The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-10-29
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL GENE
RAJ CONVENTION.
CoSCL Us1oN OF MONDAYS PROCEEDINGS
TIE CREED.

CONCLUSION OF MONDAYS PROCEEDINGS
THE CREED.
Rev. Or. Adams said, in reference to the
s,biect which was referred to in the morn
;,c Of emitting the word :" holy " from the
N;cene Creed, that the English Church had
likewise made the omission, and he did not
ace that it was competent for them to med
ale with the subject without an understand
ing with the highest authority-the mother
Church Of England.
DR.. Adams submitted the following
Rcsolucd thc House of Bishops con-
cnrrincl, That the General Convention of the
Protestant Episcopal Church of the United
States would respectfully solicit from the
Inner and Lower House Of the Convention
in the English Church information rs to the
time and occasion when the word "holy"
was omitted in the praycr-book version of
the Nicenc Creed, by what authority it was
done, and what reason-doctrinal or prac-
tical--lies at the bottom OF the action, and
order that this be done with due respect TO
oar venerable mother of the Church OF Eng
land"
Inis resolution was referred to the Com
mittec on the Prayer Book.
NEW DIoCESEs.
The report of the Joint Committee on the
Formation and Admission OF New Dioceses
was then presented. 1t restored the canon
proposed by the Committee Of the House of
Deputies on this subject TO the Constitution.
1t originally belonged to article 5. 1t also
allows six parishes and six presbyters en-
titled to vote for Bishop to apply for a
division of dioceses, which shall require
the consent of the Bishop and the Diocesan
and General Conventions before being
established.
The vote on the adoption of the report
was taken by dioceses and orders, and it
was adopted.
DIVORCE.
The following report of the Committee on
the Canon Of Divorce was then submitted:
''The Committee on Canons, to whom was
referred message No. so Of the House of
Bishops, on the subject Of divorce, and to
whom the canon proposed by them was
rccommitted with certain amendments, beg
leave 10 report the following resolution for
adoption by this House:
Resolved, That this House concurs in
the resolution submitted to the House on
message No. 80 of the House of Bishops,
Church shall solemnize matrimony in any
case where there is divorced wife or hus-
band of either party still living; but this
canon shall not be held to apply to the inno-
cent party in divorce for the cause Of
adultery, or to parties once divorced seeking
to he united again."
Rev. Mr.. Labar, Of Iowa, presented some
cases that may arise where the Legislatures
alone can, and do ordinarily, give divorces
namely, cruelty, mysterious disappearance,
habitual drunkenness, bigamy, sc. He pro-
posed that standing committee of each
diocese be appointed to examine all cases Of
rc-marriage. Tabled.
DR.. Mahan, of Maryland, stated that the
canon is worded in the language Of the Lord
and Saviour himself. He thought the word
ing Of the canon should be that " no mar
riage could in any case take place where
former husband or wife is still living"
The canon was then adopted as reported
from the committee.
SHORT PRAYERS.
Rev. James A. Harold, Of Florida, moved
the following:
"Resolred, That the House of Bishops
be respectfully requested to prepare and
short service framed after the primitive
aud ancient liturgies, which may be allowed
for use on other days than Sundays; and
also that the House of Bishops revise the
lecturing for the service Of Lent"
In support of this resolution he stated
that the form Of morning and evening prayer
was too long, and a modification would
result in having more prayers offered than
are now rendered. They cannot be read in
much less than three-quarters Of an hour,
and many business men have not the time
10 spare to devote TO these prayers, and con-
seQucntly they are frequently neglected or
omitted, owing 10 their length, which would
not be the case if they were shorter.
Rev. DR.. Goodwin, of Pennsylvania, said
that the morning and evening prayers are
obligatory, and therefore the proposed reso-
luton was unconstitutional. He thought it
was substitution for some Of the regular
and established usages of the Church, and
the idea of changing any portion Of the
prayer book could not be entertained for
moment. He stood for the prayer book as
it is. [Applause.l
The resolution of DR.. Harold was lost.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AND MINORITY RE-
PORTS.
The Committee on Canons, through Rev.
DR.. Paddock, of Detroit, presented reports
and resolutions in relation to ritualism
MAJORITY RESOLUTION (HIGH CHURCH,.
"ReSokued (the House Of Bishops con-
curring), That with devout acknowledges
Of that gracious presence and assistance Of
her Divine Master which has been so sig
nally vouchsafed for this Church at many
a crisis more perilous than the present, en-
aiding her, in the midst Of aggressions from
without, and inpumerable shortcomings and
extrayagances from within, to maintain the
integrity OF her doctrine and the beauty,
decency, and dignity Of her worship, this
Convention attributes this happy result in
great measure, under God, to that spirit
Of moderation which has rendered her
averse to all restrictions Of the liberty of
her children in things Indifferent or unes-
sential so long as unity can be maintained
and spiritual ediication provided IN any
other way. 1t is the sense Of this Convention,
therefore, that the enactment Of any canon
on the subject of ritual would be unwise
and inexpedient at the present time. But
1t is none the less the sense Of this Conyen-
ton that the continued maintenance OF the
decency and order, as well as the peace and
harmony which, by Gods blessing, have al
ways characterized this Church, the avoid
ances of the dangers Of irreverence and
mwlesBness On the one hand, and OF extra
gance and superstition on the other; the
preservation Of doctrine from the peril OF
Intentional or unintentional change, and
uue regard to the scriptural canon or walk
Ing wisely toward them which are without,