The following Clergymen entitled to seats in this Convention, or residing in this Diocese, were not present : Rev. GEORGE B. Andrews, Rev. ISAAC JONES, HENRY R. JUDAH, 66 66 The Rev. Reuben Sherwood, and the Rev. B. G. Noble, were appointed a Committee to receive and examine the testimonials of the Lay-Delegates. The Convention adjourned to 3 o'clock this afternoon. Christ Church, 3 o'clock P. M. The Convention met pursuant to adjournment. The roll of the Clergy was called. The Rev. R. Sherwood, from the committee to whom was referred the certificates of the Lay-Delegates, made the following Report: The committee appointed to receive and examine the certificates of the Lay-Delegates, report, that the following persons have been duly elected to represent their respective Parishes in this Convention: Peter Spicer, Canterbury. David H. Belden, Newtown Watertown. Wm. R. Hitchcock, Cheshire. Ebenezer Thompson, Pomfret. Simeon H. Miner, Stamford. William Putnam, Brooklyn. Eleazor Hemingway, East-Haven. Nathaniel Matthews,do. St. Matthews. Joseph Pinney, Simsbury. Ebenezer Jackson, Henry L. D'Koven, Middletown. Levi Hotchkiss, jun. Derby, John C.Wheeler, Humphreysville. Charles Sigourney, Hartford, Dr. Vandenburgh, New-Milford. A quorum of both orders being present, the Convention proceeded to elect a Secretary, and the Rev. William Jarvis was chosen. Mr. Wm. R. Hitchcock was appointed Assistant Secretary of the Convention. On motion, Resolved, That clergymen of the Protestant Episcopal Church, belonging to other Dioceses, and candidates for holy orders, who may be in this city during the session of this Convention, be admitted to the sittings of the same. Agreeably to this resolution, the Rev. Sturges Gilbert from the Eastern Diocese, the Rev. Henry P. Powers, from the Diocese of New-Jersey, and the Rev. Edward J. Ives, from the Diocese of New-York, and Mr. William Walter, a candidate for holy orders, took seats in Convention. The Rt. Rev. Bishop Brownell, agreeably to the 45th canon of the General Convention of 1808, delivered the following ADDRESS. My Brethren of the Clergy, and of the Laity: The goodness of God has permitted us to witness another of those returning seasons, when we are accustomed to assemble together as the organs of his church, to present unto him our prayers and thanksgivings, and to take counsel together concerning the welfare of that portion of his heritage which he has committed to our especial care. Already we have united in the solemnities of public worship; at the holy altar, we have professed our discipleship to our common Lord and Saviour, and have acknowledged the bands which unite us together as brethren in Christ. In the remaining duties which we have met to perform, may we be enabled, by divine grace, to act worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called: May we be "saved from all error, ignorance, pride and prejudice," and be disposed, in all our acts, to have a single eye to the glory of God, and to the prosperity, peace, and union of his Church. That we may the better understand the condition of that portion of the Church with whose welfare we are charged, the 45th Canon of the General Convention requires that every clergyman shall present to the Bishop a full report of the state of his parish, and these reports are to be read and entered on our journals. In addition to this provision, the Bishop is himself required to deliver an annual Address to the Convention, containing an account of the episcopal acts which he has performed, and a full exposition of the state of the Diocese. The parochial reports of the Clergy will presently be called for, and laid before the Convention. In fulfilling the duty which particularly devolves upon myself, I have abundant reason to be thankful to the great Head of the Church, that he still continues to smile upon this portion of his vineyard. Nothing has occurred to disturb the peace and union which so happily subsists among us, and which the distractions in other portions of the Church should teach us the more carefully to prize, and to cherish. The evils of heresy and schism, which every where surround us, have not been permitted to corrupt or divide us. And may we not hope, with fervent aspirations for its increase, that the spirit of pure and undefiled religion is more and more extending its blessed influence amongst us? Since the last annual Convention, I have visited more than half the parishes in this Diocese; and, owing to its compactness, and the facility of intercourse, have had opportunities for receiving information from most of the others. While a few of these parishes continue to languish, through adverse dispensations of Providence, or from a want of zeal in the people, the general aspect of the Diocese is calculated to inspire us with hope, and to fill us with gratitude. Most of the congregations appear to be increasing in numbers and strength; and, in several instances, where a few years ago the united exertions of two neighboring congregations could hardly support a clergyman, each one is now in the full enjoyment of the regular ministrations of the gospel. Some new parishes have recently been organized; and I have lately received pressing calls for missionary services, with a fair promise of usefulness, in places where the ministrations of our Church have never yet been dispensed. Since my removal to this Diocese, little more than nine years ago, I have consecrated eleven churches, nearly all of which have been built within that period. It gives me peculiar satisfaction to add that active exertions are, at the present time, in progress, for the erection of ten new churches; three of which are in parishes newly organized. Within the period above alluded to, the num ber of the clergy belonging to the Diocese, has increased from thirty-four to fifty-nine; and there are at the present time five vacant parishes capable of supporting settled clergymen, besides one vacant missionary station. If the spiritual state of our Church