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PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH

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Originally appearing in Volume V22, Page 475 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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See also:

PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL See also:CHURCH , in the See also:United States, a See also:part of the See also:Anglican Communion, organized after the See also:War of See also:Independence by the scattered parishes of the Church of See also:England which survived the war. It inherits from the Church of England, with which it is in communion, its See also:liturgy, polity and spiritual traditions, though it has entire independence in legislation. While the See also:clergy of both Churches are cordially received in their respective countries, there is no formal connexion between them except in fellowship and in advisory See also:council as at the See also:Lambeth See also:Conference. The Church in the United States is therefore an See also:independent See also:national Church which has adapted itself to the conditions of See also:American See also:life. With many likenesses, the Protestant Episcopal Church is different from the Church of England in its organization and representative See also:form of See also:government. It has the three orders of bishops, priests and deacons, and uses an almost identical liturgy; but it is a democratic institution in which the laity have practically as much See also:power as the clergy, and they are represented in all legislative bodies. The constitution of the Church follows in many particulars the constitution of the United States. As the See also:separate states of the See also:Union are made up of different See also:town-See also:ships, so the See also:diocese is composed of separate parishes; and as the nation is a union of the states, so the Church is a union of the dioceses. The American See also:plan of representative government is consistently adhered to. The Church in See also:America is thus a part of the See also:Catholic Church of See also:Christ, with its roots deep in the past and yet a living See also:body with a life of its own, See also:standing for the truth of the See also:Christian See also:religion in the See also:great See also:Republic. It is now firmly established in every See also:state and Territory of the United States, and in all the dependencies, with also vigorous See also:missions in See also:foreign lands. Services of the Church of England were held by the chaplains of exploring expeditions in various parts of See also:North America See also:history. before a See also:settlement was established: on See also:Hudson See also:Bay, in 1578, and on the shores of the Pacific with See also:Drake in 1579; but the first permanent foothold of the Church was in See also:Jamestown, See also:Virginia, in 1607, when a See also:colony was founded and a church built.

This fact is recognized in the proposed See also:

preamble to the constitution, in which it is stated that this American Church was " first planted in Virginia in the See also:year of Our See also:Lord' 1607, by representatives of the See also:ancient Church of England. " Parishes were later founded in See also:Maryland in 1676; in Massachu- setts in 1686; in New See also:York about 1693; in See also:Connecticut in 1706; and in the other colonies during the 17th and 18th centuries. The growth of these colonial churches was largely promoted by the Society for the See also:Propagation of the See also:Gospel in Foreign Parts, missionary in Maryland. These churches scattered throughout the different colonies up to the American War of Independence were missions of the Church of England. They were under the See also:jurisdiction of the See also:Bishop of See also:London, there being no bishop in America. The Bishop of London superintended these distant parishes by means of commissaries. Many of the clergy came from England; and when See also:young men in America desired to be ordained, it was necessary for them to go to England for this purpose. The Church during the colonial See also:period was incomplete in organization, and without the power of expansion. It was confined principally to the more settled parts of the See also:country, though it had extended itself into all the colonies. During this period a few educational institutions were founded: the See also:College of See also:William and See also:Mary in 1693, in Virginia; the Public See also:Academy of See also:Philadelphia, in 1749, now the university of See also:Pennsylvania; and See also:King's College, in 1754, in New York, now See also:Columbia University. The clergy also frequently taught in parochial See also:schools, and trained boys and girls in their homes. When the war See also:broke out and independence was declared, a number of the clergy went back to England, leaving their parishes vacant, but many, especially in the See also:southern states, remained and upheld the American cause.

