Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-05-25
Episcopal Council.
[ Reported for the Alexandria Gazette
LAST DAYS PROCEEDINGS

Reported for the Alexandria Gazette.
LAST DAYS PROCEEDINGS
PETERSBURG, Va, May 2S.-Divine ser.
vcs was held a. halt past nine o'clock.
Morning prayer was read by Rev. John K.
Meeon. of Richmond. DIR. James Grammer,
OF The Plains, Fauquier county, preached
from S.. John, XIV, II.
At the conclusion of divine service the
Council met for business, with Bishop Whit.
tie In the chair. Several reports ofoommit
tees were received and accepted.
Discus sion on the question Of division was
resumed. rGnbor of members spoke and
some time was wasted in Settling minor
questions OF order. DR.. Sprigg's motion at
last came up which was to add the counties
of Stafford, Prince William, Fairfax, and
Alexandria to thu proposed new diocese OF
Virginis.
Bishop Whittle then explained hiE views
His Interpretation OF the article OF the gen.
eral constitution on division OF diooeses @ss
that Council had no more right than
General Convention 10 inaueurate division
of diocese, still that was only his opinion,
and this Council had acted differently and,
on his suggestion, appointed at its last ses-
sion committee on division. AS he had
recommended this course If the report OF
| the committee was proper 10 other respects
and accepted by the Council, he could. il ne
saw fit, approve OF It, While he thought
the petition OF the Southwest ives in Its
presentation more In accordance with The
spirit of the constitution, he could not ap-
prove of the Southwest petition asit did not
| come up to what was requlre d by the General
| Convention. He could not approve OF the
diocese Of Virginia giving 81 600 to the pro-
posed new diocese annually for period OF
years, nor in lieu ofthis the pay ment OF half
the Episcopal fund, aud be did not think
that the Council would consent 10 this. He
| furthe. thought that the growth OF the Epis-
copsI Chusch in the Southwest would be
slow, nj did not see how the petitioners
could predict that 10 few years 1t would
be self supporting. he could not go before
the General Convention and before God and
vote for the petition of the Southwest.
Assistant Bishop Randolph claimed that
there vas NOTHING In the general constitu-
ton to contravene the right Of S council to
| insu2urate divieion, and believed that It was
| in order for this CouDeil to follow Bishop
| Whites suggestion on division made in Ills
address TO the last Council.
After much discussion on the question
/ without afrlVai aC any CeClSlcu,
Raw. DR.. Hanckel moved that the James
river and other lines, proposed as amend
ments to the committees report, be taken
up seriatim, and that the representatives OF
| each one of these lines be permitted i've
minutes tine to explain them, and then the
vote 90 these amendments be taken up seri-
atm, and at hslf-past one the line OF The
committee be tsken up and acted upon.
L IT II, led
The vote Yss then taken on Dr.. Sprigg's
amendment, which added the counties of
Ste ford, Prince William, Fairfax and Alex
andria to the proposed diooese of Virginia ae
set eff by the committee. No Representa-
tive of this amendment WAS present, and Cd
being put to vote 1t was lost by almost
unanimous voice.
The James river line was then called up.
vote by eyes and orders wss demanded
Cergy-ases 49, noes 81; laity, ayes 30, noes
80 So this amendment wss lost.
The proposed line Of the committee
diwiding the present diocese into esst
and west sections was now brought
to a vote. In this case the Council
called for ayes and noes and vote
| oy orders, The vote resulted 90 folIows:
Clergy, ayes %, noes Al laity, ayes 26, noes
SIS, So this proposition Was also ost. &
great many OF the delegates left the city this
morning under the impression that 20 vote
would be taken on division at this eession.
Dr.. Kinloch Nelson moved that the whole
sutjsot of division be referred to committee
| composed of clergy and laymen, to re-
port at the next session OF the Council. Gar
| ried.
The usual vote of thanks waa given to the
| rector and vestry OF Grace church, and to
the railroad ard steamboat companies for
according reduced rates. The next Council
will be held 10 Epiphany Church, Dapvllie
Council then ar j,urned TO meet at o'clock
this evening.
sATURDAY-EYENIEG SESSION.
The Council met st Ais o'clock, Bishop
Randolph in the chair. M. Jos. r Bryan.
If r chmcno, brought up the resolution on
;he XIXth canon already published in the
GAZETTE. He advocated the proposed
changes. Tine amendment proposes that
any member of the church who offends by
wickedness of life shall be expelled from the
communion The resolution wee received
bg the Council. Rev. DR.. Jas. Grsmmsr, OF
The Plains, FArquler county, strongly op.
posed the changes in the resolution. he
ehsrscteriz ID the report So most aKtraordi-
nary and as ouishing Il wss simply re-
enactment OF general law and needed no
action on the part OF this diocese 10 give it
force.
The debate on tois question was animated
aud able The amendment VAS opposed by
Rev. R. A. Goodwin. Rev. Dr.. Gibson, and
Major John Page, and favored by Rev. Dr..
Mason. J. Ravensoroft Jones and others.
Raw. DE-. Gibson thought it best to defer
further consideration CT this question unti
the next Council, because there was so snail
an attendance here DOW. Dr.. Gibson also
objected to the form In which the canon
was proposed IL the committees report to
be reenscted.
Further consideration of The question was
postponed to che next Council.
Judge OLD, of Norfolk, reported fayorablv
upon the proposition to incorporate board