The Portland daily press., 1895-10-03
CHANGES OF CONSTITUTION.
Important Business at Episcopal Con
Fenti0n.
Power of the Bishops One of the Matters
to be Discussed.

to be Discussed.
The triennial general convention
of tae Protestant Episcopal church,
which began its sessions in Minneapolis
yesterday must undertake the
discussion of matters extraordinarily
important in that denomination. No
more important subject has agitated the
church in this country than that OF the
proposed new constitution. Thus far the
new constitution has been drafted by the
commission duly appointed for that pur-
pose. The work of that commission was
extended and ardous Its complexion
furnished, in church circles, an occasion
for commendation and criticism which
extended far beyond the bounds OF the
Episcopal body itself. Thatsthe proposed
constitution may become the church's law
ii is necessary thai it should be accepted
by the next general convention on two
thirds vote, and not only that. but 1t must
as we'll receive like Endorsement from
the following general convention, which
will ba held in 1898. the second step In
this realization, then, must be taken, II
at all at this meeting. If It win its way
to acceptance in the first test. it will
doubtless succeed in the second. Whether
or not it will receive the favorable suf1-
RACES of the convention is altogether un-
certain Many of the changes involved IN
its adoption would be of sort so radical
that the contemplation of them has al
ready excited dire forebodings. In ad-
o1n in nhI1TGh
deprecates the idea of any written constl-
tuition, declaring that written oonstltu-
ton Is contrary to all precedent IN the
Catholic church or in any of its branches,
and maintaining that it is dangerous, In
asmuoh as 1t tends to making the rellg-
tous body seem of mans organization,
rather than of Gods.
PRESENT CONSTITUTION INCOM-
PLETE.
On the other hand, there exists in the
church vivid realization Of the fact that
the present constitution is incomplete to
an embarrassing extent and crude in nu-
merous details. Much that is unsatisfac-
tory in the present the proposed constitu-
ton promises to remedy. Viewed from
this standpoint the change attracts to Its
Import many who, while dissatisfied
with the draught in certain particulars,
are far more dissatisfied with the existing
constitution. They rely, too, upon the
future development and improvement OF
whatever may be adopted.
In the declaratory preface to the constl-
tuition it is stated that the scriptures are
to be received as tie word OF God. Hlth-
erto the formal statement has been that
the scriptures contained the word OF God.
The alteration is important because Its
literal Interpretation is likely to contra
dict the assertions of many biblical stu
dents, while, If it be regarded as figure
of speech, it at once allows threatening
liberty to personal opinion in its inter-
probation. =.
The first article of the proposed consti-
tuition changes the name of the chief leg
islative body from general convention
to general synod. The change would
seem to the layman one almost Ofindiffer-
ence, but the ecclesiastical Technology is
so exact that church papers have for
a number of months contained column
after column advocating or disparaging
the proposal The term Synod" histori-
cally signifies as ecumenical council.
Moreover, the change provides that 1.-The
powers not committed to the general
synod, or to the provincial synod by this
6I0 IO5CANC " oAAS NAOoNooo
respectively 1t is argued by some that
the character of the legislative body would
be revolutionized by this enactment; that
in consequence of its disputes concerning
the reservation of rights and the delega-
ton of powers would be continuous and
endless. Advocates of the word Synod"
insist that it is by association and mean
ing far preferable to the more common
and Notwithstanding word convention.
The first article also provides that the
ruling officer of the house of bishops shall
be elected by that body from its own
member and shall bear the title of primus
in accordance with ancient churchly use.
Under the present rule the title is presi-
dent of the house of bishops, and the
method of determining its bearer is the
simple expedient of giving it to the
bishop who is the senior member of the
house. AS result, the presiding bishop
is invariably a man of advanced years,
often too much burdened by his great age
for an adequate performance of the many
tasks of his position. By the proposed
change the house may secure for its head
the man among them whom they con-
slider in all particulars best fitted for the
honor and its duties.
POWER FOR THE BISHOPS.
The proposed constitution also reduces
the diocesan representation from four to
three, in each order, and doubles the
constitutional quorum of dioceses The