Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-17
EPISCOPAL COUNCIL
NlNeTy.slxTH ANNUAL SESSION OF
The CHURCH IN VIRGINIA.
rmoortant Business TO 30 Consider'
Proposed Charter Of the Council
DIsoIpiiue of tho Laify.

sixth Annual Council OF the fro'es.an'
Fpiscopal Church in the Diocese OF VII
oinia will assemble in Grace church,
Petersburg, on Wednesday next, the 10Th
instant. Bishop White. assisted Dy
Bishop Randolph, will preside. Bishop
Petetkin. of West Virginia. worthy son OF
the Old Dominion, will be among the dis
tinguished visitors at the Council
LARGE ATTENDANCE
Tn view Of the important business 20 be
considered at this session IT Is expected
that the attendance of delegates, both
clergy and lay, will be unusually large-hob
less than250, probably over 5Oo. Ihe Goaiii
mittee on hospitality of the several local
churches have already received notice
OF the coming OF nearly 300 delegates,
and have secured accommodations Tor
that number, and have also prepared for
others from whom no definite notice has
been received. And here 1t may be stated
that members Of other than the Episcopal
denomination have generously. and yolun-
tarily rendered their homes for the ac-
commodation OF these brethren OF their
sister Church. Il seldom occurs that the
Annual Council of the Church attracts
such large attendance as is foreshadowed
above: but il seldom occurs that matters
Of such widespread and general interest
engages the attention of the Council as
those that will come up for discussion
next week.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS.
These matters embrace 70 a large extent
the unfinished business OF the last session.
and il is expected that their cohsiueIaition
will practically exclude any new business
of Importance. One of these was the re-
port of special committee appointed TO
consider the expediency of the appoint
ment of one or more boards of trustees TO
be legally incorporated for the purpose OF
holding. subject TO the direction and con-
troll of the Diocesan Council, all invested
funds now exising or hereafter 70 be ac-
cumulated for the benefit of the yari-
ous church charities of the diocese" The
committee in it's report submitted the
form of charter to be applied for at the
next session of the General Assembly, the
title of which is: IAN act to lncor-
porate the Council of the Protestant
Episcopal Church in the Diocese OF VIZ
GINA" as best calculated to serve the de-
sired purpose. IL was designed that the
Council, under this charter, should ap-
point these boards and in this way retain
control of the trust funds-the boards to
lie subject TO the legislation OF the Coun,
Gil and such rules and regulations as IL
might from time TO time adopt.
ANOTHER REPORT.
This report and accompanying charter
were referred to q special committee OF
five, who subsequently reported through
r.. TAYLOR Scott, the present Attorney
General of the State, that In their Judgment
the proposed charter presents serious ana
grave legal questions. which should be ma
turely and deliberately considered. Inc
Constitution of Virginia provides that
1.-THE General Assembly shall not grant q
charter of incorporation TO any church or
religious denomination" Though the
Council" be not the Church, it is part and
parcel of its ecclesiastical organization.
The charter should be free from doubt and
uncertainty; if tainted with "illegallty"
the consequence will be the loss of " the
funds" ut was designed TO make secure
The report was thereupon referred to
committee Of nine, TO report at the session
of the Council next week.
THE NINETEENTH CANON.
Another matter of interest is the forth
coming report of committee on the pro-
posal to repeal or amend the nineteenth
canon touching lay discipline, which
canon II was several years ago, proposed
to enlarge by including round dancing
among disciplinary offices. ms canon
was enlarged at the last session by lnclu-
ding gaming, attendance at horse-raclng
and theatrical amusements. Attending
public balls and habitual negligence of
public worship are subjects of discipline
and admonition in the Church. Subse-
quently, however, committee OF seven;
including the two bishops. was appointed
to report at the next Council upon the
question of repeating the canon. Inc
recommendation of this committee Will
probably favor leaving the disputed mat
tiers more to the Judgment of the pastors
and the conscience Of the lay members
than To CAnOnical regulation.
DIVISION OF THE DIOCESE.
The question of greatest importance to
come before the Council. and one that will
give rise to the widest discussion, is that
of the division of the diocese. This mat
fer has been IN the minds of the people
and before the councils for years. The IN
terest manifested in it has increased each
year, but it has been a noticeable TACT that
| great respect was always shown to the
| opinions of the Bishop III the, premises.
| As the head of the Church 1t was
ALWAYS conceded that his wishes should be
respected, and that his knowledge or the
needs of the Church was supreme. Ten
wears ago he was decidedly opposed to
division, but after much reflection and
under q solemn sense of responsibility to
| God :" in view of the great changes IN the
condition of the State and the Church
| that have occurred, he accompanied IN
appointed to consider the question of d.
viding the diocese of Virginia into two or
more dioceses, this committee TO report at
the approaching Council.
The committee appointed consisted OF
| the two bishops, six clergymen, and eight
laymen, representing all portions OF the
| diocese and men prominent IN the Church.
| This committee has met and agreed upon
| lts report which recommends division OF
| the diocese into two dioceses. The COM
mittee was unanimous in its agreement rs
| to the report, and more than two dloceses
was deemed unwise and impracticable.
THE DIVIDING LINZ.
The committee recommend the dividing
| line to begin at Aqua creek between King
| George and Stafford counties, and to run
thence along the dividing line between
Spotsylvania and Caroline. Louisa and
Hanover, Goochland and Fluvanna, Pow
hatan and Cumberland, Amelia and Prince
Edward. Nottoway and Prince Edward,
| Iunenburg and Charlotte, and Halifax and
Necklenburg counties. Looking upon the
man of Virginia it would be seen that this
line would make the Eastern Diocese
| 0eayine out the two Eastern-Shore coun-
| ties) almost an exact equi-lateral triangle,
with Richmond as the central point. 1t
would give to the Eastern Diocese the
large cities of Richmond, Petersburg. Nor
folk, ana tOrJSulOului anu NHAo thO
Western Diocese would be greatly larger
in territory. with great prospects for the
future, it would give the wealth and great
est membership TO the Eastern. The re-
port will doubtless be vigorously opposed
in the Council.
TWO on THREE DIoCEsEs.
The truth is that while division has long
been discussed, sentiment has not centred
upon any particular line. There Is
LARGE element in favor of two dloceses and
a large one in favor of three. This latter
element is particularly strong in the South
side. Ii will only be when the Council
meets and tull interchange Of views oc-
ours that ANYTHING like an intelligent opin-
Ion as TO what should be done can DO ar
rived at. The very full and complete paro,-
chial reports made at the last Council
with all the statistics rs to territory, men,
bership. contributions, expenses, &C.,
furnish data. which will no doubt be val;
liable in any division that may be agreed
upon. ,
THE soUTHwEsT's DEMANDS.
Southwest Virginia will come forward
with a demand that the counties of High
land, Augusta, Nelson, Amherst. Campbell.
Pittsylvania, Henry, Franklin, Bedford.
Rockbridge, Bath, Allegheny, Botetoprt.
Ok rall