The New York herald., 1874-10-20
CHURCH CONFERENCES.
Meetings Of Clerical and Lay Deleg ates Yester-
day-Epiiccpalians, Lutheranr, Metho.
81 dists and Presbyteriana
THE EPISCOPAL CONVENTION.

The Convention had another secret. though
comparatively quiet SESSION yesterday, from
twelve NJ. TIL nearly I've o'clockP. N. Having
had their souls and bodies refreshed by the quiet
and religious meditation OF the Sabbath. and
having had various conferences and caucuses
among themselves between the hour OF adjourn
ment on saturday and the hour OF meeting yester-
day morning. the deputies were better prepared
than they had been any day oftne past week to dis
cuss calmly and temperately the mystery OF eucha-
ristic alteration ana rituaistic postures and genu
nexions on which they have wasted SO much
breath already and given SO little salts action to
their constituents. Nevertheless, they have
decided that having taken one false step they
must continue to repeat their error because II
would be Unfair TO Dr.. seymour now, they say,
In the present state OF the debate to sit with open
doors. Hence the secret sessions will
be resumed this morning. Tho great
speech OF yesterday was made oy ex-
Judge Cambridge Livingstone, or New York. 1t
was a calm and temperate review OF the situation
ana OF the arguments pro ana con. tnat ma We
been put forth by debaters on this subject. II was
also q we'll put argument against the doctrines be-
s though " not 40 at at all directed directed toward lis per.
s0nal character or standing as Christian gen.
pletey turned the scale against the Doctor's con-
hrmatlon, and had the vote been taken immedi-
atey tnereasr hs = neheyea mat MS aeeas
than three 10 one in his favor, ana his conhrma-
ton In their house Is already i0reg0ne conclu.
sion.
DR.. Seymour has emrhaticaily denied the
charges OF ritualism that nave been made against
him on the moor OF the Convention, and especially
that which was made day or TWO ago that ne mad
heard confessions from the seminary students and
had cOuntenanced their Connecticut "retreats.n
The devo ions yesterday were led by Revs. s. NJ.
Bird and W. X. Richardson, OF Texas DR.. Earring
ton, OF New Jersey, and Bishop Lay, Of Easton,
Md. The canon on church music, sent down
by the bishops on Saturday and not acted on ar
Committee on CanOns. The Committee on Consti-
tutional Amendments reported the inexpedie ncy
OF making any change In the present basis OF rep.
resentaIion in the general conventions.
RANK AMONG BISHOPS
Dr. Schenck introduced an Episcopal levellng
amendment to the constitution. 1t touches o
point dear to the Episcopal heart-namey, tha5
Of caste ana superiority. 1t asks the Committee on
| Amendments 10 report some measure whereby all
! the bishops OF the Church, mlsslonsr ry and do
cesar, SHAH stand on the same platform OF equality
and with equal Jurisdiction, ana 10 make the
| transfer OF bishops from one diocese to another
| practicable This measure has very great inn
! portance prOspectlveiy. There is already strong
tendency toward hierarchical distinctions anon g
the Eplscopate and the missionary bishops are
In the house py sufierance but they have no vote.
! 1t is also proposed now to erect o number OF
! provinces after the fashion OF the Roman church,
/ ana this Convention Will be called upon TO legis-
| late on the subject. Then archbishops and metro.
I poitans and Cathedrals and all the other para.
! pher rnalia OF the Anglican and Roman churches on
| this line may follow.