Benjamin D. Doolittle, St. Peter's Church, Cheshire. } Wm. H. Merriman, Christ Church, Watertown. *George Jarvis, Union Church, Hitchcocksville. *Lorenzo P. Lee, St. Mark's Church, New Britain. *E. Ingham, *Amos Scovill, St. John's Church, Essex. *John Davis, St. Peter's Church, Oxford. Alexander Hamilton, St. John's Church, Bridgeport. Cyprian Nichols, Christ Church, Hartford. Peter Davison, Trinity Church, Brooklyn. *Henry F. Gillett, St. Peter's Church, Granby. *Jotham Sherman,Trinity Church, Newtown. Jabez B. Peck, This Report being accepted, the roll of Lay Delegates was called, when a quorum was found to be present. Those with this mark (*) prefixed to their names, were absent. The following persons being duly elected-but without the usual certificateswere, on motion, admitted to seats in the Convention : Levi Hotchkiss, Stephen G. Wilcoxson, St. James' Church, Derby. A. A. Perkins, Charles French, Christ Church, Bethany. Isaac E. Newton, St. John's Church, Waterbury. The Convention then proceeded to the election of a Secretary, and on the second ballot, the Rev. Mr. BURGESS was found to have a majority; DANIEL RUSSELL, Esq., of Chatham, was appointed Assistant Secretary. The Bishop then delivered the following Address, pursuant to the 51st Canon of the General Convention. ADDRESS. MY BRETHREN of the Clergy, and of the LAITY: At every annual return of our Ecclesiastical Convention, our first thoughts should be directed to the goodness and mercy of that Almighty Being who has preserved our lives, and meted out to us our measure of health and enjoyment, during the years that are passed, and by whose guardian care the Church is ever watched over, protected, and blessed. At this time, then, let us call upon our souls and all that is within us, to love, adore, and praise our Heavenly Father, for all the favours which he has vouchsafed to us, and to the portion of his Church entrusted to our care, since we were last assembled within these walls. Let us devoutly supplicate his presence with us during our present undertakings; let us seek his guidance in our counsels, and his blessing on our labours; and may He graciously accept our thanksgivings, and grant a gracious audience to our prayers, for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Redeemer. During the past year, the usual measure of prosperity has been extended to the Church in this Diocese. The same harmony of sentiment in regard to doctrine, discipline, and worship, and the same brotherly love among its Cler gy and its members, which has so long been cherished, still prevails. I know not that any of the Parishes have declined; and a few of them, which have been depressed for want of pastoral superintendence, are assuming a more encouraging aspect. Though no marked degree of religious sensibility appears to have pervaded the Church, yet we have no reason to apprehend that the silent and gentle influences of the Spirit have been withheld from any portion of it; while we may humbly trust that they have drawn many new members within its fold, and sustained and comforted many a true believer. In laying before you the account of my official acts, for the past year, I may remark, that I have visited many Parishes in which no duties, peculiarly Episcopal, were required—except those of a general superintendence and en couragement. The holy rite of Confirmation has been administered in the following Parishes, viz.: June 17, St. Peter's, Plymouth, 29 Nov. 9, Brookfield, "Bristol, 18, Northfield, " 19, Wolcott, . "11, Newtown, 18, New Haven, 10 8 "4 22, Bethlem, 24, Watertown, July 8, Chatham, " " 15, Hitchcocksville, 22, Windham, " 30, Brooklyn, Aug. 12, Cheshire, Sept. 2, Middletown, 48 4 Dec. 12, Guilford, 1 11 Jan. 13, Glastenbury, 20 19 April 7, Saybrook, 2 34 May 12, Hartford, 28 6 19, New Milford, On the 8th of July last, in Trinity Church, Chatham, I admitted Andrew H. Cornish, William Payne, Nathaniel S. Richardson, Abel Nichols, and William B. Ashley, graduates of the General Theological Seminary, into the Holy Order of Deacons. On the 2d day of September, in Christ Church, Middletown, I admitted Abner Jackson, Assistant Professor of Languages in Washington College, and John Williams, Tutor in that Institution, into the same Holy Order. And on the 16th day of December, in Christ Church, Hartford, I also admitted Thomas G. Salter, a graduate of the General Theological Seminary, into the Holy Order of Deacons. On the 9th day of November, in St. Paul's Church, Brookfield, I admitted the Rev. Solomon G. Hitchcock into the Holy Order of the Priesthood. And on the 14th day of that