Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-04
A HUMOROUS EPISODE
Injected Into the Proceedings of
the { piScopaI Convention.
Or. THALL WAS SUSTAINED
And IT vSerm American Church. Allowed to
Z Remain in the Motion.
IS
RSJSED TO GREET THE METHODISTs
Zs
lathe Ground That 1t Was Not General
: Conference, but Mere Fraemen-
4 tary Affair-Revisonists in
the M -nority.
r. THALL WAS SUSTAINED
$ JSED TO GREET THE METHODISTs

|
| Minneapolis, Mimi. Oct. 9.-The pros
| pect of a battle royal over the DISPOSE
ton to be made of the revision report
brought the clerical and lay delegates to
! the Episcopal convention out in force at
Gethsemane church this morning. The
| white galleries We're crowded for half
| an hour before DR.. Dix called the ses-
| sion to order. The friends and oppo-
nents of the proposed new constitution
and canons, consideration of which hnd
been made a special order over all other
business gathered in the aisles and pewS
and debated the desirable methods of
procedure and policy with animation.
The revsonists, following out the pro-
gramme inaugurated yesterday after
noon, seemed determined TO press for a
full consideration of the report thus ear
| iy in the convention, while the antis were
| disposed, as a temporary expedient, to
| reler II to a special committee of the
| house of deputies, IN the nope that this
| Inlgnt result IN It's being indefinitely
| hung uD. AT the outset OF the session
| Dr. Dicks announced the committees on
| Inc state OF the church, new dIoceSeS,
| cannons, the prayer book and other sub
| Jects TO be brought before the convention,
Wnlcn were SuInclently numerous 10 give
nearly every one of the delegates WORK in
| The future.
In the order of memorials petitions,
| etc, praying for the creation of new
dioceses, were presented by the delegates
from California, Maryland, kentucky
and northern Michigan, and referred. A
humorous episode grew out of the motion
by Dr. Thall of Michigan inviting the
bishops to be present al the reception to
the Canadian delegates this afternoon.
l,,ttN t1A .fr.rx
American church, and this was taken
exception to by DIR. Carmichael of Vir-
| ginia, who contended that they had no
| other title than the Protestakt Episcopal
| church in the United States.
| An amendment thus correcting the res
| plution was defeated by viva yoce vote,
! and amid much laughter q division was
| denanded. 1t resulted In vote of 222 to
| 81 for the term American church." and
| the resolutionstood.
| 1t happens that the Methodist confer
| ence of northern Minnesota is now in
| session few blocks distant with Bishop
| Fowler for president and in a spirit of
| good will Maj. Samuel Mahon of Ottum-
wa, Ia, moved that the house send fra
ternal greetings to the Methodist gath
ering, with assurances of it's sympathy
and joy in the abundance of their Chris
tian 1abors Vigorous objection was en-
tered however, by Delegate Fairbanks of
Florida, who characterized it as an ex-
traordinary and unusual proceeding and
as one objection was fatal, the resolution
went on the calendar. This disposition,
however was not satisfactory to the con-
ference at large, and in behalf OF the en-
tire committee, Rev. DIR. Green of Cedar
Rapids pressed for their immediate con-
sderation. The necessary two-thirds
vote to take the resolution from the cal
endar and it's adoption was urged in a
vigorous speech by DR.. Green, who said
that the house should manifest it's Chris
tian courtesy and consistence and rid the
church of its oft repeated reproach that
1t simply spoke empty syllables and that
it's heart was not in the cause of Chris
tian unity.
Delegate Fairbanks of Florida contend
ed that the body of Methodists now in
session was not a general conference,
but mere fragmentary affair, and that
it would be setting a bad precedent in
many respects to send greetings to a
| small sectional Christian body:
When the hour arrived for the special
order DIR. Hoffman. in behalf of the re-
vision committee. made a brief explain
atory statement. Himself and his asso-
cates. he said, would gladly have been
relieved of the responsibility, but having
accepted the trust, they had endeavored
to discharge it to the best of their ability.
They had placed the canons in regular or
der and clothed them in language that
could not be misunderstood, and the re-
port, which reflected the views of the ma
jority of the committee, was entitled to
a careful, candid and patient considera-
tion. To that end. he moved that the
house resolve itself into a committee of
the whole. This was adopted with an
amendment, keeping the debate within
the rules governing the house, which
was Incorporated by vote of 1876 to 130.
The revisionists were in the minority.
Delegate Packard of Maryland having
been elected chairman of the committee,
Mr.. Hoffman presented the formal dec
laration of faith, which, since being
printed, had been so amended as to in
clude the missionary jurisdictions in the
general term, "The church in the do
ceses within the United States" 1t was
insisted by Dr. Hoffman that the declar-
alton was eminently desirable, If not nec-
essary, and emphasis was laid on the
fact that the church in Ireland, Scotland
and Canada had formulated their be-
lief as a preamble to the constitutions of
their respective Jurisdictions.
Rev. DIR. J. S. Stone of Chicago men,
Der of the revision committee, was of an
entirely different opinion. He was not
impressed, he said with the sublime dig
nifty of even the constitution itself. much
less with the necessity of a preamble.
The church had not asked the convention
to define its position as a part of the
holy Catholic church. The church ex-
listed independently of the convention.
and 1t had not asked even for a declara-
ton. Even if it had, then the one SUBJ
mitted was inadequate. He was ruled
out of order on the ground that the OBJ
Jcct Oh BOliB lUlO COHlfIllllee Oh the WHO'S
was to allow full and free debate.
Several deputies objected to the debate
going on as long as single delegate
had breath left in his body, and the CONS
mittee was getting into a tangle when
Ex-senator Edmunds suggested that fur
ther action be postponed until the COM
mittee on rules could grapple with the
difficulty. This was satisfactory to all
concerned, and the committee reported
progress and rose.
A houses O biShpnS
uties. sitting in joint convention, re-
ceived the bishop of Ruperts land, the
bishop Of Que Appella and the remainder
of the Canadian delegation, and Chris