The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-09-30
WILL MAKE HISTORY
PAL CHURCH AT FRISCO
THIS WEEK
1IANY IMPORTANT PROBLEMS
New Canon on Divorce Practically
Assured VIII Be Very
Distinguished Gath
erinE.

The coming week is looked forward to
eagerly and with great anticipation by
hundreds of thousands of churchmen.
On Wednesday the general convention OF
the Protestant Episcopal church Will meet
IN San Francisco. 1t will be one OF the
most important religious gatherings in
America of recent years. 1t will be at
tended by some of the greatest c.ergy-
men in this country, and by men proml-
nent in other walks OF lie. 1t will be
Intellectually representative of large
riCmCnJ or American society. II VIII
face and solve problems Iar-reachng in
Importance, and will enact legislation at
fecting not alone the canons OF the church
tut great theological problems of the
time and indeed the very spirit OF the
times.
This convention of the Episcopal church
is a triernial meeting, and tbs is the
first one of the new century, and will
undoubtedly take a farther look, ahead
than any of its predecessors. The con-
vCntion of the Episcopal church eeis> one,
OF the most systematic Instithuons in
existence. Everything is done 1s@conS
fOrmity with established forms. re gQv-
eminent of the convention is very like
the congressional government of the
United States There is the house of
bishops, corresponding with the senate,
sitting behind closed doors and having
very exclusive pnerogatives. A house or
deputies, composed of clergymen and lay
men-commonly spoken of as the popu-
lar branch-corresponds to the national
house of representatives. This branch
of the convention is made up of eight
delegates from every diocese, four cler-
gymen and four laymen. In the house
OF bishops at the coming convention there
will be about eighty, and in the house
of deputies more than 500 representa-
tives.
Important legislation is to come before
the convention. First, of course, in the
popular mind the question of revision
OF the canon on divorce. The sentiment
in favor of this revision has been grow
ing in proportions for many years in the
church. The idea originated with the
high church party, and was for a long
time a minority sentiment. 1t has grown
in favor until today it is the sentiment
of a great majority of the church, and
opposed only by a. few low church lead
ers. Bishop Potter and many of the = ost
influential Eastern clergymen have for
the past few years conducted a vigorous
crusade in behalf of the movement. The
house of deputies committee of thirteen
has considered this important problem,
and twelve of them have signed the rec
concentration that the canon be revised
so that it will prohibit marriage by an
Episcopalian clergyman of any divorced
person.
Among the other questions to be de-
ciGed by the convention are the question
of a new constitution, the dropping OF the
words Protestant Episcopal and the
adoption of a new name, the authorize
ton of a new edition of the Bible, a d.
vision of the country into provinces and
the creation of the office of archbishop,
the organization of courts of appeal the
question of church work in the Philip
pines and others as important.
Among the clergy who will sit in the
San Francisco convention are many of
national reputation. They include the
Rev. Drs- John Fulton and William B.
BOdine of Philadelphia; the Rev Drs
S. d. Mcconnell, David H. Greer, Reese
F. Alsop, William r.. Huntington, ].
Lewis Parks, and e. A. Hoffman of New
York; the Rev. Drs E. Winchester Don
aid, George Hodges, and ]. S. Lindsay
of Boston; the Rev. Drs. J. S. B. Hodges
and ]. H. Eccleston of Baltimore; the
Rev. Drs. Randolph H. McKim and Alex.
Mackay-Smith of Washington; the Rev.
DR.. w. w. Battershall of Albany whose
ninth convention it will be; the Rev. Drs.
ReveTydy EstiH and ]. c. Minnegerode
of Louisville; and the Rev. Drs George
Mcclellan Fiske and E. S. Rousmaneire
of Providence.
The list of lay deputies shows no less
distinguished names. 1t includes Messrs.
]. Pierpont Morgan of New York. George
6 Thomas of Philadelphia, Judge An
drews of Syracuse, Judge. North of Col
umbia, Pa, Col. w. F. Reynolds of Belle
1onte, e. P. Bailey and D. B. Lyman of
Chicago, Burton Mansfield of New Ha-
ven. E. G. Bradford of Wilmington. Pres
ident Low of Columbia University.
George Foster Peabody of Brooklyn, Rob-