The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-10-22
INCREASED RESPONSIBILITIES.
American EpiscoI Church Has To LoOt
Out For Our New Acquisitions.

Washington, October u 21.-The in
creased responsibilities of the Episcopal
church, arising th rough the changed con-
dition of Cuba, Porto Rico, Hawaii and
tho Philippines, were presented to the
G raj convention today, in the report
OF special committee appointed to con-
slider the condition of affairs in those out
lying islands. &M@.gsi
AS to Hawaii, ,the,joint committee report
ed that the status was not q simple one
owing to the joint action with the
church Of England, which had been en-
tered upon by agreement with the late
bishop of California. Without expressing
an opinion as to the ultimate church Of
Hawaii. as part of the United States,
the committee recommended thai good
faith required confidence with the church
OF England Before entering upon inde-
pendent work.
Concerning Porto Rico, the committee
reported that the existing political, So
cial and religious conditions were such
AS to warrant Immediate action there.
There is u church at Ponce under the
direction of the church of England, and
the committee was informed by United
States army officer that there was no OBJ
jeotion to turning over the church to the
American church.
"It is reported" the report proceeds,
"that the educated classes have broken
away from the church of Rome and are
antagonistic to its priesthood.
The committee proposed a resolution
that mission work begin in Porto Rico,
after conference with the bishop of An
tigua.
The conditions in Cuba, the committee
reported, were practically the same as in
Porto Rico. Some help already had been
given the Cuban people by the Church
sirability of full Information. the COM
mittee recommended a joint commission
to consider the subject. The committee
also pointed out that attention must be
given to Cuba, not only as possession
of the United States, but possibly as an
independent, self.governing country.
Among the propositions adopted were
those establishing new missionary in
Kyoto, Japan; disseminating further re-
vision OF the hymnal; agreeing to further
conference with bishops on final date of
adjournment, and establishing special
committee to report on the question OF q
standard Bible.
The establishment of the general feat
| ures of a judicial system for the church,
| came up on the consideration of articls
TX of the proposed revision of the consti-
tuition. AS finally presented, the articles
provides courts for trying bishops, pres
byters and deacons; courts of review, and
an ultimate court Of appeals to consider
questions on doctrine, faith or worship.
The main criticism was directed against
the clause providing that Bishops shall
be tried by bishops only" The clause
was retained, after much discussion and
vote by the house of bishops agreed on
3 committee of five bishops-South "a
kota, New Mexico and Arizona, tbs
Platte Spokane and Duluth. to prepare
a code of canons for missionary districts.
The election of a bishop for N ashVllle
was put off till tomorrow, when bishop
for the new district of kyoto, Japan,
probably will be selected.
At the afternoon session the House of
Deputies confirmed the ac6iou of rae
bishops in selecting bishops for mission
James e. Funston; for Sacramento, Rev.
VIM. "a. Moreland; for North Dakota,
Rev. Samuetl G. Edsall.
The work of revising the constitution
was completed during the afternoon by
the adoption of article TX, relai ing to
courts for the trial of ecclesiastical ouen-
seS.
The deputies today disposed of thesques-
tions of marriage and diyoIce for this
general convention by adopting resolu-
tion offered by Mr.. Francis Lynde Stet-
son of New York, creating a special COM
mittes of IS members, to whom are re-
ferred the entire subject with instruc.
tons to report prior to the next general
convention. The bishops at their after
noon session agreed to the report and
resolutions already before the deputies re-
lating to Cuba, Hawaii, Porto. Rico, and
other countries. They disagreed to the
action of the deputies discharging the
commission revising the hymnal, thus
leaving this work to be continued.