The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-02
CHURCH'S GREAT WORK.
Rev. G. h. STRONG ON THE EPIs-
COPAL GENERAL CONVENTION.

1t-An Incldent OF us completion
The Church's Declaration of Princi-
ples-The Offer of Church Unity and
the Acceptance Of the Historic Epis-
oopate The Episcopal Mission
Field-some Features of the Con-
vention.
Rev C. H. Strong, who has just returned
to the city after an absence of about three
months, gives an interesting account of the
Episcopal general convention at Baltimore, /
just closed, which he attended as delegate |
from the diocese Of Georgia.
The general convention meets every three
years. 1t met in Baltimore on Got. and |
was In session three weeks. 1t IS a dual |
body, the bishops, about seventy !
in number. meeting separately in secret |
session and being known as the |
upper house. and the clerical and lay dele |
gates numbering about 500 forming what |
is known as the lower house. The lower |
house is composed Of four clerical and four |
lay delegates from each diocese.
MIR. Strong gives an interesting explana- |
ton OF the dual organization of the cons |
Vention. The delegates who organized the
first general convention OF the church IN |
America he says we're the same men who
had only recently formed the American
constitution, which provided that congress
should Re composed Of two bodies, the
Senate and the House of Representatives.
They carried the same idea into the forma-
ton Of the general convention and pro-
vided for two bodies, the upper house com
posed of the bishops and the lower house
composed Of the clerical and lay delegates.
IDENTIFIED WITH AMERICAN HISTORY.
The Episcopal church was the predomi-
nant church in America in the early history |
of the country, and the majority OF the |
principal figures Of the revolution were |
members of Its communion. The general |
convention is the highest legislative and
judicial body of the Episcopal church.
IL is different from the English church
where the acts Of the convocation OF York
and Canterbury must be passed upon by par
llameut and approved by the queen before
they become effective. The bishops meet IN
secret but the sessions OF the lower house
are open to the public.
ANY action to get into being must be by
concurrent vote Of both houses. The lower
house numbered about 800 delegates, one
half clerical and the other half lay.
Mr.. Strong said he could say conscisn-
tiously that the convention consisted of as
fine body Of men as he had ever looked
at. Naturally, the very best men from each
diocese had been chosen as representa-
tiyes and there were numbered among /
the lay delegates many Of the most promi-
neut men OF the country-senators, judges
and leading professional and business men.
Chief Justice Fuller of the supreme court
and Senator Edmunds of Vermont, and |
other public men almost equally noted,
were among the delegates. The clergy, Mr..
Strong said, were an earnest, intelligent
body OF men.
THE CHURCH LOOKING FORWARD.
In reviewing the work accomplished Mr.
Strong said it is evident that the Episcopal
church is:thoroughly alive to all the move |
nnents of the day, turning its facs to the |
future and not to the past.
Its work was practical. The changes in |
the prayer book were accomplished and !
nothing else may be done on this line for | {
the next 100 years This was a subject of |
long and serious discussion. The changes | l
that were made, Mr.. Strong said, are in the | {
direction of fexibility aud enrichment. l
The work Of changing the prayer book be {
gan nine years ago and was cOmplsted at |
the recent convention.
Some of the Iiturgies that were thrown
out when the prayer book was first pre-
pared simply because they were used by |
the Roman church were readded. |
The idea, Mr. Strong said was to |
enrich the prayer book so as to allow the |
selection OF a service suitable for any occa-
sion that might arise.
THE PRAYER BOOK COMPLETE.
The completion of the work was the &C.
casion of an interesting event. AS soon as
the resolution was passed declaring the |
prayer book complete a handsome volume |
in velum was brought in aud laid upon the |
table, 10 was the completed book. AS fast |
as the changes had been decided upon by |
the convention they were telegraphed to |
New York, where Mr.. ID. Pierpont Morgan
was having the prayer book prepared. All
the plates were ready and each portion
decided upon was added to OF stricken out
as the convention decided. The work was
done at lightning speed and the whole was
ready TO place before the convention as soon
as the formal decision was made. Mr..
Strong said it was the handsomest piece of
work of the kind he had ever seen. 1t
was done by Mr.. Morgan at a cost Of Sl2 900.
From the same plates 1000 copies Of the
prayer book were printed and the distribu-
ton was begun yesterday to the members
of the convention as souvenirs.
THE NEW HYMNAL.
The new hymnal. which was also adopted
contains about 500 new hymns. and most Of
the old ones.
The church printers are now putting
forth all their energies in printing the new
prayer book and the new hymnal, and will
have both on sale by the middle Of next
month The question of Christmas presents
90 Episcopalians will be considerably sim
plif1ed by these publications, as the present
of either PRAYER book or q copy of the
hymnal, especially the former will be very
acceptable 20 any Episcopalian, as all will
consider 1t necessary to provide themselves
with the new prayer books at least.
The action of the convention on the ques-
tion of Christian unity, Mr.. Strong consid-
cred as especially worthy Of note As has
already been announced Ia the telegraphio
reports OF the convention, the lower house
decided to put in the constitution OF the
church as its first article declaration Of
principles which is intended TO bring the
church into unity with all Christian denom-
nations. 1t is declaration that the Church
Of England or the Episcopal church will
come into unity with any other Christian
THE FOUR ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES.
This consists in four essential prin~
ciples put forth by the bishops at Lam
beth four years ago. They are as follows:
l. The scriptures Of the Old and New
Testament contain the word Of God.
z. The necessity of the two sacramento.
baptism and the Lords supper.
8. The acceptance of the two creeds, the
apostles and the Nicene creed.
a. The acceptance OF the idea Of the hiss
tortc episcopate.