Evening star., 1925-08-01
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
FACING BIC CLASH
Need for Strong Regional
Government Urged by
One Faction.
By the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, August IA clash
over the existing form of government
in the Episcopal Church is forecast at
the general convention of the church
in New Orleans next October, major
ity and minority reports on provincial
organization made public today indi-
eating a sharp division of sentiment
on proposed constitutional changes.
The problem dates back to the for
nation of the American church in
1855, and has been debated with more
or less vigor in every general con-
vention since 1865. 1t revolves around
the question of a need in the church
for strong provincial, or regional, or
gantZationS in various parts of the
country, composed of diocese in geo
graphical and sympathetic propln-
guilty. Underlying the proposition Is
the opposition of a considerable ele-
ment in the church TO archbishops,
who, they feel, would sooner or later
be created as ecclesiastical heads or
the proposed provincial bodies. F1nan-
cial problems of a VeXlnS character
are also involved.
Powers Limited.
There are eight provincial organiza-
tions in the church, but II is pointed
out by the majority of the joint COM
mission, whose H1dI IepOIl 10 nov
made public that the powers given TO
the provinces in 1913 were purposely
limited whereby they were in large
measure prevented from accomplish
ing anything of outstanding merit.
This majority, Il bishops. priests ana
laymen in a commission OF 70, now
proposes a series Of amendments 10
the constitution and canons or the
church which will give the provinces
s.ta md confer nDOn
them powers of relatively high I'M
portance.
The final report Of the commission
recommends that requests for appro-
priations for work in a province shall
be made with the provincial organl-
zation, which shall prepare the budget
for the dioceses and missionary dis
tricts within that province; that ap-
propriations by the national councll
of the church. based on this budget,
shall be made in bulk to the province
and distributed by 1t to its constituent
dioceses and districts; that missionary
bishops within the province shaH De
elected by the synod of the province
that consent to the election or olshopS
shall be given by the synod of the
province, and that the resignation OF
a bishop within a province shall De
acted upon by the house of bishops OF
such province.
Would Stir Interest.
In advocating these changes the ma
tority urge that they are necessary
Sor the 'creation of larger interest in
the church's program of work, in
order that it may be adequately sup
ported"; that a more effective organl-
hation Of the church for carrying on
its work will thereby be created; that
they will relieve the congestion or
business in the general convention
and will develop the province into AN
effective unit as a means or accom-
plishing the foregoing objects"
Touching specifically upon the rec
concentrations with regard to budget
and appropriations of funds, the
minority say: This recommendation
would place in the hands OF rev
dioceses In missionary provinces the
control of the missionary work within
the provinces. This work is done by
bishops who represent the whole
church, and with funds supplied by
the whole church. We believe that
the proposed recommendations, If
adopted, would Introduce a feeling of
sectionalism and would also seriously
interfere with the proper administra-
tion of the missionary work OF the
church. We believe that the present
method by which the making up of the
missionary budget in the domestic field
receives the careful consideration and
approval of the missionary bishops be-
fore 1t is presented to the national
council, is much better method than
the alternative proposed in the report
of the commission.
No Greater Power.
There are in the church eight
provinces" says the report; Sin five Of
these provinces there would be no en-
largement of powers If the most dras-
tic of these recommendations were
adopted, as there are no missionary
districts for which bishops could be
elected or to which funds could be
allocated. The corresponding loss in
missionary interest in these five prov
inces, where nearly all the funds for
our missionary work are contributed,
would be most serious
Summing up their objections, the
minority members of the commission
say: "At time when we are endeavor-
ing with success to awaken the ma
tional conscience of the church and to
get away from 'parochialism' and
'diocesaniSm' the report of the commits
sion proposes to introduce a feature
which, in our judgment, would create
'proyincialism.' We believe those who
support our missionary work support
1t because 1t is the work of the whole
church, administered by the national
council, and we believe that the sec
tionaliZing of our missionary work
would be fatal mistake. Such action
would not be a distribution of re-
1ttg l..