PROTESTANT EPISC. CHURCH 685 PROTESTANT EPISC. CHURCH
the General Convention for its approval. Nothing in this canon shall be construed as forbidding any federate council from taking such action as they may deem neces- sarv to secure such legislative enactments as the common interests of the Church in the state may require." No definite action under this canon has as yet been carried into effect in any state. The subject has been discussed quite largely, and the various propositions connected with it now rest with the same committee who have the provincial system in hand and are to report in 1880. An earnest and interesting communication to the presiding bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church was made, in 1871, by bishop Wilberforce, of Winches- ter, in relation to the work then commenced in Eng- land for the revision of the authorized version of the Holy Scriptures. At the General Convention held the same year, it was, in the House of Bishops, "Resolved, That the Rt. Rev. the Presiding Bishop be, and hereby is, requested to return to the Rt. Rev. the Lord Bishop of Winchester a courteous and brotherly acknowledg- ment of his communication relating to a revision of the English of the Holy Scriptures, stating that this house, having had no part in originating or organizing the said work of revision, is not at present in a condition to deliver any judgment respecting it, and at the same time expressing the disposition of this house to con- sider with candor the work undertaken by the Convo- cation of Canterbury, whenever it shall have been com- pleted and its results laid before them." The attitude thus taken by the bishops in behalf of the Church is one of cautious reserve, but perhaps not too much so, considering the importance of the subject.
The Protestant Episcopal Church having made con- siderable progress in Hayti (numbering eleven clergy in 1874), and needing episcopal supervision and aid, was supplied with a bishop, under the arrangement of a ''Covenant" entered into with the Church in that repub- lic, and the Rev. Dr. J. T. Holly was consecrated as first bishop, in November, 1874. The terms of the covenant made it the duty of the Church in the United States to extend its nursing care to the Church in Hayti during its early growth and development; and four bishops, with the bishop of Hayti, were constituted a commission to take episcopal charge of the Church in Hayti, and se- cure its maintenance of the doctrine, worship, and dis- cipline of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, until such time as there should be three bishops resident in Hayti, and exercising jurisdiction in the Church there. When that time arrives, this Church will cease from all further charge or care of the Haytian Church.
The General Convention of 1877 met in Boston, Mass., on Oct. 3, the first time that it met in that city since its organization after the civil war. It was very largely attended, and was marked by a spirit of good- will and earnest effort to promote in every way the interests of Christ's kingdom here on earth. There were no specially exciting topics on hand (as ritualism, etc.) ; and the action of the convention, so far as our present purpose is concerned, can be summed up in brief space. Probably the most important step taken was the reorganization of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society. Heretofore there had been a Board of Missions (a very large and rather cumbrous body), appointed triennially, and acting in the respec- tive departments at home and abroad. After much discussion, the following canon was adopted: "Consti- tution of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, as established in 1820, and since amended at various times.
"Art. I. This society shall be denominated," etc.
"Art. II. This society shall be considered as compre- hending all persons who are members of this Church.
"Art. III. There shall be a Board of Missions of such society composed of the bishops of this Church, and the members for the time being of the House of Deputies of this Church, bishops and deputies sitting apart as in
General Convention, or together when they shall so de- cide. The Board of Missions thus constituted shall con- vene on the third day of the session of the General Con- vention, and shall sit from time to time as the business of the board shall demand.
"Art. IV. There shall be a Board of Managers, com- prising all the bishops as members ex officio, and fifteen presbyters and fifteen lavmen, to be appointed by the Board of Missions at every triennial meeting of the Gen- eral Convention, who shall have the management of the general missions of (hi- ( 'hurch, and shall remain in office until their successors arc chosen, and shall have power to fill any vacancies that may occur in their number. Eight" clerical and eight lav members shall constitute a quorum.
erci-e all the corporate' powers of the Domestic and For- eign Missionary Society. The Board of Managers shall report to the General Convention, constituted as a Board of Missions, on or before the third day of the session of the General Convention.
"Art. V. The Board of Managers is authorized to form, from its own members, a committee for domestic mis- sions and a committee for foreign missions, and such oth- er committees as it may deem desirable to promote special missionary work, and is also authorized to appoint such officers as'shall be needful for carrying on the work.