The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-10-19


For the last ten days the readers Of the HERALD
have been presented every morning with full and
complete report OF the proceedings OF the General
Convention Of the Protestant Episcopal Church In
the United States Of America and Of the business
gradually developing during its daily sessions. The
General Convention ia the highest legislative body of
this Church. 1t was instituted when the separation
and independence from the Mother Country Of the
States and their Union under the constitution Of 1887
had become an accomplished fact. The American
Episcopalians being branch OF the Anglican Com
mission, felt the necessity OF religious organization
and government for themselves. separate and inde-
pendent from the Mother Church Of England, as
the political governments Of the States had
organized and consolidated themselves separate and
independent from the Mother Country. The
political constitution Of the United States went into
effect by the ratification Of the nine States in March,
1883, and the leading members OF this Church. both
clerical and lay throughout these States urged
the necessity Of closer union Of the Church CO.
extensive with the territory Of the political union,
for better and uniform church government con-
vention was held at Philadelphia in October, 1889,
at which the three orders Of the Church. the bishops
the clergy and the laity were represented, and at
that convention the system Of church government,
existing to the present day, though occasionally
principles, was fully matured and embodied in
written constitution for the Church OF course
under the influence Of the ideas prevailing in this
country at the time, and which gave the political
government OF the Union Its distinctive representa-
tive republican character the system Of church gov
crnment as inherited from the Mother Church Of
England was totally abandoned, and one adopted
which is in many respects modelled after the consi-
tuition of the United States The subordnation Of the
ay to the clergy OF the clergy to the bishops OF the
bishops 10 the archbishops and the prmates and Of
these latter to the political authority in the State
had from the very nature Of the circumstances and
because Of the divorce OF the Church from the State
to be wholly set aside. On the other hand the prin
cple pervading this country that government should
rest on the consent Of the governed, or In other
words, that those who are TO be governed should
have voice in the enactment of laws made to
govern them, necessarily led to the recognition of
the lay members Of tho Church as a coordinate
power In its government.
Hence resulted the division of the component parts
Of the highest legislative authority OF the Church
into three classes or orders, the bishops-the office
Of archbishops, prlmates or metropolitans having
clergy ana ~ the @ %
ca can in acknowiedgment Of their inherent
E sshop 81 aP9sGs ssfsS Doggy sp.s
the Senate Of the United States, the members
which the :, as Or
ties from both the clergy and the laity, the deega
tons Of each order representing the clergymen and
laymen OF the churches In their respective doceses
as the members OF the House Of Representatives IN
Congress represent the people OF their several dis
influence rdis upon the decisions Of the Conventions
was further agreed that when any single delegation
from diocese demanded vote BY dioceses and
orders it should be necessary that majority OF
clerical deputies, sufficient to make majority Of
dioceses voting should be concurred In by majority
the clergy vote for proposition and the majority Of
the aymen against !. the proposition ANS altaougn
on the vote altogether there may have been majority
orders which suggested TO valandigham, who is on
ardent worshipper in the Episcopal Church the
s SsaSaS ' oi the United states by dividing
that no measure should become law unless voted
for by majority Of the representatives from eaon Of
The House OF Bishops have negative on any reso
lhtion passed by the House Of Deputies but u they
disapprove they must within three days aef fb .ns
house. or else the resolution becomes law by the
mere silent operation of the constitution The House
rights and exceedingly watchfui az the least signs
bishops, as fow Instances which happened
during the present session Of the Convention
enSSop a In the the 1857 81 The
Church o. England, invited the bishops Of the
Church to Lamen to attend tn
joined with the archbishops and bishops
al the voice OF the spiritual rulers Of the Church,
several matters including the difficulties created BY
unity, and particularly an advance toward reunion
/ with the Russo-Greek Church. During ME present
seon al Ia s Of the American Bishops was
/ though not in express terms, yet in substance and
by implication, made the subject OF special legisa-
ton the object OF which was understood by all TO be
an expression OF dissent by the lower house, that
the bishops assumed to act In the matter on their
and approval OF the clergy and aty for In matters o.
such vital Importance only the three orders combined
and acting consiitationay can speak for and repre-
| resolution offered by Mr. Samuel D. Ruggles, pro-
posing anew standing committee OF the House on the
that to the great body OF the Church represented IN
| this House belonged the management OF sucn vital
Cooper Mead, Of Connecticut, two days after that,
4 who moved for the appointment OF Joint Commits
sion on Church Unity, to be composed OF bishops,
/ clerQymen ana laymen three from each order, and
i to be appointed by botn houses. This latter propo.
stlon was considered more directly to the purpose
and IL was passed unanimously and sent In the usual
/ way to the House OF Bishops for concurrence. But
| the right reverend gentlemen OF the upper House
| were not to be taken by storm in this manner and
they rejected the propagation as being mpolltic and
/ impractcabe, and communicated their dispeasure
| TO the Flower House on the third day smoothing 1t
i over with polite offer or Q committee or confer
ence II one be asked for BY the House The message
was scarcely read when the Rev. Dr. ID. X. Goodwin,
| or Pcnnsylvana rose, with the constitution In his
| hands aud pointing to the section which requires
| the Bishops to give in writing their reasons
for every dsapprOval, he insisted that the message
Just read contained nothing to merit the name OF
reasons and that therefore, the resolution OF the
piration Of the third day. The House was not in q
mood just then to go SO far IN maintaining Its view
OF the constitution and Of Its own authority, and,
| rev DR. Mead urging It. a committee Of conference
was appointed which, however consists OF staunch
| and uiiwavering friends Of the measure.
Another instance OF analogous character occurred
| when the House Of Deputies removed from Trinity
| Chapel TO the Church OF the TRANSPORTATION. A
with which the sessions daily open-are TO be held
thereafter, and few suggested that they be con-
tInued at Trinity Chapel where the BIshopsmeet But
| In the opinion Of an overwhelming majority OF tho
House. this would not do, and IL was agreed without
even vote that the House should open It's sessions
with prayer az ia own place OF meeting and n tho