Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-05-25
Tie Episcopal Council.

report Of the standing committee OF the diocese
was submitted BY the Rev D. +. Sprigg. Tue
committee, since their last report, have recOm-
mended pine deacous for priests orders and
nine candidates for deacon orders. They have
also recommended IS candidates for holy orders
eleven gentlemen, and have signed testlmoni-
ais in favor of the conservation of Rev. b. b.
Paddock, d. D., as Bishop of Massachusetts;
Rev. T. B. Lyman. D. D., as Assistant Bishop
of North Carolina; and Rev. j. +. Spaulding,
D. D., as Missionary Bishop OF Colorado.
The committee appointed 10 Inquire into the
relation of the Diocese to the Southern Church
uan, report that ''the Southern Cburchman
was originally established by the Rev VIM. +.
Lee, and its good will, with the press, &c, was
his private property. After hts death ne same
was purchased by suDdry gentlemen OF the
Church, and by them transferred to the trus-
tees of the Theological Seminary. The only
connection the Diocese has with the paper is
through the trustees. BY their arrangement
the present editor took charge of the paper.
The press, type, etc., that the present editor
may now use are his own. The trustees alone
entire control Of it so far as displacOg an editor
or appointing another Is concerned.
The Row. Dr. Andrews, on behalf of the
COmtUlllGc OU tuC l4J ilOoI3 SuUlAiIICo q ASpois
supplementary to that last year made to the
Council. The committee consider the otjrc
tious commonly made to the hymnal as frlvol-
| Gus, and are confident that any compilation on
| which many criticisms would not be made Is
| not u thing to be hoped for. 1t Is generally
| understood that the hymnal as now before the
church is not the book compiled by the COM
mittee, but that the original book was tamper-
| ed with after it left their hands. The commlt-
| tee think that the collection would be better il
| seventy named hymns we're Omitted. They
take strong ground aga Dst the use of unautbor.
lied hymn books, and conclude by avowing a
willingness to relegate the whole matter uucon-
ditionally TO the present committee of the Gen
eral Convention, and hope final action, with
out debate, will be taken in favor Of the book
10 October next.
The committee to whom was referred that
portion of the Bishops address which related
to ntemperance and to worldly conformity
made report, taking strong ground against
the growing vice of incompetence, aud also res
outely misunderstanding theatrical amusements
and round dancing, which was adopted.
The Episcopal Female Institute, of Winches-
ter, was by unanimous vote Of the Council
welcomed as a valuable addition to the iustitu.
tons for education under Church auspices with.
in the diocese.
The committee appointed to consider that
portion of the Bishops address which referred
to ritualisn reported through its chairman, the
Rev. Dr. Norton, of Alexandria After suit.
able preamble, the committee recommended
the adoption of the following resolutions:
| Re,olved, That our delegates to the next
General Convention be instructed to use their
earnest eudeavors to obtain efficient legislation
| for the removal of Romish errors and practices
from the Protestant Episcopal Church, and the
enforcement of such Legislation by proper dis.
cipline.
Second This Council does not believe any
legislation would be effective for removing the
doctrines aud practices referred to which shall
not expressly forbid in the administration oil
the holy communion and on other occasions OF
public worship the acts hereinafter enumera-
ted-to Wit here follows the same enumera-
ton of eleven Objectionable practices condemn.
ed by the resolution of the House of Bishops
10 1871, with these additional IL. The use
of wafer bread in the holy communism. Is.
The practice of aurcular confession and private
absoluton, and all other practices and usages
| not sanctioned by the book of common prayer.
H. No clerical ves,ments should be used ex-
cept the present episcopal robes-a white sur
,lice black or white stole, black cassock. a
black gown and bands.
The report of the committee was received
and their recommendations adopted without
debate.
Judge Shelley reported in regard to the in
quiry they had been directed to make as to an
office now bound up with the prayer book with
out authority, resolution instructing the dele
gates to the general Convection to move that
body authoritatively to indicate whether there
is any such Office in the book of Common Pray
er, and if SO, to direct the publication of the
book hereafter without such service. This res
oution, which is understood to have reference
to the institution office. was adopted.
The Rev. R. H. McKim, of Alexandria, then
offered series of resolutions, setting forth
that whereas the words altar, priest, and sacer-
dotal, as used in the Office of institution of min
listers, are clearly at varience with the sense of
the older and more authoritative formuaries
of the faith as contained 10 the book of Com
mon Prayer, our delegates to the General Con-
vention be instructed to endeavor to secure such
modification ofthe Office in question as maymake
it consistent with the acknowledged protestant
character Of the articles and other services of
the book, of which, whether rightly or not, it
now forms part Mr. McKim accompanied
the Offering Of the resolution with an able and
earnest speech, and after protracted debate it
wasreferred to special committee, who reported
accepting the declaration of the Bishops of
| 1871, as wise; referring to the freedom allowed
| in the use of phrases in the creed and declara-
| ton; that like freedom should be allowed in
the baptsmal service as to the word "regene-
rate" Recommendation of further change was
declared inexpedient at istime, and unity and
concession advised
DR.. Wilmer proposed substitute declaring
it inexpedient to recommend any revision at
this time. The substitute was rejected by the
following vote: Clergy, ayes Is, noes IS; lay,
ayes ID, noes II, and the report was then
adopted.
The Committee 90 Parochial Reports, sub
mtted its report, ofwbich the following is sum-
mary: Baptisms, Lila; combinations, SIS;
communicates added, 1873; marriages. 45S;
funerals, 745; Sunday school teachers, white,
l,226; Sunday school scholars, white, 1861
Sunday school teachers, colored, Ga; Sunday
school scholars, colored, COS Parochial schools,
| Is, teachers. 90; scholars, 772. Contributions,