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 Episcopal Church. 
 Digest of the canons 
 
 
 
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iBi^t&t of ti)e Canons 
 
 FOR THE QOVEBNMENT OK TUB 
 
 PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH 
 
 iSniteb States of America, 
 
 PASSED AND ADOPTED IN GENERAL CONVENTION, IN RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, 
 OCTOBER, 1859: 
 
 TOGETHER WITH 
 
 Slt)c (Eonstitutton. 
 
 PUDNEY & RUSSELL, PRINTERS, 
 
 No. 79 JOHN-STREET. 
 
 1860. 
 
The undersigned were appointed to superintend the publication of the Digest 
 of the Canons as adopted by the General Convention, in October, 1859. The dis- 
 tribution is into Titles, Canons of each Title, Sections of Canons, and occasionally 
 Clauses of Sections. At the head of the page the Title, number of the Canon, and 
 the general subject, are stated. In the margin is a summary of the particular en- 
 actment. 
 
 The historical notes at the foot of the page refer to the Canons as they may be 
 found in the Journal of 1856. That Journal will, it is presumed, enable any on« 
 to trace any particular Canon, from its origin through all its modifications, to 
 this time. It was found impossible for either of the undersigned to make a com- 
 plete historical notice of the succession of each provision, within the time prescribed 
 for the Canons to go into effect. 
 
 New-York, Jan. 1, 1860. 
 
 Francis L. Hawks 
 
 > Committee. 
 Murray Hoffman, 
 
®ablc of Contents. 
 
 ®l)c Constittrtion, xxi 
 
 ®itle I. — Of the Orders in the Ministry, and of the 
 
 Doctrine and Worship of the Church, . 3 
 
 ®itl£ II. — Of Discipline, ...... 59 
 
 ®Ule III. — Of the Organized Bodies and Officers of 
 
 THE Church, ...... 86 
 
 Ok IV. — Miscellaneous, . . . . . .96 
 
Table of Contents. 
 
 ®itk I. — Of the Ministry, Doctrine, and Worship. 
 
 PAGB. 
 
 Canon 1. — Of the Orders of Minisii-y in this Church.. , .'? 
 
 Canon 2. — Of the Admission of Candidates for Holy Orders 3 
 
 ^ I, — Who are deemed Candidates 3 
 
 ^ II. — Notice of Intention 3 
 
 () III. — To whom Application must be made 4 
 
 i) IV. — Certificate from Standing Committee 4 
 
 i)Y. — Habit of Devotion 5 
 
 (j VI. — Admission and Record 5 
 
 ^ VII. — Canons apply to Candidates fi-om all parts of the United States 5 
 
 () VIII. — Application by a Minister of another Denomination 6 
 
 [1.] Notice and Certificate 6 
 
 [2.] Testimonials required 6 
 
 (J IX. — Such Application by one not a Citizen 7 
 
 ^ X. — And to Officiate in a Foreign Language 7 
 
 Canon 3. — Of Admitted Candidates 8 
 
 ^ I. — Supervision of Candidates 8 
 
 i) II. — Candidates acting as Lay Readers 8 
 
 ^ III. — Candidates not eligible to General Convention 9 
 
 (J IV. — Transfer of Candidates to another Diocese 9 
 
 ^ V. — No Transfer without bona fide Cause 9 
 
 Canon 4. — General Provisions and Requisites for Ordination 10 
 
 (jl. — Previous Application in another Diocese 10 
 
 1^ II. - Age for Ordination 10 
 
 Period of Remaining a Deacon 10 
 
 (J in. — Candidates from Vacant Dioceses 10 
 
 ^ IV. Ordination of one to officiate without the Jurisdiction of the 
 
 United States -• H 
 
 ()Y. — Liability of Presenting Clergyman 11 
 
 () VI. — Times of Ordination coo. 11 
 
 CanoN" 5. — Examination and Testimonials for Deacon's Orders, and 
 
 Ordination 12 
 
 ^ I. — Examination by Bishop and Presbyters 12 
 
 <) II. — Period of Candidateship 12 
 
 (J III. — Testimonials from Standing Committee 12 
 
 ^ IV. — Testimonials to Standing Committee '. 13 
 
 ^ V. — Substitute for Testimonials from Minister and Vestry 14 
 
 ij VI. Examinations of Candidates, Ministers in other Denominations. 14 
 
 ^ VII. — Candidate not a Citizen 15 
 
 vii 
 
Table of Contents 
 
 OLitlC 1. — Of the Ministry, Doctrine, and Worship {Continued). 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Canon 6. — Of Deacons 15 
 
