New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-16
IN THE CHURCH PORCH.
RELIGIOUS GL1MpsEs AND CHANCES

which have been held this spring little was done 10 IN
dictate what would DO tho chief topic OK discussion AZ
the trenn!al gathering. OF course tne suo'ecs Ok
PRAYER Book revision which occupied so much OF the
d. o, tho lag, convention, will again como up. But
the interest Of the lalty in this matter has been dis
counted Tho most that can be expected IN 'ho way
OF revision Will be some slight changes III PnraSoooss'
punc tuation and arrangement 10 c"rsS msn '..n
changes may have profound sIs'nh'A -, ~
average pewholder doesn't care button "he'er "es
s., made or not thorough, yet wise ana CONSERVE
,ys revision and alteration OF the Prayer BOOK "ouiu
seem 20 the average Intelligent outsider 70 20 very uo
sirable But a cumbrous and unwiehy oouS nAD S
General Convention cannot possibly do any sucn "orA
as that.
=, ,s an interesting fact that, while the Epscopai
Church theoretically believes In strong een"s eo
errm.nt Il practically pays very little auen"o" "
-, s rprcme legislative body does or does hot 40
In fact It's government Is virtually Congregauonsi
undsr the forms Of Episcopacy. one rce'on io' Wv"
the Intense conservatism OF is IoSi's''o 80,
The individual parishes, being much moro pros'os
and II either impossible or inexpedient 10 "s' i' w
,,or action OF the Iaw'mskng bodies. Ana 80 'n'S
o,,,etly adopt usage, shorten a service or iuaus"
o,o custom on their own hook so 10 SPc"A'
rhon n few wears aftrrward, the big Generai Con'
,cr,,on solemnly lcgallzcs what has thus grow" ."
m almost universal custom Naturaily' u"''I -.
circumstances, the average Episcopal lay"an ""
,.h. much interest IN the meetings OF BODY inc 10
c,sons OF which simply register what INC p~'''"0'
,,ys alrr adv decided 10 be desirable.
A few OF the larger Episcopal dlooeses esp'S'a,Y
e. the East have manifested some deNlro !" '"""e
The representation In the Gcnerai '"h' a.. L..
icon, each diocese without reference 10 j" s'So'
- - ,,rod N send four clerical and four lay uc'r
o,.s n the National Convention. Under Inc opo'e
,io, ~ this law n great diocese hBe NO"
pcnnsylvaria has no moro voice In inc "e' 'r 80,
Tho Church than such a diocese as ArKanssS' ~.
nuuBer OF communicates to be iouro !" 49,
1T ,r This CITY, Naturally the smau diocese a,n
.u,,g IN surrender their present rights. in'' ,
,,t n, the supposNd Catholic principle una. VIC
600 s the ecclesiastical unit, ana a. inc sna' 49,
o,,rumber the large docescs. II IS not hh"is -.
hass Of representation will be chans''i' III '' %
-,u. something win have TO be done very o0n
"",' -, General Convention less unwelhy: for e'cu
- ,s si,c makes tho transaction OF OuS'"'s' wy
dlnicult .,
nr,u,ner, Episcopal clergyman ~ ms oS "n,
~. that the question Of changing INC n "'' co.,
Churh may not come up In me newt 49,,
yor,,on Those who desire tn" chang ~ 30, -
nrohabIy decide 10 lot the matter drop INV" Wv 49,,
Ting enough In the convention tn carry th' '",1
Au""e - ,o,snr,,x ~ doubt That they VIII 10
49,, % 40 This before many years they rg"'' >"
.srt,,n and such being n" case they sec no''s
h. gained BY prrcipi'atc action. ~" "e" 10
'n.rtv which Is engaged In the e7s"" ss
n,.s,,t name Of the Church, iS the ony N.''sI
oruan,rrd party in the Episcopal Ch"rN. = a..
