The morning times., 1895-10-28

Rev. R. II. McKim, rector of Epiphany
Episcopal Church. preached yesterday
morning and evening on the subject of
The great convention" The convcn-
ton, on the acts of which the rector
commented, was the triennial of the
Episcopal Church held recently at Min
neapolis.
The principal feature of the rector's
sermon was the cha ract erization of
the report Of the committee on revision
Of the constitution as Revolutionary and
suoyersive of the principles OF the re-
public
He took his text from Acts xv:6-"And
the apostles and elders came together
for to consider of this ma tier" DIR.
Mcklm stated that in this chapter of Acts
was found the report of the first general
convention of the Christian Church ever
assembled. In some essential respects it
bore "A close resemblance to the conyen-
tion lately held at Minneapolis. The
latter was remarkable assembly. In its
personnel it was very striking indeed.
Especially as TO the laymen, among whom
were not u few OF national reputation as
In wyers, statesmen and financiers.
In point of ability this convention had
been declared by men of ability to have
been more conspicuous than any of its
predecessors. The usefulness of such a
NNH'tAooh tOuAA lot DC Putdonh III WOluS,
could not be summed up in figures or
stated in the form OF legislat tive acts. Were
there no legislation enacted, no doctrinal
decreesproniuigated, noimportantquestions
settled the benefit accruing to the
church from this triennial council was
immense.
GROWTH OF THE CHURCH.
He stated that the reports presented
TO that body showed that the collections
from all sources for the benefit of the
church for the preceding three years was
S3e 600: that its comnmnicants num-
bered els 600, and that the number OF its
adherents was in excess of 3, 600, 900.
There had been erected within the past
three years over five hundred churches,
and so per cent of their church property
was free.
He reviewed much of the ordinary work
of the convention, but dwelt at considerable
length on the matter of the proposed
revision OF the constitution and canons
of the church. The discussion of this
problem, he said. occupied the lions share
or the time and energy of the convention.
Three years ago seven bishops, seven pres
byters and seven laymen We're appointed
4 committee to undertake the work OF
revision.
That committee had unfortunately vast
ly exceeded its authority, had gone beyond
created, and instead ofbrininG in revision
ofthe constitution had brought in practically
n new constitution. differing fundament-
ally il principle from that adopted
by their fathers just 100 years ago. The
work of the revision of the prayer-book
and that of the revision OF the constitu-
ton were in sharp contrast. In the one
case tue committee on prayer-book revis-
ION had carried out the spirit and letter
of the Instructions given it by the creative
authority and had sought to introduce
no dcctrirai changes
REVOLUTIONARY DOCTRINES.
In the matter OF the revision OF the Con
stitution, questions OF the gravest CON
sequences confronted them Changes in the
doctrines OF the Constitution had been
prepared. which were revolutionary, and
which. ir the committee had succeeded
in its design, would have transformed the
church from a constitutional episeopate
into an autOcratic prelacy; would have
eEgrafted upon il the titular system of a
foreign hierarchy; would have introduced
into the church doctrines and pretentions
alien to our republic and subversive OF its
principles
He would. not say that this was inten-
tional on the part of the committee, but
when its work was presented to the
convention IL was necessary to pass iudg
ment upon it, and its implications instead
Of upon the intention of the trainers He
thought that the key to the situation was
that the 'revisers" had entertained n
dream of provincial system of the early
ages, which they thought, if applied new.
would materially Increase the power and
perstige OF the church. 1t was because OF
this dream that they had devised a scheme
different from that chosen by their fathers
in 1889.
DEFEATED BY THE LAITY.
DR.. McKiuI then spoke OF the way these
revolutionary propositions were received
by the convention. The bishops voted to
reject the increased power which the new
order of things would give them; for the
most part they refused to sanction the
transformation of the episcopacy into an
autocratic prelacy, but that they strangely
gave their consent to the prelatical plira Sc
elogy which belongs to a aforeignhierarchy.
1t was upon this ground that the great
battle between the upper and the lower
house was fought. Only the good sense of
the laity saved the day. The result showed
that neither hierarchy nor a prelatical
system was possible in the church unless
the minds Of the laity underwent a radical
change. When this grave crisis was forced
upon them it was the laity of the church
which won the victory Three-fourths Of
the iaynen were opposed to hierarchieaI or
titular pretentions.
The Episcopal church was Catholic in the
coutinaity of the faith. the discipline and
charity of the Christians OF the early cen
turies. and 2 Protestant In its resistance to
the aggression, and its rejection of the
corruptions of the Church of Rome. What
their church now needed was not more
elaborate raiment or more pretentious titles.
but great charity toward all men and
greaterized in the service of the Master.