USA > Maryland > A compilation containing the constitution and canons of the Protestant Episcopal church in the diocese of Maryland; > Part 7
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1. Resolved, That in the opinion of this Convention it is not the inten- tion of the Vestry Act to require, as a qualification for the gift of suffrage at the election of Vestrymen, that every voter shall first apply to the Reg- ister to be enrolled, but that entry of the name of the voter on the books of the Parish, furnished by the Vestry, as a member of the Protestant Epis- copal Church, whether made by the Rector or by the Register, shall be sufficient, if made at least one month before the election, provided the other requirements of the law, as to residence, age, and support of the Parish, be complied with.
2. Resolved, That the Convention recommend that the Rectors of Par- ishes enter into an arrangement with the Registers of their respective Par- ishes, whereby the two shall unite in keeping the same set of Parish books, the Register recording in each of these his official declaration that they are kept with his approval, as required by the Vestry Act, the Rector pro tanto acting as the deputy or clerk of the Register .- (1893 p. 22.)
52. Enrollment of Church Members, and Rights of Registers of Parishes.
1. Resolved, That - -- is entitled to his seat in this Convention as Lay Delegate from - Parish, -- County, on the facts reported by the Special Committee.
64 RESOLUTIONS, ETC., OF CONVENTION OF MARYLAND.
Provided, however, that this Convention is not by this action to be under- stood as sanctioning or countenancing the assertion by any Vestry whether de facto or de jure of right or function-
First-To control the Register of a Parish in respect to the exercise of his legal duty to enroll any person of the Protestant Episcopal Church who shall apply to him for the purpose at any time.
Second-Or to require a new application each year for entry on the books of a Parish as a qualified voter therein .- (1893, pp. 23, 25.)
53. Warfield College.
Resolved, That this Convention appoint a Board of Trustees to consist of three Clergymen of the Order of Priests and three Laymen, communi- cants of the Church, who, with the Bishop, shall organize the Warfield College and control its affairs .- (1893, p. 26.)
54. Form of Calls to Rectorship.
Resolved, That in order to avoid misunderstanding and conflict with regard to the relation between Rectors and Vestries, all calls to Rector- ship should be made with definite statement of the time or condition of termination, and the following form is recommended :
"The Vestry of ..
have elected and do invite the Rev.
to be rector of said Parish (or Congregation) at an annual salary of
payable
with the use of the Rectory and.
and with the agreement that said Rectorship shall continue until dissolved by mutual consent, or by the arbitration and decision of the Ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese .- (1883, pp. 30, 31.)
55. Qualification of Vestrymen.
Resolved, That it is against the law of the Church and of the State, that any but members of the Protestant Episcopal Church, made such either by Baptism, or by Confirmation, or by admission to the Holy Com- munion, should hold office as Vestrymen in the same; and that such a practice may, upon occasion, involve a gross outrage upon the rights of the Clergy and upon the interests of the Church .- (1893, p. 32.)
56. Convention Journals.
Resolved, That the Secretary be instructed to mail one copy of the Journal to each Clergyman of the Diocese and one copy to each Lay Dele- gate who was in attendance ; and to such others as may request the same .- (1893, p. 34.)
RESOLUTIONS, ETC., OF CONVENTION OF MARYLAND. 65
57. Report of Committee on Donations, accepting a Deed for the Church Property at Curtis Bay.
The Committee has had tendered to it a deed from Theodore C. Gam- brall, Charles F. Taylor and Edwin Higgins to the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocese of Maryland of all that lot of ground situate, lying and being in South Baltimore, Anne Arundel County, Maryland, described as follows, that is to say: Beginning for the same at the northeast corner of Church Street and Fairview Avenue and running thence east bounding on the north side of Church Street sixty feet, thence north one hundred feet parallel with Fairview Avenue to the south side of an alley, twenty feet wide, thence west and bounding on said alley, with the use thereof in common with others, sixty feet, and thence south bound- ing on the east side of Fairview Avenue one hundred feet to the place of beginning. This is the property upon which the Church at Curtis Bay has been erected.
The Committee has accepted the grant of this property .- (1894, p. 7.)
Resolved, That a Committee of two be appointed annually, who with the Bishop shall have charge of the Church property at Curtis Bay .- (1894, p. 16.)
