Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1861-11-03
Constitution Of the Protestant Episcopal
Church ira the Confederate states Of

| ARTICLE J. This church. retaining the name
of Protestant Episcopal, shall BE- known as
The Protestant Episcopal Church in the Con
| tedeTate States of America
ART. .. There shall be in this church a gen
cral council There may be also provincial cOun-
| els and dioceses and councils.
ART. 3. The general council Of this church
shall meet on the second Wednesday Of Novem.
Der, in the year Of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and sixty-two, at Augusta, Ga, and on
the same day in every third year after, in such
/ place as shall be determined by the council.
In case there shall be an epidemic disease OF
| other good cauSe to render IL necessary to alter
| the place appointed for such meeting, the presid.
/ ing bishop may designate another convenient
| place for the holding ofsuch council and spe-
cial meetings may be called at other times in the
manner hereafter to be determined.
The general council shall consist of two
houses The house Of bishops and the house OF
deputies.
The house of bishops shall be composed Of all
bishops Of the church, having jurisdiction with
in the Confederate States or the territories
thereof
Each diocese shall be entitled 70 an equal
representation, clerical and lay, in the House
of Deputies. Such representation shall con-
sist OF not more than three clergymen and three
laymen, communicate in this church, resident
i'm the diocese, and elected by the council
thereof
Before they shall proceed to business, a ma
lorlty of the diocese, which shall have adopted
this constitution, shall be represented in the
council. The representation from two dioceses
shall be sufficient to adjourn.
In all business of the council freedom Of de
bate shall be allowed.
Each house shall have a right to rfrinat
acts, and when any act shall have been passed
in either house, il shall be transmitted to the
other house for its consideration No act shall
have the operation Of law, unless concurred in
and authenticated by both houses.
Whom any proposed act shall have passed the
house Of deputies, the house Of bishops shall.
when requested by the house of deputies. sig
Nifty to it in writing their uon-concurrence
within three days after such request shall have
been made.
In all questions, when required by the clerical
or lay representation from any diocese. each
order shall have one vote, and the majority of
suttrageS by dlOceses shall be conclusive in each
order provided such majority comprehend a
majority of the diOceses represented in that
order. The concurrence of both orders shall be
necessary IN such case, to constitute a vote of
the house.
If any diocese should omit or decline to elect
clerical deputies 30 the general council. or
should omit or decline to elect lay IDENTITIES. or #
"a 20 'ieAA NAAIA tiEIlFA SHOULD EII
to attend, such diocese shall. nevertheless. be
considered as duly represented by such deputy
OF deputies as may attend, lay OF clerical. And
II through the neglect OF any diocese. which
shall have adopted the constitution, no deputv
therefTom, either lay or clerical, should attend
the general Confederate council, the church in
such diocese shall, nevertheless, be bound by
the acts Of such council.
R 4. Whenever any Of the Confederate
! AH4faE uI-l rIv4,s, - -
state may, with the consent Of all the dioceses
thereof, constitute an ecclesiastical province. in
which may be held, at least once in three years.
"a provincial council which council shall be made
up OF all the bishops having jurisdiction within
the province, and Of such representative, clerical
and lay, from the diocese, within The province
as may be determined upon BY the diocesan
council itself. II there be more than one bishOp
within the province, the senior bishop, by conse-
Grafton, shall preside in the provincial council
I and when here shall be three, or more than three
bishops, they shall form a separate house.
Whenever such council shall legislate, its acts
shall be of force within all the diotescs embraced
within the province.
ARR .. There shall be held annually in each
diocese q diocesan council. 20 be composed of the
bishop or bishops o. the diocese and g lay and
clerical representation from each parish Of the
diocese. This council shall I~egisIate only for
diocesan purposes.
ART. 6. The bishop or bishops in each do
cese shall be chosen by the council of the diocese,
agreeably 10 such rules as il may prescribe, and
every bishop of this church sh III conEne the
exercise of his episcopal office 70 his proper do
cese, unless requested to perform any act OF that
"tlce by the ecclesiastical authority Of any other
diocese.