should have advanced in improvement, in the same ratio with its external growth, we should indeed have great cause for mutual felicitations. Within the last few years, a decided revival of christian zeal seems to have pervaded the great body of our Church, and may we not hope that this Diocese has participated, in no small degree, in its animating spirit ? Since the last meeting of the Convention, I have administered the holy rite of Confirmation in the following Parishes, viz:In the parish of Cheshire to 20 persons; Middle Haddam, 6; Not forty, as was erroneously stated in printing the Address delivered last year. Essex Borough, 7; New London, 11; East Haddam, 19; Oxford, 9; Quaker's Farms, 10; North Branford, 2; New Haven, 33; East Haven 6; Wallingford, 4; North Haven, 8; Milford, 3; Southington, 3; Granby, 12; New Canaan, 5; Ridgefield, 5; Wilton, 13; Danbury, 4; Newtown, 16; Weston, 6; Fairfield, 13;-In all, 215. In several of the parishes which I have visited there were no candidates for Confirmation, and it will be perceived that the whole number confirmed is less than has usually been reported from the same number of parishes. This must be attributed to the frequency with which the episcopal visitations are made. Yet there are so many salutary effects connected with these visitations, that it seems not desirable to postpone them to longer intervals. The Clergy cannot too often make a general inspection of their parishes, for the special purpose of inquiring into the religious state of the youth, and the manner in which they have been instructed by their parents and sponsors, in the nature of the obligations connected with their baptism. The periodical visits of the Bishop present a special call upon the Clergy, and afford them an excellent opportunity, for the discharge of this important duty. Since my settlement in the Diocese, I have administered the rite of Confirmation to 3,374 persons. On the 11th of September last, I consecrated the church in Middle Haddam, by the name of Christ Church. Two other churches are now ready for consecration. On the 13th of July last, the Rev. Harry Finch, a graduate of the Theological Seminary, was admitted to the holy order of Deacons, in St. Peter's Church, Cheshire; and on the 9th of August, the Rev. William H. Judd was admitted to the same grade of the ministry, in Christ Church, Hartford. On the 14th day of December last, the Rev. Horatio Potter, Professor of Mathematics and Natural Philosophy in Washington College, was admitted to the holy order of Priests, at Christ Church, in the city of Hartford. On the 25th day of January last, at Trinity Church, New-Haven, the Rev. Francis L. Hawkes, Assistant Rector of that Church, was admitted to the holy order of Priests, and the Rev. William Croswell to the order of Deacons. The following persons are now candidates for holy orders in this Diocese, viz.-Charles Bradley, John Morgan, Joseph Scott, Oliver Hopson, Allen C. Morgan, William Walter, Gurdon S. Coit, Robert A. Hallam, Fitch W. Taylor, and J. Smyth Rogers: the first three of whom are pursuing their studies at the Theological Seminary in New-York. Since the last annual Convention we have lost several valuable clergymen by removal to other Dioceses. The Rev. William H. Lewis, Rev. J. W. Cloud, and Rev. N. Kingsberry have received letters dimissory to the Diocese of New-York: The Rev. Henry M. Mason has removed to the Diocese of New-Jersey, the Rev. Edward Rutledge to that of Pennsylvania, and the Rev. J. S. Stone to that of Maryland. The Rev. William Croswell has accepted an invitation to the Rectorship of Christ Church, in the city of Boston. The Rev. Rodney Rossiter has resigned the charge of the parishes of St. Matthew's and St. Peter's, Plymouth, and has accepted the Cure composed of the parishes of Monroe and Trumbull. The Rev. Birdsey G. Noble has resigned the Rectorship of the parish of Middletown. There has, during the past year, been an accession of several clergymen from other Dioceses. The Rev. Samuel Fuller, from the Diocese of New-York, has accepted the office of Tutor in Washington College. From the same Diocese, the Rev. William Barlow has accepted the Agency of the "Church Scholarship Society," and the Rev. Palmer Dyer has assumed the Editorial charge of the "Episcopal Watchman." The Rev. Smyth Pyne, from the Diocese of New-Jersey, has accepted the Rectorship of the parish of Middletown; the Rev. Joseph S. Covell, from the Diocese of Maryland, has taken charge of the parish of Brookfield; and the Rev. William Lucas, from the Diocese of Pennsylvania, has accepted the charge of the Cure composed of the parishes of Woodbury, Roxbury and Washington. The Rev. Harry Finch has been settled over the parishes of NewPreston and Milton, vacated by the removal of the Rev. Mr. Kellogg to the eastern part of the Diocese. The Rev. William Jarvis has resigned the charge of the parish of Essex Borough, and accepted the Rectorship of the parish of Chatham. The following parishes are now vacant, and are desirous of obtaining the services of competent clergymen, viz.—Litchfield, Plymouth, Huntington, Stratford, and Essex Borough. A clergyman well qualified to act as a missionary is also much needed to officiate in the eastern part of the Diocese. The Rev. Orson V. Howell, now residing in Tennessee, but subject to the ecclesiastical authority of this Diocese, having expressed to me in writing his determination to withdraw from the clerical profession, I have recorded his said declaration, according to the provisions of the 7th Canon of the General Convention of 1820, and pursuant to the further provisions of the Canon, I have declared the said Orson V. Howell to be indefinitely suspended from the ministry of the Protestant Episcopal Church, and have pronounced and recorded that sentence, in the presence of the Rev. Daniel Burhans, and the Rev. Seth B. Paddock. In my last address, I stated to you that the Rev. Jacob Oson, a man of colour, had been admitted to holy orders, with a view |