 ^ I. — Deacons subject to Control of Bishop, <fec 15 
 
 ^ II. — [1.] Restrictions upon Settlement 15 
 
 [2.] And upon Officiating 16 
 
 ^ III. — No Transfer to another Diocese without Request of Bishop ... 16 
 
 Canon /. — Of Candidates for Priest s Orders, and their Ordination.. 16 
 
 ()\. — Examinations, when to be applied for 16 
 
 (j II. — [1.] Admission of Deacons as Candidates for Priest's Orders. . . 16 
 [2.] Admission of Candidates for Deacon's Orders as Candi- 
 dates for Priest's Orders 17 
 
 (j in. — Qualifications — Diploma, or Certificate 17 
 
 (j IV. — Dispensation from Latin, Greek, and Hebrew 17 
 
 (J v. — Period of Candidateship 18 
 
 ij VI. — Pei'iod of previous Study allowed to one who has been a Can- 
 didate in another Denomination 18 
 
 (j VII. — [1.] The Three Examinations for Priest's Orders 18 
 
 Sermons, Exercises in Reading and- Delivery 19 
 
 [2.] Examinations may be before or after admission to Deacon's 
 
 Orders 19 
 
 No Repetition of Examinations 19 
 
 ^ VIII. — Appointment of, and Certificate by, Examining Presbyters ... 19 
 
 Bishop's Examination , 20 
 
 (J IX. — Standing Committee, when to appoint Examiners 20 
 
 Re-examination in such Case by Bishop 20 
 
 ^ X. — Title for Orders requisite 20 
 
 (j XL — Learning of Priests— Dispensation 20 
 
 () XII. — Testimonials from Standing Committee 21 
 
 I) XIII. — Testimonials to Standing Committee from Minister and Vestry . 22 
 
 Personal Testimonials 22 
 
 Substitution allowed 23 
 
 () XIV. — Alteration as to Time in case of a Deacon ordained such within 
 
 three Years 23 
 
 Canon 8. — Of Ministers Officiating in a Foreign Language 23 
 
 Canon 9. — Of the Admission of Ministers Ordained by Bishops not in 
 
 Communion with this Church 24 
 
Table of Contents. 
 
 vittlC I. — Of the Ministry, Doctrine, and Worship {Continued). 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Canon 10. — Of Ministers Ordained in JF'oreign Countries by Bishops in 
 
 Communion with this Church 25 
 
 ^ I. — Certificate requisite before Oificiating 26 
 
 Letter DimiBsory 25 
 
 Subscription, and one Year's Residence 26 
 
 <) II. — Foreign Deacons 26 
 
 Canon 1 1 . — Of Persons not Ministers Officiating 27 
 
 ^ I. — Evidence of being a Minister to be furnished 27 
 
 () II. — The Consent necessary for Officiating transiently 27 
 
 Canon 12. — General Regulations of Ministers, and their Duties 27 
 
 (J I. — [1.] Of Election and Institution 27 
 
 Certificate of Election 27 
 
 [2.] Certificate to be transmitted for Record 28 
 
 [3.] Concerning Institution 28 
 
 () II. — Certificate to Minister removing from one Diocese to another. . 28 
 
 (j III. — Alms and Contributions 29 
 
 () IV. — Duty on Episcopal Visitations 29 
 
 [1.] One Month's Notice to be given . . , 29 
 
 List of Names of Persons Confirmed 29 
 
 [2.] Information to be given of the State of the Congregation. . 29 
 
 [3.] Parochial Reports 29 
 
 ^ V. — [1.] Parish Register to be kept 30 
 
 [2.] Register of Baptisms 30 
 
 [3.] List of Families 30 
 
 ^ VI. — [1.] Ofiiciating of Ministers within the Cures of others 30 
 
 [2.] Parish Boundaries, not otherwise defined 30 
 
 [3.] Neglect of Minister to ofiieiate 31 
 
 [4.] Rights of Property undisturbed 32 
 
 ^ VII. — [1.] Of Clerical Residence and Removal 32 
 
 Form of Letter Dimissory 32 
 
 [2.] When such Letter shall affect Canonical Residence 32 
 
 When void 32 
 
 [3.] When the Bishop may refuse to receive a Letter Dimissory 33 
 [4.] When Letters Dimissory are not required 33 
 
Table of Contents. 
 
