Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-12-18
organization OF the Reformed Episcopal
Church-The Declaration of Principles
Election OF Presiding Bishop.

TO be organized.
DIR. Cummins read the declaration
OF principles under which this Churcl
is to be organized, and offered til,
suggestion that 1t should be referred
to special committee consisting o
Chas. D. Kellogg, of New Jersey. Al
bert Crane, of Illinois, the Rev
Marshall B. Smith, Of New Jersey
and the Rev. A. J. Sabine of New
York.
| DIR. Cnmmins was appointed chair
man of the committee. The com.
mittee, after short consideration
made the following report:
The committee appointed to consider the
declaration of principles proposed by Bishop
Cummins as basis OF organization Of the Re.
formed Episcopal Church, do now return the
same to the meeting and offer the following
| resolutions
| RESOLVED, That we whose names are append
ed to the call for this meeting, as presented
by the presiding Bishop, do here and now, in
humble reliance upon Almighty God, organ
ize ourselves into church, to be known by
the name and title of"The Reformed Episco-
pal Church," in conforming with the follow
ing declaration of principles, with the Right
Rev, David Cummins, d. D., as our presiding
bishop.
First-The Reformed Episcopal Church,
holding the faith once delivered into the
Saints, declares IFS lief in the Holy Scrip
lures ofthe Old and New Testaments, as tina
word of God and rule of faith and practice;
in the creed commonly called the "Apostle's
| Creed'; in the divine institution of the sacre-
ments of baptism and the Lords Supper, and
in the doctrins of grace substantially as they
are set forth in the thirty-nine articles of re-
| ligion.
| Second-The Church recognizes and adj
heres 10 Episcopacy, not as of divine right,
but as very ancient and desirable form OF
| church policy.
Third-This Church, retaining a liturgy
which will not be impair alive or repressive Of
| freedom in prayer, accepts the book of COM
mon prayer as il was revised, prepared and
recommend for use by the General Conyen-
tion of the Protestant Episcopal Church, A.
d. 1885, reserving full liberty TO after, en-
large, abridge and amend the same as may
seem conducivesto the education of the people;
provided, that the substance of the faith be
kept entire.
Fourth-This Church condemns and re-
jects the following erroneous and strange doe
trines as contrary to Gods word:
/. That the Church of Christ exists only
on one order or form of ecclesiastical policy.
2. That Christian ministers are priests in
another sense than that in which all believers
are a social priesthood.
3. That the Lords Table is an alter on
which an ablution of the body and blood of
Christ is offered anew to the Father.
4. That the presence of Christ In the Lords
Supper is presence in the elements of bread
and wine.
5. That regulation is inseperably connected
with baptism.
| (Signed) GEO. DAWN CUMMINs,
MARSHALL B. SMITH,
/ ALBERT CRANE,
GUsTAvUs SABINE,
CHAs. ID. KELLOGG.
An address was then by the Rev.
Mr.. Wylie, of New York, heartily
endorsed the new project, and, at
the desire of those present, the Sec
rotary was instructed to communi-
cate with the Fulton street prayer
meeting and ask that prayers be of
Tered for the new church.
The Rev. Mr.. Gallagher offered
the following resolutions, which was
adopted
That the presiding Bishop, with
the standing committee, be authorz.
ed to prepare forms for the aliena-
tion of ministers and other officers
required before the next General
Council.
Albert Crane then offered the fol-
lowing resolutions, which were
adopted
That general meetings of the
Church be called the General Coun-
ell of the Reformed Episcopal Church
and be composed of representatives
of the entire churches to be incor-
porated under that name, and to
hold and dispose of temporalities
future meetings Of the General Coun.
Gil TO be held on the second Wednes-
day in May.
The following resolution, offered
by the Rev. DR.. Cheney, was adopt
ed:
That the presiding bishop, with
such other bishops as may be ordain
ed or received prior TO the next an
nual council, together with the
Standing Committee and Secretary
and Committee ca Finance anc
Treasurer, shall together form 6
temporary Executive Committee
with power to frame a constitution
and system OF laws for the govern
ment Of this church, and consider al
proposed alterations in the PRAYER
book of 1915, and make such Other
arrangements as to them may be ad.
vlsable to be reported to the mex
General Council, to be by that Coun
ell confirmed or altered and that il
the meantime, the presiding bishop
with the consent and advice of thre,
fourths of the Executive Committee
shall have power to act and author.
ize action under said constitution,
and laws, and alter the prayer-bool
and other arrangements until tn,
same shall be altered by q maiorit,
of the votes of both bodies at tn
subsequent General Council provid
ed the alteration shall have no re
tractive effect.
On the re-assembling of the Couu
Gil at 3 o'clock this afternoon, Bishor
Cummins urged the organization 9
churches and congregations in dit
ferent parts of the country, and til
election of an itinerant Bishop TO
the West.
A motion to that effect was made
and, after considerable discussion, tn
lmotion was CARED, and the Rev. D.