The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-04
THINK PRAYER BOOK
SHOULD Be REVISED
Discusses Important Matters Per
tanning to Church Affairs.

Norfolk, Va. May 5.-Ths Episcopal
Church Congress of the United States
began It's second days session this
morning at the Colonial Theater. RI.
Rev. A. NJ Randolph. D. D.. Of the
diocese OF Southern Virginia the pre-
siding officer Of the Congress. in the
chair. with Bishop Tucker Coadtutor
OF his diocese. sitting with him, and
with q number of distinguished visit
ing prslates also seated on the stage,
including the Rev. DR.. Slsttery. Of
New York. general chairman OF the
Congress.
The opening hymn was Glorious
Things OF Thee Are Spoken" and pray
er was offered by Bishop Tucker.
The subject assigned for discussion
today was "Tha Expedienoy of Doc
trinal Limitation in Prayer Book Re
vision" and the leader Of Abs Discus
sion was Rt. Rev Frederick Courtney.
d. D.. OF New York, who was the
writer" of the day on this topic tths
others assigned 10 IL being designated
"speakersl.
The writer began by defining Chris
tian doctrine as the formulated state
ment OF Christian truth. aud said In
part that truth commonly reaches man
as an idea through intuition or imagi-
nation. with which reason proceeds to
deal by process called thought the
conclusion arrived at being expressed
In language. Later on attempts ara
made 10 improve the language SO that
1T may be q less, imperfect vehicle for
conveying the thoughts to other minds,
and deeper thought is g:vsn TO the
endeavor to arrive at a fuller compre
hension of the idea The history of
Christian doctrine is one of dispute
over the truth of ideas. the correctness
OF thought and the adequac% of Ian
gusee. Reference was then made TO
the prayer book received from the
Church OF England and adapted at
Revolution to the changed political
conditions of the country, including
in chat term the ordinal and the Ar
ticles OF Religion. though they are
really separate documents. One gigni-
ficant omission was that of the hymn
QuicunQue vuit. commonly called the
Greed Athanasius mention of which
was made In Article Eight. and that
Article was altered accordingly, In
the service for the Holy Communion
an alternative Proper Preface for
Trinity Sunday was introduced: as
also an Alternative form of Commun-
ion at the imposition OF hands in the
ordering of Priests, but no correspond
ing change was made in the Commits
sion of Bishop. When the last re-
vision was undertaken In 1880 II was
ordered that no change should be made
that would In any way affect the doc
trine Of the Church
No Volunteer Speakers.
Volunteer speakers were called for
but there were no responses. The dis
cussion was then closed by Bishop
Courtney, who said he agreed with Rev.
DR.. Mcconnell on the point made by
tho latter In favor OF the excelsior Of
those parts Of the prayer book that
hinder the devotions OF the people. He
also agreed with Rev. DR.. McConnelfs
point Of view In favor OF eliminating
the clause of the last part of the first
absolution In morning and evening
prayer. which makes the penttsnt won
der IL he Is truly penitent and thereby
weakens the positive declaration of ABB
solution.
The following was the program for
this evening:
At O'Clock. Topic 3. The Spiritual
Note in Twentieth Century Poetry"
Writer, Professor John Erskine. III. D..
Columbia University. New York. Speak
ers. Rev. c. c. Clarke. Phi. D.. rector
Of the Church Of the Holy Comforter.
New aork; Rev. Arthur Rogers. REQ
tor of St Marks Church. Evanston.