Churc huen as party, virtually a''Ap% o., chr,rh.
p.,oru,cd Episcopal detection, While tho pro". -
w. ii. pr-tcr 10 act as Individual units ra'her
Than through party orgaihtN'o"'
~, ,.,,r,o,. s,aus Of n" negro VIII. of cour"'
m ,r come form in tho Episcopal General on
,,or, mn, II "a not likely that tho question VIII 90
- ,horou.hly discussed. Indeed II tho Chmch "o'o
,o ,nsis, on the absolute religious eaIhi'J Vi ""'
colord EpiscopalanS, 4 largo huh'O't !" ,,r,,
| v,,,copal,n. would Al Oncc s"c'HI"' "ha' !. 49,
| is uai somc grtrrtng genornliticS aoo"' u" IN
hoa ot all men in Christ will be Nopt"i' "n'" wiz
| -, ,ohodv 10 anything, and will leave uo qucs'
| 49,, to-, uhcre IL Is nOw As some one ms wv
| economically put H. there are many VIII"
| me-, who think that the niger has enough VI SO
| ~ be damned n he steals ohlck'n' ou' TO- - ~,
| con, N .nttn him 10 religious equaiity "luh n''
| white br"thTc
| sroa.inu Of the ncgro, came across hymn uo
| 81, d.y which Is said IN hAvo been wriuen W ~
| o'''' ~ 49,, , ,cr wears AGO and which certainly
a,,n., .oIr,t Of deep religious iervor ills enaIoa
| Jcsu,' and Is as follows
| J,,u swce,rSt namc OF All
| iIc,ri on this terrestrial baip
| lsped By men Of any race.
| Ian,ur, kindcs In their Taco
soe the trhes Of Orient
| Tr,N vhp frat sweet Jcs'l sent, l
w VIE | ihcS have rhH name confe'''a
| JOY springs up III every br"@st'
III.
| And tho tribes Of OcCdrnt-
I 4lrs Oh worldly conquest hCh''
s1 n" ~ they Gyn at tn T l%s DoI nmS
| ".
| ,,a tho tauny Southland tribes.
| long rrproarhcs With cruel Sl9cs,
| Out thcir hands s'rtch forth tn praise
| Tha, have come sweet Jesus days
| Y.
| And the w.word tribes tho same
| sIuU tho sweetness 81 this name ,
| N rough Columbia South ara Sor'S
| nud and long It's joys peal forth.
| VI.
| J.su rtngS from sca 20 sea-
| J,sm. rneS out IoytIuy
| Jetu, Jrsu, svc'eit iams
| Men Ut angels can proclaim
n. dccatcnce OF the great May Anniversaries, e.
pocially In Boston, Is an Interesting hA'uro VI our
r,rrDn, religious life This dccNicnco Is not TO DO
.s,n AZ an evid,nce that The penpo arN iosihs th"'r
,,,.rSt IN religious Affairs for Il Is not IL does
hou.y,r prove that interest 10 BE- no Longer conc"n
,ra,ci IN A big annual long talk The times have
! changed AMI the people with them Instead Of walt
| ing MI tn end OF the yCar To ma OUT whA 'hh
onurcbos arr, doing they keep track Of the great
| -, ..,,., .c,r-,es day By day aud week by ucsk In
| tie secular and religious papers. Moreover the big
.np,versarsp Ar mainly festivals Of talk, and modern
| Chrtstians appreciate work noD than talk. "hiir
| therofnrr, the many anniversaries ar apprVia"" ny
,tr country Clergy social reunions thcS no iohEf
represent The highest outcome Of CHRISTIAN 'ho"sn' anu
| .rot They are simply sdrviyals Of an age when
| grrat annual meeting tho only way In which the
churches could take an account II their spiritual stock
I have a friend who Is q prominent member OF
small though prosperous church In ono OF tho prottcs
and healthIst towns IN New England situated droctr
| ON osc OF tho great trunk lines, and not moro thai
seven hours nom Ncw.York. There is stone churc
and a parsonage, both In good r'pair; the parish
entirely frp, from debt, and offer salary OF 800
year and the parsonage. And yet my friend tell
mo that for nearly a year thy have been trying 1
, vain to get pastor. This Il certainly striking u
Illustration Of the scarcity Of available minister's IN IN
. ! Irrustant denominations. There arc. Of course,
| Goat many uucmp loyed ccrsymesl IN all the denom