The times., 1898-08-14
American Episcopal Church Con-
gress Shortly to Meet Here.
AN ASSEMBLY OF NOTABLEs
Prayer Book Revision, ReorgaRixa-
tion of the Late Stafe Church of
Hawaii, the Canon of Marriage
and Divorce, and the EstabIish-
BE Considered.

Early in October the general conyen-
ton of the Protestant Episcopal Church
in America will meet in the National
Capital This church which, as everyone
knows, is one Of the religious, intellectual
and social forces of the country includes
within the circles of its clergy and laity
many of the leading men and women of
the nation, and the occasion of its trf-
ennial sessions this year in Washington
viii bring TO the city many distinguished
people from various parts of the country.
The convention will be presided over
by the Right Reverend Bishop of Albany.
assessor of the House of Bishops, in the
absence Of senior prelate, the Bishop of
Connecticut. whose state of health will
not allow him 10 be present. The Rev.
DR. Morgan Dix, of Trinity Church, New
York, il is understood. viii act as presi-
dent OF the house of delegates. Many
questions Of interest to the Anglican Com
mission VIII come before the body for
action Chief among these Will be the
revision of the constitution and canons.
and special attention viii be given to the
one on marriage and divorce.
Political annexation Of Hawaii compels
this church 70 take action concerning the
diocese Of Honolulu. II is an indepeRd-
ent Jurisdiction, and the bishop. the
Right Rev. DR.. Alfred Willis. was nomi-
mated 70 the place by the Archbishop of
Canterbury As there can hardly be an
independent see in American territory.
the diocese will undoubtedly be taken
into the American system. The interest
ing question is the disposition of Bishop
Wills He IS a gentleman Of the old
fashioned English school He confiImed
the depcsad queen, who changed from
- CongragationaIist to ANGLICAN while Ia
prison The whole outlook Of affairs indi-
Gates that while the diocese will he ae-
cepted. the diocesan will not. Bishop
Willis Will. il is said. return TO England.
and an American priest be elected bishop
of Honolulu in his stead
Brazil Episcopalians want to set up as
a foreign church. The clergy there are
Americans, and an American bishop. the
Right Rev. DR.. Peterkin. of West Vir-
g.nia. Is at the head of the American
House of Bishops committee in charge OF
them II IS understood that there IS =
dfsDosit.on not 10 create any more mis-
sionarv jurisdictions like those in Japan
and China and so Brazil comes forward
inlependeltly and has sent a comHlis-
sianer 10 attend the convention and enter
into a c3ncordat with the American
church. creating a Protestant Episcopal
Church in the United States OF Brazil
The Brazil conVocatiOn has nominated
The Rev. Lucien Lee Kinsolving. and asks
the American house Of bishops TO conse-
crate him The first bishop Of Brazil This.
il done. win be an historic occasion. COM
parable 10 the conservation of the hrst
American Bishop. At least three bishops
will De required TO act as consecratorS,
and it IS this number which causes the
Brazil convocation to mention in the pso-
posed c0ncordat that when there shall
have been consecrared, in the future.
three native bishops, the Protestant Epis-
copal Church in Brazil shall become IN
dependent Of the Protestant Episcopal
Church in the United States The Bra
lillian request Will probably be granted,
50 that one of the incidents Of the con-
vention viii probably be the conservation
OF the first prelate Of a new church in
the new world, with almost the full mem
bership Of the United States horse of
bishops as consecratOrs. If apostolic sue
cession be Of prime Importance, there viii
be no lack of it in the case of the Prot
estant Episcopal Church in Brazil
There has been heard much about the
revision Of the canons on marriage and
divorce. and there viii be heard great
deal more. Stripped of all the argumen-
tative formulas, it may be explained that
the question is on the canonical right of
Protestant Episcopal clergy 20 employ the
church's service and marry to another
any person who has been divorced. The
present canon law is that they may join
in wedlDck the innocent party. but not
the guilty one, save where the same two
persons. having become reconciled, re-
marry.
There is a set Of men. called, for want
of name, the rigorous party. having
Bishop Doane of Albany at its head who
favor a change in the canon to make il
unlawful 10 marry a divorced person to
another, whether innocent or guilty. and
TO make all marriage laws far more strin-
gent than they now are Those who be-
long 10 the rigorous party also belong
10 the high church party though by
no means do all high-church people be-
long to the rigorous party. The question
Is one that viii provoke perhaps the most
heated discussions of the whole conven-
ton. but it IS not now thought likely
that the revision party viii prevail.