58. Collections for Diocesan Missions and Pastoral Aid. 1
Resolved, That, inasmuch as the obligations of the Committee are made for the year and are to be paid quarterly, the Resolutions appointing the Fourth Sunday after Easter for collections for Diocesan Missions and Pastoral Aid be rescinded, and that every Clergyman be urged to make his collections for this purpose-in whole if possible, if not, in part-before or during the Advent season .- (1894, pp. 12, 13.)
59. Superannuated and Disabled Clergy Fund.
Resolved, That all funds coming into the hands of the Treasurer of the the Diocese from gifts or bequests to the Convention for the Superannuated and Disabled Clergy Fund shall be paid over by him to the Trustees of Church Charities, to be invested by them as the other funds held by them are invested .- (1894, p. 24.)
60. Consent to Second Division of the Diocese,
Resolved, That the Convention of the Diocese of Maryland hereby rati- fies its action taken a year ago'in reference to division and declares that it is expedient at this time to divide the Diocese of Maryland into two Dioceses, and that the consent of this Convention be and is hereby given to the erection within the limits of the Diocese of Maryland of a new Diocese to be formed by the territory comprised within the District of Columbia, and. also the following Counties to wit: St. Mary's, Charles, Prince George's and Montgomery .- (1895, pp. 15, 16, 17.)
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66 RESOLUTIONS, ETC., OF CONVENTION OF MARYLAND.
61. Nominations for Standing Committee, and Deputies to General Convention.
Resolved, That hereafter opportunity be given on the first day of the Convention for nominations to be made for Standing Committee and Deputies to General Convention, and that the Secretary be instructed to have alphabetical lists of these names printed and distributed at the hour of meeting on the second day .- (1895, p. 33.)
62. Resolution in respect to the Poole Fund, for St. Mary's Church, Hampden, Baltimore.
Resolved, That there shall be appointed, annually, as other committees are appointed, a Board of three trustees, to represent the Convention in the management of the property conveyed by the Vestry of St. Mary's Church, Hampden, Baltimore, Md., by deed dated June 29th, 1895, and recorded among the Land Records of Baltimore City, in Liber J. B., No. 1567, folio 138, etc., to the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocese of Maryland, and that the said trustees, of whom the Rector of said Parish for the time being shall be one, shall have the authority to sell, lease, or in any other manner dispose of the lands conveyed by said deed and to invest the proceeds therefrom, and to apply the same, or the income thereof, to the purposes set out in said deed, as fully as this Convention is empowered to do, and shall report annually to the Convention .- (1896, pp. 7,8.)
63. Report of gift of Library of Rev. Edwin A. Dalrymple to the Episcopal Library, and Resolutions thereon.
Your Committee have the very great pleasure of announcing to the Con- vention, that the sister of a late well-known presbyter of this Diocese has expressed, in writing, her wish to convey to the Diocesan Library the books which formerly belonged to her brother. The collection is very valuable.
In April Miss Dalrymple sent to the Rev. Dr. Hodges the following note:
211 WEST LANVALE STREET, BALTIMORE, April 20th, 1896.
REV. DR. HODGES,
Rev. and Dear Sir:
The Rev. Mr. P. Wroth, has, at my request, sent me the names of the Committee on the Episcopal Library. I have taken the liberty of addressing you, being one of them, and you knew my brother. I am desirous of presenting the library of the late Rev. Dr. Dalrymple, to the Diocese of Maryland, as a Memorial of him. I do not know exactly how to proceed and should be glad to have some information on the subject. I am aware that your time is much occupied and you may not have the
RESOLUTIONS, ETC., OF CONVENTION OF MARYLAND. 67
leisure. Will you be so kind as to ask some of the other gentlemen com- posing the Committee, if they will, at their convenience, appoint a time when I may have an interview with them, that I may be instructed what I am to do and all preliminaries settled.
Hoping you will excuse me for troubling you, I am,
Very truly yours, F. A. DALRYMPLE.
This matter was reported by Dr. Hodges to this Committee, and a Sub- Committee, consisting of Messrs. Bartlett and Thompson, were appointed to consult with Miss Dalrymple as to her proposed terms of transfer. They have reported the following note from her :
211 WEST LANVALE STREET,
BALTIMORE, May 23d, 1896.
