The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-05-07
name Will STAND
Title of Protestant Episcopal
Church to Remain.
Committee of 15 Reports That
Change Is InadVisabIe.

Boston, May THE committee of Is
which was appointed by the national
triennial convention of the Episcopal
church at San Francisco in 1901 to con-
slider the advisability of changing the
legal name of the denomination has
made an extended report in which the
opinion is expressed that any change
at this time is inexpedient. The re-
port IS to be submitted to the general
convention which will assemble in this
city next October. The committee rec
ommends the passage by the Boston
convention of the following resolution:
resolved, That the committee be
discharged from the further conSidera-
tiOn of the subject"
The report is signed by all Is mem
bers of the committee, although three
appendices, one signed by seven MEM
bers, second signed by five and a
third by one are attached. The second
appendix recommends that the words
Protestant Episcopal" on the title
page of the book of common prayer be
stricken out Although officially party
lines were not drawn in the inVestiga-
tion of the sentiment in all of the rs
dtoceses and missionary districts,
change was generally favored by the
high church party and with one or two
exceptions the committee, while agree
ing on the report itself, divided on the
supplementary statement
At the San Francisco convention the
diocese of Milwaukee presented a me-
mortal that the name Protestant Epis-
copal church in the United States" be
changed to that of the American
Catholic church in the United States. !"
The request was not passed on directly
by the convention, but a committee OF
five bishops, five priests and five lay
men was appointed to ascertain the
mind of the church end report to the
Boston convention. The first appendix
to the report is signed by Bishops Dan
iel s. Tuttle of Missouri, George W.
: of mi y
Greer of New York; Rev. 5. S. Moore
of Parkersburg, W. Va; Arthur J. c.
Sowdin of Boston, Francis A. Lewis
and Joseph Packard
They observe that the present name
can hardly be considered as a him
drance to growth, since all growth has
been in connection with the name.
With respect to the objection that the
Obscured in the eyes of other Catholic
cOmmunions by the name, it is said
! "Our relations with the old Catholics
have not been strained by reason of
denial of the validity of our orders, a
mere change of name is not likely to
change the attitude of the see of
Rome towards US"
The second appendix is signed by
Bishop Cortlandt Whitehead of Pitts
burg; Rev George Mcclellan Fish, D.
D., of Providence, bishop coadjutOr-
elect of Springheldi Rev B. Talbot
Rogers of Fond Du Lac, Wis; L. II.
MOrthOuse of Milwaukee, and Daniel
B. Lyman. They say.
1.-The indications shown are most
abundant that the majority of our
bishops. clergy and laity are pro-
nouncedly dissatisfied with our present
title, and many apply to 1t more or
ceived that it is a moment of division
and perpetuates memories of which
all earnest, all Christian people would
gladly rid themselves in the Christian
world. 1t is a world of separation on
the one hand against our Roman
brethren and on the other differenti-
ates US from our non Episcopal breth-
rem. It is to us humiliating that we
must be forever measuring our longi-
tude from the pope of Rome as the
meridian and our polity be made dis
proportionately prominent in the eyes
of our fellow Christians at every men
ton of the name
The statement concludes with the
suggestion that the Boston convention
enact legislation by which the words
protestant Episcopal shall be omit
ted from the title page of the prayer
book until such time as the people can
be brought TO favor a suitable legal
designation.
The third statement, which is brief,
is signed by Rev John H Egar of
Rome, \. Y, and suggests that the
name be changed to that of the
church in the United States of Amer
ica-'' The two remaining mem bers Of
the committee, Bishop John Scar
borough of New Jersey. and w A.
Leonard Of Ohio, make no suggestions
In New England. the diocese of New
Ham DShire was the only one to vote
for an immediate change, although
the clergy of Vermont expressed a
similar opinion and the laity favored
a corItection at some future time. The
large eastern dioceses were opposed
to any correction at present, but the
high church stronghoids Of the west
held opposite views