third year afterwards, in such place as shall be determined by the convention; and special meetings may be called at other times, in the manner hereafter to be provided for; and this Church, in a majority of the states which shall have adopted this constitution, shall be represented, before they shall proceed to business, except that the representation from two states shall be sufficient to adjourn; and in all business of the convention, freedom of debate shall be allowed.

ART. 2. The Church in each state shall be entitled to a representation of both the clergy and the laity; which representation shall consist of one or more deputies, not exceeding four of each order, chosen by the convention of the state; and in all questions, when required by the clerical or lay representation from any state, each order shall have one vote; and the majority of suffrages by states shall be conclusive in each order, provided such majority comprehend a majority of the states represented in that order. The concurrence of both orders shall be necessary to constitute a vote of the convention. If the convention of any state 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 by sickness or any other accident, such state shall nevertheless be considered as duly represented by such deputy or deputies as may attend, whether lay or clerical. And if, through the neglect of the convention of any of the Churches which shall have adopted, or may hereafter adopt this Constitution, no deputies, either lay or clerical, should attend at any General Convention, the Church in such state shall nevertheless be bound by the acts of such convention.

ART. 3. The bishops of this Church, when there shall be three or more, shall, whenever General Conventions are held, form a house of revision, and when any proposed act shall have passed in the General Convention, the same shall be transmitted to the house of revision, for their concurrence. And if the same shall be sent back to the convention, with the negative or non-concurrence of the house of revision, it shall be again considered in the General Convention, and if the convention shall adhere to the said act, by a majority of three-fifths of their body, it shall become a law to all intents and purposes, notwithstanding the non-concurrence of the house of revision; and all acts of the convention shall be authenticated by both houses. And in all cases, the House

of Bishops shall signify to the convention their approbation or disapprobation, the latter with their reasons in writing, within two 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 General Convention, shall be a member ex-officio, and shall vote with the clerical deputies of the state to which he belongs. And a bishop shall then preside.

ART. 4. The bishop or bishops in every state shall be chosen agreeably to such rules as shall be fixed by the convention of that state. And every bishop of this Church shall confine the exercise of his Episcopal office to his proper diocese or district, unless requested to ordain, or confirm, or perform any other act of the Episcopal office, by any Church destitute of a bishop.

ART. 5. A Protestant Episcopal Church in any of the United States, not now represented, may, at any time hereafter, be admitted, on acceding to this Constitution.

ART. 6. In every state, the mode of trying clergymen shall be instituted by the convention of the Church therein. At every trial of a bishop, there shall be one or more of the Episcopal order present; and none but a bishop shall pronounce sentence of deposition or degradation from the ministry on any clergyman, whether bishop, or presbyter, or deacon.

ART. 7. No person shall be admitted to holy orders, until he shall have been examined by the bishop, and by two presbyters, and shall have exhibited such testimonials and other requisites as the canons, in that case provided, may direct. Nor shall any person be ordained, until he shall have subscribed the following declaration:" I do believe the holy scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the word of God, and to contain all things necessary to salvation: And I do solemnly engage to conform to the doctrines and worship of the Protestant Episcopal Church in these United States." No person ordained by a foreign bishop shall be permitted to officiate as a minister of this Church, until he shall have complied with the canon or canons in that case provided, and have also subscribed the aforesaid declaration.

ART. 8. A book of common prayer, administration of the sacraments, and other rites and ceremonies of the Church, articles of religion, and a form and manner of making, ordaining, and consecrating bishops, priests, and

deacons, when established by this or a future General Convention, shall be used in the Protestant Episcopal Church in these states, which shall have adopted this Constitution.

ART. 9. This Constitution shall be unalterable, unless in General Convention by the Church in a majority of the states which may have adopted the same; and all alterations shall be first proposed in one General Convention, and made known to the several state conventions, before they shall be finally agreed to, or ratified in the ensuing General Convention.

Alterations in the Subsequent Session.

