Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-10-28
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL.
The Canon Against Ritualism
Adopted.
AS 1t Came from the Committee

An After Episode or the Seymour Case.
NEW YORK, Oct. 27.-The Protestant
Episcopal General Session assembled this
morning, and after morning prayer resumed
business. VIM. Walsh, a lay delegate
from Philadelphia, stated he had a docu-
ment re alive to the Seymour case, which
he would hand over to the Secretary il the
latter would furnish him copies of the
other charges relating to the same
subject, which were in his posses
sion. Discussion ensued, many del
egates claiming that these papers shOnld
be before the house, and that they should
not be made the subject of barter between
the delegates from Philadelphia and the
house, and they were of opinion that Bishop
Seymour ought at least TO have copies Of
these charges brought against him. The
whole matter was laid on the table, after
which Mr.. Welsh handed in his documents,
with the remark that it did not matter to
him, but he thought he would offer a little
opposition.
Message twenty-one of the House of
Bishops contained the amended canon on
the subject of divorce, and recommended
the adoption of the following:
OF Marriage and Divorce.
No minister of this church shall solemn
ize matrimony in any case when there is a
divorced wife or husband Of either party
still living, and when the divorce was OBJ
tanned for some cause arising out of mar
riage, but this canon shall not be held to
apply to the innocent party in divorce for
the cause of adultery, or where the parties
once divorced are seeking to be united again.
Placed on the calendar.
Receiving Communion.
The committee also reported on the sub
ject relating to the postures to be used at
the communion service, that as it would in
volve some changes in the rubric, it was
inexpedient, and they asked to be dis
charged from further consideration of the
subject. Agreed to.
The Ritual.
The subject of the canon on ritual was
taken up. Rev. DR.. Beers, of.Albany,
thought it was better to have no legislation
on the subject. Prof. Tyndall had, with a
verbal felicity which tingled in their ears
like sweet music, led many Christians to
doubt whether the human race was an
oyster bed or a monkey show, aud then We
wrangle over little matter like a ceremo-
NAL.
A Voice from Tennessee.
Rev. J. A. Harrison, of Jackson, Tenn,
said the feeling in the church was against
allowing any extremist opinions into its
doctrines. He thought the feeling of the
church was also against permitting any
ritualistic doctrine to creep into it. This
church, it seemed to him, should take
some measures to arraign a min
lister who practiced ritualistic
Economies. As an amendment of the
Canon he offered a resolution for the ap-
pointment of committee of three clerical
and three Law deputies TO act with three
members Of the House of Bishops in the
selection Of a commission of learned men
which shall sit from time to time TO con-
slider the whole question of ritual and re-
port to the next General Convention what
legislation may be necessary.
Hazelhurst, lay delegate from Penn
sylyania, after saying that the air was full
of ritualism. asserted that all now necessa-
" on the subject was already laid down in
the prayer book and the constitution. If
the Clergy did not enforce the law the laity
would take it into their own hands.
Rev. DR.. Hall, of Brooklyn, said that this
CduOh vi TIC COnlIultltc ucduI clSucI luc
death or the delivery of ritualism. He ad-
vOcated the passage of the canon; if it was
not adopted, a terrible wrong had been
committed.
The Vote.
The vote was then taken on the report of
the Committee on Canons and it was
adopted, the result being taken by DiOces-
es and Orders as follows: Clerical vote
whole number represented, 41-ayes, IS;
noes, ?; divided, 1. Lay vOte-DiOceses
represented 36-ayes. 81; nays, 3; divided, l.