 Kittle 1. — Of the Ministry Doctrine, and Worship [Continued). 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Canon 13. — Of Bishops 34 
 
 ijl.— [1.] Election of Bishops 34 
 
 Six Presbyters and Six Parishes 34 
 
 Two or more Dioceses uniting 34 
 
 [2] What is a Settlement 34 
 
 ^ II. — [1.] Certificates to be produced by the Bishop elect 35 
 
 Testimony from Diocesan Convention 35 
 
 Testimony from House of Clerical and Lay Deputies 35 
 
 [2.] Consecration 36 
 
 ^ HI. — [1] Consecration during Recess 36 
 
 Consent of Standing Committees 36 
 
 Consent of Bishops 36 
 
 [2.] Evidence of such Consent 37 
 
 No Consecration within Six Months of General Convention 37 
 
 <5 IV. — Canonical Age for Consecration 37 
 
 ^Y. — Assistant Bishops 37 
 
 No Suffragan Bishops 37 
 
 <J VI. — Provisional Bishops 37 
 
 Provisional to become Assistant Bishop on the Restoration of 
 
 Suspended Diocesan 38 
 
 ^ VII. — Domestic Missionary Bishops 38 
 
 [L] Mode and Evidence of Election 38 
 
 [2.] Exercise of Episcopal Functions 38 
 
 Extent of Jurisdiction 39 
 
 [3.] Death, Resignation, or other Vacnncy 39 
 
 [4.] Jurisdiction over Clergy 39 
 
 Mode of Presenting and Trying Clergy 39 
 
 [5.] Entitled to a Seat in the House of Bishops 39 
 
 Eligible as a Diocesan 39 
 
 Power upon the Organization of a Diocese 40 
 
 [6.] Power to appoint a Standing Committee 40 
 
 [7.] Must Report to General Convention and to the Board of 
 
 Missions 40 
 
 <J VIII. — Foreign Missionary Bishops 40 
 
 [L] Mode and Evidence of Election 40 
 
 [2.] Limitation of Jurisdiction 41 
 
 No Seat in the House of Bishops 41 
 
 Restriction upon Eligibihty as a Diocesan 41 
 
 [3.] Mode of Presenting and Trying such Bishops 41 
 
 [4.] Power to Ordain Deacons or Presbyters 41 
 
 Testimonials necessary in such Ca?e 42 
 
Table of Contents. 
 
 ilLulC 1. — Of the Ministry, Doctrine, and Worship {Continued). 
 Canon 13. — Of Bishops (Continued). 
 
 <^ VIII. — (Continued). paoe 
 
 [5.] Power of Dispensation 42 
 
 [6.] Jurisdiction over resident Missionaries or Clergymen 43 
 
 [7.] May appoint a Standing Committee 43 
 
 [8.] Trial of Ministers 48 
 
 [9.] Constitution of the Court 44 
 
 [10.] The Sentence 44 
 
 [11.] Report must be made to General Convention and Board of 
 
 Missions 44 
 
 ^ IX. — Election of a Missionary Bishop as a Diocesan 44 
 
 [1.] Concurrence of General Convention 45 
 
 [2.] Consent of Bishops and Standing Committees, during 
 
 Recess 45 
 
 Notice of Election to be given 45 
 
 ^ X. — Episcopal Charges and Pastoral Letters 45 
 
 § XI. — Episcopal Visitations 46 
 
 [l.J Visitation at least once in three Years 46 
 
 Declining to Visit 46 
 
 Council of ConciHation 46 
 
 [2.] Clergy to supply Bishop's Parish when he is a Rector ... 47 
 
 [3.] Expenses of Visitation to be defrayed by the Diocese 47 
 
 [4.] Register of Episcopal Acts 47 
 
 ^ XII. — Of Episcopal Residence 47 
 
 <) XIII. — Of Bishops temporarily absent from their Dioceses 47 
 
 ^ XIV. — Forms of Prayer or Thanksgiving for extraordinary Occasions 48 
 
 ^ XV. — Performance of Episcopal Duties in vacant Dioceses, &c 48 
 
 [1.] Upon Invitation of the Convention or Standing Committee 48 
 
 Invitation temporary and revocable 48 
 
 [2.] Full Charge of another Bishop, by Act of the Convention 49 
 
 [3.] Only one such Bishop at a Time 49 
 
 <J XVI. — Episcopal Resignations 49 
 
 [1.] Desire to resign, to be made known to the House of 
 
 Bishops 49 
 
 Investigation may be made 49 
 
 [2.] House of Bishops may accept or refuse the Resignation . . 50 
 
 [3.] Resignation during Recess 50 
 
 The Bishops to meet 50 
 
 Mode in which they are to act 50 
 
 [4.] Resigned Bishop not eligible to a Diocese 51 
 
 [5.] Bishops without Charge subject to General Convention . . 61 
 [6.] Resignation of suspended Bishop 61 
 
Table of Contents. 
 
