The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1889-10-09
EPISCOPAL CONVENTION.
DELEGATES TO ATTEND THE
FUNERAL. OF BISHOP VAIL.

The California Diocese to he
DiVided-The Judicial System OF
the Church-The Matter Dis.
cussed-COnfirna Rites.
NEW YORK, October S.-When the
House OF Deputies of the Protestant
Episcopal convention was called to order
by it's president, Rev. DR.. Morgan Dix
he announced that the following clerical
and lay delegates had been appointed ia
attend the funeral of Bishop Vail, which
is to take place in Philadelphia to-mor.
row:
Rev. DR.. +. Edwards Beardsley, OF
Connecticut, Rev. DR.. William n. Nc,
Wicker, of Pennsylvania, Rev. DR.. A.
Beatty, of Arkansas, X. M. Nelson, oi
Alabama, and Alex. H. Rice, of Massa.
chusetts, the committee on the admis,
sion of new dioceses, through its chair.
man, Rev. DR.. Hanckel, presented re,
port recommending that the House give
it's consent to the division of the diocese
of California and erect new diocese in
the southern portion of the State. The
desired consent was unanimously given.
The committee on the econSecration of the
Bishops reported in favor of giving the
consent of the House to the conservation
of the Rev Vim. Leonard, d. d., as as,
sistant bishop Of Ohio, and the Rev,
Thos F. Davies. D. D., as bishop of Mich
igan. and asked that the report be made
the order of the day at 2.3O o'clock this
afternoon. Agreed to.
Among the resolutions introduced and
referred, was one providing for the APP
pointment of deaconnesseS another pro-
vides that short service be preferred for
the use of colored people; that the re-
quirements for the admission to orders
be modified in the case otcolored deaconS
and presbyterS, and that the sufragon
bishops of the African race may be APP
pointed in the dioceses where it may BE-
deemed advisable, and the bishop of the
diocese consents. This resolution was
referred to the special committee on
memorials relating to the colored people
Messages from the House of Bishops
were received announcing concurrence in
the action of the House of Deputies re-
port on the colored people, and on the
admission of new dioCeSeS of Colorado
and Oregon. The House ofDeputies then
took up the order of the day, which was
the report of the committee on the judi
cial system of the church. In this report
majority of the committee consisting
of ]. p. B. Hodges, chairman. c. Stuart
Patterson, secretary, {. L. Swope, S. G..
Shrall, H. Stringtellow, Alfred Mills and
Hill Burgwin state that only two modes
exist for the obtaining relief Of which all
seem to admit the necessity. One is that
the general convention recommend to
the dioceses for the adoption by them of
a canon for the trial of clergymen, max
ing provision both for courts of the first
instance and for courts of appeal. The
other is that the general convention
change article six of the constitution,
and then enact a uniform canon for the
whole church. The committee decided
that the first plan would be unbecoming
and undignified in the convention, and
an unwarrantable interference with do
cesan independence, and practically
fruitless. The second plan proposed is
pronounced the only regular direct
and reasonable mode of providing a
remedy for an admittedly deplorablc
of the present system, as to
the form which this change should take
Two plans have been advocated. One was
that the General Convention have power
to establish only courts of appeal without
with the present mode Of trial
in courts of the first instance instituted
by the respective dioceses; the other, that
the church be unrestrictive, so that the
General Convention may either establish
courts Of appeal only, or, if that be found
or ineffective, if may estab-
lish uniform and complete system
throughout the dioceses. The commit
tee of these two plans finds the second
the only practicable one. The committee
recommended that a commission be
formed to draft two CanonS for consider
alton i'll the next general commission I;
one providing for system of appellate
courts, only, and the other for uniform
system of trial in all dioceses, including
courts of appeal, The committee formu-
lated and presented canon covering the
entire procedure in the trial of clergyman,
accompanying it with an explanation
that the canon is merely offered to show
the lines upon which such canon might
be constructed. The committee also pre-
sented the following resolution:
Resolved, (the House of Bishops con-
curring(, 1st, That the third clause of ar
ticle OF the constitution be SO altered
that it read as follows: "ln every do
ccse the mode of trying presbyters and
deacons may be instituted bv the conven-
ton of the diocese until the General Con.
vention shall otherwise provide"
Resolved 2nd, That this proposed al.
teration be made known to the diocese
and be laid before the ensuing General
Convention for final ratification.
A minority report was signed by
lanes c. Smith, OF Western New York.
and Frank H. Miller, of Georgia.
They concur in the opinion that a change
in the judicial system is desirable to the
extent of providing reviewing tribunal.
They are not of the opinion that the
proper and only practicable method OF
effecting such change is by the legislative
act of this body, or that an alteration OF
article 6 of the constitution is necessary.
They express the belief that each diocese
is competent to provide for itself a COM
plete system of judicature, including a
suitable court of revision, and that 1.-THE
practical difficulties in the way of estab-
fishing courts of appeal by the general
convention are so serious that they can
not be overcome"
Hill Burgwin, lay delegate from Pitts.
burg, and member of the Committe, spoke
in favor of the majority report. Mr.
Burgwin had not concluded his address
when the hour fixed tor the recess had
arrived.
The result of the executive session was
the immediate confirmation of Rev. Drs
W. A. Leonard, of Washington, and
Thomas F. Davies, of Philadelphia, as
Bishops of the Southern Ohio and Michi
gan dioceses respectively. The house ther
listened to the continuation of the dis
cussion of the judicial system relative tC
the institution of an appellate court