Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-11-01

The triennal convention Of the Protestant /
Episcopal church. in session at New York, I.
completed It's work last week and adjourn.
ed The leading subjects which came up
for consideration were the revision Of the
prayer. book the preparation Of a new hymn
al, the question Of marriage and divorce,
aud the race or negro question as it affects
the church The work Of revising the
prayer book was completed, subject to a
vote Of confirmation Of the work three
years hence A new hymnal was also
adopted, subject to a similar vote. The de
bate ON the divorce question was long and
earnest one, and new canon was formu-
lated, the adoption Of which was earnestly
urged but it was laid over to the next tri
ennial convention.
The debate on the negro question grew
out of the fact that colored clergymen and
lay delegates have been excluded from seats
| in the diocesan conventions of Virginia and
| South Carolina aud the colored clergy came
| up TO the general convention asking to have
their status defined. Two reports were
submitted, the majority report saying in
effect that the colored members " ere recog-
nized as brothers and accorded equal prvi-
leges with others in tine general convention,
but that the convention could not undertake
TO dictate the course to be pursued by the
diocesan conventions practical aflirma.
ton Of the Southern doctrine of state
rights The minority report, on the other
hand, brought in by Phillips Brooks and
supported by him in the most stirring and
telling speech made during the session, took
the broadcast Christian ground, and depre
Gated the recognition OF the color line in
any respect in the church or its work. The
majority report prevailed, to the general
regret of the Northern members
Mr. Brooks, in sermon on the work of
the convention, preached from his own pull
pit in Trinity church, Boston, last Sunday
morning, said that lin its manifestations of
high moral purpose, particularly in the de
sire for union of Christian effort and zeal
for missionary work, the convention was
inspiring the church today may be called
a missionary church, but Of the action tax
en- upon the race question he said it was
not one that in his Judgment was sufii-
cient or satisfactory one, and he feared
that the result would be to weaken the work
Of the church with that race for the future.
In some respects, the political action and
declarations on this subject were in advance
of the religious, but his hope was, that,
a good spirit often prevails over a bad or
defective policy, the spirit of the church
membership toward it would be in advance
Of the official utterance of the church
People outside of the Episcopal commun-
ion, and not a few within it, who have read
the detailed reports Of the proceedings Of
the convention during its four weeks ses.
sion, will feel inclined to agree with the
comment upon its work made by Bishop
johnson of Western Texas, who said This
convention has been occupied thirty days
and with what Things that will not help
out the cause Of the church one iota. The
convention has been tinkerug with the
canons and the prayer-book while the great
social questions of the day are lowering
over us, threatening destruction to our so
cial fabric The wish expressed by the
Churchman prior to the convention was not
satisfied. 1t was not a convention preemi
nently missionary and practical The ques
tions which vitality affect the world today
have far broader scope than those bearing
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