Henry Dayton, Samuel Taylor, Glastenbury. Joel Case, Jesse Ives, Hitchcocksville, Ariel Mitchelson, Simsbury. Jehiel Williams, New Milford. These Delegates were present, with the exception of those whose names have this mark (*) affixed to them; and the roll being called, answered to their names, and took seats in Convention. A quorum of both orders being present, the Convention proceeded to the election of a Secretary by ballot, when the Rev. William Jarvis was unanimously re-elected. On motion, the Convention appointed Mr. Burrage Beach, Assistant-Secretary. Resolved, That Clergymen of the Protestant Episcopal Church belonging to other Dioceses, Candidates for Holy Orders, and the Officers of Washington College, be admitted to honorary seats in this Convention. Agreeably to this resolution, Mr. Samuel Lewis, and Mr. Augustus F. Lyde, Candidates for Holy Orders, took seats in Convention. Resolved, That the rules of order of the last Convention, be adopted for the government of this, and be read. The rules of order were read accordingly, as follows: 1. The business of every day shall be introduced by prayer. 2. When the Presidenť takes the chair, no member shall continue standing, or shall afterwards stand unless to address the chair. 3. No member shall absent himself from the service of the convention, unless he have leave from the house. 4. When any member is about to speak in debate, or deliver any matter to the convention, he shall rise from his seat, and without advancing, shall, with due respect, address himself to the President, confining himself strictly to the point in debate. 5. No member shall speak more than twice in the same debate, without leave of the house. 6. A question being once determined, shall stand as the judgment of the convention, and shall not again be drawn into debate during the same session. 7. While the President is putting any question, no one shall hold private discourse, stand up, walk into, out of, or across the house, or read any book. 8. Every member who shall be in the convention when any question is put, shall, on a division, be counted, unless he be particularly interested in the decision. 9. No motion shall be considered as before the house, unless it be seconded, and reduced to writing when required. 10. When any question is before the convention, it shall be determined on before any thing new is introduced, except for adjournment. 11. The question on a motion for adjournment shall be taken before any other, and without debate. 12. When the convention is to rise, every member shall keep his seat until the President leave the chair. The Rt. Rev. Bishop Brownell, agreeably to the 45th canon of the General Convention of 1808, "providing for an accurate view of the state of the Church," delivered the following ADDRESS. My Brethren of the Clergy and of the Laity: The great Head of the Church has given to us his revealed Word, to be the rule of our faith and conduct, and has appointed a Ministry, to declare his Gospel of salvation to the world, and dispense to his people, the ordinances which he has appointed as the means of his grace. Much that relates to the government and discipline of his Church, he has left to human discretion. Pursuant to this dispensation, we have now been permitted to assemble, to take counsel togeth er for the welfare of that portion of his vineyard which, in his providence, he has committed to our charge. Let us bear in mind, then, the solemn responsibility under which we act, and let us supplicate the assistance of the Holy Spirit, to guard us from error and to guide us into all truth. In all our doings, let us endeavor to adhere strictly to the rule, and to the analogy, of God's revealed word, and to the practice of the holy Apostles and primitive Christians. Brethren,-it is good for us to meet together on these interesting occasions. We collect useful information from the several portions of our Zion. We animate each other's hearts, and strengthen each other's hands. The devotions in which we unite, and the duties in which we engage, serve the more firmly to connect us in the bonds of Christian love. And if the Divine Being shall vouchsafe to bless our counsels, we may be enabled to devise salutary measures for the prosperity of his Church. For the furtherance of our deliberations, it is provided by the 45th Canon of the General Convention, that the Bishop shall lay before you a full account of the state of the Diocese, and of all his official doings since the last annual Convention. If In proceeding to fulfil this duty, I ought not to omit my grateful acknowledgements to the supreme Being, for the mercies which he has extended to this portion of his Church, during the past year.None of our Clergy have been removed by death, and no special visitations of adversity have come upon any of our Churches. we could have wished to witness greater manifestations of zeal