The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-08-19

Detroit, Mich, Aug. l6.-1he oiuesl
national religious legislative body IN
the United States is the trienniai gen,
eral convention OF the Episcopal
church which assemblies in this city
October to continue in session three
weeks. The first general convention
dates back to LISA, only eight years
after the American Declaration OF IN
dependence. Far back of that, the
church itself had foundation dating
from the first permanent Engnsn set.
Element in these states In 1907 az
jamestown. Virginia. With the nrst
English settlers came the English
church. for from the very first move
ment for English colonization In the
new world. 1t was az much an object
Of England to establish Christianity
as she accepted ami embodied II IN
Reformed church as to augment her
civil authority as great protestant
nation.
The Protestant Episcopal church
and its highest legislative Assem- ois
the general convention, Is the lined
descendent of the Church of England.
But while 1t owed its first foundation
here to the English church, 1t Is dis
tinctly an American church. Its his
tory is coeval with the earliest settle
ment OF the continent, and has kept
pace with all the varying phases OF
national development. 1t was the
church OF George Washington ana a.
the Virginia line" Of presidents with
the exception Of Woodrow Wilson. IL
was the church OF the southern La
alier." a the congregational was the
church Of the New England Puritan.
The Protestant Episcopal church
has developed a constitution ana
life essentially American and essen
tally its own. It's admirers aver that
II reflects in Its constitution more ex-
actly than any other religious cor
poration, the fundamental principles
which rule in our national govern
ment and that It secures ana On
presses In things religious more com
n1ctrfv than can be found elsewhere.
the essential spirit OF our national HE.
liberty protected by law.
Like the American people VINO
honor their institutions as the merit
are ~ law and culture and liberty
out Of past ages. SO the Epiecopai
church PRICES its peculiar ana ooml
4ant features as the issue OF sounu
historic growth, 1t claims TO preserve
and 10 have had preserved to II. the
essential features of the church OF
aposfoIic times in continuous and
legitimate succession. 1t GROUNDS us
doemas on the original documents OF
the APOSTOLIC church contained IN the
Nsw Testament which is its flnalf ar-
htt.r A. ALI doctriual statements. II
hnlda its order Of worship to be, In
its structural features, identical WIN
the liturgies of the earliest ana pest
ages Yet while holding nrmiy 70
the past as the vindication OF It's Ioun-
dalton principles, Its aim Is. not 70
nresent an anachronism or to recon
struct and reissue transient features
or6 towns Of life which the past mas
la die. hut to vindicate and apply 70
he latest life OF the latest nation. the
&ruths which have proved their essen
tai vitality by their perennial m
The 900 clerical and lay deiegates
"a the convention at Detroit VIII race
the most vital problems TOT tne w.
ture OF religion aNd the social anu
economic life Of the world tnat nas
ever conae before the general convch-
f,on IN it's 1870 years Of history the
cnryention faces a new world strug-
sling 10 realize In Its social ana
ernnor,ic existence some of the prin-
csr,.s 81 human brotherhood Tor
which Tesus Chriat lived and died
crc ~ the great tasks OF the con-
,..ntion a ID affort. light and leading
shat win help tura these aspirations
into the channels Of constructive evo-
luton. p-x
naredness for the convention m
nounces that accommodations n.ss
rrtvste homes OF the city that VIII %
Arm ME tor the delegates and visitors.
estimated ut 5000.
The house OF bishops Will meet IN,
the parish house OF st. PauIs catne-
aral At woodward and Hancock