Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1907-10-31

General Convention at Richmond.
The triennial General Convention of
the Episcopal Church, which was in
session at Richmond, Va, October 2-19,
will be long remembered for it's Chris
tian earnestness and zeal, its freedom
from the spirit of faction and its states
manlike handling of many large ques-
tions. The Convention owed much to
the historic associations which marked
it's time and place of meeting. For the
first time since the Civil War the su-
preme governing body of the Episco-
pal Church met in Southern city, and
the welcome extended to it by Virgin
la brought home to the hearts of all a
deepened realization of the oneness of
heart and life of all sections of the
church and nation. The 300th ami
versary of the planting of the Episco-
pal Church in America was a reminder
of past blessings and an inspiration for
the future such as awakened a hearty
response in the spirit which marked
the deliberations of the great Conven-
tion. The Bishop of London, whose
visit to the Convention as the repre-
sentative of the see which had iuris-
diction over the churches in America
during the Colonial period, was well
come and appropriate feature of the
tercentenary, did much by his remark
able personality to inspire the men,
bers of the Convention with truer
spirit and larger aim.
One could not be long in the atrnos-
phere of the Convention without be-
coming aware of the large missionary
spirit which animated it and which
found expression not only in the fre-
quent missionary sessions and public
rallies but which was evident also in
the deliberations of the legislative ses-
sions. The missionary spirit is none
other than the essentially Christian
spirit, the spirit which leads one to re
alize his responsibility for his brother
next door, or across seas. The debate
on the question of a negro episcopate
revealed, amid all the diversity of plans
proposed, common recognition of
our duty towards the colored race and
an earnest desire to do whatever may
be done. Of three plans suggested,
viz, an autonomous negro church,
missionary negro bishops with rowing
commissions, and suffragan bishops,
the convention adopted the latter plan
as most consistent with the unity of
the church as whole and with the in
tegrity of the various dioceses This
plan will become operative after it has
received the final approval of the next
Convention which will meet in Cincin-
natl in 1910.
The convention also adopted plan
for the organization of departmental
missionary Councils and Boards to re-
lieve the pressure upon the central
Board and also the better to meet the
special needs of particular sections.
The Episcopal Church has long
stood the deplorant of the unhappy
divisions which exist among the mem
bers of Christ's flock Twenty years
ago the bishops of the Anglican Com
munion issued what has been known
as the Chicago Quadrilate-
raj, which sets forth four fundamental
points as a basis of Christian unity,
viz, the Sacred Scriptures, the Creeds,
the Sacraments and the Historic Min
istry. But from the date of the issuing
of the Quadrilateral nothing whatever
has been done by the Episcopal Church
to show that she is really willing to
seek for unity on that basis. Some
thirteen years ago well known re.
ligious weekly addressed letter to
each of the bishops of the Episcopal
Church stating, that in it's opinion the
movement towards unity might be
promoted were the Episcopal Church
to accept the practice, or at least the
principle, of exchanging pulpits. The
bishops almost to a man frowned upon
this suggestion, with the result that
other Christian communions have been
disposed to think, rightly or wrongly,
that the Episcopal Church is not much
in earnest in protesting a desire for
unity. The one man who through
evil and good report has been unceas-
ing in his efforts to obtain recogni-
ton of the substance of the Quadril-
ateral in the Constitution of the Church
has been DR.. Huntington of Grace
Church, New York. After repeated
failures he succeeded at Richmond in
having preamble to the Constitution
adopted. This preamble sets forth the