The San Francisco call., 1895-10-14
REvISIONISTS ARE SAD.
Consideration of the New Con-
stitution Not Likely to
Be Finished.
MANY FEATURES ANTAGONIzED
Two Weeks Have Passed and but
Three Articles Have Been
Disposed Of.

MINNEAPOLIS, MINI, Oct. 13.-The
nearer the general convention of the Epis-
copal church approaches final adjourn
nent the more improbable does it appear
that sufficient progress can be made on
the consideration of the revised constitu-
tion and canons as to enable the completed
document to be submitted to the various
dioceses, and thus enable them to certify
their approval or disapproval to the tri-
ennial convention of Washington in 1898.
One-haH of the period within which the
body is expected to transact its business
and dissolve has expired, and the net re-
suit OF nearly two weeks labor, apart from
the disposal of routine business that called
for no great expenditure of time, is the
adoption of three articles of the constitu-
ton, covering two pages of the report, and
leaving seven additional articles, together
with fifty-four canons, covering some
eighty pages, yet to be dealt with.
Besides that portion of the constitution
which has still to run the gauntlet of the
committee of the whole, there are any
number of propositions that may be SUBJ
jected to as much debate and vigorous an
tagonism as was expended during the past
week upon the introductory sections.
Among them is article 8, in many respects
the most important one of the revision,
and which, in laying down the doctrine
that the general convention is the supreme
legislative body of the church, gives to it
the exclusive power to enact canons defin-
ing the offenses for which Bishops, Pres
byters and deaeons may be tried, and de-
lining the mode of trial. Strong opposi-
ton will be made for the provision for
trial OF Bishop by Bishops on the
ground that the diocese to which a Bishop
belongs has the right and title to his SER
vices and should not be deprived of them
by proceeding in which they have had
neither voice nor standing. So also with
the proposal to establish final court of
appeals in matters of doctrine, and with
the list of subjects upon which the general
convention is given exclusive power to
legislate.
Members of the commission say that a
strong effort will be made, by limiting de-
bate or through other methods, to get
through the constitution by the middle of
the week, bat even then it Will be an i'm
possibility to attempt to touch the canous,
and without the one the other is useless so
far as concerns the action of the diocese.
TO the revisionists the prospects, anything
but pleasing, but their opponents are very
we'll satisfied with the outlook.
A few days ago r. D. A. Wade of Chi
cago, Representative of the Central
States committee for theosophy work, !"
addressed letter to the House of Bishops,
asking to be given hearing on the oues-
ton of the necessity CT the Episcopal
church returning to its most ancient faith
reincarnation-and urging that the charge
was too truly made that the church was
out Of touch with the masses. The Bishops
treated the communication with silent
contempt, and, accordingly, Wade ar
raigned them tonight before the local
branch of the Theosophical Society, taking
the ground that if the church was to con-
tlnue spiritual power it must listen to
the demand from the masses for rational
and philosophical teachings, such as were
used in the first centuries of the existence
of the church
The name of Bishop Potter has been
added to the sick list, and the distin-
gulshed prelate was unable to keep his
appointment to speak at this afternoons
meeting OF the Church Social Union in
Gethsemane Church. Bishops Hunting
ton of Central New York and Sessums of
Louisiana made the principal addresses.
Bishops Nelson and Seymour preached in
the morning and evening, respectively, at
Gethsemane; Bishop Doan of Albany, DR..
Green of New York and Bishop Dudley of
Kentucky, at St. Marks; Bishops Persey
and Brewer at st. PauPs; Bishops Hale
and Talbot at All Saints; Bishop Leonard
at St. Luke's; Bishop Grafton at Grace;
Bishop Nicely at Holy Trinity; Bishop
Burgess to the afflicted at st. Barnaby's
Hospital; Bishop Kenrick at Holy Inno-
cents, and Bishops Coke and Whitaker at
st. Andrews.