Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1861-10-30
CONVENTION


| ,federate States.
The proceedings of this body which is now in
session in Columbia, S. c., somewhat interesting.
! The following Is portion of its proceedings on
| Friday last
| Bishop Elliott presented some considerations in
favor of the adoption OF the first article viz: This
| Church shall he called the Protestant Episcopal
| Church in the Confederate States of America" He
thought itinexpedlent to make changes unless abso
lutey required. The identity of the Church might
be more or less called in question, and questions i'll
regard to property might arise and litigation
Judge Phelan, of Alabama, maintained that if the
corporation remained the Same, would its rights
| and liabilities
Rev. Mr.. Traper mentioned several facts in the
history of churches in Charleston, New York and
| Vermont, substantating this vIew-that if the
sence, doctrine and discipline be preserved its form
might be changed.
Bishop Green considered the term protestant
meaning from lis generality and that it involved
the Church in the odum of the fOlles and heresies
of various sectS. Episcopal, term, was not dis
tnctive, because there other Episcopal bodies.
! lie preferred the title The American Catholic
| Church"
Mr.. Williams, of Virginia, glorifed in the term
Protestant Does the Church still protest? The
Articles explicit upon that point and any change
of the kind advocated would subject the Church to
suspicion.
Rev. Mr. Hines, of Tenn, inquired if there were
other errors to protest against bot those of Ro-
manists? In the creed we prnfessed to believe in
| the Catholic Church. He wanted name which
! would take back to the days of the Saviour and
| apostles.
| Mr.. Fairbanks, of Florida, was at loss to dis
cover how Protestant came to be applied a name
! to the Churchill was supertiuouS. The argu
ment to retain it upon the ground of expedency
was wholly untenabe. They were not to regard
| expediency; it was the lowest ground of action
Mason of nrth Tarolipo hoI cd tbo
title. 1t had always seemed to him to be Sectarian
But it hard to get rid of He would gladly
escape from it, but the alteration might entail con-
fusion, and require endless explanations.
Bishop Elliott would be extremely 10th to strike
| out a term which was standing rebuke of Rome's
peculiar assumption, that she is the Catholic Church
| Of the world. The English Church goricd in it
and even the Queen had TO take oath to support
the Protestant religion. He would repeat what he
had said in q sermon in 1874, that the Church is
Catholic for every truth of God, and Protestant
against every error of man.
Bishop Atkinson urged that names should CORES
pond to things. They should be distinctive. He
thought the term Reformed expressive than
Protestant. The JansenistS protest, but do not
reform. His preference was for the Reformed
Catholic Church.
Rev. Mr.. Trapier urged that Protestant Episcopal,
as designation, now q concrete thing and
hallowed by association.
Bishop Davis dwet upon the inconvenience of
change For several centuries after the Church was
established, it bore the title Catholic, and derived
character from it Subsequently, when corruption
crept in, it was not so. 1t became a falschoood-
Protestant in due time became the true term and
gave its historic testimony to the pure and true
Church. Viewing each IN its time, Catholic and
Protestant are in harmony. The term Episcopal
likewise teStliies to the true Government of the
Church.
Bishop Otey contended that the term Protestant
ig Inriv from md irip liz
directed against errors i'll the Church of Rome. He
alluded to the present war the result, in his be
lief of ultra Professionalism Puritanisrn. lie Oh
Jected more particularly to the expression in the
Confederate States" 1t was entangling.
Rev. DR.. Crane, OF Mississippi, considered that to
take TIE name Reformed Catholic would be but to
sumo the appropriate and originate title ofthe Church
Cranmer, Ridley, and Latner not Protestants
they were RefOrmers.
Bishop lay of.Arkansas, gave a strong reason
why the name should be retained, that its origin
could not be discovered. Names gradually came into
use. The reasons for their adoption were in the
of time lost sight Of but the necessity for
tanning them continued When names were chang
ed, principles often were. He thought Protestant
affirmed the position Of the Church in respect to the
accretions of Rome, and Episcopal did so likewise
as to the subtractions of other denominations. We
Should also not assume name which others could
not recognise as rightfuIly ours, without denying
their own principles.
Mr.. Hines said the term Protestant was common
to the nnumerable sects who disgraced the Christian
world. He moved that Protestant Episcopal be
stricken out.
Mr.. Williams argued that if you strike cut Pro-
testant you march more than halfway towards
Rome. When changes Of this sort were proposed
there must be some reason for them.
Mr.. Pearce, of Alabama said that the term Pro
testant Episcopal originated in Maryland, distin
gush it from the Romsh Church there. 1t was at
tached to the Church by the merest accident.
Bishops 0tey and DAVIS entered into some expla
nations Of their previous remarks.
Bishop Elliott moved an adjournment. The ques
ton was called for.
Pending the call, DR.. Wilmer of Virginia, expires
sed his desire to cut short the whole discussion
He was for adapting the old Constitution and Canons
to the altered circumstances Of the Church. He
would move at the proper time to substitute it or
the one now proposed - ~
Bishop Meade, from the chair, expressed the deer
regret he felt in putting the question. He mplorec
his brethern to pause and consider well the results
of the contemplated action They might give aid
and comfort to their enemies and infict incnrablC
wounds upon their friends, whose affections they
might ALLEVIATE, aud whose support they might lose
The motion 70 adjourn prevailed. -Erchanse.