Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-09-30

THE EPISCOPAL CONVENTION.
The forthcoming triennial meeting OF
the Episcopal general convention,
which will be held at Minneapolis,
Mimi, commencing October 2, and
lasting three weeks, will be of unusual
interest, inasnuch as contemplated
changes of very sweepirg character
will form the principal subjects of dis
cussion.
This body is composed of a House Of
Bishops, of which every Bishop is o
member de jure, and of a House of
Deputies, which is composed OF repre-
sentative clergy and lavmen from every
diocese ip the country. The delegates
four clerical and four lay-are nomi-
mated by the diocesan conferences. The
following have been selected to repre-
sent the diocese of Virginia Clerical
Revs. DR.. Hartley ]. Carmichael and
John K. Mason, OF Richmond Prof.
Carl Grammer, of the Theological
Seminary, near this city, and Rev.
Wash Nelson, of Warrentou.
The lay representatives will be Mr..
Joseph Bryan, Richmond Hon. r..
Taylor Scott, Warrenton Mr.. Joseph
Wilmer, Orange county, and Mr.. James
Garrett, Charlottesville.
The great gold aims basin that be-
longs to the bishops, and is always used
at their assemblies, will be an object of
especial interest. 1t was presented to
the American bishops by the English
Church on the occasion of the 150th an
niversary of the Venerable Society for
the Propagation of the Gospel in For
eign Parts.
Among the interesting subjects that
will be discussed at the convention,
however, will be the translation of
bishops; the changing of the term as
sistant bishop to coadjutor or suffragan;
the changing of the time-honored name
of convention to synod. 1t is further
proposed to reduce the number of dele.
gates appointed from each diocese from
eight to four. This last amendment is
suggested owing to the expense ofsend-
ing such large representations, as the
travelling and other incidental expenses
have to be borne by the diocese from
which the deputies are sent.
The greatest changes hitherto accom-
plished by the General Convention
within the last fifteen years have been
the last revision of the prayer book,
and the institution of the new hymnal.
Both of these chances were in the direc-
ton Of conservatism. The principal
features in the revision of the prayer
book were the restoration of the collect
which begins Tighten our darkness, we
beseech Thee, o, Lord" the Magnii-
cat, and Nunc Dimittis to their present
place in the evening service.
It is also On the tapis than an effort
will be made to secure an Episcopal
Archbishop for this continent Such
radical changes as those alluded to.
however, cannot be passed in a single
session, according to the constitutions
of the church in this country. The
questions must be debated in both
houses of the convention, and then re-
ferred to the annual diocesan confer
ences, where they are still further con-
sidered during the three years inter
vening between the general conferences
and eventually returned, with any sug
gested amendments, to the House OF
Deputies, and then finally passed upon
by the House of Bishops.
The tendency of all these reforms is
to be more in accord with the mother
church, aud the power of the Lambeth
Conference is becoming more and more
apparent each year. 1t is on this
point that many will take issue in the
forthcoming debates on the questions
enumerated above.
The Minneapolis Journal says on the
authority OF a prominent churchman
that one of the principal matters to
come before the convention will be the
establishment of a great national uni
versity at Washington, somewhat SINH
lar in its general plan to the Catholic
University. This has long been q
cherished plan in the inner circles of
the church, and the time now seems
ripe for carrying it out. An endow-
ment of $500, 900 has already been COL
lected from a number of sources, al
though no effort whatever has been
made among the moneyed men of the
denomination to secure a fund. More
over fine site in Washington was Sc
cured for the church some years ago.
This is claimed to be, if anything, a
better site for university purposes than
that of the Catholic University.