Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-03-13
EPISCOPAL REVISION.

General Convention of the Protestant
Episcopal Church of the United States
to revise the constitution and canons
of the church has submitted the result
of its protracted deliber ations in a re-
port which was made public on Mon.
day.
The revision provides that there
shall be general synod, consisting of
the House of Bishops and the House OF
Deputies, which shall sit and deliberate
separately, and that freedom of debate
be allowed. Either house may origi-
nate and propose legislation, but every
act must be adopted by both houses and
be certified by the signature of the pre-
siding officer and of the secretary of
each house.
The House of Bishops is to be COM
posed of every bishop of the church
having jurisdiction, every bishop coad-
tutor and bishops whose resignation of
jurisdiction shall have been accepted.
A majority of all the bishops entitled
to vote, exclusive Of missionary bish-
ops, shall be nece sary to constitute a
quorum.
The House of Bishops shall elect by
a majority vote from its number a
primus to be its presiding officer, who
shall hold Office for life unless he re-
signs or be removed for incapacity or
canonical cause.
The church in each diocese which shall
have been admitted to the General
SYNOD shall be entitled to be represent
ed in the House of Deputies by not more
than three presbyters canonically res
dent in the diocese and three laymen,
communicants of this church and hav-
ing domicile in the diocese. Each dio-
cese shall prescribe the manner in
which its deputies shall be chosen.
In either house any number less than
quorum may adjourn from day to
day. Neither house during the ses-
sion of the General Synod shall adjourn
without the consent ofthe other for more
than three days, nor to any place other
than that in which the synod shall be
sitting.
The General Synod is to be the su-
preme legislative authority. 1t shall
also have power to enact canons OF dis
cipline and exclusive power to enact
canons defining the oflenses for which
bishops, presbyters and deacons may
be tried and determining the penalties.
The court for the trial Of bishop is to
be composed Of bishops only. Many
other powers are clearly defined.
The revision also provides for the
uniting into provinces Of the diocese
and missionary Jurisdictions. Every
province must include not less than five
contiguous dioceses, and in each prov
ince synod, composed of the bishops
and of clergy and laity, shall be consti-
tuted by the action of a majority of the
convention of the dioceses within such
| provinces and of the bishops therein,
! for the exercise of such legislative pow
ers as are not inconsistent with the
constitutional powers of the General
Synod.
The bishops of each province shall
elect one of their number to be primate
of the province.
In every diocese the bishop or
bishop -coadjutor shall be chosen agree.
ably to such rules as shall be prescribed
by the convention of the diocese. Mis-
sionary bishops shall be chosen by the
House of Bishops.
A bishop shall confne the exercise OF
his Office to his own diocese or mission
ary Jurisdiction, unless requested to
perform some episcopal act in another
diocese or in a missionary jurisdiction
bv the ecclesiastical authority thereof,
or authorized and appointed by the
House of Bishops to act temporarily IN
cases of next beyond the territorial
limits of the United States.
No one shall be ordained and con-
| secrated bishop until he shall be thirty
wears of age, nor without the consent OF
the majority of the bishops exercising
jurisdiction in the United States. No
one shall be ordained and consecrated
by less than three bishops. A bishop
may not resign hisjurisdiction without
the consent of the House of Bishops.
Bishops may be consecrated for for.
eign lands with the appreciation of q
majority of the bishops of the church,
but such bishops shall not be entitled
to vote in the House of Bishops, nor
shall they perform any act of the epis-
copal office in any diocese or missionary
jurisdiction of this church unless re.
auested to do so by the ecclesiastical
authority thereof.
There is also provision that IL
eyery diocese there shall be standing
committee appointed by the convention
of the diocese.
A new diocese may be formed anc
erected. with the consent Of the Gen
eral SYNOD and of the Provincial Syn
cd. out of the existing diocese, OF by
the junction of two or more dioceses OF
parts OF dioceses, or in a missionary
jurisdiction, but such consent shall mol
be given unless the proposed diocese
contain at the time the consent !:
given at least ten duly organized anc
self-supporting congregations and ter
presbyters who have been at least one
year cauonically resident and for the
same period holding cure within the
bounds OF such proposed diocese and
qualified to vote for bishop. MOI
shall such consent be given if any ex
listing diocese shall be so reduced as te
contain at the same time less than fif'
teen duly organized and self-support
ing congregations and fifteen presby
ters residing therein and qualified a