Evening star., 1898-09-28
TRIENNIAL COUNCIL
First Meeting in Washington Of P. E.
General Convention.
DR.. M'KIM ISSUES 4 STATEMENT
Review Of Work and Scope Of the
Assemblage.
PROGRAM OF EXERCISES

PROGRAM OF EXERCISES
The delegates from the diocese of WASH
ington to the general convention of the
Protestant Episcopal Church, which meets
in this city October s. are as follows: Rev.
John H. Elliott S. T. D.; Rev. Randolph
H. McKim, D. D.; Rev. Alexander Mackay-
Smith, D. D.; Rev. Alfred Harding. Mr.. J.
c.. Bancroft Davis, Mr. w. D. Baldwin,
Mr.. Chas. H. Stanley, Mr.. Arthur 8.
Browne.
Rev. Randolph H. McKim. rector of the
Church of the Epiphany. has addressed the
following communication to the members
of his congregation:
1T has been the pleasure and the privi-
lege of the rector and vestry to place our
church in the hands of the officers of the
general convention for their use, for three
weeks, more or less, from October ). The
inconvenience which this will entail in the
prosecution of our parochial work will, of
course, be cheerfuny borne, but it is proper
to explain that at the opening service, Oc-
tober 5, it will be necessary for the good
people of Epiphany to completely surren-
der their privileges in order to accommo-
date our distinguished guests. All but
about 100 seats will be required to accom-
modate the bishops, clergy and lay dele
gates, with one additional seat for the
families of each of these. the choir and
the vestry. The result Is that there is no
accommodation in the church at that open
ing service for the congregation of Epiph-
any. The Obligations of hospitality which
you would be the last to fail to recognize,
Will compel you to deny yourselves the
great privilege of attending on that occa-
sion. l am sure that you will cheerfully
make the sacrifice.
'Of one thing let me assure you-your
hoc No onftr r01 ho T.
is in the hands of the committee appointed
by the bishop
Convention and Its Work.
Concerning the convention and the work
to be accomplished, DR.. McKim has issued
the following statement:
For the first time in it's history the tri-
ennial council of our church will meet in
the capital Of our country-the center of
its political and national life-the metro
politan city which mirrors the manifold
phases of the social culture and religious
thought of the republic over all its wide
domain. 1t must be, if for other rea-
son, for this, an occasion of unique interest
in our ecclesiastical history, because It
opens the door Of opportunity for Protest
ant truth and for Catholic order for -he
principles of liberty and progress on the
one band, and of continuity and primitive
tradition on the other, to make herself
better known to the people of the United
States than ever before.
ITO us churchmen of Washington the oc-
casion is one of peculiar interest and pleas
ure- We feel 1t great honor that our
young dioceSe-the youngest daughter of
the church-should be permitted to enter
tain the great council of the church at its
trjennial asscmblage. Three years ago We
made our petition to the convention for
permission to organize as a diocese. To-
day We are permitted to open doors
and offer our hospitality to the bishops, the
clergy and the laity who represent the
Protestant Episcopal Church throughout
the entire extent of our country and in all
its mission fields.
'There are fifty-eight dioceses in the
United States, each of which is entitled to
send eight delegates, four cIergymen and
four laymen. These constitute the house
of clerical and lay delegates, which sits
and delfberates separately, having co-ordi-
nate powers with the house of bishops.
The latter hause comprises all the bishops
of the church, domestic and foreign, of
missionary jurisdictions and of organized
diocases. OF these there are eighty -four.
The presiding bishop is the venerable bish-
op of Connecticut, Rt. Rev. John Williams,
d. D., Ii. d.
Missionary Fields.
I'm addition to the organized Gioceses,
there are twenty-one missionary jurisdc-
tions in the territory of the United States,
besides seven IN foreign landsr There is
also an important and flourishing mission
in Brazil, which yet has no bishop. be-
sides that in Mexico, which is also acepha-
lous. The missionary jurisdictio are en-
titled to send delegates to the house of
deputies, who may speak but not vote.
Thus the entire body of bishops, clergy and
laity comprising the general convention ag
gregates about $50, but of these possibly
10 per cent may BE- expected to be absent
from various causes.
Among the subjects to be discussed the
question of marriage and divorce will
doubtless occupy a prominent place. Other
Important questions will concern the pro-
vncial system, the establishment of an ap
pelate court, Christian unity, Swedish Or
ders, ecclesiastical relations the relations
to the Lambeth conference, the translation
of the prayer book. marginal readings in
the Bible. &c. The report of the joint
commission on the constitutions and
canons of the church is by far the heavi-
est piece of work before the convention.
1t is enough, indeed. to consume the whole
three weeks of the session if given that
careful consideration which it demands.
REORGANIZATION of Methods.
'Ir appears that by far the most impor-
tant and urgent work of the convention
will be the consideration of the missionary
work of the church at home and abroad,
including the question of the reorganiZa-
ton of the method of administration. We
may hope that this first convention Of the
church at the capital city of the nation
will be noteworthy Tor the emphasis laid
upon the chief and noblest of the functions
of the church-its offics as missionary
of the cross of Christ among the multi
tudeS of our own and other people. The
spirit of Washington Is cosmopolitan
spirit. We are accustomed to look out
hence upon all the states and territories
of the whole land. We ara in touch with
the remotest corners of the republic. More
over, We are here in touch with the larger
wcrld outside of our own borders-with all
the nations of ths earth. Through the dip
lomatc corps are continually reminded
that there are many Kingdoms and peoples
with whom we have relations who speak
not our language, who wear not our dress,
who hold not our customs. or our religion.
1t cannot be that this cosmopolitan spirit
will fail to influences the thought and be
reflected in the deliberations Of the con-
vention.
Nor can we forget that since our last
triennial council the territory and the
sponsibilities of the United States have
been vastly enlarged, and. therefore, our
responsibilities of the church have bsen
co-ordinately and contemporaneously ex-
tended. The horizon Of the territory which
should be included in domestic missions
oil