cause the said French Liturgy to be examined, in order to ascertain how far the translation is correct; and to confirm the use thereof, with such amendments and improvements as the case may call for; and to declare it to be the Liturgy which may be used by any minister of this church who may officiate in a congregation to whom the French language is familiar.

The bishops issued the following call on the members of this church; and sent it to the house of clerical and lay deputies, to be there read: which was accordingly done:

"The house of bishops, solicitous for the preservation of the purity of the church, and the piety of its members, are induced to impress upon the clergy the important duty, with a discreet but earnest zeal, of warning the people of their respective cures, of the danger of an indulgence in those worldly pleasures which may tend to withdraw the affections from spiritual things. And especially on the subject of gaming, of amusements involving cruelty to the brute creation, and of theatrical representations, to which some peculiar circumstances have called their attention, they do not hesitate to express their unanimous opinion, that these amusements, as well from their licentious tendency, as from the strong temptations to vice which they afford, ought not to be frequented. And the bishops cannot refrain from expressing their deep regret at the information that in some of our large cities, so little respect is paid to the feelings of the members of the church, that the

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atrical representations are fixed for the evenings of her most solemn festivals."

On the question referred by the last convention, to be reported on in this, relatively to the copy-right of the Book of Common Prayer; the measure was considered as disapproved of, so far as opinion could be ascertained.

A proposed change in the ecclesiastical constitution, was referred to the several state conventions. It was to change the time of the triennial meeting to the 1st Tuesday in October.

The house of clerical and lay deputies proposed to the house of bishops, the designating of a standard copy of the Old and New Testaments. It was too late to enter on the business, and "the house of bishops deeming the fulfilment of the request of the house of clerical and lay deputies, on the subject of an authentic edition of the Holy Bible, a matter requiring very serious attention and deliberation, resolve, that its members will give such attention and deliberation to the subject, previously to the next meeting of the general convention, and report at the said meeting.

The table of degrees of consanguinity and affinity, prohibitory of marriage was again referred; and a committee was appointed on the subject, bishops White, Kemp, and Croes.

There passed three canons. The first was the limiting of the operation of the 2d and 37th canons, so far as regarded the states westward of the mountains. The professed reason, was, the providing of

that country with a bishop, if a suitable person should be presented, whatever might be the number of resident presbyters, and even if there be none. There was the further reason, that if it should be thought convenient to unite with a western diocess the western counties of Pennsylvania and Virginia; and if there should be the consent of the church in each of the said states, there might be a temporary provision for the purpose, consistent with the integrity of the church in each state.

The second canon makes a clergyman's renunciation of the ministry a cause of admonition, or of suspension or of degradation.

The third canon provided, that in the case of expulsion from the communion, and information given to the bishop as required by the second rubric before the communion service; if the expelled party make no complaint, there shall be no inquiry instituted. The bishop on receiving complaint, is to institute an inquiry, and the notice given by the minister is a sufficient presentation.

A pastoral letter was again drawn up by the house of bishops, and read in the house of clerical and lay deputies.

When the convention adjourned, Philadelphia was appointed to be the place of the next meeting. S.

2. ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

AND

REMARKS.

A. Page 7. Of the Question of American Episcopacy, as agitated in the Colonies.

THERE were two periods, which were especially productive of pamphlets and newspaper essays on this subject. The first of these periods, was about the time of the civil controversy, which arose on the occasion of the stamp act. The question of American Episcopacy was brought forward in a pamphlet by the Rev. East Apthorp, missionary at Cambridge, Massachusetts; a native of that province, but afterwards possessed of several considerable preferments in England. His production was answered by Dr. Mayhew, a congregational minister of Boston. Several others engaged in the dispute; among whom was Abp. Secker; although his name was not prefixed to his pamphlet, which has been since. printed in his works.

The other period was a few years before the revolutionary war; when the Rev. Dr. Chandler of