Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-21

OF TWO CiCIiCal anu Two lay utpulleo i"'"
each local con,ocati0n, may be held nj sueh
time and place as may be designated-by
the bishop as 20 the first Meeting, and az
forwards by the general conSocation ITSELF
| 10 be presided over by the bishop aod rs
sistant bishop, with power % consult ana
| devise measures for their general welfare,
which measures shall take effect when APP
proved by the Council Of the Diocese.
section 4. At each such general conv0c-
| tion there my be- elected four clerical dele
| gates 10 represent the entire c0l0red mis-
| sicnary jurisdiction in the Annual Councn
| Of the Diocese, to vote only on m Ittcrs
| sfieciing the interests Of said jurisdiction.
Section ). COlorcd congregations cOnsii-
| tutfd as above provided shall not be liable
/ 10 sny assessment for the contingent eN-
penses OF the Diocese. They may acquire
| and hold property OF their own. as by law
! provided. but cannot me into possession
| 81 The property Of any white congregation
except hy legal transfer under the direc-
/ ton Of the proper court OF equity nor
| shall any white congregation come into
posse Ssiou Of the property Of any colored
congregation except by legal transier un-
| der similar direction.
Section o. As a temporary Tor II found
desirable permanently measure. there shall
|
| beng a presbster white or cOl0red) OF this
| Church, tand,. il found necessary or posi-
| bic more than one archdeacOn.) who shall
| have general supervision OF the col0red
! churches and congregations within pre-
| scIihCd district, whose duty IL shalt be 10
preside at meetings Of cOnyOcati0n; 70
! administer the LORDS Supper for colored
| dCacOns: 10 advise and aid such cOlOred
| dencons. and. when desired 10y themselves.
| colored prcshvteTS also, in preparing
classes for confirmation, and in general to
! discharge such other duties as may be
assigned by the Bishop.
| r. W. Cain (c0lorcd) replied. He thought
| the Church ought not 10 adopt such ca
| non NJ this time. The cOlOred people were
| opposed 10 a missionary connection, and II
| forced into such q relation the cOlOrcd REQ
| pie would 90 back TO the Methodist and
| BaItist Churches. The title ID. -. aud that
| Of Bi>hnp were nonOrs which he thought
| Influenced intelligent colorrd men. Glass
| legislation rs the Church, be believed,
would Nil the seed which had been s0wn
| and a meats OF building up other denomi.
| nations. lie bad heard man say in
| PhiladclphIa. "Take class OF 4 hundred 10
| Bishop Whiitle and he won't confirm them,
| because he will be afraid they viii soon
| ouiyote the whites In the Diocese"
Rev. Thomas spencer thought that i'll
| advised expressions had been used, but the
fact was that those who proposed the canon
where animated by a desire for the inter-
| cst Of Gods work. The Church. he
| thought, hid always made mistake in in
| Producing too strongly social matters. This
| Church has no lay representatives from the
! cOlorcd people, and If j. not likely that the
| coiored people will soon ask for such rep
| re@Cntatlon, still the time may come whena
| large colorCd vote wifi DC found IN this
| Council and the work OF the Council will be
| unduly Influenced by ignorant voters
| There /, The trouble. lie moved that the
| canon be laid over until the Council meets
| again.
pr. Newton opposed deldv, and spoke in
reply 10 Cain; referred 10 the Methodist
| plan Of separate churches and interchange
| o. fTatcTnal messengers between their Con-
fcrcnces. He did not believe that there was
| any danger that the cOlOred people would
20 back to other Churches. He called at
tcution 90 the source Of the means 10 SUP
port colorcd churches. and said that ii the
colorcd people were - intelligent n Socri-
ties and ~ holy a. II. John he would op.
pose allowing them to vote on matters AZ
fcctipg other peoples property.
Rev. \. L. GRAY was opposed to the
canon because ID the cOlOred people were
opposed 10 1t en- mGSSe; ~ the opinion
might 90 abroad that the Episcopal Church
does not want The negroes. and, false or
true, this report will do mischief; ,;) tins
is not our Church but Gods, and We have
10 right to say who shall or shall not be in
il; "a when sci aside they lose the good
influence resulting from close cOmmunlca-
ton with the better race.
Rev. +. W. Hubbard, Of Bedford, thought
that the Church was bound TO recognize
the colOr-line. Under the present canons
he thought the white or c0l0red churche,
IN a given parish, according to prepondc-
rance OF members, could contlScaie The
Others property, and some law ought 70
| De made TO meet such eases, not, however,
| because any Contscation was proposed.
, Rev. Pike Powers favored the separate
organization. This is Gods Church, a
| Mr.. GRAY said; but this is our Council.
| and we must be- sure TO act wisely.
DIR. kinlOch Nelson sad that this was
the most important matter before this
/ Council. and il ought not TO De postponed.
DR.. q. :. Barlen, Of Norfolk, favored
pOstponcmcnt because the question IS i'm
poitant. Only minority OF the clergy OF
| the State are present, and q minority ought
not to settle ii.
The hour for recess having arrived, the
| Council adjourned TO meet al Il. VI.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
Al the afternoon session the considera-
| ton OF the canon was resumed.
Rev. J. II. VI. Pollird (col0red), Of Nor
| folk, discussed the cOnstitutiouality OF the
canon. As TO the charge that ignorant
voters might be admitted TO the Council
he said that that would rot be the fault Of
| any colorcd man in the Diocese Of Virginia
| The social question did not come here pro-
| perly II il had been a social gathering he
| would have remained at bone. He thought
| the canon. if passed, would prove the death
| knell Of the ColOrcd Episcopal Church.
pr. Ilanckej said that for fifteen years OF
| his life four fiths OF bis time had been de.
voted % the negroes. Twelve OF fourteen
| services in a week were for cclOrcd people,
| held in negro cabins, for which he received
not dollar. He had not worked for money.
| lie delighted TO do il for his Master. II
was therefore too late 10 charge him with
| Injustice 10 the negro. He knew that
| belief in wItchcraft prevailed among the
rural negroes Of the South, and 80 terrible
was their latent heatheniNm that al one
time it threatened the existence oi the Col
ored Church.
Rev. Il. \. Goodwin favored the canon,
and in his address pointed out how the
colored people would retain their present
rights OF representation in the Council and
four seats in addition.
Bishop white expressed his regret al
the spirit manifested by the c0lored men,
bcrs on the floor. The Virginia Diocese
Is IN "A state Of DISCRIMINATION" he said.
"My brother from Norfolk speaks OF his
yeStry. He has none. He has no recognized
standingas amluister. The Diocese of Nir-
ginia is covered by parishes. Beyond these
parishcsa minister cannot 20. The colored
brother from Norfolk Is in the regular
parish Of the white churches, whose rec
tors could silence him. \ white man
had actually asked TO be ordained
prcsbyter 50 be could silence the work
Of a colOred deacon in \ Virginia
county. II a presbyter had attempted to
put an end TO this colored mans work,
! continued the Bishop, should have stood
by The colored maU. canOns notWithstand-
ing" The Bishop desired the canon to be
acted upon now, and heartily favored the
adoption OF the canon. He thought that
instead Of initiating against the coiored
churches il was very liberal 10 them.
The proposition 10 postpone was unani-
mously voted Down.
The canon was then taken up Seri1tim,
and the debate was opened by tin Rev.
Melville Jackson, who argued that the
! Suwanee canon, which was refused by the