Omaha daily bee., 1908-05-21
WILLIAMS FOR OPEN PULPIT
Episcopal Bishop Of Nebraska Takes a
Decided Stand on Amendment.
ANNUAL ADDRESS Is FORC1BLE
Says that Despite Detection I'm His
Church He wOuId License COm-
municants 60 Speak in
Pulpit.


the Nebraska diocese. upheld the so
called open pulpit in an address Wednesday
afternoon before the Episcopal clergy OF
the Nebraska diocese OF this state, which
convened Wednesday morning in Trinity
cathedral
Tho notable amendment to Canon 1s OF
the church was treated fully in the bishops
annual address and he declared that de-
spite the detection in his church today on
account of the open pulpit he would license
communicates Of church to make an
address from the pulpit OF an Episcopal
church.
Il am willing TO license Christian men
who are communicates of a church to make
an address under the provisions Of the
amendment to Canon ls" declared Bishop
Williams, care being exercised in preach
ing the unchanging faith which the King
has committed to his three-fold ministry.
mo piece Of legislation ever enacted by
general convention has been the cause OF
so much confusion as the amendment to
Canon 10. Many false hopes have been
raised in the minds of some and in the
minds OF others It was feared the church's
position was compromised.
Priests who delight in being a law TO
themselves have ignored the plain pro-
visions and requirements of the canon,
but the church has given into the hands
of the bishop the authority of exercising
the provisions of a canon and accept
that authority and am not troubled as to
the outcome.
Agrees with Vermont Bishop.
The bishop of Vermont interprets the
amendment as follows; First, that per-
mission and authority are reserved abso-
lutely 70 the bishop; second, ryothing is
said about preaching. officiating and SER
mons; third, the amendment has nothing
to do with the regular and authoritative
instruction OF the congregation. only recog
mixing the right Of the bishop to allow, on
some special occasions, a Christian man,
without reference to ministerial qualifiea-
tions or standing to give an address in a
church building
II hold with the bishop of Vermont. and
will grant permission to any Christian
communicate of a church to make an ad-
dress in the church In the absence of
the rector"
The famous amendment to canon 10.
which has caused a number of Episcopal
clergymen to leave the church and profess
the Catholic religion is as follows:
No minister in the church or any con-
gregation of the church or in case of va
D.
vestrymen or trustees of a CONGREGATION.
shall permit any person to officiate therein
| without sufficient evidence of his being
! fully licensed or ordained to minister in
| this church; provided that nothing herein
shall be so construed as to forbid commu-
| nicants of the church to act as lay readers.
The Episcopal was opened at 1890 by the
celebration Of the holy communion, with
| Bishop Williams as celebrant, Rev. Rufus
Clark. d. D., epistolar, and Rt. Rev. Shell
don NJ. Griswoid. bishop Of salina, gospelar.
Following this, Bishop Griswold delivered
an address on the Relation and Harmony
Between Authoritative and Private Judg-
ment."
Church of the Reconciliation.
The bishop spoke Of the unrest in the
church today due to the canon amendment
and of the Misunderstanding of the church
by the Protestants on one side and the
Roman Catholics on the other. He said
that the Episcopal church stands midway
between these two as the church of the
reconciliation and that this position must
not be compromised.
The mission OF the Episcopal church in
the world Is that Of a great spiritual
leaven," said Bishop Griswold. The
church is historically known as the Amer.
lean Catholic church. We are not going
to turn away and desert to the Romanists
or to Professionalism, but we will continue
to stand staunchly by our convictions.
Let US not forget that the church OF
God stands first Of all for spiritual things
and that religion is not for Sunday alone
The church is not a charitable society>or q
sociological organization; it is first of al
a spiritual society"
The council was organized at 2:30 by
the election of Rev. w. H. Moor, genera
missionary of the diocese, as secretary
} and Rev. John Albert Williams rector OF
the church of st. Philip the Deacon
Omaha, as assistant secretary Follow
ing the annual address by Bishop WIZ