The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-07
MAJOR SCREWS SPEAKS
EPISCOPAL CONGREGA.
 TON ON BOSTON CONVENTION.
Lay Deputy from Alsbsina Spoke of
 Large Attendance ef Ciergy and Lafty and Great Missfonary Spirit Manifested.

I<afty and Great mnsex01nty Spirit Manifested.
 At St. Johns Episcopal Church last night the congregation listened to an .ddre.. bv Major w. W. Screws, who rave acme account of the recent gen. eraI convention of the Episcopal Church in Boston, which he attended as one of the lay deputies from Als
 After inc usual evening prayer, con- aucted by the rector, Rev. Edward D. Cobbs. MT. Cobbs announced that at his request. Major Screws would make an address on the work Of the Generai Convention, and Major Screws spoke as follows;
 .or,.thinr of the composition of a general convention of the Episcopal Church.
 One is held every third year. The one prior to the last was held in San Francisco--the next will be in Rich mond. Va, in 1907.
 There are two houses. the House of Bishops and House of Deputies. The Bishops meetings are not public. Every Bishop of our church is mem her of the House of Bishops and all but seven were present. They came from China, Japan, Africa and wherever there is an Episcopal organization.
 The House of Deputies Is composed of an equal number of clergymen and Iaymen-four of each order from each diocese. elected by Diocesan Councils. Missionary Jurisdictions have smaller representation one clerical and one lay delegate, but no vote when the vote is by orders. All legis- lation has to be adopted by both houses. The number of Deputies in the Boston Convention was 566, If every Diocese was fully represented. The number of Bishops In attendance was about ninety. The two bodies, there- fore. made up & convention of over $50 members.
 In addition to the members of the convention there were from every Dio- cese representatives of the Woman's Auxiliary and their meetings were of pronounced interest and many of the foremost men of the church addressed them. The magnificent united offering was the most cheering to those in charge of missionary matters, and went Ion gways toward putting the work on better footing than ever be- fore.
 No one could have attended the first meeting, which was preliminary to the meeting of the Convention. without reaching the conclusion that here was a body of men singularly devoted to the work that had brought them to- gether. This was the devotional meet ing on. the morning of October 3, at Trinity Church. So great was the de sire to attend this meeting that it was necessary to issue cards of admis- sion, and although the church in the main body and in the galleries, could probably seat 1,600. three times that number clamored for admission. The procession, headed by about 100 chor- isters, entered from the front of the church, followed by only six clergy men, being those of Boston, having in charge the details of the convention, and the ninety bishops. The bishops entered in. the order of their consecra- ton. Naturally there was great de- sire to see the Canadian bishops, the Bishop of Hereford and the Bishop of Ripon of England and above all oth- CTS the Archbishop of Canterbury. the primate of the English Church. There had been some private discussion as to the order of precedence, but there need not have been, for the presiding Bishop of our church, Bishop Futile, and the Archbishop, moved up the aisle, side by side. It would be dificult to imagine a more reverential throng or a service so generally participated in by so large a congregation. The opening sermon by Bishop Doane was plea for broad- ening and extending our lines and 1t will rank with the ablest of the many able sermons of that eminent divine. The was the first to receive the communion from the hands of Bish- op Futile, after him the bishops, and then the clerical and lay deputies.
 The sessions of the deputies of the convention were all held In Emmanuel Church, and at 3:30 D. m. October 8. 1t was filled with deputies and oth- CTS. Only deputies for obvious req sons were allowed on the main floor all others taking seats in the galleries. The House of Bishops met in the parish house of the church. The presiding Bishop of the Church is not thereby the presiding officer of the House of Bishops. This officer Is always elected and the choice fell upon the Bishop of Massachusetts. There was no delay In organizing the House of Deputies, Dr. McKim of Washington was chosen President. It very speedily developed that many delegates were there with papers ready to present, for 1t was not long before the pages were running to all parts of the House to take up to the Secretary propositions to amend the Constitution, to adopt new or change old Canons. resolutions. etc. Very few, if any, were adopted without first going to Committees. It also soon became evident that those not advantageously located could hear but little of what was going on. One of the first things the next Convention should do Is the election of a first class trained reading clerk. who can be easily heard in any part of a large element of old membership, which Is well posted as to business to come up and a large element of new men. The members as a rule are of a high order of ability and would rank well in any assembly. Many of the most notable men of the country were delegates to this convention, prominent among them being Chief Justice Fuller of the Supreme Court of tho United States.
 If there is any marked desire to change the name of the church 1t was not manifested. One of the first re- ports adopted was that from the spe- cial Committee on this subject, ap- pointed three years ago. The Com mittee was unanimous in reporting that 1t was inexpedient to do so ana no further mention was made of the matter. There were members of the Committee who favor q change, but they realized the hopelessness of at- tempting 1t and wisely accepted the in- evitable.
 The foremost question. so far as dis cussion is the measure of importance. was that of remarrying of divorced people. The Committee on Canons