month, in St. John's Church, Bridgeport, I admitted the Rev. William G. Heyer into the same sacred Order. It is, further, my duty to record that I have this day, in your presence, admitted James D. Mead and Charles Fox to the Holy Order of Deacons; and Rev. Alonzo B. Chapin and Rev. Servilius Stocking to the Holy Order of Priests. On the 17th day of January last, I instituted the Rev. Jacob L. Clark into the Rectorship of St. John's Church, Waterbury. On the 29th day of August, I consecrated a new brick edifice in Glastenbury, by the name of St. Luke's Church. It is a very neat and commodious building, and its erection has been attended with a great increase of the congregation, and a most encouraging manifestation of zeal on the part of the members. On the 9th day of November, I consecrated St. Paul's Church, Brookfield. This is a spacious edifice of wood, in the Gothic style of architecture, and similar good effects appear to have accrued to the Parish, from its erection. On the 12th of December, I consecrated Christ Church, Guilford, a very elegant Gothic edifice of stone-consistent in all the details of that order of architecture, and highly creditable to the taste of the Building Committee, as well as to the liberality of the congregation. Of the changes among the Clergy, which have taken place since our last Convention, the decease of the Rev. Allen C. Morgan has been felt as pecu liarly afflictive. He had greatly endeared himself to an extensive acquaintance, by his private worth; and his death will be regarded as a severe loss to the literary institution over which he presided with such distinguished ability, as well as to the Church in which he was so acceptable a Minister. It is also my painful duty to record the death of the Rev. James Tappan, late Minister of the Parish at Essexborough, but ecclesiastically connected with the Diocese of New York. My brethren of the Clergy, we are frequently called upon to apply the providences of God to the instruction of others. Let us not fail to make a practical application of those dispensations of Divine Providence, which come peculiarly near to ourselves. Two of our brethren have been taken from the midst of us, in the meridian of their days. Let us hold ourselves ever prepared to render an account of our stewardship. Whatsoever our hands find to do, let us do it with our might; and while so many faithful servants are called away to receive the reward of their labours, let us pray to the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth new labourers into his harvest." The following Clergymen have taken dimissory letters, and have removed to other Dioceses, viz.: The Rev. Andrew H. Cornish, to the Diocese of Illinois; the Rev. James Sunderland and the Rev. William G. Heyer, to the Diocese of Maryland; the Rev. Alfred Lee, to the Diocese of Pennsylvania; the Rev. Thomas J. Davis, to the Diocese of Ohio; the Rev. Thomas W. Snow, to the Diocese of Massachusetts; the Rev. Smith Pyne, to the Diocese of New York, and the Rev. Eli Wheeler, to the Diocese of Western New York. The following Clergymen have been duly received into this Diocese, with the Canonical Testimonials from their respective Bishops, viz.: The_Rev. Melancthon Hoyt, from Indiana; the Rev. Edwin W. Wiltbank, from Pennsylvania; the Rev. Foster Thayer, from New York; the Rev. Thomas H. Vail and the Rev. Dexter Potter, from Massachusetts. The Rev. John Williams had been regularly transferred from Massachusetts to this Diocese, previous to his Ordination. The Rev. Charles W. Bradley, officiating at East Haddam, the Rev. Edward C. Bull, officiating at Brookfield, and the Rev. B. M. Yarrington, officiating at Greenwich, are still ecclesiastically connected with the Diocese of New York; the Rev. T. B. Woodward, officiating in the Parish of St. Matthew's, Plymouth, is, in like manner, connected with the Eastern Diocese, and the Rev. Warner Hoyt, who accepts the Rectorship of the Parish of Ridgefield, has not yet presented his dimissory letter from the Diocese of Maryland. Several changes have taken place in the location and services of the Clergy of the Diocese. The Rev. E. Edwards Beardsley has accepted the office of Principal of the Episcopal Academy at Cheshire. The Rev. Silas Blaisdale has removed from Salem to the Parish of Hitchcocksville, being succeeded in his former Parish by the Rev. John W. Woodward. The Rev. Levi H. Corson has accepted the Rectorship of the Parish of Branford, and removed to that place. The Rev. John M. Guion has removed from Meriden to the Parish of New Britain, to which he has been elected Rector, and has