Evening journal., 1919-10-23
HURChNEN ADOPT
new UNITY Plan
-oncordat With Congrega-
tionals and Centralized
Idea Approved
PORTLAND GETS
THE 1922 MEET

DETROIT. Oct 23-rwo measures of
1arnnounl importance, The coucerlat
,iIh ihc congregational Church and
De- proposition % cenlralize the goN-
inment Of ile Episcopal Church under
m executive rounci were approved
Yesterday in the Protestant Aiscopdl
rnera convention.
b, an Overwhelming vote the House
lf Deputies adopted a constitutional
lmendmcnf providing for the cOncordat
aiih lhc congregational Church. CON
snrrins MIA lhc action of the House
,f Bishops and placing the church ON
'ccunl as bcing-Slrungls in favor of
.hls initial move toward organic
church unity Many clergymcn and
iaymen regarded lhc vote as of cpochal
significant. The House of Deputies
considered The constitutional amend
mcnt sent down lay The House VI Bish-
ops and by numerous small amend
mcnl, Showed willingness TO go
farther in ihc direction of meeting
their Congregational brethren halfway
Than ihe bishops.
Th1 clerical vote WUs iSA ayes, iJA
nays aud Z delegations divided. The
laity voted iJa, ayes r. nays and .
divided The Rev Dr. William Il.
Manning. of New York. WHO presented
hc report or the committee on c0nsli-
luuonal amendments, delhered, e
speech in behalf OF the conc0r1al.
"NNe are not compromising or eN0d-
ing the issue or even dcfcrrng this
matter" no told the House OF Dcpu-
ties
III this report Is adopted We are de-
ferring action: We are taking all the
action which Il is possible for MS now
20 take. with the full hope and pur-
pose OF completing the work three
years hence
Instead Of the concordat "injurlng
and embarrassing the work Of the
world conferences on faith and order
Doctor Manning cOnlended that it
would aid The movement toward church
unity
Il believe that our refusal 10 act
upon such a proposal a. this would
wegken our influence with all our
Protestant brethren ne said.
With the relenllessness OF a. steam
roller. canon JS. carrying a PROPOSE
tion 10 cenlralize the governing power
of The Protestant Episcopal Church un-
der The presiding bishop and a coun-
cll OF twenty-five members. was adopt
ted yesterday morning in the house Of
bishops.
The council which begins lis work
lgnMry I. 1871. Will take over The
work OF the board Of missions. COM
mission on social service and board Of
religions education, becoming in fact,
ihc central governing body OF the Prot
cstanl Episcopal Church.
70 will function throughout the year,
whereas The general convention meets
suly once in three years. 10 invests
tremendous executive power in the
prrsld'ng bishop. who. heretofore. has
had only ecclesiastical power. 10 Gre
aics central governing body. conf
p3vallvcly small in number, which Will
ilrect The affairs of the Protestant
Episcopal Church.
Ths executive council is a direct re-
sun OF The war. which found the Epis-
copal Church without central author !
iiy a, a crisis waen The church was
confronted by q tremendous task. With !
iNl Nhuufi ANhtt lNAiA-s AllE iHulNN /
VIII never agaia be caught mapping
Bishop Weller. or The diocese OF /
Fond du Lac. The high church" dlo- |
ecsc. objected 10 having The church |
Swallowing Tie pill whole"
b IS The mos, revolutionary meas |
nrc ever presented 90 a general con
Ncnlion, he declared.
Bishop A s Lloyd. president OF the
board OF missions. ndorsed The canon. /,
saying it met great need Of lhe /
hurch"
Bishop Sessums. Of Louisiana. in
'erjecied The idea OF states rights" "
he asked II the ancient rights and llb- T.
critics Of The bishops J'd diocese were
sufficiently satcsuarded under The |
.ln0n.
Bishop Weller. Of Fon du Lac. moved I
10 change the canon SO as 10 permit the (
synods 90 choose sixteen members OF 4
he executive council and have eight !
,lecied by ihe general convention This