Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-07
BOTH CREEDs MUST BE SAID.
HE Nicene Creed Compulsory on the
Five Great Festivals.
u Was NOT WITHOUT A SPIRITED DEBATE THAT
THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL ROUSE OF DEPu-
TIES 50 DEcREED, But The VOTE WAS OVER
wHELMuyG-coLoRADo AS A DIOCESE

TIES 50 DECREED, But The VOTE WAS OVER
wHELMISG-coLoRADo AS DIOCESE.
In the Episcopal centennial convention in New
York saturday Colorado, the Centennial state,
was declared diocese and the case of Oregon
was referred back to the committee on admis-
sions.
The question Of making the reading Of the
Nicene creed compulsory on Christmas day,
Easter day, Ascension day, Whit Sunday and
Trinity Sunday came up again Tor discussion.
This compulsory reading is enjoined in rubric
added to the communion service Dy the twelfth
OF the eighteen resolutions em5odying the
Changes proposed in the general convention
OF 1856 for ratification by the present copven-
ton The house of bishops has already adopted
all the resolutions, while the house of deputies
has rejected the eighth, which permits the
omission OF the htaDy on Christmas, Easter
and Whit Sunday. The house adjourned on
Thursday while the debate on the twelfth rcso-
luton was in progress. Rev. Mr.. Vauix OF
Arkansas, who had the floor when the debate
closed on Thursday. opened with the deciara-
ton that he opposed the passage of the twelfth
resolution. He said. The creed which it COM
pels us to use il not Catholic creed. 1t was
forced on the church by the civil authorities.
Its a crown creed and not u church creed, and
the national church OF America should not be
compelled to accept what Is not the accepted
the Nicene creed is a Roman creed just as much
as the dogma declaring the infallibihty of the
pope is a Roman dogma"
CALL TO ORDER.
delegate from Virginia called the speaker
to order on the ground that the validity of the
creed was not under discussion. President Dix
ruled that unlimited license had been given
to previous speakers he was unwilling to cur
tail Mr.. vauix. An appeal from the decision
OF the chair was laid on the table. Il am not
oat OF order" said Mr. Vauix. when allowed to
continue, for / am giving reasons why we
should not be compelled to use that creed Not
only Is 1t not Catholic, but the church of Eng
land and the church of the United States
have never called it the Nicene creed"
A delegate tried to read a passage
in the prayer book, in which the words Mi
cone creed" occurs, but the speaker paid no
attention to him. I'VE should not be COM
PEELED to accept this creed" said Mr. Vauix,
'becsuse both English and American bishops
have declared that nothing should be required
of belief which Is not set forth by the general
councils What Is only accepted By Rome we
are not, therefore. compelled to accept. Sup
posing it is accepted by the English church?
Are Tree American citizens to be bound by the
state church of England? l call on you as
American churchmen, as free men, to preserve
the liberty you sill possess.
THE NC me CREED DEFENDED.
Rev. Mr.. Christian of New York took up the
eudgels for the twelfth resolution. He said:
"There are evidently two classes opposed to
this resolution. One is composed of men who
beheye In the Nlcene creed, but don't like to
force men to say it who don't believe it. This
church and this body accepted the creed
called Nicene. There il a second class who are
going on the principle that it is not Catholic
creed Then this is q Roman Catholic body
with two or three Protestants in it
who have put themselves on record |
[Laughter.l Some one has said that
anvNf It,
at Toledo in $50. am not willing to allow
that the Roman church was in existence at that |
time. Why, that was before Augustine landed |
tn England. Now, the "filioque' clause was |
never known in the Roman litany until l14O !
30 much for its antiquity. AS you know, the /
Nicene creed ended with Il believe in the Holy |
Ghost The council of Constantinople added !
0le clause who proceedeth from the Father |
The subsequent council OF Ephesus declared !
that any addition to the creed formulated at |
Nice should subject their formulation to an !
athena. This anathema applies to the clause |
'proceedeth from the Father as well as to the !
addition and from the Son."
Mr.. Christian went on TO show that in spite of |
the Ephesian anathemas the council of Flor !
ence, which came the nearest to being general |
council OF any except the first one, inasmuch
as the church was more universally repre-
sented. authorized the doctrine of the double
procession and sanctioned the clause ''fiiioque"
The question. he continued, became subse-
quently not one of doctrine, but one of politics
The Greeks resisted the insertion of the I'll
toque" IN order to protest against the domina-
Hon of the Roman church, which was being
thrust upon them with the aid OF the arms of the
Crusaders. If We don't pass this resolution"
he said finally, lit will go on record that this
church does not believe in the Nicene creed
There Is talk of changing the name of the
church. i know change OF name will come
IN time and am in favor Of it, but had rather
be a member of the church called Protestant
Episcopal church, knowing it to be in esse cath
olie, than to belong 10 a church called catholic
which rejected the catholic creed"
THE PRAYER BOOK REVISION.
DR.. Dix had to cheek, as out of order as we'll
Is out of place, the applause which followed
from the floor as well as from the crowded
galleries Among others who spoke Mr. Fair
bank. lay delegate from Florida, and DR.. Good
win, objected to making the saying of the creed
compulsory. while Mr. King, lay delegate from
Ohio. thought that revision OF the prayer book
meant elasticity and not more completeness
Stephen 7. Nash expressed his horror that SO
many clergymen apparently refused to accept
rae NIcene creed whose insertion in the origi-
nal prayer book had been insisted on by the
English bishops.
The house of bishops spent the day in revis-
ing the hymnaL They sent two messages to
The deputies. one proposing conference about
the eighth resolution. and another providing
for steps to divide the territory of the church
III accordance with the provincial system.
Theodore Tilton In Paris.
Paris Correspondent Philadelphia Times