The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-10-17

Let me die within thy sight.
The Protestant Episcopal General Trt'
ennial Convention.
The proceedings on Tuesday we're opened oy
iba rsnal divine services, which was conauct-
ed nv Bishop Whltehouse, of Illinois, assisted
by the Rev. Charles Breck, OF Delaware. AT
eleven o'clock the Convention was called to
order by the President, the Rev. James Craik,
D. D., of Kentucky.
The Rev. DR.. Milo Mahon, of Maryland, from
the committee on canons, asked the passage OF
such an amendment to canon eleven, title one,
as will prevent persons other than ministers OF
this chu ch from officiating IN any place OF
public worship used by this churcn "11nou' y,
the consent Of the clergyman in charge, or IN
his absence, the consent OF majority VI 'no
church ward5ns.
A motion was made that the matter be re-
committed to the committee on canons.
A member stated that such an amendment
would prevent layman from omclsuns "hen
called upon in an emergency:
A long discussion on the rights Of layman to
conduct certain parts Of the Episcopal service
The Rev. Cooper Meade, Of Connecticut,
spoke against excluding the layman, and re,
lated how, when he had been suddenly seized
with fit of indigestion during dvlne service,
he had summoned the senior church warden
to read the lessons for him without las ne be-
ieyedl transgressing any established rule OF
the church. He assert d that the custom OF
the church for many years warranted such &c
tion.
The Pew. DR.. VIM. Adams told story Of the
s'valetn of some English Bishop who had stolen
&c ND m
ing to this country, had ofhcated as an Epls-
cnpal minister for nearly year without detec-
tion. Had the vestry demanded to examine
his credentials, the frauds would have been
prevented.
On motion, the recommendation Of the com :
mittee was made the special order for Friday.
MIR. VIM. Cornwall, Of Kentucky, offered
resolution instructing the committee on canons
to examine and report what portion OF tue
morning and evening service may properly DO
read by laymen while conducting the dvlne
service. Adopted.
MIR. Howe, Of Iowa, from the committee on
canons, reported:
ferred certain memorials from the Dioceses OF
New York and Maryland, concerning the estao-
lshment OF federate conventions or counchs,
beg leave respectfully to report that after care
fui deliberation they are prepared to recon-
mend the adoption Of the following:
ring, that the following be adopted as canon
-, of title -, to wit: i.
"Canon -, authorizing the formation OF
federate convention or council OF the dioceses
within any State.
'It is hereby declared lawful for the dioceses
now existing, or hereafter TO exist, within the
limits of any State or commonwealth, to eStaD-
ish for themselves federate convention or
council representing such dioceses, which may
deliberate and decide upon the common inter-
est Of the church within the limits aforesaid;
but before any determmate action OF said con-
,yent1on or council shall be had, the powers
proposed to be exercised thereby shall be sub
mitted to the General Convention FOR lts ap-
proval."
This report brought up general discussion
in regard to the question as to the appropri-
ateness of the term council" or convention"
for the general triennial meeting OF the church.
In tie debate that ensued, Messrs. Gordon,
of Alabama, Judge Conyngham,. Professor
Goodwin, MIR. Battle and others TOOK part, ana
the hour of adjournment arrived before 1t had
concluded.
THE MOVEMENT AGAINST RITUALIsM.
Judge John N. Conyngham, Of Pennsylva-
mia, presented to the Episcopal Convention on
Monday last twenty memorials, signed, he said,
numerously by persons claiming to be lay men,
bers of the church, one Of which he read, with
out endorsing it, as follows:
TO the Right Reverend the Bishops, Clergy and
Lay Delegates of the Protestant Episcopal
Ckureh IN the United States of America, as
sem5led in General Convention
Your memorillists, 10y members of said
Protestant Episcopal Church, respectfully rep
resent that uniformity in ihe manner OF Wor.
shipping Almighty God is one OF the cnlef
reasons for the use Of o Liturgy, and ls, In
itself, most desirable; that 1t was the object
of the Chmch of England, and afterward OF
the Protestan. Episcopal Church IN the United
States OF America, as appears by the preface
to their respective books OF Common Prayer,
to establish q form Of worship which might
unity in the church, the procuring. of rever.
ence, and the exciting OF piety and devotion IN
the worship of God, and, finally, the cutting OH
occasion, from them that seek occasion. OF ca
vii or quarrel against her Lturgy;" that IN or
der to attain these ends the Protestant Episco-
pal Church in these United States made, at its
organization in this country, many important
alterations and amendments in the kngllsh
Book of Common Prayer, all lending TO sim
plify her worship and to promulgate Christi
anity and the truths Of the gospel to mankind
sin the clearest, plainest, most afe ting and
majestic manner" That, OF late, many min
listers, forgetfu Of the objects of the fathers Of
various changes in the previously long-estao-
ished manner Of conducting divine worship
therein, and Of performing her rites and cere-
monies, novel to our people and not contem-
plated by the Book Of Common Prayer and the
canons of the church, and which do not ''tend
to the preservation Of peace and unity in this
Church." nor to ''the procuring Of reverence,
and the exciting OF piety and devotion in the
worship Of God" and especially not to the
"cutting of occasion, from tnem that seek oc-
casion, of csvil or quarrel against her Liturgy;"
that by reason of the said changes the worship
in the churches in this diocese, and Of other
d;s..-ca is no lon~er uniform, and great scam
dai and dlese ns1ons have been promoted there
by: that your memoriaists deplore she intro
duction Of said changes in the manner Of wor-
shipping God by whatever ancient practice IN
auy other church the same may have been re-
and whatever their intrinsic merit,
and express the fervent hope that the same
NAV cease from among us; that, leaving to
YOUR honorable body to particularze the
practices to which we allude, your memo
rialists respectfully express their disappro-
val. OF all dayistions-man on the in
crease-from the prescribed ritual OF our
Church, and Of all acts, intentional postures,
unaccustomed ministerial garments and per-
sonal or church decorations, and all conduct
in the celebration OF divine worship, which
tend to make the same resemble, in outward
seeming, that Of the Church Of Rome; that, in
our judgment, charity and the interests Of this
Church, as well as good taste, require the
abandonment by individuals even OF acts not
forbidden, If injurious to its peace or likely 10
be misunderstood by Protestant Christians;