Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-10-19
The Episcopal Trienniai COhFentloh'

sary to consider the question OF co ordloate pow
crs of the House of Bishops.
Messages were received from the House OF
Bishops and we're disposed Of as follows -
Joint committee of three bishops, three
clersymen and three laymen to consider the
relation Of bishops to cousccraed churches, and
to report to the next general convention. Placed
on the calendar.
Amending canon 10, 80 that clereymen dc
posed be not reduced TO any special grade. but
from The ministry completely, and requiring
the Bishop acting in the matter to notify all
other Bishops. was referred to the Committee
on Canons. That the communion services 10
theological colleges and chapcls be ~ strict ac'
cordauce with the service prescribed IN inc
Book of Common Prayer for Sundays was placed
on the calendar. Amending the canon relative
to the recording of conservation services by reg
listers; referred to the Committee on Canons'
A canon requiring olergymen absent five years
| from their doceses 10 give in writing to their
| bishops the cause Of such absence. and such
clc,ggmeu filling to do so in six months alter
being requested TO do SO be deposed from the
| ministry, was placed on the calendar
The canon relative to marriage and divorced
| COMMITMENTS was referred TO the COMMITTEE
on Canons.
The report OF the Committee on CanoDs,
| dccmipg it inexpcdient at this time 10 bind the
hymna with the Book Of Common Prayer, was
| adopted in concurrence with tho action Oh the
| House of Bishops
The subject Of arranging special form OF
service to be used on the Fourth Of July as
long as it remained legal holiday was got rid
of by being laid on the table.
| r. a.
amend section >, canon S. title |, so as to make
the candidatcship for the priesthood absolutely
thrco years, proved sui ject for considerable
| discussion.
BosToN, Oct. l9.-At TO days session Mr.
| Mathews declining re election as Secretary
Mr.. Lloyd Wells, Of New York, was elected 10
his place.
| DIR. Schcuck, Of Brooklyn, thought tho pres.
ent form OF examination OF candidates for the
ministry was inconsistent with the needs and
duty of the Church, as it could not be Known
whether the candidates were Itomanists or not.
| lie offered resolution for the amendment Of
title |, sec. 3, sub section 10 order that the
form Of examination iu the future may be more
strict, which was referred 10 the Committee on
| Canons.
The Chair announced the following as
| members Of the joiut committee on the
part Of tho House Of Deputies to mem
oraz, Congress- in relation TO legislation
among the Indians: Hon. Montgomery
Blair, of Nd; Judge Smith. Of Western New
York, and Rev. DE-. Dix, Of New York. The
latter was appointed in place OF Hon. Hamilton
| Fish, who declined to serve on the ground that
his former connection with tho government
might serve to cmbarrass him in the perior
nance OF duty in the matter.
| ho oa)np1or Uau fhan a ron nm Tho rnn0rf
| of the Committee on Canons in favor OF the
separation of morning and evening prayers
| and the Communion service. and the use
| of the same was considered. After discus
sion, in which Messrs. Adams and Hare, Of
Pennsylvania. Greer, OF Il. l., and Simpson,
| Of Mo-, took part, no oclon being taken the
| Convention adjourned OF noon and majority
of tho delegates with the Bishops aud accom-
panied by their ladies took steamer down the
harbor and visited the charitable and roforma
tory Institutions at Deer Island in the afternoon
Baltimore Synod and the President.
The members Of the Baltimore Synod now
sitting at Washington called upon President
| Hayes and his wife yesterday. Rev. MIR. Full
ton, Moderator, was spokesman. and addressed
/ the President as follows:-
1--WE esteem ourselves happy, Mr.. President,
| in being permitted to manifest our regard tor
| you as the Chief Magistrate of this great Re-
! public. The Presbyterian Church, to which We
have the privilege to belong, holding to the to.
| net, The powers that be are ordained OF God,
| has been the special patron of constitutional
liberty and devoted adberents to constitutional
| rules. Our fathers have taught US what their
fathers had received from venerable ancestors,
| that the ministers of the New Testament are of
equal rank and authority. and that the people
have substantial part 10 tho government OF
the Church through their chosen representa-
tives, whom we call ruling elders and that the
Church is not divided, but one, in the sense
| that smaller part is subject to larger part,
| and the larger part to the whole These prln-
ciples, which we have Inherited wero outlined
in the apostolic church, were held by a devoted
few down through the centuries until tho Ret
ormatou, we're articulated by John Calvin,
preached By John Knox and arc now believed
in by forty million of the worlds population.
For their adherence to these Vows, more than
for their definite theological convictions, our
fathers were massacred 10 France, tortured 10
Holland, gibbeted in England. and driven to
they came hilher they transported with them
their household goods, and their strong charac.
ter and wholesome convictions had not little
influence 10 the establishment of our civil lib
cries. The sturdy children Of these sturdy in
migrants during the revolution drew up the
Mccklenburg declaration more than twelve
month before the celebrated Declaration oil ln.
dependence was signed at Philadelphia, and of
the signers of the Philadelphia Declaration, the
ONLY clergyman that was present was Dr.. John
Withcrsoon, then President of the Presbyterian
College OF New Jersey. The Synod of Balti-
more, over whose deliberations | have the hon.
or 10 preside, contains 10 its territory tho cradle
wherein infant Prcsbyterianism 10 this country
was rocked. Rev. Francis Mackenzie first gath.
cred together feeble flock at Snow Hill, in
Eastern Maryland. The world grew aud muI.
tirlied and from that ono church We now havo
5000, and half million communicates. 1t
has ever been ono of our strong convictions,
Nr. President, that tho Church and State 10
this great country being separate, the Church
should never meddle with the affairs of State,
or aspire to political influence. We can thus
avoid partissnship, are left free to honor our