 ^ttiC I. — Of the Ministry, Doctrine, and Worship {Continued). 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Canon 1 4. — Of a List of the Ministers of this Church 52 
 
 1^ I. — The Secretary of the Lower House to keep a Register 52 
 
 Diocesan Lists to be delivered to him 52 
 
 () II. — Notification of all admitted Ministers 52 
 
 Canon 15. — Of the Mode of securing an accurate View of the State of 
 
 the Church 53 
 
 ^ I. — Parochial Reports to be made 53 
 
 Clergymen not settled shall report 53 
 
 () II. — The Bishop's Address at Convention 54 
 
 {) III. — Committee on the State of the Church 54 
 
 Pastoral Letter from the House of Bishops 54 
 
 To be read to every Congregation 55 
 
 (j IV. — Duty of Diocesan Secretaries to forward Documents 55 
 
 ^ V. — Recommendation of a Tabular View of Parochial and Diocesan 
 
 Statistics 55 
 
 Canon 16. — Of Publishing authorized Editions of the Standard Bible . 56 
 
 Canon 17. — Of Publishing Editions of the Book of Common Prayer ■ ■ 56 
 
 ^ I. — Certificate of Correction by one or more Presbyters 56 
 
 {) II. — What is the Standard Edition 57 
 
 Canon 1 8. — 0/ the due Celebration of Sundai/s 57 
 
 Canon 19. — Of Parochial Instruction 57 
 
 Canon 20. — Of the Use of the Book of Common Prayer 58 
 
Table of Contents 
 
 ®itlC IL— Of Discipline. 
 
 PAOE. 
 
 Canon 1 . — Of Amenability and Citations ^9 
 
 <J I. — To whom Ministers are amenable 59 
 
 () II. — Mode of serving Citations 59 
 
 () III. — Of Notices in General 59 
 
 Canon 2. — Of Offences for which Ministers may be Tried and Pun- 
 ished 60 
 
 ^ I. — Enumeration of Punishable Offences 60 
 
 () II. — Proceedings on public Rumor 60 
 
 Three kinds of Punishment 60, 61 
 
 Canon 3. — Of a Clergyman in ane Diocese chargeable with Misde- 
 meanor in another 61 
 
 § I. — Notice to Authority of Offender's Diocese 61 
 
 Proceedings on a Neglect to act 61 
 
 $ II — The Bishop may admonish and forbid Officiating 62 
 
 Notice of Prohibition to be given 62 
 
 Prohibition to continue until the Bishop be satisfied, or the 
 
 Clergyman acquitted on Trial 62 
 
 (j III. — The same coui"se to be pursued with Clergymen ordainc 1 iu 
 
 Foreign Countries 62 
 
 Notice of Prohibition to be given 62 
 
 Canon 4. — Of the Dissolution of a Pastoral Connection 63 
 
 <J I. — No Dismissal of a settled Minister without the Concurrence of 
 
 the Ecclesiastical Authority 63 
 
 No Minister shall leave without such Concurrence 63 
 
 Deprivation of Seat in Convention in either Case 63 
 
 §11. — Record to be made of regular Dissolution 63 
 
 Dissolutions not regular, to be laid before Convention 63 
 
 This Canon not obligatory on certain Dioceses 63 
 
 Canon 5. — Of Renunciation of the Ministry 64 
 
 <J I. — Renunciation when no Ecclesiastical Proceeding is pending ... 64 
 
 Renunciation to be recorded 64 
 
 The Bishop to depose, in presence of Clergymen 64 
 
 § n. — When the Bishop of another Diocese may sentence 64 
 
 <^ III. — The Bishop may suspend Action for Six Months 64 
 
 i) IV. — Renunciation under Liability to Presentment 64 
 
 The Trial may proceed 65 
 
 i)Y. — Notice of Deposition to be sent to every Diocese 65 
 
 xiii 
 
Table of Contents 
 
 ^itlC II. — Of Discipline {Continued). 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Canon 6. — Of the Abandonment of tlie Communion of this Church by 
 
