New-York tribune., 1919-10-13
Threaten to Quit Episcopal
Convention if Proposed
Sacrament Reservation
l. Vote at Detroit
Concordat Is Opposed
Majority of Bishops Said
To Be Against Alliance
With Congregationalists
STAFF Correspondence

convention has gone just as far as it
can on the question Of the revision
and enrichment Of the Book of Common
Prayer member of the Virginia
delegation to the triennial Episcopal
convention said to- day.
"If an attempt is made on the floor
Of the House of Deputies to force the
issue of sanctioning the reservation of
the sacrament, and if that issue is sue
cessfully pushed, the Virginia delega
ton will meet the situation. Let me
say this. the Virginia Church was out
of the General Convention for four
years during the war between the
states and it managed to get along
very we'll. II necessary we can stand
alone again"
The deputy from Virginia said he
was not speaking with the authority
of his fellow delegates to the Episcopal
to warn you to watch Virginia. Its
lighting spirit is not dead. The Church
seems to be very much concerned about
alliances with the churches Of the Old
World. Let me tell you the great issues
of this convention are issues of
Americanism. Virginia stands for the
healing of the near breaches. If we
are to strive for church unity, let us
endeavor to bring the people round
about us into communion and let us
not raise impossible barriers by turn
ing back the pages OF history and
being thoroughly rcactionary. The
Protestant spirit is not dead by any
means. and the Protestant spirit is the
Virginia spirit.
Tactical BIundcr
In the opinion of the Low Church
leaders, a tactical bunder was made
when some OF their number forced the
High Church issue in the matter of
the memorial days prayer.
1--WE should have stood together TO
wait until the changes in the second
broached.' said a clerical deputy.
Now the House Of Deputies stands
virtually committed to the issue of
prayers for the dead"
There seems to be much doubt, even
among the. High Church men. as to
their chances of putting the revisions
through. In Detroit to-day it is argued
that very short time, when legislative
sessions are considered, remains for
tinguished Church man said the only
possible hope for the revision was in
the calling of a special convention to
discuss nothing but the proposed
changes.
All the members Of the commission
on the revision and enrichment Of the
Book of Common Prayer have heard
from the country" as they put it. on
the matter of enrichment. Bishop
Brert's keynote speech and the heated
addresses on the floor of the House
of Deputies have led to serious dis
cussions as to whether the temper of
this convention will permit the devot-
ing of long sessions to conferences
over liturglcal changes.
1t was learned to-day that the pro-
posal for the concordat with the Con-
gregational Church, viewed by many
as the longest possible step toward
church unity contemplated by the
Protestant Episcopal Church, would
be first introduced in the House OF
Bishops and not in the House of Depu-
ties, ,s WAS expected.
Reason for Change
TIE reason for the change in the
plan is:
First, on account Of its being a mat
ter affecting ordination, it was fcl
more fitting that it should be first con
sidered by the bishops.
Second, that there was ground 70,
hope that it would meet more favor
able reception in the House of Bishops
than in the House of Deputies.
The concordat contemplates the Epis
copal ordination of ministers Of tn
Congrega tiona Church while at tn
same time permitting them to retail
/ their own communion. The promoter
/ of the concordat are planning to pre-
/ sent their proposals in the form of
l canon. This would make it possibl
/ for the concordat to become opcrativ
/ on January l of next year, if passed.
I The first move on the part Of tn
|, opposition will be the contention tha
it involves an amendment to the con
|, stitution, which, if adopted at thi
/ convention, would have to be rattle
\ in 1922. Canvass of the House Q
] Bishops by one of their number ind
!, Gates that the opposition to the con
! cordat is too we'll organized to permi
| it's passage at this convention.
| Certain of the high churchmen hav
!, served notice on the proponents 0
the measure that it is utterly incor
] sistent with Catholic principles, an
!, that they could not remain in tn
! Protestant Episcopal communion.
Alternative Presented
! George Zabriskie, a lay deputy frol
] New York and one of the fore
i most canon lawyers in the Epscops
I Church, has presented an alternativ
the general activities Of the church
The original report, as presented b
Z a committee representing the Boar
4 Of Missions, the General Board
! Religious Education and the Soci'
a Service Commission, called for tn
creating Of a central body subdivide
q into four departments. At the head {
d the central body would be the electe
q presiding bishop. Until the electio
l OF presiding bishop the present pr
q siding bishop, holding his Office +
a seniority in consecration, anoth,
81 member Of the House Of Bishop
y would be chosen.
a The original report calls for u
a executive board of scvcnty-two men
y bers, headed by the presiding bisho
g the work of which would be divide
ID into committees on church cxtensio
al Christian education. Christian soci
y service and finance. Mr. zabriski ie
q alternative proposal would make tl
"a presiding bishop. aided by a sma
e council. responsible for the supren
81 direction Of the missionary, educ
al t!onal and social work Of the churc