The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-11-19
SECOND DAYS SESSION
Important and fruitful Discussions In the,
Episcopal Congress Of America.
THE NEED OF A HIERARCHY ARGUED
Pertinent Debate Pro and Con-Eyen.
Ing session-The Real and the
Ideal In Liturature-Asgres
and Scholarly Pnpers-Great I'm.
tcreat WINS Manifested,

The second days session OF the Con-
gres.s of the Episcopal Church in Ameri-
ca opened In the Academy of Music at
lo:so a. m. yesterday. Bishop Randolph,
OF this diocese, called the body to order,
| and conducted the devotional exercises
Though the audience was not so great
as ahat which attended the session Tues
| DAY night, there was Il large conCrera-
ton assembled, including representa-
tSes OF all religious denominations
THE DISCUSSION.
The topic for the session was DO We
Need Hierarchy in this church," The
| nrst writer was to have been Rev. ]. J..
taude, of South minneapolis, and the
hESt speaker was to have been Rev. c.
| w. Dumbell, d. D., of West New, Brigh-
| ton, n. Y, but neither of these divines
We're present, having been unavoidably
detained
The first paper was submitted by Rev.
Francis NJ. Taylor. of Mount Vernon. n.
T. He was on she programme as last
speaker, but owing to absences he be-
came the first writer Mr.. Taylor stated
| that he had arisen from n sick bed TO
attend the session of the Congress.
ADVOCATED y HIERARCHY.
HIS paper was. received with the
closest attention and was regarded as
a very able one. 1t strongly advocated
| the establishment of hierarchy in the
American Church, and to the lack of it,
the writer ascrlbed a lack of virility on
the part of the Episcopal Church in this
country. The following extract gives an
| idea of 1.-THE strength of his plea for hier-
&rchical government:
why de:pise the word hierarchy
because 1t has been perverted? The
| speaker then reviewed the differences
between the early chu CHI and the present
and. continuing said: The Pentecos,al
| lille was, believe, the solution OF Christ
for The social problem you discussed here
last night-the most vital question the
church faces to-day. Chris; is the high
est authority for the statement that
love ds the solution of this social prob
lem, and the Pentecostal system obtain
Cd Tor over 300 years after Christ. The
church has been basely unfaithful to
her trust. Our church, as church in
';his country is not doing her duty.
| Something Is wrong. We stand al
most helpless by the side of the Metho-
| dists, Baptists and Catholics. Some
thing is wrong. We have as grand a
corps Of bishops, priests and deacons as
| could be desired. There is something
l'wrong in the administrative power. We
need something that will centralize
force in bringing the gospel to the mass
es. We need something, and I will say
| 1T IS a thereby. Give us archbishops
distributed in the various sections of
the country and the church will go on
| to n magnificent success and victory"
The address was reEai ded as one of
the most thoughtful and forceful of the
| Congress so far.
TILE CHURCH HAS ONE.
Rev: George l.. Locke. Bristol, II. l.,
was the next writer He took the posi-
ton that the church already posse sed
| a hierarchy and the present question l.,
rs development of the hierarchy need
ed by rev!Ving Offices not now in use?''
| "Ihe hierarchy as 4 close corporation
! would be antaSonistic 10 the principles
| Of Amer!canism and to the 'polity of
mis- church. The cultivation of the hier-
| archical idea would be mischievous, I'M
| visa and perverse. 1t might be argued
| tina. our constitutional safeguard
| against the harm to come of a hierarchy
lis sufficient. But there is u class who
are anxious for the opportunity ITO sup
| press themselves, yield their wills to q
class that they feel is OF 4 higher origin
y loose construction OF the term HER
| 1Ichy | know, takes in no office below
| ;hc Ipi;copacy. / don't think tina, suf-
| iic!ent power would be generated by n
| complicated system such as uhe hierar-
| chy 10 Justify its creation. Such q hier-
| archy' as we are contemplating would
| tend 10 secularize the hierarchy and the
| church itself. Where would b. our APP
| peal from such hierarchy? Would we
no; need n Primate then? can he seen
| that you are proposing 10 lcgis:ate for q
free church in the direction of absolute
| ism. What Is it tina: keeps the Catholic
| Church in America together Is IL not
| the power Of a distant city? The HER
| arch!cal oligarchies are practically mon
| arches. The church in Rus sia is dom!-
| mated by the Gear, and IN Greece the
Monarch appoints the ru!!ng power. The
| Sultan is the power behind the church
| in Turkey. In Sweden the King is the
| recognized head of the church. Would
the hierarchy IN the English Church
| work so smoothly but for the power be-
| mind Canterbury to be found in the
| throne"
| The paper was a strong one. and the
| audience was visibly disappointed when
il was cut short by Limitation of time.
the Bishops bell ringing before it was
| concluded.
The hymn. "The Church's One Foun-
dalton is Jesus Christ Our Lord" was
| then sung.
| DIR. Tiffany then announced that be-
sides the regularly appointed speakers
| on the topics others would be allowed
ten minutes each If they so desired.
1T IS UNAATERICAN.
Right Rev. John Is. Newton was the
| first speaker to the topic. He said in
part:
II have heard to-day for the first time
| that hierarchy" is a God-given term.
| and until my good Presbyterian %
| brother Ga previous speaker, shows me
| that he has higher authority for the
statement than his own. | will not take
| ii. 1t has become IL fad in the church
4 \ H. I 4.