limits of the larger and more populous states.
"Art. I. There shall he a General Convention ofthe Protestant Episcopal Church in the United states of America on the first Wednesday in October in every
third year, from the year of our I. mil one thousand eight hundred and forty-one, and in such place a- shall he de- termined by the convention; and in case there shall he an epidemic disease, or any oilier good Canse to lender it
necessary to alter the place fixed on for any such meet- in- of the convention, the presiding hishop shall have it in his power to appoint a nothei convenient plnci
as may he to the place so fixed on) for the holding of such
convention : and special meet in-s may he called at oilier
time-, iu the manner hereafter to he provided for; and this ( 'lunch, in a majority of the diore-e- whi.h -hall
have adopted this Constitution, shall lie represented he- fore they shall proceed to business, except that 'he rep- resentation from two dioceses shall he sufficient to ad- journ; and in all business ofthe convention freedom of debate shall be allowed.
"Art. II. The Church in each diocese shall he enti- tled to a representation of both the clergy and the Iniiy. such representation shall consist of not more than four Clerg] men niicl four Lay men. coin inn nicants in this Chun h, residents in the diocese, and CtlOSeil in the manner pre- scribed by the convention thereof; and in all questions, when required by the clerical or lay representation from
h order shall have one vote; and the ma-
• This statement of, onrse represents our contributor's
opinion; hut the paragraph contains several points upon which much might he -aid on both sides. —En.
PROTESTANT EPISC. CHURCH 6S7 PROTESTANT EPISC. CHURCH
jority of suffrages by dioceses shall be conclusive iu each order, provided5 such majority comprehend a majority of the dioceses represented in that order. The concurrence of both orders shall be necessary to constitute a vote of the convention. If the convention of any diocese should neglect or decline to appoint clerical deputies, or if they should neglect or decline to appoint lay deputies, or if any of those of either order appointed should neglect to attend, or be prevented bv sickness or any other acci- dent, such diocese shall nevertheless be considered as duly represented by such deputy or deputies as may at- tend, whether lay or clerical. And if, through the neg- lect of the convention of any of the churches which shall have adopted, or may hereafter adopt, this Constitution, no deputies, either lav or clerical, should attend at any General Convention, the Church in such diocese shall nevertheless be bound by the acts of such convention.
"Art. III. The bishops of this Church, when there shall be three or more, shall, whenever general conven- tions are held, form a separate house, with a right to originate and propose acts for the concurrence of the House of Deputies, composed of clergy and laity; aud when any proposed act shall have passed the House of Deputies, the same shall be transmitted to the House of Bishops, who shall have a negative thereupon ; aud all acts of the convention shall he authenticated by both houses. And in all cases, the House of Bishops shall sig- nify to the convention their approbation or disapproba- tion (the latter with their reasons in writing) within three days after the proposed act shall have been reported to them for concurrence; and in failure thereof, it shall have the operation of a law. But until there shall be three or more bishops, as aforesaid, any bishop attending a Gen- eral Convention shall be a member ex officio, and shall vote with the clerical deputies of the diocese to which he belongs; and a bishop shall then preside.
"Art. IV. The bishop or bishops in every diocese shall be chosen agreeably to such rules as shall be fixed by the convention of that diocese; aud every bishop of this Church shall confine the exercise of his episcopal office to his proper diocese, unless requested to ordain, or con- firm, or perform any other act of the episcopal office, by any Church destitute of a bishop.
"Art. V. A Protestant Episcopal Church iu any of the United States, or any territory thereof, not now repre- sented, may, at any time hereafter, be admitted on acced- ing to this Constitution ; and a new diocese, to be formed from one or more existing dioceses, may be admitted un- der the following restrictions, viz. :
"No new diocese shall be formed or erected within the limits of any other diocese, nor shall any diocese be form- ed by the junction of two or more dioceses, or parts of dioceses, unless with the consent of the bishop and con- vention of each of the dioceses concerned, as well as of the General Convention ; and such consent shall not be given by the General Convention until it has satisfacto- ry assurance of a suitable provision for the support of the episcopate iu the contemplated new diocese.
"No such new diocese shall be formed which shall contain less than six parishes, or less than six presbyters who have been for at least one year canonically resident within the bounds of such new diocese, regularly settled in a parish or congregation, and qualified to vote for a bishop. Nor shall such new diocese he formed, if there- by any existing diocese shall be so reduced as to contain loss than twelve parishes, or less than twelve presbyters who have been residing therein, and settled and qualified as above mentioned : provided that no city shall form more than one diocese.