Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-01
By RT. REV. ALFRED HARDING.

The general convention is the SUI
preme Legislative body of the Epis-
copal Church. meeting normally every
three years. Since 1889, when the
several dioceses then existing were
organized as a national church, the
general convention has sat in two
houses, analogous to the Senate and
House of Representatives in the Con-
gress of the United States. This is
of special interest because of the fact
that the same men who were con-
cerned in the framing of the Consti-
tuition OF the nation We're. to a large
degree instrumental in framing the
constitution of the church.
The house of bishops, then small
body. now numbers 1875. The house
of deputies, composed of four clerical
and four lay members from each
diocese. and one of each order from
the missionary districts, numbered
671. in the convention held in De-
troit. whose sessions continued dur
ing two weeks and a half. 1t is.
therefore. thoroughly representative
body, its members coming from every
section of the country and from for
eign lands. 1t should be noted that
legislation may be initiated in either
house, but must be finally adopted in
both. Changes in the constitution and
in the prayer book must be adopted
in one general convention and again
adopted in the succeeding conven-
ton. In such important matters it is
necessarily a slow-mOving body. It's
characteristic is conservatism. The
prayer book and the constitution can
not be quickly changed nor without
due deliberation.
Yet it has been said of the Detroit
convention that it was revolutionary,
and this because of the important and
far-reaching action taken by it in
several matters. 1t would be more
correct to say that it was a progress
sive convention, and yet conservative
and all the principles of it's organiza-
ton. .----
The Prayer Book.
One of the issues before the con-
vention of special interest to all the
members of the church was the con-
sideration of the report of the COM
mittee on the revision of the book of
comman prayer. This committee.
presented an amended report in
1919. Changes adopted in the former
convention came up for final adop-
ton in this. and with these proposals
for changes. covering all the Offices
and services in the book. On account
fore the convention, it was found i'm
practicable to do much more than
consider and act upon the matters
Professionally adopted in 1916. The
order for daily morning and evening
prayer and the burial services were
the only parts thus finally revised.
In general, it may be said that those
familiar with the prayer book, will
find but little difference in these serv-
ices from those to which they have
been accustomed. There will be found
some distinct enrichment, and the OPP
portunity of greater feXibility in
their use. Those who feared that the
Te> Deum would be mutilate6 will
find that it is intact. but that the
manner of printing it is improved.
There will be a new table of lessons
from the Holy Scriptures. very care
fully prepared and offered for ten
tative use during the coming year.
There are few new prayers for spe-
cial occasions and for special bodies
of men, In the burial service the pro-
posal to omit some verses of the great
lessons from the fifteenth chapter OF
Corinthians was lost 1t VIII stand as
it has been in the centuries past, the
una bbreviated inspiring message OF ST.
Paul that has brought hope, comfort
and inspiration to all to whom the
church has ministered in hours or
sorrow There will be found in this
departed ones, framed after the fash
ion of similar prayers in the early
church, giving expression to widely
felt longing for some words more d.
rect and fuller of personal appii-
cation. than the familiar commemora
ton in the prayer for the whole state
of Christ's church militant. as in the
collects and prayers hitherto USED IN
the burial service.
The order for the holy communion,
in regard to which some were appre-
hensive that the changes proposed IN
yolyed serious doctrinal questions,
was not reached at this convention.
The action taken with reference 10
the PRAYER book was, therefore,. 1ar
from revolutionary, and IL Will De
many years before the whole revision
is completed.
New Council and Capitalization.
For some time before the meeting
in Detroit a strong movement appeared
having for it's object the attainment
of greater efficiency in the direction
of the church's various boards and to
supply some authorized body capable
of dealing with new situations that
NAV arise between the sessions OF the
conyention-as, for example. the ne
cessity of forming war commission
during the period of our entrance