 a Presbyter or Deacon 65 
 
 ^ I. — Abandonment without Renunciation 65 
 
 To be certified by the Standing Committee 65 
 
 Notice to be given to the Minister concerned 65 
 
 ^ II. — Deposition after Six Months 66 
 
 The Bishop may suspend Proceedings, upon Retraction 66 
 
 Canon 7. — Of a Clergyman absenting himself fro^n his Diocese 66 
 
 Absence for two Years, without satisfactory Reason, ground of 
 
 Suspension 66 
 
 How long the Suspension shall endure 66 
 
 Notice of Suspension to be given to every Diocese 67 
 
 Canon 8. — Of the Abandonment of the Communion of the Church by 
 
 a Bishop 67 
 
 Deposition 67 
 
 Proceedings may be suspended on Retraction 68 
 
 Canon 9. — Of the Trial of a Bishop 68 
 
 ij I. — Enumeration of Offences for which a Bishop may be tried 68 
 
 i^ II. — Commencement of Proceedings 68 
 
 [1.] Charges to be made in "Writing 68 
 
 By whom Charges must be signed 69 
 
 [2.] A Bishop may demand a Trial, when there are Rumors 
 
 against him 69 
 
 On the Advice and Consent of any two Bishops whom he 
 
 may select 69 
 
 [8.] Accusers may choose a Lay Advocate and Agent 69 
 
 Reasonable Certainty of Time, Place, and Circumstance ... 69 
 
 ^ III. — Charges shall be delivered to the Presiding Bishop 70 
 
 ^ IV. — A Board of Inquiry 70 
 
 [1 ] How the Board shall be constituted 70 
 
 [2.] Notice to the Members of the Board 70 
 
 Place of Meeting of the Board 71 
 
 Copy of charges to be sent 71 
 
 [3.] Organization of the Board 71 
 
 Church Advocate to be appointed 71 
 
 Sittings of the Board to be private 71 
 
 Duty of Church Advocate 71 
 
 xiv 
 
Table of Contents 
 
 ^ttl0 II, — Of Discipline {Continued). 
 
 Canon 9. — Of the Trial of a Bishop (Continued). 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 ^ IV. — {Continued). 
 
 [4.] Duty of the Board of Inquiry 71 
 
 Rules of Evidence shall be those of the State in which the 
 
 Trial is had 71 
 
 A Majority of the Board present may make Presentment . . 71 
 
 [5.] Copies of Presentment to be sent 72 
 
 [6.] Certificate of Rtfusal to Present 72 
 
 Such Certificate a Bar to future Presentment 72 
 
 Except on Afiidavit of New Testimony 72 
 
 [7.] Offences more than five Years old not Presentable 72 
 
 Except on Conviction in a State Court 72 
 
 ^ V. — Course of Action upon Presentment 73 
 
 [1.] Notice to the Accused, and to the Church Advocate, to 
 
 attend at the Selection of the Court 73 
 
 [2.] Formation of the Court 73 
 
 Eleven reduced to Seven by striidng oflf alternately 74 
 
 [3.] Notice to Members of the Court to attend 74 
 
 Appointment of Time and Place 74 
 
 Certified Copies of Presentment 74 
 
 [4.] Summons of the Accused 74 
 
 Any Bishop has power to summon Witnesses 75 
 
 () VI. — Course of Proceeding on the Trial 75 
 
 [1.] Election of President and Clerk 75 
 
 Reading the Presentment 75 
 
 [2.] Calling on the Accused to Plead 76 
 
 Power to adjourn 75 
 
 Rights of the Accused 75 
 
 [3.] Non-appearance of the Accused 75 
 
 Contumacy 76 
 
 Suspension or Degradation after three Months' Contumacy 76 
 
 [4.] The Common Law the Rule of Proceeding 76 
 
 Declaration to be signed by Witnesses before Testifying . . 76 
 
 Commission to take Testimony 76 
 
 Appointment of Commissary to take Depositions 77 
 
 Cross-examination in such Cases 77 
 
 On what Conditions Depositions to be read 77 
 
 Civil Authority given to Ecclesiastical Courts 77 
 
 [5.] Summoner to serve Notices and Papei's 77 
 
 Certificate of Service 77 
 
 Mode of Service 77 
 
 XV 
 
Table of Contents 
 
 ^ttlC II* — ^^ Discipline (Continued). 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 Canon 9. — Of the Trial of a Bishop (Continued). 
 
 ^ VI. — {Continued). 
 
 [6.] The Accused may have Counsel 78 
 
 Counsel on either Side to be Communicants 78 
 
 [7.] Court to express an Opinion on each Charge and Specifi- 
 cation 78 
 
 [8.] The Decision to be reduced to Writing, and signed 78 
 
 [9.] The Accused to be heard before Sentence 79 
 
 The Court may grant a new Trial 79 
 
 [10.] Pronouncing Sentence 79 
 
 Sentence to be communicated to every Clergyman in every 
 
 Diocese 79 
 
 [11.] Record of Proceedings and Evidence 80 
 
 Exceptions and Papers filed, to be Part of the Kecord. ... 80 
 
 [12.] Record to be kept by the Clerk 80 
 
 Attested by Signatures of P*i'esident and Clerk 80 
 
 Deposited with Registrar of General Convention 80 
 
 Open to Inspection 80 
 
 [13.] Lay Advisers may be appointed 80 
 
 Their Office 80 
 
 ^ VII. — Proceedings on Charge of erroneous Doctrine 81 
 
 [1.] Presentment to be made by any one Bishop 81 
 
 The Presenter shall appoint a Church Advocate 81 
 
 [2.] How the Presentment shall be signed, addressed, and de- 
 livered 81 
 
 The Court to be composed of all the Bishops except Pre- 
 senter and Accused 81 
 
 Two-thirds Vote necessary to convict 81 
 
 ^ VIII. — [1.] Proceedings against a Missionary Bishop 81 
 
 [2.] Proceedings against a Bishop without Jurisdiction 82 
 
 Canon 10. — Of Sentences 82 
 
 ,5, T. — Suspension must be limited by specific Terms or Time 82 
 
 <^ II. — Degradation "-' 
 
 [1.] Degradation not partial, but total 82 
 
 Deposition, Displacing, etc., same as Degradation 82 
 
 No degraded Minister to be restored 83 
 
 [2.] Notice of Degradation to be given, and to whom 83 
 
Table of Contents. 
 
