Catholic Church through eighteen hundred years of piety and manifold religious experience; and that the seasons of the Christian year, with their rounded teachings, and deep spiritual interpretations, are not only the best, but the only means of bringing before the minds of young and old the whole body of Biblical truth.

To strengthen the minds of teachers and parents in the work of the Sunday-school, we suggest that stated meetings of teachers' institutes, or conferences, be held, where one or two papers may be read, and opportunities may be given for general discussion; the papers and discussions to be, not necessarily about methods of engineering the schools, but rather about Catholic, Christian truths, and Church History. Should there be, from time to time, a paper presented of more than usual interest and edification, it might be printed in attractive form for gratuitous distribution to the congregations. These institutes, or conferences, would draw out and deepen the ideas and convictions of those taking part in them. Above all, they would tend to enlarge the spiritual life of pastor and teacher, and so flow forth in greater spiritual results among the children. The tendency of this course would, also, be to raise the office of the Sunday-school teacher in the estimation of the congregation, and of all Christian parents.

We would lay emphasis upon the very great benefit of the monthly public catechetical instruction of the whole school by the rector. We recommend, as a constituent part of these exercises, a short, but regularly composed sermon. There is no better time for habituating the children to an interest in the spoken Word, no better time for bringing them into the immediate sphere of pastoral affection and guidance.

The Rev. Robert S. Barrett, in his admirable pamphlet: "Nineteen Questions about the Episcopal Church," makes the following quotation from Rev. Thomas K. Beecher, a Congregationlist:

"The Episcopal Church is excellent in her provisions for Christian education and pious drill. Churches that avowedly receive very young infants as members must necessarily provide education for these accepted children. Accordingly, the Episcopal Church is characteristically a Church for the training of children. In the prayer book and Church almanac you find the Christian year divided into periods separated by high days- monuments; and memorials of Christian story. In connection with this calendar is a system of lessons, in following which the reader is led through the entire Bible each year, and through the more profitable parts monthly or oftener. He who for years has been a Churchman, and yet remains ill-grounded in Scripture, shows himself to be an unworthy son of a very faithful mother."

What better can we do than to strive after, and continue to deserve this good report?

In conclusion, your committee would humbly, but strongly urge, that we simply hold true, in the religious instruction of the young, to our ancient standards. Let the Sunday-school keep its lowly place as a vestibule of discipleship in the rudimentary truths of faith and practice. Let it be the nursery of the Church. Let the Sunday-school continue to be, and more and more to be seen to be, a wisely constituted means by which both Parent and Pastor are greatly assisted in their divinelyappointed labor of training up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Respectfully submitted,

CHAS. TURNER,
C. S. SARGENT.
Committee.

The Secretary read the following, the resolution contained therein being adopted:

The Registrar of the Diocese respectfully reports that he has received no parish histories since the last Convention.

He would respectfully call the attention of the Convention to the preservation of the Records of the Standing Committee, Treasurer and Secertary. What has become of the older books?

Of the Treasurer's Books, he has in his possession three, viz.; Book "A," from 1839 to 1847, Jos. M. Moore and Geo. H. Dunn, Treasurers; Book "C," from 1848 to 1861, Geo. H. Dunn and Andrew Ingraham, Treasurers; Book "D," from 1861 to 1870, Andrew Ingraham and John S. Irwin, Treasurers; and would suggest the passage of the following resolution:

Resolved, That all Treasurer's books and records of the Standing Committee, that are completed, be sent to the Registrar for preservation. DAVID E. SNYDER,

JUNE 4, 1890.

Registrar.

The Rev. Daniel B. Ramsey submitted the following:

Your committee appointed at the last annual Convention on the revision of Constitution and Canons have had the matter under consideration and respectfully submit the following report:

Your committee recommend the adoption of the Constitution as reported and submit the Canons for consideration by the Diocese until the next annual Convention.

THE TITLE AND BOUNDS OF THE DIOcese.

This Church shall be known as The Diocese of Indiana, and its bounds are hereby declared to be those of the State of Indiana.

ARTICLE II.

OF ADHESION TO THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED

STATES.

The Church in the Diocese of Indiana accedes to the Constitution of that branch of the Holy Catholic Church known as the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America; and recognizes the authority of the General Convention of the same.

