Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-09-12
CONCLAFE OF EPISCOPALIANS
To Be Held in Minneapolis
Next Month.
STORMY SESSION LIKELY
Revision of the Constitution
Threatens a Schism.
High. Low and Broad ohurchmen at Odds
Over the Details of Government and
Other subjects-The Creation of "a Primus
Contemplated.

Once in three years the Protestant
Episcopal Church in this country holds
q conclave. Ii is momentous gather
ing at all times. The one next to
meet opens in Minneapolis on October
I'd. 1t may be the very last, for this
mighty ecclesiastical body, with its
hundreds of thousands of commune
cants and its millions in wealth is on
the verge of revolution. The general
convention, as this body is termed, ap-
pointed at its last meeting, three years
ago, joint commission to revise the
constitution and canons of the church.
This commission is now putting the
finishing touches to its report, which
will be made to the coming gathering.
The members are Right Rev. John
n Williams, bishop of Connecticut and
D presiding bishop; Right Rev. Arthur
cleveland Coke, bishop of Western New
York; Right Rev. William Croswel,
Doane, bishop of Albany; Right Rev.
Thomas U. Dudley, bishop of Ken
tucky Right Rev. Henry G. Potter,
bishop Of New York; Right Rev. Will
liam Paret, bishop of Maryland; Right
Rev. Alexander Burgess, bishop Of
| Quincy; Very Rev. Il. A. Hoffman, D.
D., LII. d. There are laymen on the
commission, too. They are W. II.
Lightner, Edward G. Bradford, F. B.
Swayne, Charles G. Saunders, John A.
Beall, Frank II. Miller and w. S.
Laidley. The Rev. Hall Harrison, d.
D., is secretary.
As is very well known the Episco-
palian communion forms the wealthiest
religious body on our continent. II
has recovered entirely from the incl
dental reproach of being the fragments
lot the English Church, formed in
1850. Into this young church the
Connecticut, Philadelphia and Vir-
.ginia communions were transmitted.
LIt has always been aristocratic in its
4membership and tradition, notwith-
kstanding its essentially popular policy
jfnillion accredited members, although
[this is due to its rather rigid construc.
}tion OF what membership means. In
Feality 1t has a far larger body OF sup
norters. In the great cities Of New
a York, Philadelphia, Boston and Balti-
more 1t is particularly influential.
THREE KINDS OF cHURCHMEN.
As Is we'll known, the church con-
tains three schools of thought; The
high rhurchmen, the low churchmen
sand the broad churchmen. These three
Will come into contact-probably into
collision-when the great general con
vention meets, So vast is the change
to be made and so many are the details
of government to be modified that no
event in the history of the church can
compare with it in Importance.
First of all will be the question of
the erection of General Synod. This
body will entirely supersedo the CON
vention, and that body will be called
upon to consider, therefore, its own
onnihfluftnn sa -
the synod composed of the House of
Bishops and the House of Deputies,
which are to sit and deliberate sepa-
rately. That this innovation commends
itself fayorably to the church seems
already foreshadowed. The House of
Bishops is to be composed of every
bishop in the church having jurisdic-
tion, every bishop coadjutor and bishops
whose resignation of jurisdiction shall
have been accepted.
But the innovation most likely to
create difference of opinion will be the
creation of primus This functionary
is to be quite parsonage. He shall be
elected by majority vote by the
bishops from one of their own number.
He ie TO hold office for life, unless he
resigns or is removed for canonical
cause. " There has been much discus
Hion as to the ecclesiastic worthy of
this high distinction. Bishop Will
liams, Of Connecticut, is most favorably
mentioned.
The House of Deputies is to consist
of Presbyters mot more than three from
Dne church) and laymen from the
churches in each diocese (which shall
have been admitted to the General
Synod. " 1t has been practically de-
rided that the General Synod, which
no one doubts is to be created, shall
meet on the first Wednesday of October
in every third year, after the year 1898,
1T such place as the synod shall ap-
point.
A COURT OF LAST RESORT.
The other changes to be made in the
organization of the church have already
been very freely discussed, and by this
lime are familiar to the commandments
One thing, however, which is beyond
discussion is that upon questions of
doctrine a final appeal may in all cases
be taken to the House of Bishops.
The title of the primus is to be that
of archbishop. So much is certain,
beforehand, but his see is likely to be
matter of warm discussion. An
amendment to the COMMISSIONS re-
port deciding upon Washington as the
bee for the primus has already been
Felecteu. another reasonable pfoba
bility is that seniority shall have
pothing to do with the selection of the
primus. AT present the bishop of
Chicago is the only one in the country
having authority over other bishops,
be being at the head of the three eccle-
tiastical divisions of Illinois.
1t will be seen readily how vast is
The change which the prelates, cleri-
eals and laymen will be called upon to
consider But the notifications are
Urgent and even the low churchmen
save not made any great objection,
Except as to questions of detail.
The men who have the settlement of
)hese vast changes have long been
Srelates, and are quite capable of under
aking even SO serious a task. The
presiding bishop of the church and the
Ienior in point of conservation is Right
Rev. John Williams. He became
bishop of Connecticut in 1865 He is
graduate Of Trinity College, Hartford,
N md was its president in the ffties.
n He founded, also, the far famed
Y berkeley Divinity School. In church
yolitics he is thigh" but not an ex-
ssmist, and is said to have brought
sore men into the ministry than any