MR. D. L. BARTLETT AND MR. H. F. THOMPSON,
Gentlemen :
In our interview this morning I omitted saying, that I pre- sent the library to the Diocese of Maryland, to the Glory of God, and as a Memorial of my late brother, to be called "The Memorial Library of the Rev. Edwin A. Dalrymple, S. T. D., of the Diocese of Maryland."
Please have this put in the deed of gift, and oblige,
Very truly yours, F. A. DALRYMPLE.
It is believed that the collection contains somewhere between 6000 and 8000 volumes, and every one who knows our present confined quarters and the inconvenience resulting from want of room, will understand that such a gift makes it an immediate necessity that steps be taken to provide a place for this very valuable and desirable present .- (1896, pp. 18, 19.)
1. Resolved, That this Convention accept the generous donation of the library of the late Dr. Dalrymple, upon the terms stated by Miss Dalrymple, in her letter to the Sub-Committee and upon the further con- dition that the collection be kept always distinct, and never be allowed to go out of the Diocese.
2. Resolved, That the Secretary of this Convention be instructed to convey to Miss Dalrymple the appreciation of this Convention of her most generous and valuable gift.
3. Resolved, That this report and accompanying papers, except list of books, be printed in the Journal of the Convention.
4. Resolved, That fifty dollars be appropriated to the expenses of the library.
5. Resolved, That the Committee on the Episcopal Library be and are hereby instructed and empowered to receive the Dalrymple Library, and to make such temporary provision for its care as may be necessary, provided that they do not expend over $300, for which they may draw upon the Treasurer of the Diocese .- (1896, pp. 18, 19, 20.)
68 RESOLUTIONS, ETC., OF CONVENTION OF MARYLAND.
64. Non-acceptance of the Act of Assembly of 1892, chapter 702, amending the Vestry Act.
Resolved, That this Convention declines to accept the provisions of the Act of Assembly of 1892, ch. 702, amending the Vestry Act .- (1897, p. 12.)
65. Extract from Report of Gift of Mr. and Mrs. J. Le Roy White, and Resolutions thereon.
Mr. and Mrs. J. LeRoy White, by deed recorded among the land records of Baltimore City, in Liber R. O. 1673, folio 145, granted and conveyed to this Convention two lots of ground, with the improvements thereon, on High Street, in the City of Baltimore, adjoining St. Andrew's Church. The grant is to the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Dio- cese of Maryland, its successors and assigns, in fee. The deed contains no limitations or restrictions. It has been accepted by the Committee. It will be proper for the Convention to take some action as to the disposition to be made of this property .- (1897, pp. 20, 21.)
On motion of Mr. Wilmer, the following Resolution was adopted :
Resolved : That the real estate and improvements conveyed to this Con- vention by Mr. J. LeRoy White and wife be placed in the charge of the Bishop of this Diocese to make such use of said property as he may deem for the good of the Church of this Diocese, until some further action is taken by the Convention .- (1897, pp, 21, 22.)
66. Diocesan Missionary Aid, and Ministering to the Sick in Hospitals and other Institutions, and to Prisoners.
Resolved : That while the best interests of the Church in this Diocese de- mand a generous consideration of its Mission Stations and of its financially weak Parishes, yet the aim should always be kept in view of making them self-sustaining, and that to this end, the policy of making a gradual reduc- tion of at least five per cent. each year in the amount of missionary or parochial aid to each such Parish or Mission Station should be pursued wherever it can be done with a due regard to the interests involved.
Resolved: That inasmuch as Diocesan Missionary aid is appropriated with reference to promoting the growth and extension of the Church throughout the whole Diocese, there is no hardship in requiring that every rector, or minister in charge, receiving Missionary aid, should place his services for at least five Sundays in each year at the disposal of the Bishop, except in those cases where such rector or minister has already more than one station under his charge.
Resolved : That whereas it would seem very desirable to bring the Archdiaconal organizations into more active co-operation with the mission ary work of the Diocese, the suggestion which has been made of referring to them for advice, with regard to apportionments and appropriations in their several districts is heartily commended.
RESOLUTIONS, ETC., OF CONVENTION OF MARYLAND. 69
Resolved : That the duty of ministering to the sick in hospitals, and to those confined in prisons, and to all other inmates of public institutions, seems to fall legitimately within the province of the parochial clergy within whose parishes or in whose immediate vicinage the same are located, and such ministration is therefore warmly commended to them as justly entitled to a fair portion of their pastoral care .- (1897, pp. 26, 27.)