been succeeded in his former charge by the Rev. Melancthon Hoyt. The Rev. Frederick Holcomb, D. D., so long and so faithfully the Rector of Christ Church, Watertown, has resigned the charge of that Parish, and the Rev. N. S. Richardson has been called to enter on his labours; the Rev. Dr. Holcomb himself being now zealously, and we trust successfully engaged in an effort to revive the decayed Parish of Harwinton. The Rev. Edward J. Ives has resigned the Rectorship of Christ Church, East Haven. The Rev. Zebediah H. Mansfield has removed from New Britain to the Parish of Warehouse Point. The Rev. Joseph H. Nichols has resigned the Rectorship of Christ Church, Greenwich. The Rev. Henry B. Sherman has removed from New Preston, and accepted the Rectorship of the Parish of Windham. The Rev. William Payne has become Rector of St. Michael's Church, Litchfield. The Rev. William B. Ashley has become Rector of St. Luke's Church, Glastenbury. The Rev. Foster Thayer has accepted the Reetorship of St. Paul's Church, Huntington. The Rev. Thomas H. Vail has accepted the Rectorship of St. John's Church, Essexborough. The Rev. George C. Shepard has left the Parish of Stratford, on a voyage to Europe, and has been succeeded by the Rev. E. W. Wiltbank. The following persons are now candidates for Holy Orders in this Diocese, viz. Isaac H. Tuttle, Charles Prindie, Paschal P. P. Kidder, Thomas C. Pitkin, Martin Moody, James R. Bailey, William G. French, Ephraim L. Perkins, John Riggs, Sheldon Davis, George L. Foote, William G. Morgan, Henry Townsend, William Atwill, Daniel Shepherd, Charles W. Everest, Charles Gillet, John G. Hull. Charles Fox, previous to his ordination, had been received as a candidate, by transfer from the Diocese of New York, and Richard S. Adams has removed to the Diocese of Kentucky. J. Henry Elliott, a candidate of great promise to the Church, has been removed by death. Brethren of the Convention:-I have now laid before you a brief summary of my official labours during the past year, embracing a cursory view of the present state of the Diocese. This communication, together with the Parochial Reports which will shortly be exhibited to you, and a comparison of the whole with the statistics presented at former Conventions, will enable you to form a tolerably correct estimate of the present condition of that portion of the Lord's vineyard entrusted to our care. It had been my purpose to offer some reflections on the means of promoting Christian Education, and of advancing the cause of the Redeemer, through the instrumentality of our diocesan institutions, as well as those established by the General Convention of the Church. But the same bodily indisposition which interrupted the course of my late visitation, admonishes me to desist from any present attempt to arrange my thoughts on these subjects. Should it please Divine Providence to restore my health, they may perhaps find their way to you, in the form of a Pastoral Letter, through the columns of the Chronicle of the Church; or they may be reserved as the chief topics of an Address, or Charge, at the next Annual Convention. I cannot, however, conclude this Address, without briefly adverting to one subject, which I deem of immediate and paramount importance-I am anxious to urge upon the Lay members of the Convention, and through them, upon all the Parishes of the Diocese, the necessity of a more adequate provision for the maintenance of the Clergy. During the twenty years that I have been connected with this Diocese, the salaries of its Clergymen have remained nearly stationary. As the weaker Parishes have gained strength, they have sought the services of Clergymen for a greater portion of the time. And as some of the larger Parishes have gained additional increase, they have sought the services of Clergymen who were supposed to possess higher qualifications of learning, or talents. But in Parishes of the same class, there has been little or no change in the salaries of the Clergy, for the last twenty years. And yet, it is well known, that within this time, there has been a great advance in the price of nearly all the necessaries of life. Many articles of prime necessity have doubled in value; and most of the articles of food, raiment, and fuel, have become at least one fourth more expensive. The wages of common labourers, and of mechanics, have advanced in nearly the same proportion. I pray the Laity of our Parishes, then,-they who derive the advantage from this increase of the wages of their labour, and of this enhanced value of the fruits of their industry-to consider this matter, and to