Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-17
WOULD CUT ''OBEy"
FROM CEREMONY
Joint Commission on Common
Prayer Submits Report to
Episcopal Deputies.
GOES OVER TO NEXT MEETING
Other Changes Suggested In
cludc Shortening of the Ten
Commandments.
GOES OVER TO NEXT MEETING


RS Ass"cin,".l Pres
ST. LOUIS. October Elimination
OF the word obey" in the marriage
service was recommended in the report
OF the joint commission on coumon
prayer submitted 10 tho house Of dcpu-
ties OF the Protestant Episcopal GEN
cral Convention here to-day. The
house Of deputies referred back TO tho
commission all proposed changes in the
marriage ceremony in the ca,cchism
and in the institution OF clcrcymcn,
and these questions cannot come be-
fore tho general convention again for
three years
The minority rcpor. recommended
tina; tn" present Injunction beginning
wilt thou obey him and serve him.
he changed to ''Wit thou love him,
comfort him. honor and keep him In
sickness and health. and, forsa<in2 all
others. keep thee only unto him so
long as yc shall livc?'
Tho minority report suggested Tho
omission OF the words "and with all
my worldly goods | thee. cndow" in
was that the expression "cndow'' is :.
relic of old English law. under which
the dover rights OF women were guar
antecd. and that to-day the question
involved is a civil one to be taken for
granted. It also was proposed TO cx-
puncc the expression "as Isaac and
Rehecca lived faithfully together" etc.
and merely say living faithfully to-
gcthcr."
Many regard the reference to these
biblical persons as out OF date. and
declare that there is no reason why
Isaac and his wife should be regarded
as models when there were many
other husbands and wives equally
faithful.
SUGGESTS SHORTENING
Of TEN COMMANDMENTS
Changes suggested in the majority
report included shortening the ten
commandments as read In the COM
munion service and the elimination OF
Il specific prayer for Jews and Turks
Establishment Of pension system
for Protestant Episcopal clergymcn
seems assured, the Rt. Rev. William
Lawrence. Bishop OF Massachusetts.
announced at joint session OF the
TWO houses OF the convention.
Bishop Lawrence said twu-thirds OF
the proposed $4,000. geo reserve fund for
a pension system for the clergy had
been given in cash or pledged.
The bishop added that he believed
that every clergyman retiring after
March |. 1917. would be assured OF "a
pension. ana that the widows ana
orphans Of the clergy would benefit
from this fund.
Auditing OF church accounts by
outside hookkccpcrs'' was recon-
mended in the report OF the joint COM
mittec on business. At present, be-
cause OF the overlapping fiscal years
because of othcr defects OF system. the
commission says no one can tell. within
many millions OF dollars what the
church received or expended during the
last calendar year. \ uniform fiscal
year was suggested.
no cur NUMBER or HYMNS
FROM go 'r0 $50
y report OF joint commission
recommending the pcrmissivc use OF a
new hymn in the service was adopted
hy tho house OF deputies In submit
ting the report, Robert c. Pruyn. OF
necessary in tho interest OF concise
ness tn cut the number OF hymns from
the go contained in the old hymnal
TO 80 The Rev. G. -. Bryan. OF
Petersburg. Va. urged the elimination .
OF two hymns in the new hymnal on
theological grounds. but the motion
was tabled.
Final adjournment of the convention.
which has been in session since last
Wednesdays was set for Friday. Oc-
tobcr -.
Revision Of tho hymnal cntailing the
elimination Of the amen at the con-
clusion Of all hymns save those OF
direct prayer praise was recon-
mcndcd in the report of the commits
sion ON hymnal. The revised book
would contain 35a hymns instead of
the GO? in the book now in use The
report recommends the elimination of
more lhan 2rh hymns in tho present
book The addition OF l26 new hymns.
most of them hy american authors iy
recommended.
The house Of bishops to-day adopted
n resolution for the appointment Of
commission Of four bishops four
clrrgymcu and four laymcn to conduct
IL propaganda for parochial missions
service work.
The house OF deputies voted for the
appointment OF commission of three
bishops. three clcrsymcn and three
laymcn L" consider the Christianiza-
ton of Africa.
Revision and shortening Of five OF
the ten commandments as they appear
i'm the Book Of Common Prayer and the
elimination OF Good Friday drawer
which classes Jews with Turks. in
idcls and hcrctics." were proposed in
the report Of the joint commission on
the Book Of Cannon Prayer sub
mittcd 10 the General Convention of
tho Episcopal Church to-day.
10 REVISE: AND ENRICH
BOOk or COHMON PRAYER
Tho commission. consisting OF seven
bishops. seven cicrgymen and seven
lnymcn under the chairmnnship OF
Right Roy. Cortlandt Whitehead