prevent, within your parishes, these violations of law, human and divine, in the sacred name of charity and religion. That this evil is felt elsewhere in the Church, let the following article, cut from one of our Church papers, prove:

We are sorry to see in the "New York Observer," a temperate but severe criticism on some practices at the late Sheltering Arms Bazaar. We are sorry, not that the "Observer" criticized that which richly deserved it, but that the occasion for rebuke was given by Church people.

The article was headed "Lotteries and Religion." There is no manner of question that the practice of taking chances for any costly article is simply and purely illegal. That is enough to condemn it, even if otherwise innocent. But this gambling is made illegal because of the best of reasons, viz., that it is immoral. It is often argued that people who have small sums to give prefer to give it in that way, because they expect to receive nothing in return. This is a specious argument. They pay for a dollar or a half-dollar's worth of gambling excitement, the worst thing they could purchase, and they expect to get what they pay for.

Now, gambling is like no other vice in its influence. It is like arsenic eating-it may be indulged in up to a certain point without apparent harm, and suddenly at once becomes irresistible and fatal. Men may be moderate gamblers, but they never can tell when they will cease to be. Once let a man win largely or lose more than he can afford and he is in a vortex.

Now we know that these fair lotteries, raffles and the like, have this consequence. They kindle the desire for gambling. A young man wins once or twice a costly article and begins to have a superstition about his "luck." That will tempt him to other ventures in other places. And it makes the young feel that there is no harm in such things.

We say advisedly there is no safety in tampering in the slightest degree with such hazards. Our people are but too inclined to this evil, and far too much business is carried on upon gambling principles already.

Again, there is an inherent wrong in the very essence of the thing. It is getting an article, no matter what, for far less than its worth. No one is the better, and hardly any man but who is the worse for this. It is demoralizing.

The "Observer" has taken Church people to task for breaking the laws of the State. We accept and indorse the rebuke, and add, these have also broken the laws of God.

CHURCH PRINCIPLES.

There is great need, you will permit me to say, brethren of the clergy, of constant teaching, not only in what

are called the principles of our holy religion, but also in those of the Church as a part of that religion-the "pillar and ground of the truth." Our members, our children in the Sunday Schools, all classes of our people, need to be instructed in her history, her claims, her offices. Churchmen do not understand why they are churchmen. They cannot defend the Church, much less can they propagate her principles, as opposed to the wild and extravagant claims and teachings of the rampant sectism of our day, on one side, or the novelties and errors of Romanism, on the other. Nor do they comply as generally as might be wished, with her wise directions in the order of her services. I am persuaded that attachment to her order and her teachings, will be firm and steadfast in proportion as it is intelligent. Yours and mine is the duty of making it so. Many, I fear, are admitted to the privileges of the Church without the preparation which the Church herself demands. Why, otherwise, should a faithful pastor, desiring to do his duty to the souls committed to him, feel obliged to ask of his Bishop such questions as these:

"Will you tell me whom I am to enroll, and report, as communicants of this parish?"

1. "Are they to be classed as communicants, who never commune? I ask this question because this has been done here before."

2. "Are they to be classed among communicants, who turn away from the Sacrament without assigning any sufficient cause?"

3. "Are they to be classed as communicants, who commune only occasionally, it may be once or twice a year, turning away from Christ's invitation at all other times?"

4. "Are they to be classed as communicants, who refuse to partake for any and every trivial pretext, without previously consulting the Rector?"

These are, certainly, important questions. They expose a state of things greatly to be deplored. There

surely must be some meaning to the declaration, "whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven."

I confess that, to me, there is something shocking in the act of one who, while vowing in confirmation to keep all God's holy will and commandments, has deliberately resolved, that, to one of them he intends to give no heed. What is it less than perjury? I beg my brethren of the clergy to see to it that no one is presented to me for confirmation, who is not also pledged to communion, and prepared for it. And I am constrained to ask, in view of the state of facts brought out by these questions, whether. while we are legislating for the trial of clergymen, we do not also need canons of discipline for the laity.

PARISH REGISTERS.

