Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-03

pursued in approaching the matters that
will come up for consideration. Tonight'S
conference, however, Will be of a general
character, and the attendance will not be
confined to airy one set of delegates holding
similar views on the subject, but will be
in the nature of a preliminary gathering of
all the members of the convention, and
when Ii is concluded. it Is thought, it will
be easy for all concerned to understand pre-
cisely what is the sentiment of their col
leagues regarding the business before them
The matter to be considered tonight, as set
cut in the call for the conference, is the
wisdom of introducing into the organic law
of the new diocese the following features:
l. The laity to be represented on the stand
ing committee.
.. The laity to have concurrent vote with
the clergy in the election of a bishop, the
two orders balloting separately
3. The election of bishop to be deter
mined by a majority of the votes of the
clergy and a majority Of the votes of the
laity.
1t is said that probably no religious body
of it's character was ever confronted with
such delicate questions as that which will
convene here tomorrow.
Might InvnIidnte the Election.
vast amount of responsibility will rest
upon the delegates, because an error of
judgment in determining the questions ars-
ing may affect the validity of the election
of bishop. which is to follow after they
are disposed of. The present organic law
of the Episcopal Church provides that when
a law affecting the diocese is sought to be
changed, the proposition embracing it must
be made at a diocesan convention which is
composed of delegates from each of the
parishes in the diocese, and that il must
then be submitted to each parish for sep
arate action. When the parishes have eX-
Pressed their desires on the subject of the
change or changes proposed, the result
must be reported to another diocesan con-
vention, which may approve or disapprove
of the matter as it sees fit.
A number of the delegates believe that the
new diocese has the power to enact organic
laws for Its own government at once, and
declare that tae majority rule should be
adopted in place OF the two-thirdS rule
prescribed by the Maryland constitution A
great many others, however, who are con-
scientiously DESTROYS of doing only that
which will receive the approval of the high
er bodies of the Episcopal Church, while
they do not object to the majority rule in
any sense, are opposed to the convention
tampering with the law as 1t stands be-
cause of the possibility that such action
might be afterward declared invalid
1t Is recalled that when the diocesan
convention met in this city last spring and
had to determine the question of dividing
the diocese of Maryland into two dioceses
rumors were rife for many days preceding
the converting of the body that its mem
beers were torn into sundry factions by the
widely diverging views held upon the sub
1ect they were to consider. 1t was de-
clared with positiveness that almost SAVIOR
ed of authority that the Washington dele
gates were all at sea regarding the ques-
ton of division, and the delegates from
Baltimore and some other parts of Mary
land came down to Washington expecting
to see disorganized and disconnected set
Of Washingtorians and to find before them