rebuild-
ing their Zion; but, with the prudent
caution which has always distinguished
our excellent Hierarcy, they expressed
their intention to postpone the conse-
cration of any persons, subject to a fo-
reign jurisdiction, until the Legislature
of this country should have sanctioned
their proceeding; and they further de-
sired to have copies of the Articles and
Liturgy adopted by the revived Church
in America. In the former no change
had been attempted or desired; but the
alterations in the Prayer Book appear-
ed so important, that the two Archbi-
shops remonstrated against them, as
tending seriously to affect the ortho-
doxy of the infant community. A cor-
respondence ensued, in which the af-
fectionate firmness of the Archbishops
prevailed. Every thing which they es-
teemed essential was restored to the
Liturgy; and the forms and regulations
recommended by them, were all agreed
to. These circumstances unavoidably
occasioned considerable delay: yet,
such was the zeal and activity of the
friends of Episcopacy in both countries,
that early in 1787, two Bishops, Dr.
Provoost, of New-York, and Dr. White,
of Pennsylvania, received consecration
in England; and the validity of the
consecration of Dr. Seabury, of Con-
necticut, which had been conferred by
the Episcopacy of Scotland, in 1784,
was unanimously recognized. From
these small beginnings, the American
Church has, in less than forty years,
attained to its present extent and regu-
lar form; and promises to increase
daily in numbers, as well as in learn-
ing, piety, and virtue. It is supported,
of course, as our own Church originally,
must have been, by the voluntary libe-
YOL. VI.

The work before us is reprinted from the American edition, under the auspices of one whose long and useful services to the Church of England have endeared his name to every friend of the establishment; and it ought to be particularly noticed, that the profits to be derived from the republication are generously devoted to the funds of an American society, which, in its objects and constitution, bears a strong resemblance to our own unrivalled Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. Dr. Gaskin's principal motive, however, for engaging in the troublesome office of an editor is, as he himself judiciously observes, "a conviction that the Sermons are well calculated to do credit to the Episcopal Church of the United States of America, and, through God's blessing, to forward the Christian edification of the English reader, by their luminous and energetic enforce ment of the doctrines and duties of Christianity, and of the importance of

It is not generally known that, before the American war, a large sum (we have heard

20,000) was left by a Mr. Paul Fisher, of Bris

towards establishing Episcopacy in America,

which has never been claimed.
He died in his 41st year.
44

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