The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-10-12
Discussions Marked Sessions of the Convention Yesterday

j, Instructed to confer with other
coInt,i fssions or committees rs oc-
cnsion may require, and. report nj
the next session of the General
convc ntion.
This is the outcome OF one OF the
most practical and significant acts
the General Convention has ever per-
formed. This commission was first
appointed In 1901 and the Inter
Church Conference is a body repre-
senting fourteen different denomina-
tions. 1t Is a striking example Of
Christian unity for practical pur-
poses, and the work being done Is
one OF lasting value.
yention to pass strict canons on this
subject. but these will be OF little use
until other churches Join In the effort
to make divorce appear more dis.
graceful and refuse to remarry those
who have been divorced. Even though
the State allows remarriage. and the
civil officers have the power TO per-
form them, most people stil desire
the church to sanction the union, II
for nothing else, for the sake OF the
respectable standing 1t carries With
It, This sentiment must be deepened.
and men and women must be taught
. tHS SuhStitS Oh II tne evil
is to be overcome. The commission is
doing much to create this sentiment.
and the General Convention has wisely
continued 1t and encouraged 1t in its
work. No report has yet been made to
the General Convention which is OF
more real Importance. and 1t shows
that the commission is working wise.
~ and along the right lines.
Preamble Again.
The preamble to the constitution was
again brought before the house yes
terday and thoroughly discussed as n
whole Two more amendments Were
offered. which might appear at first
sight to be OF no importance, but to
the careful observer they mean very
much. AS was well said IN a great
crisis OF the chnrch's history the fate
OF the faith hung on one little letter.
There We're three words added to thu
preamble. 1t will. of course. be re-
membered that after the expression
'the Word of God was adopted a
further revision was made by replacing
the original words. "the record of
Gods revelation" etc. With only a
comma between the two expressions
this would leave the meaning practi-
5cally the same as at first presented
the last expression simply being an
Interpretation Of the first. But when
the word "and" is inserted between
the two. the sentence has a greater
meaning Some may say it is a COM
promise. but none can deny that 1t is a
very strong statement of the truth as
II now stands and 1t will be rather
difficult to misconstrue its meaning.
The other amendment was in the
section referring to the ministry. AS
revised Wednesday it read 'maintain-
n he
in such form as from the apostles
time they have existed" The amand-
ment substituted have been contin- /
ued' for have existed Besides con
forming to ancient and accepted terms.
the amendment carries with 1t the idea
of continued transmission, and not
merely of state of being. The more
one considers this the more its force
is felt. Both Of these were wise !
and the framer OF the
preamble at once and very graciously |
accepted them.
After these amendments were made
the preamble as n whole was put upon
It's passage. thoroughly discussed. and
finally adopted by an overwhelming
majority.
~ Court OF Appeals.
The next matter to demand consid-
grafton was the report Of the com /
mittee on canons on the court Of ap-
oeals. As was foreseen from the very
oeginnins. the whole subject resolved
itself into two duestions--is such a /
court needed? II needed. Of whom
shall 1t be composed?
When the report of the committee
Tas first presented 1t appeared rs
.housh 1t would be adopted without
my opposition. Judge Andrews very
,learlv' stated what the canon was and |,
what 1t proposed to do. Two or three
deputies spoke In favor Of the adop- I
Ion of the reported canon and every !,
me seemed ready for adopting it when
uddenly opposition began and grew /,
stronger as the debate continued. all
Il it being along one or the other
II the two indicated lines. There We're
hose who thought the court should
he composed of presbyters and layraen
Is well as of bishops. Some were un-
Wiling TO add to the bishops burdens:
others thought 1t might create dis
sension and trouble IL the House OF
Bishops was to sit as Judges over the
presoyiErs: Others aEcjn advanced the
dea that this must necessarily silence
the bishops, If case of heresy should
arise. until after the appeal had been
taken and decided. lest thev be declar-
ed incompetent from having expressed
an opinion.
But in spite Of all these arguments