While we are asking the question who shall be enrolled, it is well to inquire, also, how it shall be done. The importance of securing accurate and reliable statistics of church work and history, can not be too strongly stated. I have been greatly surprised, and not a little pained by the evident carlessness prevailing upon this subject. I fear that upon my brethren of the clergy, the greater part of the blame must rest. I can not suppose a parish unable or unwilling to supply a proper Parish Register for the Rector's use. Let every Ledger and Day Book of Church Records, at once be put away, and then let the clergy consider the importance of a neat, careful and absolutely correct, record of their official acts. A Parish Register, may in time, become as important, even to men's worldly interests, as any other book in the parish. Instances are not few, in which they have furnished evidence, vital to interests of the greatest magnitude. But apart from this consideration, the Church demands accuracy in our statistics of work. I have seen Parish Registers in which proper names, and even initials of proper names, were in many instances, entirely omitted! It is a fact, disgraceful to the per

son, whether clerical or lay, who is responsible for it. I pray that this matter may have the attention which it so manifestly deserves.

I have thus, brethren, I well know how imperfectly, set before you some matters which I deem important to our work, and I thank you for your patient attention. I will only say, in conclusion, that we are met here to consider and discuss the interests of a kingdom, which is not of this world-the Church of our Divine Lord and Master. Let us look to His Good Spirit to be our guide, in all our councils. I pray God to "save us from all error, ignorance, pride and prejudice, and so to direct, sanctify and govern us in our present work, by the mighty power of the Holy Ghost, that the comfortable gospel of Christ may be truly preached, truly received, and truly followed, in all places, to the breaking down of the kingdom of sin, Satan, and death; till at length the whole of His dispersed sheep, being gathered into one fold, shall become partakers of everlasting life, through the merits and death of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen."

On motion of Rev. William H. Van Antwerp, it was

Resolved, That so much of the Bishops' addresses as refer to the death of Rev. Thomas Mills Martin be referred to a special committee to report to this Convention.

Rev. William H. Van Antwerp, Rev. Dr. Runcie, and Mr. George C. Duy were appointed such committee.

On motion of Rev. Dr. Davidson, it was

Resolved, That so much of the Assistant Bishop's address as relates to Fairs and Lotteries be referred to a committee of five, to report to this Convention.

Rev. Drs. Davidson and Runcie, and Rev. Messrs. Edward Hale, Andrew F. Freeman, and Abraham Reeves were appointed such committee.

On motion of Rev. Dr. Davidson, it was

Resolved, That so much of the Assistant Bishop's address as relates to the numerous and inviting fields in the bounds of this Diocese, destitute of the services of our branch of the Catholic Church, be referred to a committee of three, to report to this Convention.

Rev. Messrs. William Willson, E. J. Purdy, and Walter Scott were appointed such committee.

On motion of James Siddall, it was

Resolved, That so much of the Bishops' addresses as refer to the death of Bishop Kemper be referred to a committee of three.

Rev. Dr. Runcie, Rev. George B. Engle, and James Siddall were appointed such committee.

On motion of Rev. Dr. Davidson it was

Resolved, That so much of the Assistant Bishop's address as relates to the endowment of the Episcopate, be referred to a committee consisting of the Treasurer of the Diocese, Mr. W. H. Morrison, and three clergymen, to report to this Convention.

John S. Irwin, M. D., William H. Morrison, Rev. T. Walden, and Rev. Drs. Davidson and Wakefield were appointed such committee.

The Committee on the Admission of New Parishes presented the following

REPORT:

The Committee on the Admission of New Parishes report that they have examined the papers laid before them, and find that those of Trinity Church, Peru, and St. Peter's Church, Kentland, are in form; while those of St. James' Church, South Bend, do not comply with the requisitions of the Canons of this Diocese relating to the organization of new parishes.

The committee recommend the adoption of the following resolutions:

Resolved, That Trinity Church, Peru, and St. Peter's Church, Kentland, be, and are hereby, admitted into union with this Convention.

Resolved, That the papers from St. James' Church, South Bend, be returned to the officers of said Church for correction and completion.

Resolved, further, That if these papers are corrected and completed according to the Canon, and sent to the Bishop before the next Annual Convention, that he be, and is hereby, empowered to receive such St. James' Church, South Bend, into union with the Convention.

Respectfully submitted,

DAVID PISE,

E. J. PURDY,
JOHN LOVE,
Committee.

On motion, the resolutions contained in the report were

adopted.