SECTION 1.

ARTICLE III.

OF ANNUAL AND SPECIAL CONVENTIONS.

There shall be a Convention of the Church in this Diocese to assemble annually on the evening of the first Tuesday in June, at the place appointed by the Ecclesiastical Authority.

SEC. 2. The Ecclesiastical Authority shall have power to call a special meeting of the Convention at such time and place as it shall determine.

ARTICLE IV.

THE MEMBERS OF CONVENTION.

SECTION 1. The Convention shall be composed of clergymen and laymen.

SEC. 2. The Bishop and every clergyman in regular standing, who shall have been for three months actually and canonically resident in this. Diocese shall be entitled to a seat and vote in the Convention: Provided that, at the time, he is not under Ecclesiastical Sentence.

SEC. 3. Every parish and canonically organized mission in union with the Convention of this Diocese, and the Congregation of the Bishop's Church, shall be entitled to be represented by lay-delegates, 'who are communicants of the Church in this Diocese, in proportion to number of communicants as may be canonically specified. Every lay-delegate shall be entitled to a seat and a vote in the Convention.

SEC. 4. Lay-delegates shall be chosen by the Vestry of each parish and canonically organized mission, and by those members of the Congregation worshipping in the Bishop's Church, who would be qualified under the Canon to vote for Wardens and Vestrymen of a parish.

SEC. 5. Such officers of the Convention, not delegates, as the Convention may hereafter specify, shall be entitled to a seat and a vote in the Convention.

SEC. 6. It is the duty of every clergyman entitled to a seat in the Convention to attend the meetings thereof, and it is the duty of every parish and mission to make special provision for the necessary expenses of its minister when attending Convention; and it is the duty of every parish and mission entitled to representation in the Convention to send the full number of lay-delegates to which it is entitled, or one at least, to represent it in Convention.

ARTICLE V.

OF DIVINE SERVICE AT MEETINGS OF THE CONVENTION.

The specification and direction of divine service at the opening and during the sessions of the Convention shall rest with the Bishop alone. In the absence of the Bishop, with the President of the Standing Committee until the election of a President of the Convention. The President declared to have been elected shall then specify and direct the services.

ARTICLE VI.

THE PRESIDENT OF CONVENTION.

The Bishop of the Diocese shall be ex-officio President of the Convention, but in case of his absence at the time and place appointed for

any session of the Convention, the Secretary shall call the Convention to order, and if a quorum be present, a presiding officer shall be chosen from among the presbyters in attendance; and if the Bishop shall at any time leave the chair, he may appoint a presbyter to preside in his stead. ARTICLE VII.

THE SECRETARY OF THE CONVENTION.

The Annual Convention shall elect a Secretary, who shall continue in office for the term of one year and until his successor shall have been appointed. He shall discharge such duties as usually pertain to his office, and as may be required of him by the Convention. The Secretary, when not a member of the Convention, shall be entitled to a seat and a vote in the Convention.

ARTICLE VIII.

ADMISSION OF NEW PARISHES, AND THE SUSPENSION OF old. SECTION 1. The Convention may admit new parishes and missions into union with it.

SEC. 2.

The Convention shall set forth the conditions for which parishes and missions now in union with it may be deprived of representation in the Convention, and forfeit their parochial privileges.

ARTICLE IX.

THE TRANSACTION OF BUSINESS.

SECTION 1. One-third of the clergy entitled to seats in Convention and lay-delegates from one-fourth of the parishes and missions entitled to representation, when duly assembled, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business; but a smaller number may adjourn from time to time.

SEC. 2. The election of all officers, and of all committees not otherwise expressly specified by Canon, shall be by ballot, and in the event of a failure or neglect to elect at any Convention the existing officers and committees shall continue in office until their successors shall have been regularly elected.

Every

SEC. 3. The clergy and laity shall deliberate in one body. member shall be entitled to one vote, and a majority of all the votes cast shall determine any question submitted to the Convention.

SEC. 4. If any member shall call for a vote by yeas and nays, the Secretary shall call the roll of the Convention, and the members shal! thereupon announce their votes as their names are called by the Secretary. The vote so cast shall be recorded in the Journal, and no member shall be excused from voting unless by unanimous consent