"The committee reported, that they have had a full, free, and friendly conference with the deputies of the said Churches, who, on behalf of the Church in their several states, and by virtue of sufficient authority from them, have signified, that they do not object to the Constitution, which was approved at the former session of this convention, if the third article of that Constitution may be so modified, as to declare explicitly the right of the bishops, when sitting in a separate house, to originate and propose acts for the concurrence of the other house of convention; and to negative such acts proposed by the other house as they may disap

prove.

"Your committee, conceiving this alteration to be desirable in itself, as having a tendency to give greater stability to the Constitution, without diminishing any security that is now possessed by the clergy or laity; and being sincerely impressed with the importance of an union to the future prosperity of the Church, do therefore recommend to the convention a compliance with the wishes of their brethren, and that the third article of the Constitution may be altered accordingly. Upon such alteration being made, it is declared by the deputies from the Churches in the eastern states, that they will subscribe the Constitution, and become members of this General Convention."

Upon special motion, the above report was read a second time; whereupon the following resolution was proposed, viz.

Resolved, That this convention do adopt that part of the report of the committee which proposes to modify the third article of the Constitution, so as to declare explicitly "the right of the bishops, when sitting in a separate house, to originate and propose acts for the concurrence of the other

house of convention; and to negative such acts proposed by the other house, as they may disapprove; provided they are not adhered to by four-fifths of the other house."

After some debate, the resolution, with the proviso annexed, was agreed upon, and the third article was accordingly modified in the manner following, viz.

ART. 3d. The bishops of this Church, when there shall be three or more, shall, whenever General Conventions 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; and 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, unless adhered to by four-fifths of the other house; and all acts of the convention shall be authenticated by both houses. And, in all cases, the House of Bishops shall signify to the convention their approbation or disapprobation, the latter, with their reasons in writing, within three days after the proposed act shall have been reported to them for Boncurrence: 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 General Convention shall be a member, ex officio, and shall vote with the clerical deputies of the state to which he belongs; and a bishop shall then preside.

Acceptance by Bishop Seabury, and the Presbyters from NewEngland.

October 2, 1789.

We do hereby agree to the Constitution of the Church, as modified this day in convention.

SAMUEL SEABURY, D. D.

Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut.
ABRAHAM JARVIS, A. M.
Rector of Christ Church, Middletown, Connecticut.
BELA HUBBARD, A. M.

Rector of Trinity Church, New-Haven, Connecticut.
SAMUEL PARKER, D. D.

Rector of Trinity Church, Boston, and Clerical Deputy for
Massachusetts and New-Hampshire.

Lellers of Consecration of Bishop Seabury.

IN DEI NOMINE.

Amen.

Omnibus ubique Catholicis per Presentes palcat,

Nos, Robertum Kilgour, miseratione divina, Episcopum Aberdonien-Arthurum Petrie, Episcopum Rossen et Moravien et Joannem Skinner, Episcopum Coadjutorem ; Mysteria, Sacra Domini nostri Jesu Christi in Oratorio supradicti Joannis Skinner apud Aberdoniam celebrantes, Divini Numinis Præsidio fretos (presentibus tam e Clero, quam e Populo testibus idoneis) Samuelem Seabury, Doctorem Divinitatis, sacro Presbyteratus ordine jam decoratum, ac nobis præ Vitæ integritate, Morum probitate et Orthodoxia, commendatum, et ad docendum et regendum aptum et idoneum, ad sacrum et sublimem Episcopatus Ordinem promovisse, et rite ac canonice, secundum Morem et Ritus Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, consecrasse, Die Novembris decimo quarto, Anno Eræ Christianæ Millesimo Septingentesimo Octagesimo Quarto.

In cujus Rei Testimonium, Instrumento huic (chirographis nostris prius, munito) Sigilla nostra apponi mandavimus.

A Letter from the Rev. Dr. Coke, and the Answer.

RIGHT REV. SIR,

Permit me to intrude a little on your time upon a subject of great importance.

You, I believe, are conscious that I was brought up in the Church of England, and have been ordained a presbyter of that Church. For many years I was prejudiced, even I think to bigotry, in favour of it; but through a variety of causes or incidents, to mention which would be tedious and useless, my mind was exceedingly biassed on the other side of the question. In consequence of this, I am not sure but