The times., 1894-11-16

markablo oratoric.l powers, he has rather
avoided thc,r clsr!2y Gna has tried to
make his li,u week 20 Improvement of hu-
maiiity, especially ot tho poor. His ex-
perience in Tho cast side of New York city
has led him To COMO very clear and posi-
tive conclusions us } tho proper methods
of extending relief, aud his address Is
awaited with great interest. He is some
thing of an athlete as well, and his superb
physical condition has been no small aid
to his work for tho poor. During the hard
times of last winter ho mado q special
study of the poor of New York and the
proper methods of relief, particularly the
guarding against impostors, and 1t has
been iocularly said that his abilities in
this line fully qualify him to be chief Of
detectives. Those who think preachers are
easily imposed on could learn much in
brief talk with DIR. Greer.
AT the Baltimore convention in October,
1892, there were many pressing questions
as to church organization, statistics and
the like, one of the most important being
q proposition by Rev. DIR. Huntington Of
New York to incorporate the Lambeth deo-
laration Of Christianity into the constitu-
tion, which was adopted after one Of the
most brilliant debates in the history Of
the American church. The declaration in
brief Is that belief in the Scriptures, the
two creeds, the two sacraments and the
historic episcopate Is all that is required
of those wishing to enter tho church, and
that any congregation having duly or
dained minister and accepting the SUBJ
stance of this declaration may be received
as an Episcopal church and use any litur-
gical service it may prefer, provided the
bishop of the diocese finds nothing objec-
tionable in it. The obvious intent is to
give the largest latitude in all tho so called
high and low church variations.
Another interesting discussion was over
a proposition by Rev. DR.. Hamilton that
the church use its influence to secure a six
teenth amendment to the national consti-
tuition forbidding any state to appropriate
money to the use of sectarian institutions.
The wording showed that it was especial
ly aimed at UNCONVENTIONAL schools. Min
listers are but men, and it was not surpris-
ing that good deal of states rights doc
trine cropped out in the discussion. In
view OF the important part taken in recent
elections by tho so called A. p. A. it is in
teresting to note that when tho mover of
the resolution stated that it was by re-
quest of an association for the protection
expressed surprise, this being tho first they
had heard of such body. 1t soon appeared
that the tender point was the aid extended
to Indian schools in which denominational
teaching was had, but the convention con-
cluded that the evil, if evil it is, was not
serious enough to call for so big a remedy.
One question often debated, which will
be passed over by the convention Of this
autumn, is that of changing tho name Of
the church, but to fully understand it one
would have to read the history of Christi
anity from Luther to Bishop Brooks. 1t
is of course known to everybody that Epis-
copalians claim "A continuous succession
from apostolic times and regard tho Ro-
man Catholic church as itself q secession
or apostacy from the truc lino but TO COM
pute the books and pamphlets written TN
this subject would fatigue the inlagiaa-
ton. Suffice it to say that in the United
States the matter has no such Importance
as it has in England, where the monarch
is officially the head of the church and
bishops sit in parliament by virtue of their
ecclesiastical rank. Nevertheless it is Of
such interest that few facts will nid in
understanding the discussion.
1t is admitted, on the one hand, that the
word Protestant is in nowise necessary us
designation of the church, and, OH tho
other, that it may be used descriptively es
the church of tho timo of King Edward
vi did protest against the errors of Romc.
But it is charged that the uso of worl
embodying mere historic fact is liable -
be misleading. The word is popularity as
sociated with the great protest of Luther
and his followers, while the English re-
formers refused in express terms to depart
from tho fellowship of the church uni
versal, and their best writer's often de-
clared that the pope might rightfully be
recognized as the bishop of Rome and al
lowed q primacy among the bishops Of
Italy. In England n favorito phrase now
is Anglo Catholics. All this, however, ii
of general interest only and not applica-
bio to the present convention. In October,
1889, tho American church celebrated It's
ono hundredth anniversary, dating from
the convention of October, 1889, when the
organization as separate from that of
Great Britain was perfected.