Rock Island Argus., 1895-10-02
CHURCH COUNCIL.
General Convention Of the Epis.
copaIians in Session.
IMPORTANT MATTER TO CONSIDER.

Proposed Revision of the Constitution-
Summary of the Principal Articles-Greas
Changes Made In the Fundamentals of
the Organization That VIII Certainly
Precipitate Warm Discussion-Dishop
Given More Power.
MIsNEAPOLIs, Oct. 2-The triennial gen.
eral convention of the Protestant Episco-
pal church will be held in this city begin
ming today, and will probably continue in
session a little over three weeks. 1t will
be an important gathering in the history
of the Episcopal church because it will
act on proposed new constitution and
canons of the church to be reported by q
commission appointed by the last gen.
eral convention. The report Of the COM
mission Is extremely radical in some
things, and if its suggestions are adopted
the Episcopal church will be revolution.
izcd. As there are now fifty-two dioceses
and twelve missionary Jurisdictions in this
country and seven foreign Jurisdictions,
the convention has become large body,
too large indeed, and therefore there is a
provision in the new constitution reduc.
ing the representation to three Of each
order from each diocese.
Organization Of the Convention.
The president of the house of bishops,
by right Of seniority Of conservation, is
Bishop John Williams, of Connecticut,
and the secretary is Professor Samuel
Hart, of Trinity college, Hartford But
Bishop Williams health prevents his at.
tendance. The president of the house of
deputies Is the Rev. DIR Morgan Dix, Of
New York, and the secretary Is the Rev.
DIR. Charles /. Hutchins, of Concord,
Mass. Other officers are Buchanan Win
throp, Of New York, treasurer; Professor
Hart, custodian of the standard prayer
book, and Bishop Perry, Of Iowa, historic
graphcr. The report of the constitutional
commission will be the star event Of the
convention. At the outset OF the debate
on the proposed constitution point will
arise that has been hotly discussed ever
since the organization Of the church. 1t
is whether it is not contrary to Catholic
traditions for the church to have any sort
OF paper constitution.
Is the Bible "the Word Of God?"
First comes thc declaration of what the
church stands for and teaches. The
scriptures are to be received as the
word oil GOd, Is enc OF the state
ments in this declaration that will be
strongly objected to, not on the ground
that it is untrue, but because no such as
scrtion has ever before been put forth by
the church. To say that the Bible is the
word of God is to use figurative language,
and the trouble with figurativc language
Ii that every one soon comes to interpret
it in his own way. The Lambeth arti-
cles declare that the Holy Scripture ''con
tains'' the word of God, the point Insisted
upon by Rev. Hebcr Newton, of New y ork,
who has successfully lodged several hercsy
trials.
Name of the General Body Changed.
The first article relates to the organiza
ton of the general convention. Its name
is changed to the general synod. 1t is
proposed not to count the missionary
bishops, now some twenty in number, in
making up quorum of the upper house.
This would make twenty nine IA quorum,
which means that fifteen bishops might
exercise the authority of the whole house.
1t is provided that the upper house elect "a
president from its own number, who shall
be called a primus. Under the present ar.
ragcmcnt the presiding bishop is always
an old man, and therefore not always
able to perform the increasingly onerous
duties of the Office. The constitutional
quorum of the house of deputies is also
increased, and It is provided that the tw
houses may sit in joint session.