The Portland daily press., 1895-10-09
The EPISCOPALIANS.
Are Still Considering the Report
Of Reyisions.
MISSIONARY BISHOPS MUST BE
COUNTED FOR QUORUM.
The Debates are Very Long-Considerable
Parliamentary Sparring Is INDUCED In
The Standard Prayer Book.


Minneapolis, Mimi, October S.-The
house Of deputies Of the Episcopal con-
vention yesterday placed itself on record
as being willing to surrender one OF
its most valuable prerogatives and praoti-
oally the only one that enables it to hold
the whip hand in preventing the house
of bishops from making of itself, If 1t
was so disposed, literal oligarchy. But
for the fact that it is now recognized
that the present debate is but an inter-
change of opinions between the repre-
sentatives of the various dloceses and
that the old institution is likely to re-
main the foundation OF the church, the
refusal Of the convention to re-enact the
clause putting into effect within three
days all legislation concerning which the
bishops had made no sign, might be
fraught with grave consequences to the
denomination.
The omission of this clause from the
new revision, after a debate in the COM
mission which, it is said, lasted week,
enabled the house Of bishops to approve
as much of the legislation of the junior
body as they wish and to kill indefinite
~ by failure to act. all resolutions, re-
ports and other matters with which it
may not be in accord and makes the
lower or representative house little more
than a spoke in the wheel of the church.
A number of deputies, both lay an d
clerical, declared last night that If the
| Il f,f ho ppUicinn
pleted at this meeting and the document
sent to the dioceses, the old clause would
be reinstated by an overwhelming ma
jority.
Most of the delegates to the present
convention were elected before the pre-
liminary report of the commission was
issued and consequently in voting, rep
sentiments than those Of the dioceses..
the latter not having an opportunity of
officially expressing their views.
This was the first victory for the reyis-
ion commission after several days OF de-
bate, but their jubilation was short lived.
By an overwhelming majority the House
refused to exclude domestic missionary
bishops in the counting of quorum, the
legal effect of which exclusion would be
to mako it possible for II or IS bishops
to form q majority, even when questions
of the gravest Importance to the church
are under consideration.
Then came the celebrated secJion 8, pro-
yiding for the election OF a primus, or
/ head of the house Of bishops, to hold
tary resignation Quickly the amend
ments piled up. One delegate favored a
designation of president bishop, Eanother
archbishop still another presiding bishop,
one more prlmate
The house was not in favor of any of
the first three, nor did it kindly regard
as a substitute that the bishops elect their
own presiding officer and give him what
ever designation they might see fit A
vote had not been reached on the primate
PROPOSITION when the house adjourned.
Bishops Littlejohn of Long Island, Per-
nv of Iowa and Hall of Vermo MT, were
appointed a committee in response to the
invitation of the Archbishop of Canter-
bury, to suggest subjects for discussion at
the Lambeth conference to be held under
the presidency of the head OF the church
of England in 1897.
The cold weather effected a change in
the attendance at the house OF deputies
this morning. After preliminary formal
tiles thesscommittee on changes i'll the
constitution submitted report unfay-
orable to the proposed amendment, where
by it was proposed to substitute the word
constitutions for constitution, and asked
to be discharged. The report of the COM
mittee was adopted. Mr. Elliott of the
same COMMITTEE submitted a reportaaupon
the resolution by Judge Fairbanks, the
intent of which was to authorize any
diocese to set aside part of its territory
as a mission. This report was unfayor-
able.
DR.. Samuel Fart, custodian Of the
Standard Book of Common Prayer, sub
mi tied through DR.. Huntington, long
printed report relating to the new stan
dard, and calling attention to several ty-
geographical inaccuracies. Among other
statements contained in the report was
one to the effect that 100000 copies Of
the book had been printed from the new
standard.
The resolution adopted at'the last gem
oral convention providing that the name
assistant bishop be changed to bisho OPP
coadjutor wherever it occurs in the pray
er hook, was brought up for final action
and the question is before the house as a
portion of the report of the revision and
was placed on the calendar.
DEANE COP GIIPA