Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-10-15
THE EPrsCoPALIANs

The subject of church unity came to
the front almost at the opening of the
session of the Episcopal House of Dele
gates in Minneapolis yesterday. A re-
port was presented by majority of the
committee on amendments to the con-
stitution presenting an amendme Mt en-
powering bishop to recognize congre-
cations outside the Episcopal Church
and take them under his special care,
provided such congregation subscribe
to the Episcopal Greed, in which case
it need not necessarily be confirmed.
A minority report, signed by six
members of the committee, was pre-
sented by Rev. j. ]. Faude, of Mime
apolis. The minority opposed the
amendment because it touched the
Book of Common Prayer, gave bishops
the right to set aside the customs and
canons of the church, even gave bish-
op power to celebrate mass if congre-
CATION desired without confirmation,
would ALLEVIATE many from the church,
and had no compensating advantages.
In the mind of the minority the amend
ment, instead of being a step towards
church unity, was really in the direc-
tion of aggregation and not spiritual
unity.
The report called attention to the
fact that there had absolutely been no
response to the advances made by the
church toward unity in the Chicago
Lambeth declaration, and that this
move was premature. Even il it pass
ed the minority believed that few con-
gregations would avail themselves of
the privilege. The whole matter was
made special order.
The committee on unfinished busi-
ness offered resolution for final ad,
iournment on Tuesday, October %,
which was finally adopted. a mes
sage from the house of bishops an
nounced that that body had receded
from its opposition to the new diocese
of Marquette, and concurred in its
erection. The constitutional revision
committee submitted its final report,
with the exception of the canon on
marriage and divorce, VIII ch was prom
ised tomorrow. The report is SUBJ
stantially the same as that already
printed, the changes being minor and
verbal ones. Consideration of the re,
port being resumed, section of arti
Gle was taken up. This precipitated
the debate over the misrepresentation
of missionary Jurisdictions in the house.
Governor Prince, ofNew Mexico, made
strong speech in favor of giving the
missionary jurisdiction representatives
all the privileges of other delegates,
save that of voting. He declared that
the 346 clergymen and $4,000 communi-
csnts in the missionary Jurisdictions
had right to be heard.
Gov. Prince finally won his point by
a substantially unanimous vote.
An amendment was adopted giving
Jurisdictions in Europe the same repre-
sentations that those in the United
State have.
The term presiding officer of the
house of bishops" was substituted for
"primate" in one article.
In the house of bishops. Bishop Gar
rett, of Northern Texas, presented a
memorial asking that the missionary
jurisdiction of Northern Texas be erect
ed into diocese. The order of the day
the erection of the missionary district
of Duluth in Northern Minnesota-was
then called up.
The house of deputies spent all yes
terday afternoon over propositions look
ing to cessation of the debate on the
constitutional revision question and the
reference of the entire matter to a
special committee, which will consider
the various amendments to the consti-
tuition proposed and report to the next
convention. All the speakers conceded
that it would be impossible to get
through the revision at this session. and
the only differences that arose were as
to where the revision should go.
Mr.. Joseph Packard, of Maryland,
and majority of the speakers thought
that special committee of twelve
deputies should be selected to take up
the matter, while another ele-
ment, led by DR.. Davenport, of
Tennessee, thought that such action
would be discourteous to the old COM
mission. 1t was argued, however, that
the bishops having acted on the consti-
tuition from now on, the deputies
should act on it through committee
composed entirely of deputies, and this
plan will probably be agreed upon. at
any rate, there is every indication that
the debate is almost at an end SO far as
this convention is concerned, though
it may be continued day longer to
give the deputies chance to express
themselves on the question of adopting
the provincial system.
This is what Dean Hoffman, who
represents the commission on the floor
of the House of Deputies, wants. There
had been so much talk about the re-
port of the commission that DR.. ]. S.
Stone, of Chicago, took the floor yes
terday afternoon to defend the commits
sion from the charge which he said had
been advanced that the commission had
been controlled and dominated by the
bishops. This he branded as false
statement.
The House of Bishops yesterday
afternoon decided not to elect bishop
of Alaska at present, but to add the
territory to the missionary district of
Olympia, and place it in charge of
Bishop Barker, the present bishop of
Olympia. This result was arrived at
after prolonged session OF the bishops
and warm debate. The proposition
to set oft the northern part of Mipne-
sofa as missionary district was agreed
Ito.