New-York tribune., 1919-10-05

Following is prayer for the Gen.
eral Convention, which will be said
in all the Episcopal churches of this
country to-day and on the occasion
OF every public service until the ses-
sions are over:
Almighty and everlasting God,
from Whom cometh pisdom and
understanding; be present, we
humbly beseech Thee, with Thu
serrdnts about to deliberate tn the
General Contention upon those
things that make for the MAIN
tenance, acellbeing aud extension
Of Thy holy church; and grant that
they, seeking only Thy honor and
glory, may be guided IN all their
consultations to perceive the more
excellent acdy, and may haze grace
ard strength to follo1o the same,
through Jesus Christ Our Lord,
Amen."
If the convention decides to re-
wise the Book Of Common PRAYER
it means that the worship Of the
whole communion will be affected
and new issue of the Prayer Book
ordered as soon as the new canons
become operative. For six years the
reviscrs have been engaged on their
task. They published preliminary
report, which was submitted to the
last triennial. and now have en-
bodied the recommendation Of that
report and their new conclusions in
a volume that has been circulated
among all the bishops and deputies.
The revision aims to express the
present day thought It sanctions
many practices that have had only
local approval thus far. 1t provides
prayers for the dead, which have
been used by the authority of some
bishops, but that have been held
by others to be at variance with
the theology Of the Church. 1t
eliminates the word "obey" from
the marriage ceremony. 1t gives
sanction to the application Of holy
oils in anointment Of the sick and
countenances faith healing. In ad-
dition it alters the calendar Of the
Church by providing that Sundays
shall not be numbered after Trinity,
as at present, but after Pentecost
(Whitsunday). 1t is argued by some
of the clergy and laity who oppose
this change that it is suggested
merely to standardiZe the ecclesias-
tical calendar and conform to
Roman usage. But those who advo-
cate the plan insist that it has the
approval of tradition, for the Day
of Pcntecost marks tho beginning
cf the Church.
The revision would also permit
"lntinction," or the use Of the
dipped wafer in the communion add
ministration.
The canons of ordination require.
ments will provoke an eager debate
when they are proposed. 1t was
tradition in the Episcopal Church
that when a minister, failing of the
intellectual requirements, sought
advancement to the priesthood he
would go into missionary work in
the West. There the requirements
would be relaxed because of the
urgent need for men He would OBJ
tain his advancement and then
would arrange, through the good
Offices of his friends, to be called to
an Eastern parish. His ordination
as a priest would entitlc him to the
same standing as those that had
gene the whole route of college and
the theological seminary.
Much interest will centre in the
proposal to reorganize the general
enterprises of the Church. This is
very similar to the reorganization
Of the Catholic Church. as just cf.
tected by the meeting Of the hicr-
archy in Washington.
II would put the activities of tho
general Church on an efficiency
basis, just as did the movement Of
the Catholic hierarchy 1t would
prevent much Of the duplication OF
the present day methods. The great
difference would be that the general
board of the Episcopal Church
would be responsible for legisla.
tive assembly, while the general
board of the Roman Catholic Church
is responsible to hierarchy.
The nationwide campaign, which
has been engaging the attention Of
the diocese and parishes for months,
will be brought formally to the at
tention of the General Convention
ard the approval of that body will
be asked for the plans already for
mulated. The purpose Of the cam
paign is to enlist the attention and
interest Of every member Of the
Protestant Episcopal Church in the