and holiness, and to have seen a more abundant harvest crown our labors, this desire should incite us to greater exertions, and to more fervent intercessions at the throne of grace. I trust that the great body of the Clergy of our Church are gradually advancing to a higher stan. dard of religious zeal, and a livelier sense of the responsibilities and the duties of their office; and I have the satisfaction to believe that the Clergy of Connecticut are behind none of their brethren in the fidelity and self-devotion with which they fulfil their sacred trust. During the past year, I have visited and officiated in many Parishes in which no candidates for Confirmation were presented— owing in most cases to the recent period within which that holy rite had been administered. It had been my intention to perform an extensive Visitation in the southern part of the Diocese, in the course of the past month, but my arrangements have been frustrated in consequence of a severe lameness, with which it has pleased Providence to afflict me. Since the last Convention, I have administered the rite of Confirmation in the following Parishes, viz:—In Hartford, to 35 persons; Hebron, 4; New-London, 6; Poquatannock, 10; Norwich, 51; Brooklyn, 14; Humphreysville, 18; Derby, 7; Brookfield, 26; Hitchcocksville, 15; Essex Borough, 8; New-Haven, 18; Milford, 8; Stamford, 13; Norwalk, 17; Wilton, 8; Fairfield, 24; Bridgeport, 23; Stratford, 12; Guilford, 11; North Guilford, 10; Glastenbury, 7. In all, to 345 persons. The following Ordinations have been held, during the past year, viz:-On the 6th of August, in Christ Church, Hartford, Ed. ward Jones, and Gustavus V. Cæsar were admitted to the Order of Deacons; and on the 5th of September, in the same place, they were admitted to the Priesthood. These persons, being men of color, were ordained with a view to missionary labors in Africa. The former has embarked for England, in expectation of being employed by one of the Missionary Societies of that country; and the latter is expected soon to sail from New-York for the Colony of Liberia. On the 8th of August, in Christ Church, Hartford, Gurdon S. Coit was admitted to the Holy Order of Deacons. He officiated for some time in the west Churches of Litchfield, and now has the charge of St. Peter's Church, Plymouth.-On the 10th of September, Charles W. Bradley was admitted to the Holy Order of Deacons, in Union Church, Humphreysville. He has been occupied most of the time, since that period, in supplying the vacant Parish of Newtown.--On the 2d of October, John Morgan was admitted to the Holy Order of Deacons, in Christ Church, Hartford. Shortly after his ordination. he proceeded to the Diocese of Mississippi, where he now officiates under the auspices of the General Missionary Society of our Church. On the 16th of January, in Christ Church, Hartford, George Jones, and Levi Hannaford Corson were admitted to the Holy Order of Deacons. The former had been regularly transferred to. this Diocese as a Candidate, from the Diocese of Pennsylvania. He has accepted the Rectorship of the Parish of Christ Church, Middletown. The latter has been appointed a Missionary to Missouri, by the General Missionary Society, and is to officiate in St. Louis and its vicinity. This day, in your presence, I have admitted Joseph Scott to the Holy Order of Deacons. The new Church in Hitchcocksville was consecrated, by the name of Union Church, on the 21st of September. This is a neat and spacious stone edifice, and bears honorable testimony to the zeal and liberality of the Parish. I regret to add that the expense of the building has considerably exceeded the estimates which were made, and that owing to unexpected embarrassments in the business of the Village, the Parish is encumbered with a heavy debt. The peculiar circumstances of the case, give the people of this Parish a strong claim on the sympathy of their brethren. The new Churches at Salem, and Saybrook, are nearly ready for consecration. A large stone Church will be completed in Chatham, during the present season, and two other new Churches are in progress. Among the changes which have occurred since the last Convention, we have to regret the removal of some of our valuable Clergymen to other Dioceses. The Rev. Hector Humphreys, who had been a highly valued Professor in Washington College, has accepted the Presidency of St. John's College, in the State of Maryland. The Rev. Reuben Sherwood has resigned the charge of the Hartford Academy, and removed to the Diocese of New-York. The Rev. Francis L. Hawkes, who was for a short time connected with this Diocese, has accepted the Rectorship of St. Stephen's Church, New. York. The Rev. John M. Garfield has also removed to the Diocese of New-York. The Rev. William T. Potter, and the Rev. Richard Peck, have removed to the Eastern Diocese. But notwithstanding these removals, the number of