The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-11-21
THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL con-
yENTION.

THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL con-
vENTION.
The Protestant Episcopal Church in
the United States 10 one Of the smallest
Of the leading denominat ions, but il
makes M for its lack OF number By the
cultivstion of its clergy. by the social
position of q majority OF ITS laity, By
the wealth Of its parishes, and by the
architectural elegance Of its houses OF
worship Il has about $500 ministers
and membership Numbering 325 600
Its dioceses are forty eight in number,
and its missions thirteen. There are
sixty-one Bishops. diocesan and mission
ary. The general convention Is the
highest representative body OF the
Church, aud meets every three years
The com POSITION o. the General Con-
.vention is much like that OF the Uaited
States Congress. There are two bodies
the Houss of Bishops and the House
of Deputies. The former Is made up of
all tho Bishops, both diocesan and mis-
sionary The latter consists Of four
clergy men and four iaymen from each
diocese, whether the diocese be large.o
small. The diocese OF New York has
1875 parishe, and 200 clergymeD. while
that Ut Abrams 40 hiss II parishes aud Id
clergymen. The inequality Of sending
the same number OF deputies frcm these
dioceses seemed to some members Of
the Convention an injustice to be cor
rected, and an effort was made tocbaDge
the basis OF representation On the
other hand it was argued that like
disparity existed century ago, and
that it had never Wrought any great
evil. The conservative element pre-
vailed, and the representation remains
As 10 was, ..t y.f
Never inithe history OF the Protestant
Episcopal Church has there been a
more harmonious General Convection
than the Convention of 1850. Hands had
been shaken across all the ecclesiastical
chasms which the disputes of former
wears had opened. Psruonsl dislikes
had been quenched and controversial
hatchets buried. The ritnslist quarrel
which aeitated the last General Con-
vention had been laid TO rest. Ii IS
significant Of state ofrgrace, mercy
aud pea6e' that the Convention met 10
the church Of which the younger Tying
is rector. In the box in the corner
stone Of the bailding Is deposited the
record Of the ecclesiastical censnre in
fiicted some years ago on that clergy
man for aiiiliating with Christians Of
other persuasious, And IL Is further
significant, that on motion Of the Rev.
DE- Dix, q place Of honor was voted TO
the senior Dr. Tying. who was invited
to occupy seat on the right hand Of
the President. 80 @
Z The Convention WAS pervaded by an
emInently missionary spirit, and the
treatment of the missionary Bishops was
in pleasant contrast with that received
by them at certain Conventions of for
mer days. Then these men and their
work were crowded into q corner. Now
they are honored with the most promi-
pent positions. and days are spent in
discussions IA to the Advancement OF
their work. The election Of three new
missionary Bishops shows that the
Church is in earnest about her progress:
la the far West and Northwest. IL wa,
2 considered unfortunate by some of the
deputies that disproportirate interest
was shown in the welfare OF the Indi.
ans in this missionary work. while the
negroes Of the South were conpara
tisely neg elected The attempt to make
caiored man Missionary Bishop o,
Large for the negroes was not success
inl; tbe ,qppopents of the measure AT.
tirmed that the Bishops OF the South
'ern dioceses are doing all that can b
reasonably expected 10 this direction
g aud that the election OF q colorsd Bah
op, because Of his color, wond intro
duce an element of possible strife anC
of certain ineonveaieaes. The discus
= siou OF the Indian question MAS pro.
longed to considerable length. aud CAV,
alarm to somo Of the deputies, wh'
feared that the Convention might be
come entangled In political aRa,rs.
has sl ways been the boast OF the Prot
sestant Episcopal Church that it KEEP
itself.free from political entanglements
The resolution finally adopted was a
exceedingly mild one. 1t provides 70
the appointment Of a committee 10 OBJ
serve what the Government does for th
Indians. to promote such legislation a
may seem wise, and TO report from tim
to time. The first report this commit
= tee eau make wall be 10 the Genera
Convention in 1889 in Philadelphia.
A matter which came near making
breeze IN tho Convention was the prs
position to create an Appellate Cour
having Jurisdiction in cases where th
clsrgy complain that they have bee
treated arjustly. Asit IL now, Oh
ecclesiastical authority of diocese ha
ioale Jurisdiction. over the clergy. an
from ITS decision there rs no sppeal. ~
: too. q, clergyman may 60 from one diS
, eess to another With letters dismissos,
aud il the Bishop of the. diocese 4
which he goes refuses, on account o
any pique OF rerscnsl opinion IS 20 hi
heterodoxy or inetiiciency. 10 receiv
him. the poor man has no redress. Al
= ssotts Of ssrgusnents for aud against Oh
Appellate Court were presented.
principal one against IL was that "a
Church had lived Ter nearly centur,
without it. One or two of the speske
got little as,ray by saying that II VI
because of having such appellate court
that zths Pseshy ssrian ADD Method,,
Churches hal split asander. The ad
vocates Of the proposed system urge
the great injustice that r.sght be don
as matters now stand. Tue endeayy
failed. and the Protestant Episcops
Church is still without an Appeila,
Court.