GENERAL CONVENTION OF THE PROTESTANT-EPISCOPAL CHURCH. During the period of colonial dependence the Episcopalians of this country were menu hers of the church of England: under the jurisdiction of the bishop of London. But the war of independence having severed these bonds, it became necessary to obtain episcopal supervision, and to establish an organization under which all the churches of the denomination might unite. To accomplish the latter object clerical and lay dele gates from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware assembled at New York in Oct., 1784, and, having agreed on a declaration of fundamental princi ples, resolved that a convention should he held in Philadelphia the next year. At that place and time delegates were present from Virginia and South Carolina, as well as from the states represented before. At the convention of 1789, Bishop Seabury and delegates from the eastern states took their seats. A constitution was adopted which, in substance, continues in force to the present time. Under it,,a general convention of the whole Episcopal church in this country meets once in three years consisting, I., of all the
bishops, who form a separate house, and, II., of four clerical and four lay delegates (communicants) from each diocese. The house of bishops has a negative (if declared within three days) on acts passed by the house of deputies; and all acts of the conven tion must be authenticated by both houses. As originally adopted, the constitution gave the convention power to consent to the formation of new dioceses, to provide the mode of accused bishops, to establish and revise a book of common prayer, and to regulate various matters connected with the order and efficiency of churches and dioceses. In fact, however,"it is said the convention has never restricted itself to the powers originally specified, but has gradually developed into the governing body of the Protestant Episcopal church. Some theologians of that church think that in doing so it has exceeded its lawful powers; others hold that those powers are general and uo