Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-10-14
HEALING PRAYER ISSUE
NOT YET DEAD IN CHURCH
Winchester Resolution DeCIar.
ing the Bible to Be Word
of God, Adopted

CINCINNATI, Oct. 1.-THE house of
deputies today put itself squarely on
record, by a unanimous vote, as be-
lieving in the Bible as the word of
God. thus making official declaration
that the statement to the contrary,
made in the course of debate last Sat
urday during the triennial convention
of the Protestant Episcopal church by
the Rev. A. A. Morrison of Portland,
did not represent the sentiment of the
church as a whole.
The matter was brought before the
convention by the Rev. James r. Win
chester, of Memphis, Tenn. DR.. Winches-
ter offered a resolution declaring that
the house places itself on record as
declaring as the Holy Scriptures and
beyond doubt accepted by the church as
the word Of Almighty God"
Except for the fact that the Bible
is the word of God, none of us would
be here" said DR.. Winchester 1T is
time to protest against the charge that
we do not believe the Bible is the
word of God, a charge that is being
thrown at us from parts of the coun-
try"
The Rev. Jones williams, of Omaha,
declared II was a question of ordinary
clared DR.. Williams, has the right to
make the declaration that the Bible Is
not the word Of God"
The Rev. James Houston Eccleston, OF
Baltimore, proposed as substitute res
olution that 1.-The secretary of the con-
vention shall publish in all the daily pa
pers of Cincinnati the eighth article OF
the constitution OF the church"
The sub-resolution was adopted by a
unanimous vote.
When asked afterward how he had vo-
ted, the Rev. DR.. Morrison, whose dec
laration that the Bible is not the word
of God started the discussion, said: Il
do not care to answer that quetsion at
this time"
Although defeated in the house of
deputies by reason of the fact that
the clerical and lay delegates did not
agree upon II, the proposal to In
cIude in the ritual of the church a
form of prayer for the sick, not
as a sacrament in preparation OF
death. but as a means Of healing, Is
far from being dead in the opinion OF
its advocates.
The report of the Joint committee on
the subject is still TO be acted upon,
and II that body should approve 1t by a
considerable majority, 1t is supposed that
Jhe house or deputies WOulu COnSluST us
action and submit the question again
TO a vote The plans for such ritual,
Il the convention should finally approve,
are to be drawn up by a committee of
bishops, clergymen and laymen and re-
ported to the next general convention.
No subject that has arisen since the
convention began has aroused so much
interest among churchmen of all or
ders. The opinions expressed range all
the way from absolute faith in actual
miracles through the power of God. to
the utmost unbelief in the power of any,
thing but medical treatment to cure the
sick
The fact that the so-called Emmanuel
movement had its origin in the Protest
ant Episcopal church in Emmanuel
parish, Boston, has had a deep influence.
This was the day set by the house of
bishops for discussion of the question
of suffragans, the matter having been
considered after once having been voted
down. There is an acute difference ~
opinion on this point, many bishops
under the leadership of Bishop Kinsolv-
ing. OF Texas, favoring negro mission
airy bishops to take charge of all negro
churches, to be responsible only to the
general convention, while others prefer
the suffragan plan, under which the
negro bishop suffragans would be SUBJ
ordinate to their decision.