The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-07

dence. This will minimize, If not en- trely stop. the marrying by a minis ter of this church of a divorced person, with living wife or husband
 People who obtain divorces for the purpose of marrying again are not likely to wait year before they seek to re-enter the marriage state.
 The pastoral letter of the Bishops which was read in the closing hours of the convention closed its reference to this matter in these words:
 And so we plead for the security and the permanence of the family, and. no less, for all that can contribute to safeguard those (the children) whom 1t shelters"
 A matter that has been discussed more or less for several years was the election of presiding bishop.
 As 1t now stands, the senior bishop is ex-officio presiding bishop and 1t is held by many that whoever is the presiding bishop should have no other duty. Whatever may be the merits of the contention, the convention very decidedly declined to adopt the idea. Some have irreverently called the proposition one to "elect a Pope for the Episcopal Church" This. of course. is a very extreme and unfair
 
 The convention was very conserva- tive in all things and there was but little evidence of radicalism. A very warm debate arose over the proposition to permit the use of the revised version of the Bible in reading the lessons of the church. It was held by those who opposed this that if the permission was granted the effort would be made in some quarters to replace the King James version altogether, whereas by the use of the permitted marginal read ings the church already had the bene- fir of the best and latest American and English scholarship and that nothing more was needed in that direction. This view prevailed.
 A clerical deputy from the Diocese of Fon duLac proposed to strike from the title page of the Prayer Book the words ''of the Protestant Episcopal Church."a It struck the vast majority that this &C., ton would very much have the ap- pearance of practically changing the name of the church, a proposition as before stated, which was almost iunan- imously disposed of at the opening of the convention. The proposition was overwhelmingly defeated. In this de- bate the only decided party spirit, as between what are called the high and low church advocates, was exhibited. It ali passed off satisfactorily in the end.
 A matter which received attention at this, as at former conventions was the relation of the negroes to the church and the means for bringing them to better ways and conditions. The report of the committee for work amongst the
 ~IA xHyft n changes in the church's system of con- ducting It's work amongst that race, was referred to a joint commission of the House of Bishops and House of Deputies. this commission to report at the next general convention. Impor- tant statistics will necessarily have to be gathered. and important subjects will be considered by the commission, and some recommendation as to the ad- visibility or nonadvisability of setting apart bishops of colored race for work among home people. Bishop sessums of Louisiana was made chairman of this important commission.
 The proposition to organize provinces composed of several dioceses was not acted upon. It would require too long a time to enumerate the many things that were done by this convention. It was a working body and It's record of good measures adopted and unadvisable ones defeated will bear much good fruit in the years to come.
 There were many stirring incidents which moved the minds and hearts of deputies and other attendants on the session. No scene more impressive than that of the Archbishop of Canter- bury kneeling and receiving the holy from the presiding bishop of this church has ever been witnessed in any of our churches. Of course at that solemn and sacred moment the Archbishop's lips were sealed, but he plainly indicated afterwards how deeply he was moved.
 He came to this country to attend the sessions of our convention and upon the invitation of Bishop Futile. He Is the first of the long line of English primates to visit our shores. He is singularly unaffected. is perfectly natural in manner and speech and the intense interest he exhibited in the pro- ceedings of the convention attested the sincerity of his declarations. He spent much of the time that he was allowed to have at his command in the House of Bishops and the House of Deputies. When he was re- ceived by the House, its presiding off, cer, Dr. McKim welcomed him in most cordial and affectionate terms. In re- spending to the welcome he spoke as if every word came from his heart, and after mentioning the fact that an American Bishop, the late Bishop Whipple of Minnesota, was one of his consecrators, he said: You will realize that 1t is not an easy thing for any man to respond to such words as have been spoken today. l have reached the eliminating moment of a journey undertaken with a direct view to this precise hour" In concluding his address he said: Above all, if by mutual counsel we may the better spur one another forward for the definite spreading here and now of the Kingdom of Him who died for us and rose again, shall not have accepted in vain a well co ming kindness which must to me and mine be an endearing memory, and which, as I hope and believe, will bear in the older fields from which I come its appropriate and abundant proofs"
 Just as he concluded, a Deputy from the floor started Gloria in Excelsis g Every one in the vast audience on the floor and in the galleries seemed to catch the inspiration and to join in It's rendition. There was no organ accom- paniment and none was needed. At several receptions he and Mrs. David son met all who were presented in true American fashion. and seemed glad of the opportunity to meet our people
 No one could fail to note the mis- siorary spirit that was prevalent ev- anywhere church people met. It seem ed to be in the air, and 1t made this the most distinctively missionary con vention that has been held in recent