67. Provision for preserving Evidence of Admission of New Parishes and Separate Congregations.
Resolved, That when a New Parish is admitted into union with the Con- vention, the Secretary of the Convention shall file with the keeper of the Records of the Diocese a copy of the Act admitting such Parish, together with the map submitted with the petition for leave to organize as a New Parish ; and when a Separate Congregation is admitted into union with the Convention, the Secretary shall file with the keeper of the Records a certified copy of the Certificate of Incorporation of said congregation .- (1897, pp. 31, 39.)
68. Support of the Episcopate.
Resolved, That the Treasurer of the Episcopal Fund be, and he is hereby directed to pay quarterly to the Treasurer of the Convention, the net income of the productive investments ot the Episcopal Fund, the sum so paid to be applied to the support of the Episcopate .- (1897, pp. 33, 34.)
69. Committee on Auditing Accounts.
That a Committee of three Laymen be appointed annually, by the Bishop, to whom shall be referred for audit, at least two weeks before the meeting of the Convention, all the accounts, books and investments of all officers and committees of the Convention, having in their care monies or properties of the Convention .- (1897, p. 42.)
70
RESOLUTIONS OF THE GENERAL CONVENTION.
RESOLUTIONS OF THE GENERAL CONVENTION.
1. Ratifying Division of the Diocese of Maryland.
Whereas, a petition has been presented to the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies from the Clergy and Parishes of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, praying that all that portion of the State of Maryland known and desig- nated as the Eastern Shore of Maryland, being all that part of the said State lying east of Chesapeake bay and the Susquehanna river, embracing the counties of Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne, Caroline, Talbot, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset and Worcester, the territory so embraced being part of the Diocese of Maryland and of no other Diocese, be separated from the Diocese of Maryland and be formed into a new Diocese ; and whereas it appears by official documents laid before this House (Clerical and Lay Deputies,) that both the Bishop and the Convention of the Diocese of Maryland have consented to such separation and formation of a new Dio- cese, and that all the requirements of the 5th article of the Constitution and Canons are fulfilled,
Therefore be it resolved, That this Convention does hereby ratify the above mentioned division of the Diocese of Maryland into two Dioceses, by the formation within its limits of the new Diocese above described, such division to take effect on the calling of a convention for the purpose by the Bishop or ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese, and that this General Convention does hereby recognize the union with the General Convention of the new Diocese above described, to take effect at the time above-men- tioned, the name of the said new Diocese to be determined by its conven- tion, with the concurrence of the Bishop' and the Standing Committee of the Diocese of Maryland .- (1868, p. 189.)
2. Ratifying Erection of the Diocese of Washington.
The Committee on the Admission of New Dioceses, to whom was referred the Memorial of the Diocese of Maryland, praying for a division of that Diocese, so that the new Diocese shall consist of the District of Columbia and the counties of Prince George's, Montgomery, St. Mary's and Charles, respectfully report that all the Constitutional requirements have been complied with and recommend that the House of Deputies adopt the following resolution :
Resolved, The House of Bishops concurring, that consent be given to the erection of a new Diocese with the territory above stated, within the limits of the existing Diocese of Maryland .- (Adopted by the House of Deputies, 1895, Journal, p. 205. Concurred in by the House of Bishops, 1895, Journal, pp. 33, 226.)
FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS
FOR THE FORMATION OF NEW PARISHES AND CONGREGATIONS IN THE DIOCESE OF MARYLAND, AND FOR THEIR ADMISSION INTO UNION WITH THE CONVENTION.
INSTRUCTIONS.
For the formation of NEW PARISHES.
Persons desiring to form a new Parish, out of parts of one, or more, exist- ing Parishes, shall proceed as follows :
1st. They shall put up at the Church, or Churches and Chapels, within the Parish, or Parishes, out of which it is proposed to form the new Parish, at least three months before the meeting of the Convention to which appli- cation is intended to be made, a notice, that, at the said Convention, appli- cation will be made, for the creation of a new Parish, out of parts of said Parish or Parishes, which notice shall contain a description of the proposed metes and bounds of said new Parish.
2d. If the Convention shall determine to grant the petition for leave to organize a new Parish, its action will be taken, by the passage of an act, in the form given hereafter as "Form No. II." But if the Convention have reason to doubt of the assent of a majority of qualified persons residing in the proposed Parish, to the erection of the same, it will take, in its discre- tion, proper order for ascertaining the sense of such majority; otherwise, the absence of dissent will be taken to imply the assent required by the Act of Assembly.
