The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-06-18
The Peruvian Monitors.
Our Mexican Relations.
CouE.r.uce Of EpiscopnI Lnymen

CHICAGO, June 1.-THE Conference
met at o'clock this morning. The
subject of revision of the prayer book
was again taken up.
Rev. Mr.. Cowgirl said he had read in
the papers that this meeting means Sc
cession from the Church. This he de-
MES. 1t means reform. He believed, as
a conscientious Protestant Episcopa-
liam, that the time had come when the
men who teach doctrines subversive of
tho principles of the Church should be
actively opposed: when the friends of
the Church, pure and undefiled, should,
instead of standing on the defensive all
the time, assume the offensive
and bring these innovators to
trial. If the principles avowed in the
quotation included in the protest were
those of the Protestant Episcopal
Church, then he was not a member of
that body. He believed that this re-
form could be readily effected, and until
sll measures peacefully in the body Of
the Church had failed, he was not in
favor of secession. The alteration of
some twenty words in the prayer-book
would he believed, satisfy everybody.
He wished the words priest and altar
especially cSpungeu.
Rev. DR.. Andrews entered upon an
elaborate discussion as to what is con-
science with respect to the proposed
alteration in the baptismal service and
the other reforms proposed. He re-
garded them and also the protest as
hasty and ill-advised.
DR. Bowen, of Ohio, thought it as me-
cessary to rid the prayer-book of it's
dogmas of Apostolic succession as that
of spiritual baptismal regeneration.
No expuuging of twenty words would
suit him. He was for correcting the
faith not the words. The prayer which
contains this miserable doctrine of
Apostolic succession should be revised
entirely.
DR.. Newton took about the same view,
and so did Rev. Mr.. Ross, of Kentucky
Rev. j. Croker White, of MassaChu-
setts, said if he could not get liberty in
the Church he would out of it.
Rev. Mr.. Chevey said that Bishop
MoIlvaine's letter had bat two points;
first, that the prayer book sheuld not
be revised, because it was not by it's
author; the reformerS proposed to teach
the doctrine of spiritual baptism
and regeneration in the baptismal
service. If this was true they had
made most unfortunate selection of
language, for it undoubtedly does teach
that very doctrine and its use compels
the minister to teach an error which be
abhors. The second point is that we
have no right to revise that prayer book.
The reformers who prepared that book
themselves avowed that the time would
come when revision would be necessary.
This book must be revised so as TO be
in accordance with the Bible. The
Bible is Gods boek--the prayer-book
mans work, and is not so sacred but
that it may he touched. By and by the
Bishops will unite with us in this work.
They admit that revision is needed, but
claim that this is not the time. One of
them was so far on our side that his
letter was suppressed from those pub
lished in the official Episcopal organ in
the diocese of Ohio.
Rev. Mr.. Newton offered the following
resolutions, which were unanimouslS
adopted.
Resolved, AS the opinion of this Con.
ference that q careful revision of the
book of common praper is needful to the
best interest of the Protestant Episco.
pal Church.
Resolred, That all words or phrases
seeming TO teach that the Christian
ministry is q priesthood or the Lords
Supper q sacrifice, or that regeneration
is inseparable from baptism, should be
removed from the prayer book.
The Convention reassembled at
o'clock. The best method of revising
tho prayer-boOk was then discussed.
The President thought the desired
changes could be effected without any
extreme measures.
The Chairman of the committee on
resolutions reported the following reso.
htSo'red, That in the opinion of this
CONFERENCE 1t is the duty of the Evan
seiical men IN the different aiocnsss IN
Ct LneHSures to Inform the Laity Of
out C""toh' oy means of the pulpit and
press, respecting the vital opast;ona
which now agitate the Church '0n'
ReSoir6d, That it is the on;n,ap 80.
Conference that either the AmSr; ,n's
Church Missionary Society sbonId 90
tend its work TO foreign field or anoth,
er association be formed on the voInn
tary principle to conduct that work.
ResOlred, That this Conference recon.
mend the evangelical clergy of on,
Church to avail themselves Of all goo,
means to promote the frsterna
and Christian relations with minister
OF other Churches, especially by uniting
with them in such great national insti
'uLlons as the American Bible Society
remarks by Rev. DIR. Newton, Col
HSSSeg, Rev. Mr.. Clements, Rev. DR.
Anuerson and others upon the subiec
matter Of the resolutions.