inquire whether equal justice is extended to the labours of the Clergy. Do they do to their Clergy as they wish others to do to them? But there is another view of this subject. During the last twenty years, the necessary qualifications for the Clerical profession have been greatly enhanced. Partly in consequence of the progressive improvements in society, and partly, perhaps, from the establishment of Theological Seminaries, the public sentiment is constantly demanding higher qualifications in classical education, and in Theological learning. The money now required to carry a young man through the Academy, the College, and the Theological Seminary, would purchase a considerable farm, or constitute a moderate capital for the young manufacturer, mechanic, or merchant. And yet how different are the worldly prospects of these classes? The industrious farmer may secure a competence for his family, or even rise to affluence. The mechanic, the manufacturer, and the merchant, may become rich, through the many avenues of enterprise. But the Clergyman, whose intelligence might find such scope in the pursuits of ambition, must be content with the mere necessaries of life. And if he leaves a family behind him, when he is called from his labours, they must be consigned to the charities of the world, or to the care of more fortunate relatives, or friends. It is true that the Clergyman has higher ends and aims than the acquisition of wealth. It is also true that the cares of riches might tend to withdraw his thoughts from his more sacred duties. But it must be remembered that poverty has also its cares. And though I would not wish to see a wealthy Clergy, I would desire to see every Clergyman's mind freed from corroding anxieties in regard to the immediate support of his family; and I think it not too much to desire, also, that he should be able to lay aside some little provision for the support of his old age, or to secure a bereaved family from absolute want. In this Diocese, I know of no Clergyman, with a family, who receives a greater compensation for his services than is necessary for his immediate and moderate support. I know of many who are scarcely able to maintain their families, with the most rigid economy, and who have a hard struggle to keep free from the humiliation of unpaid demands for the common necessaries of life. The condition of the unmarried Clergy is but little better; for, in most cases, any modicum they may be able to save from their necessary expenses, must be expended in books, or applied to the payment of debts incurred during their preparation for the Ministry. Brethren of the Laity,-these things ought not so to be. They are repugnant to justice, to humanity, and to Scripture. "The labourer is worthy of his hire." "If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great matter if we shall reap your worldly things?" "Do ye not know, that they who minister about holy things, live of the sacrifice; and they who wait at the altar, are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord also ordained, that they who preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel." I say not these things at the instance of the Clergy; for they are as uncomplaining as they are self-denying. But as Providence has placed me in a station to witness their privations, as well as their devoted labours; and knowing, as I do, the discouragements which these privations throw in the way of those who are looking forward to the sacred office, I should be unfaithful to my duty, and unjust to my feelings, if I failed to inculcate upon the several Parishes of this Diocese, the immediate necessity of a more adequate provision for the support of their Clergy. THOS. C. BROWNELL. Hartford, June 11, 1839. The Bishop, as one of the Committee appointed at the last Convention, to '* prepare a correct list of the Clergy of this Diocese, entitled to seats in the Convention," made a report, which, upon his suggestion, was referred to a Committee on Canons. The following gentlemen were appointed this Committee: Rev. Drs Croswell, Holcomb, and Mead, and Messrs. Foot and Lambert. The Rev. Mr. Burgess having asked to be excused from serving as Secretary, the Rev. E. E. Beardsley was appointed to supply his place. On motion of the Rev. Mr. Cornwall, Resolved, That the Rules of order of the last Convention, be adopted as the Rules for the present Convention. RULES OF ORDER, 1. The business of every day shall be introduced by prayer. 2. When the President takes the chair, no member shall continue standing, or shall afterwards stand, unless to address the chair. Г |