Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-05-25
EPISCOPAL COUNCIL,
IMPORTANT AMENDMENT CANoN ~
OFFERED AND DISCUSSED.
Various Motions Concerning H-'""so
Barton's Motion 10 Refer TInaiv
Adopted-committee
Appointed.
Correspondence of the Richmond DisDa'ehl

The Episcopal Council met this morning
AZ 10 O'Clock. There were the loIlyMin
clerCvmen in the chancel: Keys. 9od d ~ ~.
Mason, G. q. Smead, Of Pulas ~; auu u,Y
Rev. pike Powers. ID. d., OF h lcnnlur ~,
The latter preaced an excellent sermon III oiI
ST. Mark XVI. 16, ." He that Dele'e'H "N'
is baptized shall be saved" .,e-.a NJ
After the services Right Rev. hIireaI ~ ".
Randolph. d. d.. called the C ,orr ree9
order for business. The secretary Ie"u
the minutes, which were adopted
Rev. Pike Powers. ID. d.. presented on pc
half Of tho Committee on Canon ~ the IOl-
lowing amendment 10 the canon ABOVE To
ferred to;
THE AMENDMENT.
ANY member of the Church, being COM
municgpt thereof conducting himself or
herself in q manner unworthy Oh Chii Is1
tian ought 70 be admonished or e&Peiieu
from the Lords table by the munster III
the parish or church according 70 the Iu-
brio. Gaming, attendance on hoIse-la o.ll
and theatrical amusements, witnessing III
modest and licentious exhibitions or
shows, attending public balls, haDituial
neglect Of public worship, a neglect OF Uhe
Holy Communion. or denial OF the DOC
trines of the Gospel as generally, SET loro
in the authorized standards Of the Church
are practices that all Christians shouId aD-
stain from. This enumeration, hoWvel'
shall not include all the subjects OF dlscl-
pine or admonition for the Church.
in cases where it may be deemed ex-
pedient by the minister. or may be re-
0uested by the accused, the church war,
dens or either of them shall be summOned
TO assist the minister in ascertalnlng the
facts of the case: Provided that II such
warden or wardens shall fail or refuse to
act. the minister shall proceed TO ACT
under the rubrics Of the Church.
sTUMBLrNG-BLocK.
Rev. r. b. Lee made forcible speech.
showing that the canon In its present
form had been a stumbling 60 many
ministers. He felt that IN It's present form
a minister was under obligation to carry
out the obligations OF the nineteenth
canon. There are men who had DeeH
forced TO leave tho diocese on account OF
this canon on discipline. He thought me
amendment would plainly show thee
Church's mind and at the same time not
bind the minister's conscience IN an ObIec-
tiOnable manner.
Judge Barton, of Fredericksburg, said
that the Council had no right 10 pass on
matters of discipline. He held that be-
longed to the General Convention.
UNWILLING TO REPEAL.
Rev. Joshua peterkin, ID. d., looked on
the canon in its present form as an express
sion of the Church's MUD on tho practices
| therein described. He was, however. m
willing to repeal the 18th Canon. Ihis
| would be misunderstood by the world.
Rev. Joseph G. Jones said that he
thought great harm was done by leaving
this canon on the books and he favored the
amendment.
The vote being put the amendment was
unanimously carried.
Judge Barton then moved that the
whole matter be referred to committee
20 report to the next Council as 70 the
competency of the body to treat Oh mat
tiers relating 10 church discipline.
DR.. James Grammer. in replying TO Judge
Barton, held that the Council has every
right TO pass such canons on discipline
each diocese had the right TO say IN what
manner the inquiry should be conducted
lie said he favored the reference OIL canon
10 TO committee
Judge Barton's motion then being put
was carried. The Bishop appointed as the
committee Right Rev. +. NJ. Nhlttle, y.
d.. Rev. II. b. Lee. Rev. b. j.; Tucker,
Major II. Taylor Scott. Judge W. >. Bar
! ton, and Mr.. Joseph Bryan.
Bishop Randolph made some appropriate
remarks and the Council adjourned TO
meet next year IN Petersburg.
MADE PoPEs OF THE CLERGY.
Judge Barton said that an especially
Objectionable feature of the canon wa.
| that il made popes of the clergy, and that
| tho laity of this diocese would never sub
NIT to this irresponsible discipline.
After much discussion the Chair said he
would exercise his right of summing NJ
| the arguments on the question. For twenty
wears he had never had any doubt but thai
all questions of doctrine, discipline anc
worship belonged to the General Conyen
ton; that the convention had authorized
each diocese to form court OF inquiry
and TO this judicial body belonged the IN
| lnr,,rnAnAtn of onnnn