The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-05-15
DIOCESAN CONVENTION.
A LARGE ATTENDANCE OF CLERGY AND
= slAIEY.

Meeting Of ftheP-otestant Episcopal Con-
vention at Aiken-A Conference Of the
"Seceders"-Most Of Them Enter the
onvention-Synopsis Of the Proceed
ings.
AIEES, May s.-ISpecial to the Regis
ter l-The interest which the public
seem to have taken in the Diocesan
Convention of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in South Carolina, appointed to
meet here this morning, has proceeded
from the expectation that the negro's
status in this ecclesiastical organi-
zation would here be considered
and determined The gravity
of the issue is evidenced by the atten.
ton given it by those sent to the con-
vention. 1t has been very fully dis
cussed,by the churchmen. .here-the:laity,
especially. giving free expression to their
views. The question that divided the
convention Of 1887 seems now
to be subordinated to the main issue
whether negro clergymen, or parishes
composed Of colored persons, shall be
admitted into the convention; or, as the
question may be more strongly stated,
whether all colored clergymen shall here
after be excluded:
The case is to come up on the report
of the commission appointed by
the convention held at Ander-
sou last year. That commission pro-
cecticd under resolutions which declared
it the sense of the convention that a
separation, entire and complete, of the
TWO races IN the diocese was ''now eS-
sential." A conference with the clergy
and vestry of the colored churches,
ordered by these resolutions, failed of
results.
The commission declined to re-
commend the adoption Of, the canon
submitted to the colored people proyid-
ing for separate organization, but did
recommend the amendment of the law,
to the effect that minister, to be en-
titled to a seat in the convention, must
be connected with an organized parish in
union with the convention; provided,
that no minister entitled to q seat in the
convention Of 1889 should be excluded.
| The effects of this canon would be:
/. To leave the admission of parishes,
and, therefore, the admission of clergy
men connected with such parishes, to a
vote Of the convention. \ division be-
tween the laity aud the clergy, touching
such admission. would exclude the pa
rish.
?. That all clergymen, Gncluding
colored ministers) now in the con-
vention must remain there. This,
according to the views Of the
majority of the clergy and a
minority of the lay delegates,
would admit Mr.. Pollard of Charleston
"the bone of contention"
THE ISSUE JOINED.
Thus is the issue joined. The ';se-
cederS," as they have been termed, still
insist that tue negro clergyman has no
right. under the constitution, to sit in
convention, and they want him eX-
Guided by an explicit declaration in the
organic law. These gentlemen held
conference this morning in the Sunday
school building of st. Thaddeus Church,
while the services preliminary to the
business Of the convention were in pro-
gress in the church itself. The
conference sat with closed doors, aud
the efforts Of some reporters, standing
at an open window, to "catch on" to the
proceedings was warmly, though not
diScourteouSly, rebuked by member.
1t is learned that DR.. Flagg, of Wacca-
nav presided. There was some discus
sion upon the proper course to be taken.
The gentlemen present appear to have
divided into two factions-thc one hold
inc that; the 'sseceders" should go into
the convention on the understanding
of purpose to have separate organi-
zation for the colored people, and the
other that there should now and here
| be distinct assurance that
such separation should at once be pro-
yided for. 1t is said that Col. Edward
McCrady,: Jr., of Charleston led those
who favored going into the convention,
whilst the other party were led by Mr..
J. ST. Julien Jervey of that city.
THE CONVENTION.
The usual religious services, prelimi-
nary to the opening Of the convention,
commenced at half-past 10 this morning.
In the chancel, beside the Bishop, were
the Rev. Drs. Wilson, Pinckney and
Porter of Charleston, the Rev. Dr. Ca
pcrs of Columbia, the Rev. DR.. Bellinger
OF Walterboro, and the Rev. J. Mercier
Green of Charleston. The sermon was
delivered by the Rev Mr.. Green, from
the 9th verse of the 1st chapter Of ST.
Johns gospel, and was a thoughtful and
earnest discourse The other clergymen
divided the service, including the com
munion.
The convention met for business at
i, O'Clock, the Bishop in the chair, and the
Rev. J. D. Mccullough of Spartanburg
acting as secretary.
Thc roll of parishes was called, and a
quocom of both the laity and the clergy
was feundzto be present.
Ii was noticed that Rev. Mr.. Pollard,
rector of St. Marks, Charleston-the
same being "the bone of contention, ="
was duly present.
When the name of st. Michael's,
Charleston, was called, Mr.. J. J. Pringle
Smith, deputy from that parish, asked
leave to read a paper signed by certain
members Of the convention. The Bishop
suggested that nothing could be done
until the convention should be decla red
duly orraniZed. When the roll was