Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-25
How Bishop Paret Will Organize
the Convention.
he DEFINES His INTENDED COURSE
Points That Win Be Urged Before
the Convention.
THE STANDING COMMITTEE

Church for the newly formed diocese OF
Washington at the convention to assemble
here December are being discussed with
great interest by both the clerical and lay
members of the convention. The chief
features of interest leading mp to the cleo
ton of a bishop are the propositions to
amend the constitution of the diocese of
Maryland so as to give the lay members
greater influence in the selection Of a
bishop and permitting his election by a ma
jor!ty instead Of by a two-thirds vote.
Proposed Amendments.
The proposed amendments to the consti-
tuition are the following:
The election Of a bishop to be determined
by majority of the votes Of the clergy
and a majority of the votes of the laity.
The laity to have concurrent vote with
the clergy in the election Of bishop, the
two orders balloting separately.
The laity to be represented on the stand
ing committee.
The important question in relation to
these amendments is whether the conven-
ton to assemble here next week Will nave
power to form it's constitution regardless of
the constitution of the diocese Of Maryland,
which many contend will regulate the new
diocese with the same force that 1t operated
upon the mother diocese.
The Maryland Constitution.
The constitution of the diocese of Mary
land provides:
Article L. This constitution shall be un
alterable except In the following manner:
A proposition for any change shall be in
troduced, in writing, and considered in con-
vention and, II approved Of, the same shall
be transmitted to the several restrieS or the
parishes and separate congregations, which
shall have ratified this constitution. And,
if again approved of in the next ensuing
convention by majority of the respective
orders. voting thereon separately, the
change shall take place and the constitu-
ton so altered shall be valid and obliga-
tory"
The Election of IA bishop.
Article 8, regulating the election of a
bishop, provides:
THE election of bishop of this church
shall be made in convention in the following
manner: The order of the clergy shall noni-
nate and appoint, by ballot, some fit and
qualified clergyman, of the Protestant Epis-
ccpal Church of the United States. for that
office; and the votes of two-thirds of that
order shall be requisite to constitute a
choice. And thereupon such appointment
shall be presented to the order of the lay
delegates, and he considered by them and
If, on a ballot. 1t shall appear that the per-
son so nominated is approved of by two
thirds of the lay order he shall be then de-
clared to be duly elected" etc.
What MIR. Albert Says.
"The question respecting amending the
constitution is one of the very important
ones to come before the primary conven-
toE," said Mr. Charles Albert today. ION
the ratification by the general convention
OF the act of the convention of the diocese CT
Maryland, forming the new diocese Of Wash
ington, constitution TO canonS was given
it-that is, the new diocese will start with
a constitution to canonS identical With that
of the diocese of Maryland. the :onstitu-
ton provides a mode Of amendment. The
new diocese being subject TO that constitu-
ton, must proceed to amend it accordingly.
The general convention says that constitu-
ton shall prevail unless altered by the con-
vention, and it seems to me the convention
car alter it only after the method in prac-
tice. The primary convention can scarcely
be considered plenary convention. iecause
it starts with a constitution to which it is
made subject by the gen aral convention.
The general convention says explicitly that
the new diocese shall be subj ect 10 the con-
stitution and canons OF the diocese SO divid-
ed. A diocese that is made subject can
not be SAID to be free. It's convention can
scarcely be said to be possessed of plcnary
power
Bishop Paret's Letter.
Bishop Paret has written to severd; gen.
tlemen Of this city letter in which he in
dicates the course he will pursue in regard
to the organization of the primary conven-
tIon of the diocese Of Washington to be
opened here December 4. 1t is as follows:
My Dear Sir: have decided, I think,
pretty positively upon the course which l
ought to follow, and will follow In the pri-
mary convention. After conference with
Mr.. Packard and others we'll qualified to
advise, am sure that there is no new do
cese of Washington fairly in existence un-
til it shall have been organized. There may
\;
born, and until 1t shall be, I must remain
bishop Of the present undivided diocese
Il purpose, therefore, to call the primary
convention to order, to have a temporary
cial list of the clergy, and have certificates
of lay delegates presented, from which two
lists preliminary roll will be called. Com
mlttees will then be appoin ted on the rights
of clergymen and on the rights of lay
delegates to seats. AS soon as they shall
have reported, the convention will elect its
permanent secretary, will adopt rules of
order, and will choose it's name. 1 will
thereupon give the formal and legal declar-
alton Of my choice of dioceses; whereupon
the new diocese of Washington will be suffi-
GENTLY organized. president will then
be elected, as required by the constitution,
and 1 retire.
ut is my wish not to appear in the after
proceedings of the convention. 1t would
be better that at this stage I should with
draw. and leave them entirely to them
selves, under the direction of their own
president. My presence at the beginning,
then, will only be long enough to insure
their preliminary organization, and get
them in readiness for business.
II would be glad to have this well I'M
derstood, and I send copies of this letter
to one or two others. Yours truly,
.'WILLIAM PARET,
Bishop of Maryland"
There has been a great deal Of discussion
about the probable position the bishop
would take in regard to the organization
of the convention.
The Bishops Position.
In the diocese of Missouri a short time
ago the bishop conducted the convention
until 1t was fully organized. Bishop
Parets course seems to meet the hearty
approval Of large number of clerical and
lay delegates to the convention, as 1t per-
mits the new diocese to be formed by the
delegates themselves.
1t is probable that after the primary con-
vention adjourns Bishop Paret will be ask
ed to take charge of the diocese until the
new bishop is installed, as the election of
the new bishop must be confirmed by the
various dioceses before he can enter upon
his duties.
1t is possible, too, that under the two
thirds rule prevailing in the diocese it may
l. Il .~1 1.-1~ L