 ®ttlC 11, — Of Discipline {Continued). 
 
 PAOB. 
 
 Canon 11. — Of the Remission or Modification of Judicial Sentences . . . 83 
 
 The Bishops may altogether remit or modify 83 
 
 Such Action to take Place only at General Convention, or Meet- 
 ing specially convened 83 
 
 Majority of whole Number of Bishops must assent 84 
 
 Canon 12. — Regulations Respecting the Laity 84 
 
 § I. — Communicant removing shall procure a Certificate of Good 
 
 Standing 84 
 
 Rector of Parish not required to receive a Communicant with- 
 out such Certificate 84 
 
 ^ 11. — [1.] Scandalous Persons shall be repelled from the Holy Com- 
 munion 84 
 
 [2.] The Minister repelling shall inform the Ordinary 84 
 
 Inquiry to be made by the Bishop, on Complaint in 
 
 Writing 85 
 
 £3.] Case of great Heinousness 85 
 
 Deprivation of all Privileges of Church Membership 85 
 
 XV r. 
 
Table of Contents 
 
 ^itU III, — Of the Organized Bodies and Officers of the 
 Church. 
 
 FAG& 
 
 Canon 1. — Of the General Convention 86 
 
 ^ I. — Special Meetings of General Convention 86 
 
 [1.] To be called by the Presiding Bishop 86 
 
 On written Consent of a Majority of the Bishops 86 
 
 [2.] Place of Meeting 86 
 
 [3.] Who shall be Deputies at the Special Meeting 86 
 
 ^ II. — Registrar of General Convention 87 
 
 [1.] To be a Presbyter 87 
 
 How Nominated and Elected 87 
 
 Shall have Charge of all Paper» and Documents belonging 
 
 to either House of General Convention 87 
 
 [2.] Duties of Registrar 87 
 
 [3.] Book of Record of the Consecrations of Bishops 87 
 
 [4.] Expenses of Registrar to be provided for 87 
 
 (j III. — When particular Notice shall be given to the Ecclesiastical 
 
 Authority of every Diocese 88 
 
 ij IV. — Treasurer of General Convention 88 
 
 His Duties 88 
 
 How a Vacancy shall be filled 88 
 
 ^ V. — How the Expenses of General Convention shall be met 88 
 
 Diocesan Ratio of Payment 89 
 
 Canon 2. — Of Standing Committees 89 
 
 ^ I. — Standing Committee in every Diocese 89 
 
 Appointed by Diooesan Convention 89 
 
 Elect their own President and Secretary 89 
 
 The President to Summon Special Meetings 89 
 
 ^ II. — To act as the Bishop's Council of Advice 89 
 
 ^ III . — The Ecclesiastical Authority when there is no Bishop 89 
 
 Canon 3. — Of the Ttmstees of the Missionary Bishops^ Fund 90 
 
 ^ I. How the Board of Trustees shall be appointed 90 
 
 ^ II. — Duties of the Trvistees 90 
 
 Objects of the Fund 90 
 
 [1.] For Present Support of any Missionary Bishop 90 
 
 [2.] For Investment, the interest to be applied as above 90 
 
 [3.] For Support of Bishops in New Dioceses 90 
 
 [4.] For Endowment of Episcopate in New Dioceses 90 
 
 (j III. — Application of Contributions not designated 90 
 
Table of Contents 
 
 xlttlC 111. — Of the Organized Bodies, etc. [Continued). 
 
 Canon 3. — Trustees of Missionary Bishops Fund (Continued). 
 
 PAGE. 
 
