New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-10-23
THE EPISCOPAL GENERAL CONVENTION

|
will continue to he. great and enduring.
| THE EPISCOPAL GENERAL CONVENTION
| In a forecast of the work Of the Episcopal
| General Convention that appeared on October
= The Tribune declared that, in spite of the
| strong drift in the direction Of rltnalism the
! Convention would probably take n more sym
| pathetic attitude toward Protestant Christian
| ity This prediction has been amply fulfilled
| in It's action on four very important questions
| that have come before it-namely. the pro-
| posed canon on marriage and divorce the pr0pO
| sitlon 10 change the name OF the Church, the
| advsability Of establishing missions in Roman
| Catholic countries, and DR.. Huntington's propO
| sitOn authorizing bishops to take under their
care alien congregations not using in full the
offices of the Prayer Book. but willing to ac-
| ccpt the spiritual oversight of the bishop For
| many years there has been controversy in
| the Church over the question of making the
| present canon relating to marriage more rigid.
| While It prohibits clergymcn from solcmnzing
| the marriage of any divorced person whose
| husband or wife is still living. il permits the
marriage of the innocent party in divorce
for the cause of adultery. II around this
exception that the battle ragged. the ultra High
Churchmcn holding with the Roman Catholic
Church that divorce under any circumstances
| IS unscrptural and unchristian. According
| w. they introduced canon embodyng that
| view Of the case: but after a most earnest de
| bate il WAS loaded with amendments that p"ac-
tically defeated It's purpose, and rather than
| pccpDt il 50 amended its advocates voted il
down. plefcrring 10 endure the supposed evils
of the present canon for three years more. 1t
is generally believed. however. that the tenn
per of The Church Is opposed to such rigid
view Of divorce, and that the opposition to the
measure will he even stronger in the next Gen
cral Convention.
The proposition 10 change the name Of the
Church has been brought up in several previ-
Gus conventions. but its summary defeat III
Washington the other day shows that il Is con
| stantlv losing strength. II came up this time
in the form of proposition 10 designate the
| Church in the Constitution the Church
known in law a. the Protestant Episcopal
Church." etc. This appealed 10 the humor Oh
the Convention. and everybody united in laugh
ing II off the calendar I'VE look on the Church
AS our mother" said one deputy. but If this
| measure passes II will be our mOther-in-law.'
The present title OF the Church is undoubtedly
| awkward and il violates the sO-called Catholic
traditions IF the past. which many EpSco-
palianS reverence. But the difficulty of finding
q better name under the present religious con
dtions in this country is almost inSuperable
For n Church numbering less than 100000 com
municants To call Itself the American Church.
as has been proposed. would look like
| piece Of Crotesquc assumption TO average peo-
ple not biasSed by ccclcsia sticiSm. and. in tie
oplnion of some Of tie wiSest chuTchmcn the
rldlculc that II would provoke would paralyze
the growth of the Church. 1t is not likely that
the agitation will survive many years moro.
The decision To establish missions in Roman
Catholic countries is a radical step on the part
of the Episcopal Church. 1t has hitherto been
maintained that the Roman Catholic Church
was n true though faulty church. and that
to intruie in countries where il was established
,vas an inexcusable act of schism. For this
reason the establishment some years ago OF
Eniscopal missions in Mexico and Brazil was
strongly opposed But the present convention
raatirms the right Of the Church To enter
Romon Catholic countries when. In its judg-
mont Roman Catholicism has proved rccreant
IN its trust and il has gone far as to ap-
mint n Protestant Episcopal Bishop Of Brazil.
and has taken measures 10 establish an EplS-
canal nropagandsm in Cuba and Porto Rico
/
In doing so II separates the Church irrevocably
from tho Roman Catholic conception of Chris
,ionitv and alicns ii with the other Protestant
| churches that look on the Reformation as the
Nocno Charta Of Christianity. \ church which
announces It's intention Of converting Roman
| Catholics thereby rejects the theory that the
Roman Catholic Church has an exclusive divine
! mission I'm countries where II is supreme.
Dr. Huntington did not succeed In imbrd-
ding his proposition in the constitution Oh the
Church. As amended. II reads;
But provision may be made by aaron lor Inc Inc
| Temporary uso Of other forms ana directories
! NJ worship bv congregations not already In union
with this Church who ar" willing 10 accept tine
snirItual oversight OF the bishop Of the diocese
Nevertheless. It's adoption marks Il dstlnct
| change I'm the attitude Of aloofness toward
Professionalism which has hitherto characterized
| the Church. And il will undoubtedly he the
entering wedge for further action In the same
direction. that will make the Eplscopai 'hurch
more responsive to the great currents OF Prot
estont thought and aspiration that nave mus
far swept past IL without touching II. On the
whole II NAV he said of this General Conven-
tion flat il showed a disposition TO take account
~ facts rather than Of barren Ideals What
Il did will not please the closet theologian
whose dream II Is to resurrect the dead past
but # will give renewed hope and energy 10
,ho mon I'm the Church who would have II race
,ho rroat onnortunities that pow lie AZ It's door
os protestant church which chershes the ira
ditions of historic Christianity.