A large See also:

majority of the laymen were patriots. Two-thirds of the signers of the See also:Declaration of Independence were Episcopalians. The churches, having their support largely withdrawn by the See also:Venerable Society, became very weak. In See also:Massachusetts during the war only two churches were kept open. After the war it was very soon recognized that if the Church was to survive, there must be organization and co-operation among the fragments See also:left. Rev. William See also:White (1748-1836) of Philadelphia, who had been See also:chaplain of the See also:Continental See also:Congress, was a See also:leader in the plan of organization. Rev. See also:Samuel See also:Seabury (1729—1796) of Connecticut was also an important See also:factor in continuing the life of the Church. He was elected bishop by the clergy of Connecticut, and after being refused in England, was consecrated bishop of Connecticut by the Scotch non-juror bishops in See also:Aberdeen on the 14th of See also:November 1784. Later, William White of Pennsylvania and Samuel Provoost (1742—1815) of New York were consecrated bishops in the See also:chapel at Lambeth See also:Palace on the 4th of See also:February 1787, by the See also:arch-bishops of See also:Canterbury and York and others. Rev.

See also:

James See also:Madison (1749—1812) of Virginia was also consecrated bishop in England, on the ,9th of See also:September 1790. An important See also:meeting or See also:general See also:convention of laymen, clergy and bishops was held in 1784, and another in 1789, for the purpose of consolidating and uniting the Church. Certain fundamental principles were adopted which were the basis of organization: that the Episcopal Church be independent of all foreign authority; that it have full and exclusive power to regulate the concerns of its own communion; that the doctrines be maintained as in the Church of England; that bishops, priests and deacons be required; that the canons and See also:laws be made by a more representative body of clergy and laity conjointly. At the general convention of 1789 a constitution and canons were finally adopted, and the See also:book of See also:Common See also:Prayer was set forth. The Church thus being fully organized, it was prepared to develop and extend. There was a See also:long period, however, when little was done See also:save retain what had already been gained. Owing in a measure to the popular See also:prejudice against anything that savoured of England, and to the difficulty of adapting the newly formed institution to the conditions of American life, the Church hardly held its own from 1789 to 1811. The general convention of 1811 was attended by only five clergymen and four laymen more than that of 1789. The Church in Virginia especially suffered a decline, but in the North it maintained itself. After 18r r a new spirit manifested itself in the See also:consecration of three important men to the episcopate. See also:John See also:Henry See also:Hobart, a See also:man of great zeal and devotion, became bishop of New York in 1811; See also:Alexander Viets See also:Griswold (1766—1843), a man of piety and force, became bishop of the eastern diocese of New England in 1811; and See also:Richard Charming See also:Moore (1762—1841), a strong preacher and vigorous See also:personality, was consecrated bishop of Virginia in 1814. Both Hobart and Moore became interested in theological See also:education; and their efforts to See also:train clergymen resulted in the See also:establishment of the General Theo-logical See also:Seminary in New York in 1819, and the Theological Seminary in Virginia, opened in See also:Alexandria in 1824.

The Churchman's See also:

Magazine was started. Another See also:evidence of expansion was the consecration in 1819 of Philander See also:Chase (1775—1852), who became See also:pioneer bishop of the See also:West, first in See also:Ohio where he laid the See also:foundations (1824) of the " Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Ohio," afterward called See also:Kenyon College, at See also:Gambier, and then in See also:Illinois where he organized a church and founded See also:Jubilee College. The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society was started in 1821. This centralized the See also:mission See also:work, and became the great agency in the growth and See also:extension of the Church. Bishop See also:Jackson Kemper (1789—1870) in the North-west, and Bishop James See also:Hervey Otey (1800—1863) in the See also:South-west, did important pioneer work. and 1865 was characterized by The period between 1835 further expansion of the episcopate and the formation of new dioceses. Bishop William Ingraham Kip (1811—1893) went to the miners of See also:California in 1853. The dioceses of See also:Oregon and See also:Iowa were founded in 1854; and Bishop Henry. See also:Benjamin Whipple (1822—1901) was sent to See also:Minnesota in 1859. The Church found its way into See also:Indiana, See also:Texas, See also:Arkansas, See also:Florida, See also:Nebraska and See also:Colorado. In 1835 there were 763 clergymen; in 185o the number had increased to 1558; and even in 1865 there were 2450. The number of communicants also See also:grew from 1835, when there were 36,000; to 185o, when there were 80,000; and to 1865, when there were 15o,000. During this period some beautiful church buildings were erected, notably Trinity church and See also:Grace church, New York.

