The San Francisco call., 1895-10-18
EPISCOPALIANs EXCITED
DISPOSAL OF A SUBJECT THAT
HAS CAUSED CONTENTION
FOR YEARS.
DR.. HUNTINGTON IS DEFIANT.
In A DRAMATIC MANNER He De
CLAREs THAT THE MEASURE
CANNOT DIE.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINI, Oct. lit was
a SIGNAL victory that was won this evening
bv the conservative element in the house
of deputies OF the Episcopal convention
The vote was close so far as the clericals
were concerned, but decisive on the side of
the Iavmen. The Lambeth quadrilateral,
which has been discussed IN every aspect
bv the church on both sides OF the At
Iantic during the past three years, and
which has proven a sore subject of conten-
ton between the narrow and broad church
parties of the American church, was scat
tered to the winds and the question of
Christian unity was declared by the result
as being outside the pale of the considera-
ton of the church. The ballot, which
was taken at 6 o'clock amid more evil
dences of suppressed excitement than have
been manifested at any previous session OF
the convention, was the elimination OF
brilliant debate, in which the parlia-
mentarians, taCticians and orators of the
BODY exhausted all their arts in the effort
10 win votes. The minority, which uL to
q late hour in the debate had calculated
on a bare majority in its favor, died hard,
and the scene during the closing speech of
Huntington OF New York, as with out
stretched arm and quivering foreinger
and every fiber of his frame trembling
with excitement, he fairly hurled at the
majority the exclamation: you may de-
feat this measure, but you cannot kill ii,
no, you cannot kill it; it is written in the
book OF God" was intensely dramatic.
This was the final vote on DR.. Hunting
tons report, the minority document having
been Withdrawn to enable square vote on
a square issue: Clericals-aye 10, no %,
divided IL; Iaymen-aye Is, no p, di-
vided s.
OF the clericals the dioceses of California,
Indiana Iowa, Georgia, Louisiana, Massa-
chusetts, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, Pitts
burg, Southern Ono and Western Michi-
gan voted with DR.. Huntington, New York
Ohio, South Carolina and Massachusetts
being divided. OF the lay vote Massachu-
setts and Pennsylvania were divided, and
New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island
Maryland South Carolina and Southern
Ohio were among the dioceses in support
OF the proposition.
Debate was resumed Immediately after
the routine business of the opening hour
had been disposed Of the pending ques-
ton being the report of the majority of
DIR. Huntington's committee, admitting to
the oversight of the church other Chris
tian bodies willing to accept the Apostles
and Niocene creeds, and to submit
themselves to the authority of an
Episcopal Bishop who should pre-
scribe the form of service such body
might employ. The venerable Dr.
Frederick s. Jewell OF Milwaukee led the
opposition with a fiery speech, which Dr.
McNicar of Philadelphia subsequently,
characterized as the most powerful
arraignment of the Lambeth conference
that has yet been made. He denied that
there were any large bodies OF Christians
knocking az the door OF the Episcopal
church for admission, insisted that it was
proposed to allow to people outside of the
church rights and privileges that have
always been denied to their own communi-
cants, and suggested shat the scheme was
one of wheels within wheels and which
gave to individual Bishops powers that
they would not confer collectively upon
their House of Bishops.
DR.. McKim OF Maryland said that three
years ago the general convention adopted
the Lambeth platform as its own, and con-
sistencv demanded that this proposition or
another like it be approved or the previous
action be rescinded. They were called
upon to take a step toward true catholicity
toward the genius of catholicity. 1t was
a movement in the interest of Christian
unity, and the church could afford to take
the first step as an object lesson TO the
whole Christian people, and which would
ultimately end in the present divided
stream of denominations flowing unitedly
toward the true Catholic church.
Instances OF Swedish congregations
identifying themselves with the church in
Minnesota, as contemplated by the pro-
posed canon, were cited by Rev. w. Mich
OILS of this city, who made plea for true
American catholicity. and appealed to the
convent; on to have the courage of ecclesi-
astical Craftsmanship.
DR.. George NJ. Christian of Newark, n. j.,
asked if the convention was prepared to
make every individual Bishop OF the
church the sole interpreter of the liturgy
OF the church at large or even of his own
diocese, and there was a thunder of "noes. 3"
Let them lay down the law that all who
come into the church must accept the
prayer book, cover to cover, and let them
hesitate before they take step that would
be fatal to the church's interest.
James S. Biddle of Philadelphia, in a
brief address, covered the majority report
with ridicule. Amid murmurs of appro-
baton he said that they had had enough
of the Lambeth conference. 1t had done
no good; it had done the cause of Chris
tian unity no good. Anglomania per-
vaded the American church to alto
gether too large an extent, and it ought to
be driven out. The time had not yet
arrived when this church was prepared to
open its doors to every little church that
had little row of its own. Such people
were not desirable. The entire proposition
savored of hole and corner business; it
was dark and dismal dream, a nightmare
10 be dreaded.
DR.. Rhodes of Southern Ohio spoke in
favor of unity, and Mr.. Fairbanks against
and after Drs. Froude and Huntington
had closed for their respective sides the
ballot was taken. When the result was
announced the victorious element ex-
.hanged congratulations, while DIR. Hunt
.ngton was surrounded by his friends, VINO
Urged him to continue to stand by the
cause.