Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-10-26
Close Of Episcopal Con-
vention at Boston.
Transaction of Little Business
at Final Sessions.
Next Session Will Be Held at Rich
mond, Va.

al convention of the Episcopal church,
which has been in session here SINCE
Oct 3 was ended, late today, WIN d
public service in Trinity church FROM
the pulpit Bishop Henry Goldman fot-
ter of New York, read a PASTORAL iet
ter. addressed to the church at larse
The communica ton, which consisteu VI
more than 5000 words. consldered Soiii'
OF the problems now before the coui'-
try. f,
Regarding divorce, the pastoral Sd'u
that the facility with which the mar
riage relation may be taken on ana put
of js one of the menaces OF Ameficdh
civilization, to the possible perhS vi
which Christian people are as yet very
impcrfectly aroused. The letter fldie
q nlea for the permanence and security
of the family. 1t also discussed the ne
gro problem, stating that the church
was taking steps to correct the sltua-
tim so far as possible. Other import
ant problems were also dealt with.
Little business Of Importance WAS
transacted at the final business ses-
sions \ resolution permitting foreign
congregations not in communion Win
the church to use forms of service III
their own tongue was adopted alter
a sharp contest. This Legislation was
enacted specifically because of the
Swedish congregations in Minnesota.
The chief feature Of the three weeks
convention, aside from the visit of the
Archbishop of Canterbury. was the
long discussion on amendments to the
cannons bearing on marriage ana d.
vorce Although the majority of both
houses favored IL canon which Would
prohibit the remarriage of any dl-
vorcci person, the system of voting by
diOceses and orders in the House of
Deputies enabled the opponents of the
proposed reform to win in that body.
After much discussion. q compromise
was arranged with the bishops, where
by the innocent person in a divorce
for infidelity is permitted to- re-marry
ono year after the decree is ISSUED bur
the restrictions are 50 stringent that
it becomes exceedingly difficult for
such marriages 20 be SolcmniZed.
The convention also adopted a sys-
TEN of courts OF review, to which ap-
peals from iioC san trials can he taken.
Ii perfected such arrangements that
the missionary work of the church will
be carried Oh with more vigor. and APP
pointed Il Jblill COMMISSION ~ lHNtSll-
gate the negro problem i'll the South.
Among the many negative actions
taken was the decision not to change
the name of the cnurcn at this time
nor act OH the propositions to give up
the 6iocescs into provinces, with Il pri-
mate at the head of each.
The next convention will be held in
Richmond, Va. il 1907.
Boston. Oct. 25.-There was barely a
quorum present when the last days
session OF the Episcopal triennial gem
eral convention was opened, this fore
noon. Some of the deputies went home.
last week. and many more left the city,
last night.
The convention has been in session
since oct. Il. odds and ends were TAX
en- up by the deputies, today. while the
bishops had little business on hand.
The House Of Deputies adopted res
olutions thanking Rev. DR.. Randolph
VI. McKim of Washington, the chair
man. for his impartial services as pre-
siding officer. a similar resolution was
adopted extending the thanks of the
deputies to the secretary Rev. DR..
Henry Astice, and his assistants. JO-
seph Packard of Baltimore. and Chief
Justice J. II. Stiness of Rhode Is
land, both of whom had presided on va
rioIs occasions, to Bishop VIM. Law
renee. Emmanuel church officials and
to the citizens of Boston for many ia
vors.
The report of the joint commission
on provinces which recommended that
the dioceses he grouped into provinces,
with a primate at the head of each.
was called up by Rev. Canon 4. Tai
bot Rogers Of Fond Du Lac. who de-
sired to offer a resolution on the sub
jcCt. AS the bishops had voted to
continue the commission without TAX
ing action at this convention, and the
deputies had concurrcd. the chairman
ruled that the report could not be
properly considered at this time.
\ message from the House of Bish-
ops proposing new joint commission
on prohibitated degrees of matrimony
WAS disposed of by a vote laying it or
the table.
The deputies voted to discontinue tn,
commission for work among negroes
Hereafter the work will be in charg,
of the board Of missions. George c
Thomas of Philadelphia. treasurer o
the mission board. said a committee q
the board would be in close touch witt
this work.
Rev. DIR. John Fulton of Philadelphia
thought the church was not doing it:
DUTY to the negroes. At the presen
time the church appropriated two
thirds of cent head for them. II,
understood that the work would b,
prosecuted with greater vigor unde
the direction of the mission board.
A debate occurred on proposed
canon providing that bishops hay hav,
spiritual oversight of certain foreign
congregations not heretofore in com
munion with the church. Rev. DIR. F
+. Davenport of Memphis. Tenn.
chairman of the committee on canons
thought that it was too late in the ses
sion to attempt to enact a canon. TIL,
matter has been before several con
ventions and has been urged by Rev
DR.. w. r. Huntington of New York
The new York deputy desired that ac
tion be taken, today. He was support
ed by Joseph Packard of Baltimore
Charles G. Saunders of Lawrence
Mass. opposed the project. Rev. b