Arizona republican., 1901-10-03
PRIESTS AND lAYMEN
Thousands Gathered in San Francisco in the Most Momentous Conclave of the Church in Recent Years Some of the Matters Which Will be Determined Within the Next Three Weeks from Yesterday.

San Francisco Oct. 2-An imposing religious service marked this morning the opening of the triennial council of the Protestant Episcopal church in the United States. Within the walls of Trinity church, the leading episcopal parish of the Pacific coast. were as semblsd the greatest minds of the clergy and laity of this powerful de- nomination. The bishops. or fathers of the church, were there in greater num- ber than at any previous council. The clergy were represented by theologians of emiuence and orators of renown, the laity by finanCisrs whose influence is international. lawyers than whom there are none more able, and men of other professions who have reached the top round of the ladder of fame. It was q distinguished gathering of distinguish ed men. one eminently representative of the wealthiest religious body of tue American continent. Admission tQ-the service was strictly by ticket and when the delegates had been provided for little room remained for the local rep resentatives of the church, although these would have been present in thou sands had space permitted.
 The service opened at II o'clock and was preceded by a procession of eighty bishops and four hundred attending priests, all dressed in the grandeur of their robes of office. The bishops oc- cupied the chancei. within the railing of which the presence of not single priest or layman was permitted. The opening service was a celebration of the holy eucharist. the bishop of the diocese of California. Right Reverend William Ford Nichols D. D.. acting as celebrant- The service. which did not differ from the regular morning fuEc- fiOO Of dfnomipatiOn fUlty choral and was followed by the preach . ing of the triennial sermon
 The convention was formally organ .zed by the election of Bishop Fowler of Kentucky president, and Rev. S Hart of Kansas City secretary. of the house of bishops. Dr. John S. Lindsay of Massachusetts chairman, and Rev. Charles Hutchings secretary. of the house of deputies. No other business of importance was transacted during the first business session of the con- vention. which did not assemble until late in the afternoon. Initial services in connection with the convention were held this evening in Trinity church. where the delegates will hold all tn. meetings.
 Momentous to the Protestant Episco- pal church is the present gathering. from the fact that before it adjourns three weeks from today, the present law and government Of the denomina- tion may have been greatly modified. The marriage and divorce question will
 probably be discussed and acted upon and other questions of importance vii
 he considered.
 The general convention of 1895 ap-
 pointed what is known as the joint commission on marginal readings in the bible. whose duty 1t was to praa- tically revise the holy scriptures. After six years of laborious effort the corn-
 mission has completed it's work. Tn"
 report of the commission is q pamphlet of nearly 300 closely printed pages. and 1t is likely to be torn from stem to stern before the three schools of 9 thought in the convention-the high churchmen. the low churchmen ani the broad churchmen-are through with it. Summarized. it's most import
 ant statements and recommendations
 are as follows:
 With regard to textuaI questions in the books of the old testament a cer-
 tain number of renderings have been l introduced in places where a different reading appeared to give needed help l for the understanding of an otherwise obscure passage.
 "In regard to various readings in the Greek testament the commission has
 been careful to avoid committing the church to any disputed view of textua
 criticism. With regard to only three passages in the new testament, how I ever. the commission felt called upon s to make any critical note. In these i instances the commission has simply stated the fact. now universally recoG & nized. that the passages Tn question are not found in some of the earliest man. uscripts.
 As in the old testament, renderinSs
 ( zfaI- have been introduced where the au- authority for the reading seemed to require it. The merely alternative character of any such reading has been noted. as in the old testament, by 2 preceding or