The services were richer; stained See also:

glass was used; stalls for the clergy and See also:choir were introduced, and the See also:lectern was substituted for the old-See also:time See also:reading-See also:desk. Other educational institutions were founded: Nashotah, See also:Wisconsin, in 1842; See also:Bexley See also:Hall at Gambier in 1839; See also:Racine College, at Racine, Wisconsin; and Griswold College in Iowa. When the See also:Civil War broke out in 1861 the Church in the South met and formed a separate organization called " The Protestant Episcopal Church in the Confederate States," but the Church in the North did not recognize the See also:secession; at the meeting of the general convention in New York in 1862, the See also:roll of the Southern dioceses was called, and though absent, they were still considered a part of the Church in the United States. This brotherliness was an important factor in bringing about a See also:complete union between the See also:Northern and Southern Churches after the Civil War; so the Church in the Confederate States had but a temporary existence. Since the Civil War the Church has grown with the expansion of national life. It has become strong in great centres, and has reached out into every part of the United States and its dependencies, and has maintained missionary stations in foreign lands. There are bishops and missionary dioceses in See also:Alaska, See also:Hawaii, the Philippine Islands, See also:Porto Rico and See also:Cuba; two bishops in See also:China and two in See also:Japan; and bishops in See also:Liberia, See also:Haiti, and See also:Brazil. Institutions of learning, schools, colleges and theological seminaries, have been founded. Prominent among the schools are St See also:Paul's, at See also:Concord, New See also:Hampshire; St See also:Mark's, at Southboro, Massachusetts; Groton School, at Groton, Massachusetts; St Mary's, at See also:Garden See also:City, Long See also:Island; St See also:Agnes's, at See also:Albany, New York; St Mary's, at See also:Burlington, New See also:Jersey; the See also:Cathedral School, at See also:Washington D.C.; and St. See also:George's School, at See also:Newport, Rhode Island. In addition to the colleges already referred to, there should be included: Trinity College, at See also:Hartford, Connecticut; St See also:Stephen's, at Annandale, New York; the University of the South, at Sewanee, See also:Tennessee; and Hobart College, at See also:Geneva, New York. The theological seminaries, besides the general seminary in New York and the Virginia Seminary, are: the Divinity School, in Philadelphia; the See also:Berkeley Divinity School, at See also:Middletown, Connecticut; the Seabury Divinity School, at See also:Faribault, Minnesota; Western Theological Seminary, in See also:Chicago; Nashotah See also:House, at Nashotah, Wisconsin; Bexley Hall, Gambier, Ohio; the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, See also:San Mateo, California; and the Episcopal Theological School in See also:Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Cathedrals have been built or were in See also:

process of construction in 1910 in many cities. Among them are: All See also:Saints Cathedral, See also:Milwaukee; the Cathedral of All Saints, Albany; the Cathedral of the Incarnation, Garden City, Long Island; the Cathedral Church of St See also:Luke, See also:Portland, See also:Maine; St John the Divine, New York; and also those in See also:Dallas, Texas, Washington, D.C., See also:Davenport, Iowa, and See also:Cleveland, Ohio. The institutional life of the Church is constantly increasing. Among the numerous organizations founded for distinct purposes are: the Woman's See also:Auxiliary to the See also:Board of Missions; the American Church See also:Building Fund See also:Commission; the American Church Missionary Society; the General Clergy See also:Relief Fund; the See also:Assyrian Mission See also:Committee; the American Church See also:Institute for Negroes; the See also:Brother-See also:hood of St See also:Andrew; the Girls' Friendly Society; the Church Students' Missionary Association; the Church Laymen's Union; the Seabury Society of New York; the Church Mission to See also:Deaf Mutes; the Conference of Church Workers among the Colored See also:People ; the Society for the Increase of the See also:Ministry; the Church Association for the See also:Advancement of the Interests of Labor; the Church See also:Temperance Society; the Church Unity Society; the Confraternity of the Blessed See also:Sacrament; the Guild of the See also:Holy See also:Cross; the Guild of St See also:Barnabas for Nurses; the Church Congress in the United States. In addition there are See also:Sunday School commissions and institutes in almost every diocese. Among the religious orders may be mentioned the Society of Mission Priests of St John the Evangelist; the See also:Order of the Holy Cross: the Community of St Mary; the Sisterhood of St See also:Margaret; the All Saints Sisters of the Poor; the Sisterhood of St John Baptist; and others. There are also training schools for deaconesses, including the New York Training School for Deaconesses; and the Church Training and See also:Deaconess House of the Diocese of Pennsylvania. The Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States is governed according to the constitutions and canons adopted in 1789, and from time to time amended by the General Govern. Convention, which meets every three years. The merit. General Convention consists of the House of Bishops, having as members all the bishops of the Church, and a House of Deputies, composed of four presbyters and four laymen elected by each diocese in union with the Convention; also one clerical and one See also:lay See also:deputy from each missionary See also:district within the boundaries of the United States, and one clerical and one lay deputy chosen by the See also:Convocation of the American Churches in See also:Europe. The voting is by both houses acting separately and concurring.

