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Messrs. Chambers, Payne, Andrews, Butler, Smith, Weems, and
Young.

On motion, Resolved, that the Clergy of other Dioceses, who may
happen to be present, be admitted to honorary seats in this Convention.
Whereupon, the following Clergymen took their seats as honorary
members ; the Bev. Messrs. Crane and Boyd from Mississippi ; the
Rev. Mr. Litton from Tennessee ; the Rev. Mr. Renouf from Massa-
chusetts ; and the Rev. Mr. Eaton from Texas.

The minutes of the session yesterday were then read and approved ;
after which the Bishop delivered the following

ADDRESS.

BRETHREN OF THE CLERGY AND LAITY.

We are again permitted, by the good providence of God, to assemble
in Convention, to deliberate on the affairs of that portion of the Church
of Christ committed to our care ; and I would invoke you to join me
in offering up to our heavenly Father sincere and devout thanks, for
the many mercies he has vouchsafed us, as members of his kingdom on
earth, during the last ecclesiastical year.

Our number, though small, has not been made less by the hand of
death ; and God has been very merciful in abating the violence of
the pestilence, to which a certain portion of our population, more or
less intimately associated with all the rest, is annually exposed. For
these mercies of his Providence, and the greater mercies of his Grace,
let us feel ourselves constrained to be devoted for the future more un-
reservedly to his service.

Before proceeding to the business of the Convention, I shall lay be-
fore you, in obedience to the requisition of the canons, the records of
my official acts since the last Convention ; with such other informa-
tion and suggestions, as the state of the Diocese and of the Church at
large seems to me to demand.

I have during the last year given my official approbation to the con-
secration of the Rev. John Johns, D. D., and the Rev. Manton East-
burn, D. D. to the office of the Episcopate, the former as Assistant
Bishop of Virginia ; the latter as Assistant Bishop of Massachusetts.---
The consecration of both these gentlemen you have seen announced in
the public prints ; and herein do we find cause for deep gratitude to
Almighty God, who continues thus to watch over and guard the inte-
rests of his Church, extending its benefits through the instrumentality

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of the apostolical office, and by the labors of well tried and faithful
men.

My exertions for the welfare of our own Diocese have been, for sev-
eral reasons, less during the year past, than during any similar period
since my official connexion with it. The want of health in the early
part of the year, and the necessity of being absent with a view to the
removal of my family hither, have prevented my seeing certain portions
of the Diocese, which I had confidently hoped to embrace in my yearly
visitation.

On the Sunday immediately following the adjournment of the last
Convention, I preached in Christ Church, New-Orleans, in the morn-
ing, and in St. Pauls, in the same City, in the afternoon.

During the six weeks next ensuing, I was disqualified for the per-
formance of any official duty, by an attack of inflammation of the lungs.
On my recovery, I held service on La Fourche, and preached on the
13th of March, to a devout congregation of colored persons.

The Sunday following, March 20th, I passed in the City of New-
Orleans, where by appointment I preached and held confirmation, in
the morning in Christ Church, where I confirmed nine persons, and in
the afternoon in St. Pauls, where I confirmed four others.

On Easter Sunday, I officiated in St. Pauls Church, New-Orleans,
in the morning, and in Christ Church at night.

On the Sunday after, 3d April, I read the service and preached at
Donaldsonville. This was the second occasion on which the services
of the Church had ever been held there. And I could not but remark
on the familiarity manifested by a highly respectable congregation with
our formularies, indicating very plainly, that it was a point at which, at
no distant day, we might see a congregation organized, and a Church
edifice erected.

The two following Sundays were passed on La Fourche, and devoted
to the colored race.

The next Sunday, April 24th, I devoted to St. Pauls Church, New-
Orleans, reading service and preaching morning and afternoon.

On Sunday the 8th May, I read the sevice and preached at Thibo-
deaux to a congregation assembled in the Court House.

On Thursday the 12th, I met such of the citizens of Donaldsonville
and vicinity as were favorable to the establishment of the church in that
place ; and a parish was organized to be connected with the Church
in this Diocese, and to be called the parish of the Ascension. Mea-
sures have been taken to provide for and invite a minister to take
charge of it.

I look upon this parish as one of a good deal of importance, not
only in itself, but in regard to the country connected with it, both by