The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1888-05-09
TIE NEGRO IN THE CHURCH.
Action of the Diocesan Convention of the
Episcopal Church Upon the Troublesome


Episcopal Church Upon the Troublesome
Question.
The Convention of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in South Carolina met
in Anderson on last Wednesday.
There we're fifteen churches repre-
sented, as follows:
St. Helena, Beaufort; Johns Island
Church; Church on Edisto Island;
Trinity Church, Columbia; Christ
Church, Greenville; Grace Courch, Cam
den; Christ Church, Wilton; Trinity
Church, Edgefeld; Church of st. Thad-
deus, Aiken; Church of the Holy Com
munion, Charleston; Chnrh of the Holy
Comforter. Sumter; Church of the Na-
tivity, Union; Church Of our Saviour,
Rock Hill; Trinity Chunh, Abbeville;
ST. Johns, Fairfield.
The Bishop announced that the Con-
ventlon was duly organized, and ap-
pointed the usual committee on creden-
tials. The committee retired and the
Bishop proceeded to read his address.
The Bishop declined to discuss the
question now agitsting the diocese,
stating that his views were well known.
He confined his remarks to the work Of
the diocese during the past year and
made some recommendations, which
were referred to the proper committees.
The Rev. J. D. Mccullough was unan-
imously reelected secretary, and MIR.
F. A. Mitchell treasurer of the Conven-
tion.
Under the head of miscellaneous bust
ness Mr.. J. r. London offered the fol-
lowing:
That the constitution be amended so
as to read as follows:
ssArticle 3, Section2. The Bishop, the
assistant Bishop, when there is one, and
every other presbyter who is at the time
in actual charge as rector or minister OF
q parisn in union with the Convention
shall be entitled to al the privileges of
the Convention.
ssSection 8. Every other presbyter in
good standing and acting under the
ecclesiasticaI authority of the diocese
shall be entitled to all the privileges of
the Convention, except the night to
vote.
Referred to the committee Oh consti-
ton and canons.
The Rev. Ellison Capers offered the
following resolutions:
Resolved, That commission be raised
by this Convention to consist of -
clergymen selected by the clergy, and
- laymen to be selected by the
laity, which commission Is hereby
charged to prepare constitutional
amendment, to be submitted to the next
Convention, providing for the separation
of the colore6 race into distinct organ
ization under the Bishop.
Resolved, That the said commission
be instructed to .evise the Constitution,
Canons and Rules OF Order, so as to in
corporate therein all provisions relating
to the organization of the Convention.
Resolved, That the election of the said
commission be made the special order
for Thursday at II m.
Nh. Capers supported the resolutions
in strong speech, while the Rev. =. =.
Bellinger opposed them in remarks Of
great length.
After recess, the Rev. Benz. Alston,
of Georgetown, offered substitute pro-
viding for the election of commission
to consist of four clergymen and four
laymen with the Bishop as chairman, to
whom the troublesome question should
be referred and whose duty it should be
to devise some plan for the adjustment
of the same and report to the Con7en-
ton next year. -,
As substitute for this the Rev. j. D.
Cullough offered the following:
Resolved, That q commission Of
clergy, to be selected by the clergy, and
-laymen, to be selected by the lay
men, be appointed to whom shall be re-
ferred all matters which have disturbed
the peace of the diocese. That they
consider them deliberately and present
the result of their deliberations as to
remedy to the next Convention.
Col. Jno. G. Haskell expressed himself
as favoring more decisive action.
The Rev. 4. Toomer Porter, D. D., Of
Charleston, getting the floor, stated that
the perplexing question which had been
so long agitating the diocese had given
him great deal of trouble, that ne hsd
given it considerable thought and had
prayed over it earnestly, and prepared
set of resolutions which he believed
would remove the difficulty and restore
peace and harmony to the diocese. He
then read the following paper:
:sAfter long, anxious and earnest etfort
to solve the greaS problem which has
agitated this diocese for thirteen years,
resulting in the alienation of the clergy
and aity, and the withdrawal Of several
parishes from this Convention, it is
apparent that the interest of Christ and
this Church among both races are IN
great jeopardy, and events have forced
upon US the conclusion that an absolute
necessity has arisen for the separate
organization Of the two races in this
diocese. To this end be it
s'Resolved, That in the judgement of
this Convention such separation, entire
and complete, is now essential.
'sResolved, That this Convention,
recognizing that it cannot compel an
organized congregation or a mission to
comply with the terms of its legislation,
but believing that such parishes or
missions as now exist have tue true inter
ests of the Church at heart.
sResolved, That commission OF
three clergymen, selected by the clergy,
and three laymen selected by the laity,
with the Bishop as chairman, be reques-
ted and Authorized to consult with the
vestries of st. Marks, of Charleston;
St. Luke's, Columbia; Church of the
Epiphany, Summerville; Calvary Church
and the colored clergy in this diocese to
effect complete separation into two or
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