our clergy has not diminished, during the past year. The Rev. Dr. Kemper, from the Diocese of Pennsylvania, has accepted the Rectorship of St. Paul's Church, Norwalk; the Rev. Samuel Fuller, jun. from the Eastern Diocese, has accepted the Rectorship of St. Luke's Church, Glastenbury, with the editorial charge of the Episcopal Watchman; the Rev. Henry S. Atwater, from the Diocese of New-York, has accepted the charge of St. Andrew's Church, New-Preston, and the Rev. Charles J. Todd, from the same Diocese, is officiating at Wilton, and Ridgefield. Of the Deacons ordained during the past year, the Rev. Gurdon S. Coit, the Rev. Charles W. Bradley, and the Rev. George Jones, remain in the Diocese. The Rev. Daniel Burhans, who has for 30 years labored faithfully and successfully as Rector of Trinity Church, Newtown, has resigned the charge of the Parish, and has accepted the Rectorship of St James' Church, Zoar. The Rev. William Barlow, for some time Agent of the Church Scholarship Society, has accepted the charge of St. John's Church, Waterbury. The Rev. Asa Cornwall has removed from Cheshire to Granby; in which latter place he has re-established his useful School, and has accepted the charge of the Parish. The Rev. William A. Curtis has resigned the Parish of Oxford, and accepted the charge of the Parishes of Woodbridge and Salem. The Rev. Ashbel Baldwin has resigned his cure, consisting of the Parishes of Wallingford and North-Haven, and accepted the Rectorship of the Churches of Oxford, and Quaker's Farms. The Rev. O. P. Holcomb has resigned the Parishes of Wilton and Ridgefield, and is officiating at Bradleyville and Milton. The following cures are now vacant, viz: Trinity Church, New. town; the Churches of Wallingford and North Haven; the Churches of Hamden, West-Haven, and Milford; the Churches of Wood. bury and Roxbury; the Parish of Warehouse point, East Windsor, and the new Parish of Hitchcocksville. All of these places are desirous of immediate supply, and in each of them a suitable Clergyman would find a competent support, and a situation of usefulness. The Convention will not fail to notice the numerous changes in the location of the Clergy, reported from year to year. This is not peculiar to Connecticut, but is a common complaint in almost every Dio. cese. It is occasioned, in a considerable degree, by the inadequate number of the Clergy. Vacant Parishes will not fail to make overtures to settled Clergymen, when no others are to be obtained. These importunities, together with prospects of better support, or of more extensive usefulness, must lead to frequent changes. Another cause, of considerable influence in this Diocese, will be found in the condition of our Parishes. Many of these are yet in so feeble a state that two or three of them are obliged to unite for the support of alergyman. Under these circumstances, they will generally be averse to the formation of permanent arrangements, in the hope that each will be able to secure the exclusive services of a Clergyman at no distant period. But there is still another cause of these frequent changes, for which no such justification can be urged. I allude to that love of novelty, and that admiration of mere popular preaching, which I fear is too much a characteristic of the present times. It is not thought sufficient that the minister is sensible, discreet and pious; that he visits the sick and the afflicted, and discharges all his pastoral duties with fidelity. He must, moreover, be an orator; attract the admiration of the multitude, and draw crowds to hear him preach. A good elocution is certainly a very desirable qualification in a public speaker; but it may be doubted whether splendid displays of eloquence contribute greatly to Christian edification. It sometimes happens that men's minds are so engrossed by their admiration of the orator, that they think little of any practical application of the truths which he delivers. But what is called popular preaching, is too often but frothy declamation, set off by some of the graces of delivery. Such popularity is of short continuance. It ceases as soon as the novelty is past; and the unfortunate parish that relies on it, will be grievously disappointed. This eagerness for popular preaching is especially the propensity of the young, whose ardent feelings expose them to the influence of showy and imposing qualities. I have known more than one pastoral connexion broken up, where the Clergyman possessed undoubted talents and piety, and all those substantial qualifications which go to form the character of the faithful and useful pastor, but was thought deficient in a popular elocution. The temporal condition of the Parish did not prosper, perhaps so remarkably as some of its sanguine members could desire for though men may plant and cultivate, it is for God to give the increase, and he does this in his own good time. Reports a |