The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-06
Important Action Taken by the Epis-
copal House of I'm Ses-
sion at San Francisco
MISSION DIoCESES ERECTED
PORTO RICO AMI THE PHILIPPINES
ARE GIVEN RECOGNITION.
Deputies Debate a Constitutional
Question with Great VigOr-
The Kings Daughters.
a COnsfitufiOnal

SAN FRANCISCO. Oct. 5.-The ~triennial
convention OF the Episcopal Church accom-
plished considerable work to-day, though
the session OF the House OF Deputies was
ended shortly after l o'clock. The House
OF Bishops, however, remained in session
later and II. action will be far reaching in
Its effect.
In recognition of the importance OF the
new possessions of the United States, two
missionary districts were constituted. One
OF these, which consists of the islands of
Porto Rico and Viques, has long been con-
trolled by the bishop of Antigua, who owes
allegiance to the Church of England. BY
the terms Of a mutual agreement, the mon
etary consideration being only $3.50, the
bishop OF Antigua withdraws his right to
the religious control of the church in these
Islands and transfers all church buildings
to the Protestant Episcopal Church of
America.
The second new missionary district is that
of the Philippine islands. which are recog-
nized as being we'll worthy the attention of
the church.
The House of Bishops also effected an
important change by concurring in the
action of the House of Deputies in con-
senting to the division OF the diocese of
Massachusetts. a fact worthy of note is
that the old diocese gives 500. 900 in cash to
the new one, besides turning over to it
much valuable church property. The prince
ly gift in coin was raised entirely by vol
untary contributions.
The bishops also took action on the first
seven amendments to the constitution
already adopted by the deputies. all of them
being affirmed with fha ayrapfiop Of tho
fifth. which was temporarily held in abey-
ance. Consent was given to change the
name of the diocese of Indiana to that of
indianapolis, as all of the State ii not
within the boundary of the diocese. This,
with the appointment of a committee to
take into consideration the question of ex-
animation of candidates for admission TO
holy orders. constituted the chief work of
the bishops in the opinion of many dele
gates OF the convention to-day.
An interesting feature of the day was the
discussion created in the House of Deputies
by the reading of a proposed amendment to
the constitution, which provides for "the
temporary use of other forms and direc-
tories of worship by congregations not in
union with this church. who are willing to
accept the spiritual oversight of the bishop
of the diocese or missionary district"
Some of the opponents of the measure
professed to see in it a menace to the solid
lty OF the church through the extraordinary
individual power it would confer on the
bishops, while others declared that il would
open a way for thr Introduction of mass
and other Roman Catholic forms of wor-
ship.
It's champions asserted that the whole
purpose of the proposed amendment was TO
give the missionaries a freer scope in their
efforts to bring within the church those
converts who may be unable or unwilling to
accept the Book of Common Prayer. Con-
siderable eloquence was developed by the
debate. and when the hour of adjournment
came the law auditors were not tired of
listening to the ume
The Kings Daughters held a session at
st. Luke's Church, Van Ness avenue, being
welcomed TO the city by Bishop Nichols, of
California. After communion service re-
ports were read. the election of officers be-
ing deferred until the next session.