3d. If the Convention shall pass the act mentioned in the next preceding clause, the passage of the same shall be taken as a grant of the leave asked for in said petition, and as a creation of a new Parish, by the metes and bounds therein described. And thereafter, at some time and place, within the boundaries of such new Parish, a meeting, to be attended by at least nine persons, qualified to vote at elections of Vestrymen, shall be held, of which, and of the time and place, at least ten days' notice shall be given, by setting up a paper containing said notice, at the Churches and Chapels within said Parish or Parishes; at which meeting shall be elected, by a ma- jority of ballots, eight sober and discreet persons, as Vestrymen of the new Parish, to serve until the Easter Monday next following, in manner as pre- scribed by the Act of Assembly of 1798, ch. 24, and by the supplements thereto. A faithful record of the said meeting shall be made, and certified by at least five of the persons attending thereat, a form for which is here- after given as "Form No. III."
4th. Whenever any new Parish shall have been created and organized according to the preceding provisions, and shall desire admission into union with the Convention, the said Parish shall cause to be filed with the Secre- tary of the Convention, at a session succeeding the organization of said Parish by the election of its first Vestry, as prescribed in the next preceding clause of these instructions, the certificate mentioned in said clause, togeth- er with a document, signed by the eight Vestrymen, so elected as aforesaid, declaring their assent to the Constitution and Canons of the Protestant
72
FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS.
Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Maryland, and their adherence to the doctrines, discipline, and worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, in the form given hereafter as "Form No. IV.," and also, a petition for admission into union with the Convention, which shall be in the form set forth hereafter as "Form No. V."
5th. If the Convention shall determine to grant the prayer of the said petition, it will do so by the adoption of a resolution, in the form given as " Form No. VI."
For the formation of NEW CONGREGATIONS.
Persons desiring to organize a new Congregation, within the bounds of any established Parish, shall proceed as follows :
1st. They shall at least three months before the meeting of the Conven- tion, to which application is intended to be made, give notice, in writing, to the Rector, or, if there be no Rector, then to the Vestry or Churchwardens, of the Parish in which the new Congregation is intended to be formed, that application will be made to said Convention, for leave to organize a new Congregation, within the bounds of said Parish.
2d. If the Convention shall determine to grant the petition for leave to organize a Separate Congregation, its action will be taken by the passage of a resolution, in the form hereafter given as "Form No. VIII." And thereupon, at such time and place as shall be agreed upon by the persons so having obtained leave to organize said Congregation, a meeting shall be held, of persons so desiring to form said new Congregation, to be attended by at least nine persons qualified to vote at elections of Vestrymen, at which shall be elected by a majority of ballots, eight sober and discreet persons as Trustees or Vestrymen of the said new Congregation, to serve until the Easter Monday next succeeding, in manner, as near as possible, as prescribed by the Act of 1798, ch. 24, and the supplements thereto, of which election, and of the plan of organization, a record and schedule, in the form given hereafter, as "Form No. IX," shall be made in writing, certified under the hands and seals of the Trustees or Vestrymen afore- said, and acknowledged by them, or a majority of them, before a justice of the peace of the county or city, in which said Congregation shall have, or propose to have, their place of worship; and the same, after approval by a judge, shall, within six months thereafter, be filed for record, in the office of the clerk of said county or city, as the case may be.
3d. Whenever any new Congregation shall have been organized, accord- ing to the preceding provisions, and shall desire admission into union with the Convention, the said Congregation shall cause to be filed with the Secretary of the Convention, the record and schedule mentioned in the next preceding clause, as " Form No. IX," or a duly certified copy thereof, together with a document, signed by the eight Vestrymen so elected as aforesaid, declaring their assent to the Constitution and Canons of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Maryland, and their adlier- ence to the doctrines, discipline, and worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America ; which documents shall be in the form given as "Form No. IV," and also a petition for admission into union with said Convention in the form given hereafter as "Form No. X."
4th. If the Convention shall determine to grant the prayer of said petition, it will do so in the form hereafter given as "Form No. XI."
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FORMS AND INSTRUCTIONS.
FORMS, REFERRED TO IN THE PRECEDING INSTRUCTIONS.
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