In the House of Deputies the See also:

vote is taken by orders, the clerical and lay deputies voting separately; and they must concur for a See also:resolution to pass. This representative body legislates for the whole Church. Each diocese also has its own constitution and canons, by which it regulates its See also:internal affairs, having also an See also:annual diocesan convention, in which the clergy and laity are represented. A bishop is elected by the diocese, subject to See also:confirmation by a majority of the bishops and standing committees of the different dioceses. Missionary bishops are elected by the House of Bishops and confirmed by the House of Deputies if the General Convention is in session; if not in session, by a majority of the standing committees. The presiding bishop of the Church was the See also:senior bishop in order of consecration, until r91o, when an See also:amendment to the constitution was adopted providing for his See also:election by the General Convention. A See also:special feature of the government of the Church is the power given to the laymen. In the parishes they elect their own clergyman; and they have votes in the diocesan convention and in the General Convention, and are thus an integral part of the legislative machinery of the Church. The See also:worship of the Church is conducted in accordance with the Book of Common Prayer, set forth in 1789, but changed from time to time as need has arisen. The See also:preface states that " this Church is far from intending to depart from the Church of England in any essential part of See also:doctrine, discipline or worship, or further than See also:local circumstances require." This principle guided the Church in the See also:early days, and continues in force. However, changes have been made in the direction of omission and addition. The Athanasian Creed is omitted, as well as all reference to the king and royal See also:family.

The Commination Service has been dropped. In the Te Deum, in See also:

place of " See also:Thou didst not abhor the Virgin's womb," is substituted " Thou didst humble Thyself to be See also:born of a Virgin." Many verbal changes have been made. " Our See also:Father which See also:art in See also:Heaven " is changed to " Who art in Heaven "; " Them that trespass " is changed to " Those who trespass." The Ornaments See also:Rubric and the See also:Black Rubric are omitted. The Communion See also:Office is more like the Scottish office, having the See also:Oblation and Invocation. Instead of the Commandments may be said our Lord's See also:summary of the See also:law. Special prayers and thanksgiving have been added, to be used upon several occasions. A form of the consecration of a church has been introduced, as well as an office for the institution of a See also:minister and an office for the visitation of prisoners. The last revision of the American Prayer Book was in 1892; gospels for the Festival of the Transfiguration and for the early celebration of the Holy Communion on See also:Christmas See also:Day and See also:Easter Day were added; and a greater flexibility in the use of the Prayer Book was permitted. The See also:statistics as reported by the General Convention of 1907 are as follows: the whole number of clergy, 5329; deacons ordained, 483; priests ordained, 471 ; candidates for holy orders, 469 ; postulants, 323 ; lay readers, 2464; baptisms, 197,203; persons confirmed, 158,931; communicants, 871,862; Sunday School See also:officers and teachers, 47,871; pupils, 446,367; parishes and missions, 7615; church edifices, 7028; rectories, 2530; church hospitals, 72; See also:orphan asylums, 57; homes, 84; See also:academic institutions, 22; collegiate, 17; theological, 23; other institutions, 79; See also:total contributions far all purposes, $52,257,519; episcopal fund, $3,499,838; hospitals and other institutions, $17,509,085.

End of Article: PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH

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