The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-16
LOWER HOUSE
TO VOTE FOR
SUFE.RACANS''.
Committee Of Whole Re-
conmends Com mis-
slon's Negro Plan.
UPPER BRANCH
MAY NOT AGREE
Epoch-Making Debate in Convel-
ton Over Nexed Problem.
Many Strange Theories Adj
vanced-Addresses by
DIR. Bryan and
Others.

/ Others.
BY THE REV. JOHN H. BROWN.
| Secretary OF the Diocese OF Flpridn.
After an epoch making debate last
Ing through the entire day the House
OF Deputies of the Episcopal General
Convention, sitting as committee
OF the whole. recommended as dis
/ position OF the vexed negro question,
the plan for suffragan bishops leav-
ing the upper house still wrestling
4 with problem that Is commanding
the earnest attention of the entire
4 church. r.
1t being the last day on which new
business could be introduced in tho
House OF Deputies many resolutions
4 and memorials were presented and
quickly disposed OF either by vote. by
4 reference to committees or by placing
them on the calendar. Among the
matters reported by committees. one
Is OF particular interest both to the
Episcopal Church and to other de-
| nominations. It concerns what is
| commonly spoken OF as the open pull
pit. Though the committee felt con-
strained to report 1t inexpedient at
this late period of the session. to con-
slider legislation on the subject Of lay
evansellsts. it reported favorably on n
amendment to canon 1e. s"Of peraons
not ministers in this church offfctat
ing in any congregation thereof" The
4 present canon prohibits any one not
| licensed or ordained to minister In
4 this church from officiating In any
/ Episcopal house OF worship. allowing.
i however, commandments to act as lay
A readers. 1t Is proposed to amend this
4 by permitting. he tntsterRo OF any
congregation to allow any Christian
person. approved BY the bishop OF
the diocese. to preach in the church.
This has been recommended by this
committee to the House Of Deputies,
and II passed by this convention Will
go long way toward breaking down
lprejudice against the church on the
part OF other Christians. while 1t will
lstill accomplish the whole purpose Of
the old canon. that of protecting tila
people from all danger OF harmful
\ lteaching.
Eleven o'clock was set as the hour
for presenting the negro question In
It's various phases, but 1t being the
Twelfth day. the order of tho day was
postponed to give an opportunity for
the presentation of new business. Many
resolutions of more or less interest
were presented, the three most in-
Iportant being one from DR.. Huntingdon
on the Thirty-eight Articles. one from
a deputy from West Virginia to ap-
Ipoint a committee to rearrange the
judicial and missionary departments -
that they would be conterminous, and
Ione from Mr. Pepper to give legisla-
Itive power to the conferences of the
missionary departments. II these last
two are adopted the church will yirtu-
ally have the provincial system In em-
Il hryy m nd q To- $1tn N,,tr
Eventually be erected. 4
The Negro Question.
The house resolved itself into a com-
mittee of the whole. Mr. Packard. OF
Maryland, taking the chair, and imme-
diately after the MONDAY prayers for
missions-a most appropriate, though
Undersigned opening for this great da.S
lllberation-the discussion of the reGrn
lquestton was begun. ~, lgF
| Three propositions were offered for
the consideration. of the COMMITTEES.
First of these was the majority report
| of the joint commission on memorial
4 from conference Of workers among the
lcoored people. This committee, after
making "a most able and valuable re-
port on the whole subject, offered
resolution allowing a diocese to elect
one or more suffrasan bishops under
certain restrictions The second plan,
THAT embodied In the minority, report.
(which corresponded with and was de-
Nominated the Pennsylvania plan gave
permission to erect racial missionary
districts with missionary bishops tnot
NECESSARILY colored, however) within
1.-THE territory of existing dioceses or
missionary districts. The third was that
now Familiarity known as the Arkansas
/ plan giving the negroes three bishops
land an autonomous church.
These were presented In the above
order and discussed and voted upon
| In the reverse order.
The debate was opened by tha Rev.
IN, y. Buckner. Of Arkansas, followeA
by Mr. John II. Hicks, OF Arkansas.
The former presented the plan, not
las an effort to cut thenegroes off from
the church but to give them the whole
4 church. y
But if any were afraid OF this hs
called their attention to the fact that
1.-THE resolution carried by the Arkansas
Ipetition provided merely for a conlHis-s3
sion to consider this proposition ana
report at the next General Convention.
Mr.. Hicks presented the plan In
more logical manner by stating ana
answering the four objections he had
heard raised: First, that 1t conflicted
with the churchs policy Of unity: secs
i ond, that the negro la not worthy Of the
4 epiacopate; third. that the negro prn-S
/ fers to he taken into the white organt-s
cation, and fourth. that IL the episco-
pate be given TO the Eegro ha VIII
abuse 1t and will depart from the
i faith, Having answered these, he gave !
what he believed to be ten patent rea- 4
sons for adopting the plan. The argu- I
\ ment was drawn largely on ilstinck
.lracial lines, There was q strong faal.Ss
ling against this erection OF an autono-
i ,,,ciir .nhnrnhs . MI EAfnrf, tha almorninA