 (jTY — Special Donations for the above Objects to be paid over to the 
 
 Treasurer of the Board 91 
 
 <5) V. — The Board shall appoint a Treasurer 91 
 
 His Accounts to be open to Inspection of any Bishop 91 
 
 ^ VI. — Triennial Report to General Convention 91 
 
 To be Presented on the Third Day of the Session 91 
 
 To be Referred to a Committee for Audit 91 
 
 ^ VII. — Trustees empowered to procure an Act of Incorporation 91 
 
 Canon 4. — Of the Trustees of the General Theological Seminary 92 
 
 Nomination of Trustees not to be confirmed without Certificate 92 
 
 Canon 5. — Of Congregations and Parishes 92 
 
 ^ I. — Unions of Congregations in different Dioceses irregular and 
 
 void 92 
 
 No Clergyman to sit in two Diocesan Conventions 92 
 
 <^ II. — Parish Boundaries and New Parishes 93 
 
 [1.] Left to the Diocesan Conventions 93 
 
 [2.] Where Power is vested until Diocesan Conventions act. 93 
 
 [3.] Vested Rights preserved 93 
 
 •J in. — Congregations in Foreign Lands 93 
 
 [1.] Lawful to Organize 93 
 
 [2.] Must recognize Constitution, &c 93 
 
 [3.] Certificate of Desii'e to be received under Direction of the 
 
 General Convention 94 
 
 [4,] Certificate of Satisfaction to be filed by the Registrar 94 
 
 Jurisdiction of Presiding Bishop 94 
 
 [5.] Exercise of Jurisdiction mny be assigned 94 
 
 [6.] Clergy in such Congregations subject to Jurisdiction of 
 
 Presiding Bishop 94 
 
 Canon 6. — Of the Organization of New Dioceses 95 
 
 ^1. — Who shall call the Primary Convention 95 
 
 Where shall be the Place of Meeting 95 
 
 ^ II. — Who shall call it, if there be no Bishop 95 
 
 When the Call shall be made 95 
 
 () III. — Case of the Division of a Diocese 95 
 
 Which Part shall be the New Diocese 96 
 
 xix 
 
Table of Contents 
 
 vLttlC I V , — Miscellaneous Provisions. 
 
 PACK. 
 
 Canon 1. — Of Repealed Canons 96 
 
 Repeal of Repeal, no Re-enactment 96 
 
 Canon 2. — Of the Repeal, Amendment, and Enactment of New 
 
 Canons 96 
 
 Form of Altering Canons 96 
 
 Alterations in the Numbering of Canons 96 
 
 Who are to certify Changes of Canons 97 
 
 Canon 3. — Of the Time of these Canons taking Effect 97 
 
 January 1, 1860 97 
 
 General Repeal of all other Canons 97 
 
 END OF TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
CONSTITUTION 
 
 €onstitttti0n- 
 
 ADOPTED IN GENERAL CONVENTION, 
 In Philadelphia, October, 1789. 
 
 Article 1. 
 
 There shall be a Greneral Convention of the Protestant 
 Episcopal Church in the United States of America, on 
 the first Wednesday in October, in every third year, 
 from the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred 
 and forty -one ; and in such place as shall be determined 
 by the Convention ; and in case there shall be an epi- 
 demic disease, or any other good cause to render it 
 necessary to alter the place fixed on for any such meet- 
 ing of the Convention, the Presiding Bishop shall have 
 it in his power to appoint another convenient place (as 
 near as may be to the place so fixed on) for the holding 
 of such 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 Dioceses 
 which shall have adopted this Constitution, shall be 
 represented, before they shall proceed to business ; ex- 
 cept that the representation from two Dioceses shall be 
 sufficient to adjourn ; and in all business of the Conven- 
 tion freedom of debate shall be allowed. 
 
 General Conven- 
 tion. 
 
 Change of Place. 
 
 Special Sleet- 
 in gs. 
 
 Quorum. 
 
 Freedom of 
 Debate. 
 
CONSTITUTION 
 
 Article 2. 
 
 House of Clerical 
 and Lay Depu- 
 ties. 
 
 Vote by Dioceses 
 and Orders. 
 
 Dioceses unrep- 
 resented are 
 bound. 
 
 The Church in each Diocese shall be entitled to a 
 representation of both the Clergy and the Laity. Such 
 representation shall consist of not more than four Clergy- 
 men, and four Laymen communicants in this Church, 
 residents in the Diocese, and chosen in the manner pre- 
 scribed by the Convention thereof ; and in all questions 
 when required by the clerical and lay representation 
 from any Diocese, each Order shall have one vote ; and 
 the majority of suffrages by Dioceses shall be conclusive 
 in each Order, provided such majority comprehend a 
 majority of the Dioceses represented in that Order. The 
 concurrence of both Orders shall be necessary to consti- 
 tute 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 by sickness or 
 any other accident, such Diocese shall nevertheless be 
 considered as duly represented by such Deputy or Depu- 
 ties 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 cleri- 
 cal, should attend at any Greneral Convention, the 
 Church in such Diocese shall nevertheless be bound by 
 the acts of such Convention. 
 
CONSTITUTION. 
 
 Article 
 
 o 
 O 
 
 The Bishops of this Church, when there shall he 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 Depu- 
 ties composed of Clergy and Laity ; and when any 
 proposed act shall have passed the House of Deputies, 
 the same shall he transmitted to the House of Bishops, 
 who shall have a negative thereupon ; and all acts of 
 the Convention shall he authenticated hy hoth 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 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 
 Greneral 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. 
 
