Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-14
HEAD OF THE CHURCH
Protestant Episcopal Bishops to Elect q
Primus.
ABSOLUTE AUTHORITY OVER ALL.
The General synod VIII ne the su.
preme Legislative Body-Adjoinins
Diocc.cs WIN he United Into Pro-
vinces, Governed by Primates.



consists OF the Right Rev. John Williams.
Bishop OF Connecticut. and presiding
bishop; the Right Rev. Arthur Cleveland
Coke. Bishop Of Western New York;
the Right Rev. William c. Doane. Bishop
Of Albany; the Right Rev. Thomas u.
Rev. Henry c. Potter. Bishop of New
York; the Right Rev. William Paret.
Bishop OF Maryland; the Right Rev.
Alexander Burgess. Bishop OF Quincy; the
Very Rev. +. A. Hoffman, d. D.. LIZ d..
che Rev. ]. 8. Stone. ID. D.; the Rev. c.
A. l.. Richards. ID. D.; the Rev. Charles
II. Hail. ID. D.: the Rev. William j. Sea-
bury, d. d.; the Rev. Hall Harrison, d..
D.. secretary; w. II. Lghtner. Edward
q. Bradford. +. b. Swayne, Charles g.
Saunders. John A. Beall. Frank ii. Miller,
and w. s. I.aidley.
RADICAL CHANGES MADE.
According to the constitution, as re-
vised by the commission. little remains
of the constitution adopted by the Church
In l7Ss, or as Il has been since amehueo
from time TO time. Among the changes
suggested are those which do away win
the General Convention. and make the
great legislative body OF the Church the
General Synod; the provision Tor 'hs s
election of G Primus. to take the piaee %
the presiding bishop who holds MS ol''ce
by reason of seniority; the exchanging Oh
fba title Of assistant bishop for that OF
bishop-coadjutor, and the uniting OF con-
tlguous dioceses into n province. each pro-
vince 10 have q primate to be eIecten oy
his colleagues The revised constitution
Gets forth in the clearest language .nc
exact duties Of each house coinprlsins
the General synod, and does away WIN
many OF the doubtful interpretations
found In the old constitution, ana reuuCes
the number Of presbyters ana lsynish ~
the House OF Deputies from Tour TO , mr.
each, on account OF the great multip"c'''
OF the dioceses
Following is the constitution In part as
revised. II will be presented to the next
general convention for adoption
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.
Article I.-Section /. There shall De
General Synod OF this Church, consisting
of the House Of Bishops and the House
of Deputies. which houses shall SIT anu
deliberate separately; and In all dellOe'a-
lions freedom Of debate shall be allowed
Either house may originate ana propose
legislation. but every act Of the Genera
synod must be adopted by both houses
and be certified by the signatures OF the
presiding officer and Of the secretary OF
each house. .,
section g. The House Of Bishops shaii'
by majority Of all entitled TO vote IN
the said house. elect from its own numDer
a primus. to he its presiding officer. the
haH 1nfA unless
resigns. or be removed for incapaclty. or
for canonical cause. Crhe other sections
of this article are devoted to the rights
OF the bodies and members Of the synod
SYNOD TO BE HELD EVERY THREE
YEARS.
Section . The General Synod shall
meet on the first Wednesday OF October
In every third year after the year one
thousand eight hundred and ninety-eiCht.
at such place as shall he appointed by the
synod: and II there shall appear TO the
primus Sufficient cause for changing the
place so appointed. he may appoint an
other place for such meeting. Special
meetings may be called I'm accordance
with canonical provisions Of the synod.
BISHOPS TO BE TRIED by BISHOPS.
Article III-Section I. For the pur-
poses declared In this constitution. and
under the limitations therein prescribed,
the General Synod Is the supreme legisla-
tive authority in this Church, and, in ad-
dition TO such powers as are in other ar
ticies Of this constitution expressly or
by implication conferred upon IT, shall
have exclusive power TO lsgislate upon the
following subjects: (a) The qualifications
and conditions for making. ordaining, and
consecrating bishops. priests. and dea-
cons. (b) The conditions for the forma-
ton, division, and rearrangement Of do
ceses, and the relations OF dioceses TO each
other. (c) The foreign relations OF the
Church. d) The general missionary. edu-
cational. and charitable work of the
Church.
THE court for the trial OF bishop shall
be composed OF bishops only. The mode
OF trial of a bishop and all proceedings
regulating the same, including the form OF
the judgment 10 DE rendered and Of the
sentence thereupon. and the modification
or remission Of such sentence. shah be
prescribed by ordinances TO be enacted
by the House OF Bishops.
Upon questions OF doctrine a final ap
peol may In ali cases be- taken to the
House OF Bishops, and upon such appeal
no question of fact shall be reviewed. All
trials shall be public. except by consent
of the accused. No one but bishop shall
pronounce sentence upon any bishop, pres
byter or deacon.
section 1. The powers not committed
70 the General Synod or to the provincial
synods by this constitution, nor prohibited
by II TO the dioceses, are reserved TO the
dioceses respectively. save that no diocese
or province shall legislate in regard to
doctrine or worship.
PROVINCES AND DIOCESES.
"Articie IV.-Section l. The dloceses and
missionary jurisdictions shall be united
into provinces by the General Synod In
such manner and under such conditions
as shall be provided by canon. The bounds
OF such provinces shall BE- determined by
the General Synod. and may at any time
thereafter be changed by the General
Synod with the consent of the provinces
concerned Every province must includt
not less than five contiguous dioceses.
section 3. The bishops OF each province
shall elect one OF their number to be tht
primate OF the province.
BISHOPS MUST BE OVER THIRTY.
Article V.-Section 3. No one shall b
ordained and consecrated bishop until NJ
shall be 30 years Of age; nor without tbs
consent OF the majority OF the bishops o.
his Church. exercising jurisdiction In tn
United States No one shall be orda'net
and consecrated by less than thre'
bishops.
SECTION 4. A bishop may not resign hi
jurisdiction without the House Of Bishops
CABINET FOR THE BISHOPS.
article vI.-Section /. In every dioces'
there shall be standing committee. whicl
shall be appointed by the convention o
the diocese.
section ?. when there Is bishop il
charge OF the diocese the said committe
shall be his council OF advice. and whsi
there IL no such bishop II shall be th'
ecclesiastical authority Of the diocese.
FORMATION OF NEW DIOCESES.
article vII.--Section g. Any new do
cese shall be admitted into union with Tn,
General Synod on its acceding 10 this con
stitusion. under such conditions as ma,
be determined by the synod.
1.-The General Synod may accept the ces
sion OF part OF the territory OF a do
cese when the bishop and convention O
diocese shall propose such cession. an'
three fourths Of the parishes in the cede'
territory. and also the same proportion
In the remaining territory. shall consen
thereto: provided that such cession shall
have been approved BY the Genera
Synod: and provided. further, that sucl
action OF the General Synod shall be b.
= vote Of two thirds OF all tts bishop
present and voting and two thirds OF tn
House Of Deputies voting by diocese.
THE REMAINING ARTICLES.
Articles VIII. TX. ard X. remaining
OF the ten which comprise the new con
stitution. refer TO the qualifications 70
ordination and conservation. the Book o
Common Prayer and future amendment
20 tho constitution. respectively. an,
contain no innovation Ia existing pro