Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-09-19
EPISCOPAL CHURCH COUNCIL.
Denial of Some Alleged Sensational Mis-
representations - What the Propose,
Changes Really Mean.

Denial of Some Alleged Sensational Mis-
representations - What the Proposed
Changes Really Mean.
Editor Gazette and Journal: The
article in last weeks paper en- the APP
preaching council of the Episcopal
church, reprinted from New York
paper, and also published in the Phila-
delphia Press, is so highly sensa-
tional and misleading as to call for
protest from those who are better in
formed than the reporter who wrote the
article. Many of its statements are so
incorrect and convey such a wrong i'm
preston, that think some correction
should be made. No doubt some of the
members Of that body, the convention,
will call attention to the errors in the
New York paper, but in the extent of
such correction not being seen in our
own papers, | take the liberty of mem
tioning some of them, so that our citi-
zens may not be given the erroneous i'm
preston likely to be created by the
above mentioned article.
First, let me say that there never
was better feeling between the differ
emit schools of thought in the church
than there is to-day, and each is vie
ing with the other in advancing the
missionary work, which is the life Of
the church.
Second, the proposal TO form gen
eral synod" is not new and fearful
thing, but simply change of name,
the present name OF general conven-
ton" being so associated with politi-
cal organizations as to be misleading.
| So the statement THAT the present
body would be called upon to legisate
its own dissolution" is ridiculous as
well as untrue. The only real change
in its composition is to have three in.
stead of four delegates from each dio-
cese, as the present number is getting
too large for the speedy transaction oil
business; and also, it was found that
often the vote of a delegation was LOST
by being evenly divided. The odd mum,
Der will prevent divided vote. The
article says three delegates from each
church" it must mean from each dio
cese, but that is sample of the ignor
ance Of its writer.
The creation of a "primus' is, again,
only change of name from the present
title of presiding bishop" and pro
viding for his selection by vote of the
House of Bishops, which is certainl,
much wiser than the present plan o
selection by the accident of seniority
for it might happen that sometime
under the present plan, the Office woulC
fall upon a bishop too aged or infirn
TO fulfil all the duties.
1t will be seen, therefore, that tn,
changes proposed arc the very reverse o.
what the article says, namely, tina
"they are vast, "lilSely to lead to 6
revolution &c. The truth of tn,
matter is that the Episcopal Church j
simply waking up to the great work o.
evangeliziug the masses, and is fittin,
herself for the proper carrying on o
that work, which will eventually max
her in name and in fact the churcl
of the American people.
The diocese Of Delaware is represent
ed on the committee in charge of tn
proposed changes in the constitut ion
by +. G. Bradford; SO our State il
honored in the councils Of the churcl
as well as of the nation, by the selec
tion of able and worthy sons.
William j. Fisher.
Wilmington, Sept 18th, 1895.
I