The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-17
The New Name for the Episcopal
Church.

The question of change of name is
now agitating the diocesan conventions
Of the Episcopal Church, they having
been requested by a committee of the
General Convention to express their
sentiment on the subject and, if favor
able to change. to suggest their
preferences.
Last week the subject was brought up
in the Springfield diocesan convention
Of Illinois by Bishop SEYMOUR, a dis
tinguished representative of the High
Church school. In his annual address
he made an earnest plea for the change,
on the grounds that the present name
is not only a misnomer but also mislead-
ing; that it dshonors the Church and
through her casts reproach on CHRIST"
that the designation Protestant I'M
consciously :" aids and abets the Papal
claim. and that the use of Episcopal
gives undue emphasis to the polity Of
the Church, and also suggests an in
ference that there could be a Church
which was not episcopal" The Church.
he said, is Episcopal OF course. but
she is much more. She is also Baptist.
Presbyterian. Methodist-all these and
more at once" American Catholic
Church is the name advocated by
Bishop SEYMOUR.
When, afterward. resolutions were in
PRODUCED recommending that the next
General Convention initiate legislation
toward a change and expressing desire
that the name be made the American
Catholic Church in the United States"
it was soon made evident that the great
majority Of the convention were in
agreement with the Bishop. The present
designation, several clerical members
asserted, hindered the Church in mis-
sionary work. One clergyman pre-
ferred to the Bishops suggestion the
name of" Catholic Church in America.
Another thought, however, that after
change the Church would have to 60 on
explaining, and layman contended
that i" so long as England refused to
use the word Catholic this daughter
Church should refuse, also" The reso-
lutons were passed by large majority
Of the clerical votes more especially.
The Albany diocese in this State, il
may be remembered, voted in favor Of a
change Of name by the great majority
OF - to IA, though Bishop DoANE had
argued against it, At the Michigan
diocesan convention committee to
which the subject was referred reported
that no change Of name was called for
or eXpedient, but in spirited debate
which followed it was made evident that
there were numerous advocates of the
change. and further consideration Of
the question was postponed to the next
convention. II is notable that one of the
speakers quoted an article from the
Southern Churchmdn in favor OF change,
though Southern Episcopalians are gen.
orally cassed with the Low Church .
school
Bishop DoANEs remark that the
absolute impossiblity, so far. Of dis
covering. inventing or manufacturing a
name stands as an almost insurmount-
able barrier in the way of action" seems
to be justified by the many new names
proposed Bishop GRAFTON of Fond du
Lac wants the Catholic Church in the
United States" and. perhaps, would
object to Bishop SEYMoUR's suggestion
of the American Catholic Church in
the United States" A correspo ndent
of the Churchman defends the present
name on the grounds that it is both a
correct designation of the position Of the
Church and is distinctive, for not ono
of the three great bodies of so-called
evangelical Christians calls itself Prot
estant Presbyterian, Methodist and
Baptist Another correspondent OF
that paper suggests as name which
would cover the situation exactly"
the Evangelical Catholic Church -
Evangelical in contradistinction to
Romanism, and Catholic in contra
distinction to tsectarianism, Still an