The herald., 1898-10-26
AN EPICOPAL COUNCIL
ENDS WITH A RECORD OF MUCH
WORK DONE
The Much-Discussed Question of Mar
riage and Divorce Referred Back
to a Committee

WASHINGTON, Oct 25.-After session
OF three weeks, the Episcopal tllennial coun'
eli OF 1858 came TO an end tonlSnt. Prob
ably never before at one convention has
the council transacted more business than
ut this meeting OF OF SO much vital lmpor-
lance TO the cnulch. 1he work accom-
pushed included complete revision OF the
constitution with many important amend
ments, also the adoption OF ii number OF
amendments, most OF them OF a MINOR char
dcter, to the canons.
The new constitution will have to be rat
llled by the next succeeding convention
three years hence before 1t becomes opera
tive. y matter which has received the ear
hest attention OF the council has been the
question OF church unity, upon which an
amendment to the constitution was adopted.
\ read dJustment has been made OF the Doun-
Diary line OF the missionary districts III the
west and northwestern parts of the United
States; a new diocese III India has been
created six missionary bishops elected, ono
for the church OF Brazil, and discussions
had bearing on the extension of the church
work Ill Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philip
pines. The failure OF the proposed canon
on marriage and divorce caused considerable
surprise, but this has been lett to a commit
tee OF thirteen members to prepare report
to be made public nine months before the
next convention.
Today the resolutions OF the Lam
beth English conference and the invitation
Of the Archbishop OF Canterbury for the
appointment OF two bishops OF the Ameri-
can church as members OF the proposed
consultative body to consider questions OF
Importance to the English and American
churches, were made the subject OF a re-
port by Rev. ID. Waterman, OF New Hamp-
shire, from the committee having charge of
the matter.
The committee express the opinion that
in view OF the fact that the Lambeth confer
ence was d volunteer meeting OF the repre-
sentatives OF the English church and those
IN her own commercial union. it could not
recommend any formal action on the invita-
ton. 1t led to considerable discussion and
urgent appeals We're made by several of the
delegates, who urge the adoption of some
expression OF opinion, indicating the ap-
probation of the American church of the
courteous action OF the Archbishop OF Can
terbury, while not being able to accept his
invitation. The opponents OF any official
recognition argued that to agree to the ap-
pointment OF delegates to the proposed CON
sultative body would be giving recognition
to something which no other organized
body had recognized The committee was
discharged from further consideration of
the matter and the whole subject was laid
on the table.
Tonight both houses sitting in Joint ses-
sion brought the convention to a close with
devotional exercises and the reading of the
pastoral letter. The service was a most i'm
pressive one, the bishops appearing in their
full robes of office.
Rev. Morgan Dix Of New York read the
opening service. BishoD Galor. the pastoral
Bishop Doane made the closing PRAYER and
Bishop Whipple pronounced the benediction