Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-12
The Clerical Discussion Over the
Word ''Primate."
new TITLE IN TIE AMERICAN CHURCH
Reason Urged For and Against the
Change.
CON vENTfoN SCENES
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
| MINNEAPOLIS Mimi, October 8, 1895.
| Yesterdays discussion in the Episcopal
| convention as to whether the term primate
or that Of presiding bishop shall be used is
| agreed to have been one Of the ablest de-
bates ever heard on the floor of general
| convention. When the question first came
before the house it looked as If the word
''primate" would be adopted at once, but
| the Rev. DR. Elliott came to the rescue Of
| presiding bishop" and stayed the tide
| while Rev. DIR. McKim's brilliant speech
| almost turned it.
The word in the revision was "primus,"
| and the office was elective, but when the
bishops took the section In charge they did
| away with the election and made 1t so that
| the office came, as before, by seniority of
conservation. They also made the title of
| the office ''primate." This came down to
| the lower house, and it was moved to make
1T, as now. presiding bishop"
For a while 1t looked as If vote would
be taken without any debate, but the Rev.
DR.. Elliott of Washington claimed the floor
and opened one of the greatest debates of
the session. He opposed the word "pri-
mate because 1t was a radical change in
the church. and because 1t was a great
mistake to take in this republican country
a new ascending scale of terms for officers
| in the church.
He was followed by deputy, who said
eFerybody's mind was made I'D as to how
they would vote. and that they needed no
debate.
But Rev. DR.. McKim claimed the priv
iiege and made a brilliant speech. He in
sisted the names were very important that
the delegates ought to consider the Amer
lean people, and how best to carry them
the Gospel and the church, and not to
prejudice our cause by suspicion that we
were following something foreign. He
''Good!' ''Good!" from all sides-'It is he
simplicity of Bethlehem, and not the SPLEEN
dor of Jerusalem, which will give us VIC
tory over the hearts of the American peo-
pie"
Rev. DR.. HARDWOOD of Connecticut in an
| able speech, showed that the term applied
to the bishop of the mother church. and
that, II used at all. it belonged, according
to history, to the bishop of Connecticut,
whose predecessor, Bishop Seabury, was
the first bishop in the United States, and
that we ought not to claim titles based on
fancy, not on fact.
Rev. DR.. Huntington of New York made
a speech in Its favor. He was clear and
| carried much weight when he said that
the word primate merely referred to the
dignity that lay in the venerableness Of
old age.
Rev. DR.. Greer of New York made an
eloquent speech against "primate."
Rev. DR.. Green of Iowa spoke in favor
claiming that many people in the west
preferred the church because of it's dig
nifty.
Rev. DIR, Parks of Boston spoke against
-primate." saying that there must be
archbishops before there could be primates,
and that finally there would be patriarch
over the whole church.
The vote as taken by division, and there
were 1872 for primate and 152 against it.
A vote taken just before this letter
leaves shows that now the house of depu-
ties agrees with the house of bishops in
making the senior bishop primate The
majority in favor Of seniority was large
| A resolution has been Introduced and car
Fed to accept no more invitations. for the
convention has been literally overwhelmed
with hospitality.
T. Next. Place of Meeting.
This morning some time was spent in
choosing the place for the next convention
Boston had the committees report in its
favor, and New Orleans and Louisville
went under in the attempt to take the
place. But when Atlanta came to the
front in handsome speech by young
cleric. Mr.. Knight, it won easily. With a
telegram from the governor of Georgia in
his hand, and the certainty Of IN opera
house next to the church Tin Atlanta),
where the sessions Of the two houses could
be held, and a hint that the state house
might be put at the disposal of the con-
vention, the Georgia man carried his city
handsomely, but the house of bishops has
chosen Boston, SO that there must be a
committee Of conference.
Northern Michigan was made a. diocese,
SO that miters are waiting for four of the
clergy-one in Maryland, one in Kentucky,
one In California, and as above
Tbs house of bishops is still working
much more rapidly on the new constitu-
ton, and messages from the house an
nouncng their passing articles reach the
deputies before the latter have gotten to
these same articles.
Prayer Book Changes.
: There was a unanimous vote to make a
change in the prayer book, but the change
was very slight. and in place where few
people look-among the golden numbers"
and the change is only in a few figures
and necessary because we are going into a
new century soon.
There is said to be only one mistake in
the new prayer book. and that in editing.
On page 262 (all new prayer books have the
same paging). at the top is the word min
lister" which ought to be question"
Final action has been taken on the
word bishop-coad5utor for assistant bishop.
The change was adopted in Baltimore in
1892, and sent down to the dioceses. At this
convention the final vote was taken and
bishop -coadjutor is now the word. The
vote was by dioceses and orders. Mary
land voted mo- in both orders. Mr.. Key
ser voted aye; Messrs. Wilmer and Mason,
no." (Mr. Packard absenD, so the lay
vote was mo-"
The vote as taken by dioceses was cler-
ical, 36 aye, II no, Z divided; lay, % aye,
~ no. 3 divided.
Parliamentary Pitfalls.
There are all kinds Of parliamentary
pitfalls for the unwary, and many able
lawyers who sit for the first time in this
body. find that the proceedings require
more thorough knowledge of such law
than they expected.
Ex-senator Edmunds has been constantly
at the front to keep things in order and
now that he is gone he will be greatly
missed. Yesterday there was vote show
ing 325 deputies present, but it is doubt
full If this large Lumber can be kept
week longer. There was also the first vote
by dioceses and orders, which means that
the clergy and laity vote separately and
each di ,cese as unit If possible That is,
the secretary says Arkansas. and If the
four clergy are agreed they say aye or no,
but If two are on one side and two on the
other it is said Arkansas Is divided.
The question on which this vote was
taken arose from a message from the house
of bishops, which informed the lower house
that they had fixed the title THE consti-
tutions and canons for the government Of
that part of the Catholic Church known in
law as the Protestant Episcopal Church"
Those who know about the dispute over
the name Protestant Episcopal will see
Ill,