ART. A new diocese formed in any of the
Confederate States, or in any territory thereof
not now represented, may, at any time hereafter,
be admitted 10 union with, and representation
in, the general council of this church, on &C
cedIng 20 this constitution: Provided, there
were at the time of organization, and at the
time Of making application for admission, at
least six officiating p~resbyteries within such
diocese, regularly settled in a parish or church.
A new diocese may be formed within the linn
It's OF any existing diocese, with the consent of
It's council and bishop or bishops thereof; or, if
there be no bishop, OF the ecclesiastical author
lily thereof; and a new diocese may De formed
with like consent: Provided, that no such new
diocese shall be formed, which shall contain less
than ten pTesbyters, who have been for at least
one year economically resident within the bounds
of such new diocese, regularly settled in a par
l5h or congregation, and qualified to vote for q
bishop; nor shall such new diocese be formed,
II thereby any existing diocese should be so
reduced as to contain less than fifteen self-sup-
porting parishes, or less than fifteen presbyters,
who have been resident therein and settled and
qualified as above mentioned Provided, thatuO
city shall form thus one diocese.
In case a diocese shall be divided into two or
more di0cescs, the diocesan Of the diocese so di-
vided may elect the diocese over which be will
preside, and shall become the diocesan thereof.
And the assistant bishop, if there be one. NAV
elect the diocese 20 which he will be attached
and 81 II LHrLF Oh. .H. -F-.-1 l. H
shall be its diocesan thereof.
ART. +. The mode of trying bishops shall be-
provided by the Confederate council The court
3Ppolnted Tor that purpose shall be composed of
bishops only.
In every diocese, the mode Of trying presby-
tars and deacous shall be prescribed bv the
OF the diocese embraced. None but a
bishop shall pronounce sentence of admonition.
suspension, or degradation from the ministry, on
any clergyman, whether bishop, presbyter or
deacon,
ART. 9. No person shall be admitted to holy
orders until he shall have been examined by the
BISHOP and by two presbyters, and shall have
exhibited Sucn testimonials and other requisites
as the cauOns IN that case provided may direct.
Nor shall any person be ordained either dra-
or priest, until be shall have subscribed the
following declaration, viz:
IL do believe the Holy Scriptures of the
and New Testament to be the Word Of God.
and TO coutuiu all things necessary TO salvation.
and ! do ~sOlemnly eugage to conform to the
doctrines and worship Of the Protestant Epis-
Church in the Confederate States of
No person ordained by a foreign bishop shall
be permitted TO Oficiate as a minister Of this
until be shall have complied with the
canon and cauons in such case provided. and
alse subscribed to the aforesaid declaration.
r 10. y book Of common PRAYER. adj
ninistration Of the S~acraments, aud other rites
ceremonies Of the church, articles of ra-
lglon, and a form and manner Of MAKING. or
laInIng and concerning bishops, priests and
.-cacous, when established BY the general
,ouucll, shall be used ia those dioceses which
shall have adopted this Constitution. No alter
-tiOu " addition shall be made in tue book of
ommon prayer or other Offices of the church.
T articles OF religion, unless the same shall
be proposed III one general council, aud by q
e~sgluti0u thereof made known 10 the couuciI |
# every diocese, approved by a majority of the /
Ioceses in convention, and adopted at The sub
general council. /
ART. II Bishops Of foreign countries NAV ON =
.ue application therefruIu, BE- Cousccrated. with !
he appreciation Of q majority Of bishops of this /
hurch, signihed in writing 10 the presiding ;
be thereupOn taking order for tue same. ,
nd they being satisfied that the person desig-
ated for the office has been duly chosen and *
qualified. y
The order for conservation shall be conform 4
d as nearly as may be in the Judgment of the d
to the one used in this church. 3
such bishops, so cousecrated, shall notbe eIfgf- d
lie to the office OF diocesan or assistant bishop u
d any diocese in the Confederate States. nor be- q
nfff|lI IN q scot I'm fLa H. ~. 4 10 =