The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1888-05-10
THE NEGRO IN THE CHURCH.

Action of tho Diocesan Convention of the
Episcopal Church Upon tho Troublesome
| Question.
The Convention of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in South Carolina met
i'll Anderson on last Wednesday.
There were fifteen churches ropre-
sented, as follows:
st. Helena, Beaufort; Johns Island
Church; Church on Edisto Island;
Trinity Church, Columbia; Christ
Church, Greenville; Grace Couroh, Cam
den; Christ Church, Wilton; Trinity
Church, Edgefeld; Church of st. Thad-
dous. Aiken; Church of tho Holy Com
munion, Charleston; Church of the Holy
Comforter, Sumter; Church of tho Ma
tivity, Union; Church Of our Saviour,
Rock Hill; Trinity Church, Abbeville;
st. Johns, Fairfield.
The Bishop announced that the Con
vention 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 agitating the diocese,
stating that his views we're we'll known.
He confined his remarks to the work of
the diocese during the past year and
made some recommendations, which
were referred to tho proper committees.
The Rev. j. -. Mccullough was unan-
lmously reelected secretary, and Mr..
Il. A. Mitchell treasurer of the Conven-
tion.
Under the head of miscellaneous bust
ness Mr.. j. II. London offered the fol-
| lowing:
That the constitution be amended SO
| as to read as follows:
"Article 3, Section 2. 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 parish in union with the Convention
shall be entitled to all the privileges of
the Convention.
"Section 3. 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 right to
vote"
Referred to the committee Oh consti-
tion and canOns.
The Rev. Ellison Capers offered the
following resolutions:
Resolved, That n 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 q constitutional
! amendment, to be submitted to the next
, Convention, providing for the separation
OF the cOlored race into q distinct organ
ization under the Bishop.
Resolved, That the said commission
be instructed to revise 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.
MIR. Capers supported the resolutions
in strong speech, while the Rev. l.. T..
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 1t should be
to devise some plan for the adjustment
of the same and report to the Conven-
ton next year.
AS a substitute for this the Rev. j. d.
Mccullough offered the following:
Resolved, That commission of--
clergy, to be selected by the clergy, and
--laymcn, to be solicited by the lay
men, be appointed to whom shall be re-
! ferred all matters which have disturbed
tho peace of the diocese. That they
consider them deliberately and present
the result of their deliberations as to IL
remedy to the next Convention.
Col. Jno. @. Haskell expressed himself
rs favoring more decisive action.
The Rev. a. Toomer Porter, ID. D., of
Charleston, getting the floor, stated that
the perplexlng question which had been
so long agitating the diocese had given
him great deal of trouble, that he had
given it considerable thought and had
prayed over it earnestly, and prepared a
set of resolutions which he believed
would remove the difficulty and restore
peace and harmony to the diocese. He
then read the following paper:
''After long, anxious and earnest effort
to solve the great problem which has
agitatcd this diocese for thirteen years,
resulting in the alienation of the clergy
and laity, 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 tho two races in this
diocese. TO this end be it
"Resolved, That in the judgement of
this Convention such separation, entire
and complete, is now essential
"Rcsolved, That this Convention,
recognizing that it cannot compel an
organized congregation or a mission to
comply with the terms of it's legislation,
but believing that such parishes or
missions as now exist have the true inter
csts of the Church at heart.
"tesOlved, That commission Of
three clergymen, selected by tho clergy,
and three laymen selected by the laity,
with the Biehop as chairman, be reques-
ted and Authorized to consult with the
vcstries of st. Marks, of Charleston;
st. Luko's, Columbia; Church of tho
Epiphany, Summerville; Calvary Church
and the colored clergy in this diocese to
effect complete separation into two or
E ganiHation undor the Bishop of the
diocese.
"ResolVed, This Convention will give
all aid and assistance in any applications
which these or other parishes or missions
NAV naRn Tho