Phillip. The Assembly sat for several days and conducted its business according to the standing orders of Parliament. Its debates were marked by ability, good temper, and a knowledge of the important questions discussed. The reports in the Melbourne newspapers were read with an interest not restricted to the Episcopalian community, and there can be no doubt that the session was productive of enduring benefits to the denomination interested.
The Rev. J. A. Clowes was the first minister specially assigned to Collingwood, where he was to officiate north of Gertrude Street. The ladies of his congregation were so well pleased to have a parson "told off" for their spiritual guardianship, that they presented him with a surplice, scarf, gown, and a five-pound note as pocket-money.
The first clergyman, deceased, in the colony, and whose loss, in August, 1851, occasioned much regret, was the Rev. Mr. Newham, Pastor of St. Peter's, a gentleman of much amiability of character and unassuming zeal. He had expended some private funds on St. Peter's parsonage, and a subscription was made to reimburse the amount so advanced, as well as to procure some provision for his bereaved widow. A brief account of his funeral will be found in the "Mortuary Chapter" of this publication.
The Annual Meeting of the Diocesan Society was held at the Mechanics' Institute on the 26th September. His Honor the Superintendent (Mr. Latrobe) presided, and Mr. R. W. Pohlman submitted a report detailing the progress made in the affairs of the church. This document communicated several interesting particulars:— St. Paul's Church, the foundation of which had been laid in the September of the preceding year, was far advanced towards completion, but the funds were exhausted. Its subscription list showed twelve contributors of £100 each, two of whom had increased their donations to £250; nevertheless a lamentable want of zeal and liberality was evinced by the parishioners. Churches were almost in readiness at Heidelberg, Brighton and Richmond, and during the year another new place of worship (St. Paul's) had been commenced at Geelong; but nothing had been done respecting a proposed church at Williamstown. The only new school-building was at Belfast, which supplied accommodation for boarders. Plans were in contemplation for erecting a church at Tarraville (Gippsland), establishing boarding schools at Ballan and Burnbank, and building a parsonage at St. Kilda, for which £350 had been raised. It was hoped that in another year there would be a fourth church erected in the northern part of Melbourne, and a fifth church was greatly needed at Collingwood. The expenditure of the English Episcopal Fund for the year was:— Stipends for clergy and readers, £3310 3s. 2d.; for churches and schools, £1814 17s.; total, £5125 0s. 2d. The receipts from local contributions for maintenance of clergy and lay-readers realized £1484 13s. 7d, and several grants, amounting to about £1500, had been received from societies and friends in England. The income of the Diocesan Society for the year was £636 17s. 5d. The additions to the clerical staff were the Rev. J. Taylor (from England), appointed temporarily to Williamstown; Rev. C. Perks (from England), as temporary curate at St. James'; Rev. W. H. Liddiard, in charge at St. Kilda; Rev. J. A. Clowes (ordained on Trinity Sunday), at Collingwood; Mr. Matty, as an additional lay-reader at Geelong, and Mr. Pitt, from the London City Mission, was visitor at Melbourne. There were expected from England the Rev. J. Hart Davies, to be Archdeacon of Melbourne; Rev. George Drummond, Rev. S. L. Chase, and Mr. Potter, a candidate for Holy Orders. Reference was made to the efforts in establishing Bush Missions, and providing for the spiritual wants of the aborigines; several grants for the year were recommended, and the shortness of funds complained of.
The death of the Rev. D. Newham was deplored, and a graceful and well-deserved tribute offered to his memory. The Church Conference was specially noted as "a most interesting event in the present course of our ecclesiastical history," and "from the manner in which it was conducted, as well as from the conclusions at which it arrived, much benefit may be expected to arise." The report evinced considerable literary ability, and concluded in terms worthy of quotation, viz.:— "The foundation of national prosperity is not in material wealth, but in Christian truth as the source ofSpublic virtue and freedom, no less than of social and domestic happiness. In vain shall our land yield her increase, our flocks and herds multiply, or our gold abound, if true religion and piety be not established among us, and if our people care not for the training up of their children in the knowledge and fear of God."
The meeting was addressed by the Bishop, Messrs. W. F. Stawell, T. T. A'Beckett, H. Moor, H. C. Childers, the Rev. Mr. Perks and others, and resolutions were passed of thanksgiving to God for the success