 Article 4. 
 
 The Bishop or Bishops in every Diocese shall be 
 chosen agreeably to such rules as shall be fixed by the 
 Convention of that Diocese ; and 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. 
 
 House of Bishops 
 
 Negative upon 
 the Lower House. 
 
 Jurisdiction of 
 Bishops. 
 
CONSTITUTION, 
 
 Admission of 
 New Dioceses. 
 
 Consent required. 
 
 Limit of 
 Presbyters 
 and Parishes. 
 
 Rights of the 
 Diocesan., and 
 the Assistant 
 Bishop. 
 
 Article 5. 
 
 A Protestant Episcopal Church in any of the United 
 States, or any Territory thereof, not now represented, 
 may, at any time hereafter, be admitted on acceding to 
 this Constitution : and a new Diocese, to be formed from 
 one or more existing Dioceses, may be admitted under 
 the following restrictions. 
 
 No new Diocese shall be formed or erected within the 
 limits of any other Diocese, nor shall any Diocese be 
 formed by the junction of two or more Dioceses, or parts 
 of Dioceses, unless with the consent of the Bishop and 
 Convention of each of the Dioceses concerned, as well 
 as of the Greneral Convention. 
 
 No such new Diocese shall be formed which shall con- 
 tain less than fifteen self-supporting Parishes, or less 
 than fifteen 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 be formed if thereby any existing Diocese shall 
 be so reduced as to contain less than thirty self-support- 
 ing Parishes, or less than twenty Presbyters who have 
 been residing therein and settled and qualified as above 
 mentioned : Provided that no city shall form more than 
 one Diocese. 
 
 In case one Diocese shall be divided into two Dioceses, 
 the Diocesan of the Diocese divided may elect the one 
 to which he will be attached, and shall thereupon be- 
 come th« Diocesan thereof. And the Assistant Bishop, 
 if there be one, may elect the one to which he will be 
 attached ; and if it be not the one elected by the Bishop, 
 he shall be the Diocesan thereof. 
 
CONSTITUTION 
 
 Whenever the division of a Diocese into two Dioceses 
 shall be ratified by the General Convention, each of the 
 tv^^o Dioceses shall be subject to the Constitution and 
 Canons of the Diocese so divided, except as local circum- 
 stances may prevent, until the same may be altered in 
 either Diocese by the Convention thereof. And when- 
 ever a Diocese shall be formed out of two or more 
 existing Dioceses, the new Diocese shall be subject to 
 the Constitution and Canons of that one of the said 
 existing Dioceses to which the greater number of 
 Clergymen shall have belonged prior to the erection of 
 such new Diocese, until the same may be altered by the 
 Convention of the new Diocese. 
 
 Article 6. 
 
 The mode of trying Bishops shall be provided by the 
 General Convention. The Court appointed for that 
 purpose shall be composed of Bishops only. In every 
 Diocese, the mode of trying Presbyters and Deacons 
 may be instituted by the Convention of the Diocese. 
 None but a Bishop shall pronounce sentence of admoni- 
 tion, suspension, or degradation from the Ministry, on 
 any Clergyman, whether Bishop, Presbyter, or Deacon. 
 
 Constitution and 
 Canons of New 
 Diocese. 
 
 Ecclesiastical 
 Courts, Trials, 
 and Sentences. 
 
CONSTITUTION, 
 
 Requisites for 
 Ordination. 
 
 Declaration. 
 
 Admission of 
 Foreign Clergy. 
 
 The Book of 
 
 Common 
 
 Prayer. 
 
 Alterations or 
 Additions, how 
 to be made. 
 
 Article 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 pro- 
 vided, may direct. Nor shall any person be ordained 
 until he shall have subscribed the following Declara- 
 tion: 
 
 " 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 the United States." 
 
 No person ordained by a foreign Bishop shall be per- 
 mitted 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. 
 
 Article 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 Gren- 
 eral Convention, shall be used in the Protestant Epis- 
 copal Church in those Dioceses which shall have adopted 
 this Constitution. No alteration or addition shall be 
 made in the Book of Common Prayer, or other Offices 
 of the Church, or the Articles of Religion, unless the 
 same shall be proposed in one Greneral Convention, and 
 by a resolve thereof made known to the Convention of 
 every Diocese, and adopted at the subsequent General 
 Convention. 
 
CONSTITUTION. 
 
 Article 9. 
 
 This Constitution shall be unalterable, unless in Gen- 
 eral Convention, by the Church, in a majority of the 
 Dioceses which may have adopted the same ; and all 
 alterations shall be first proposed in one Greneral Con- 
 vention, and made known to the several Diocesan Con- 
 ventions, before they shall be finally agreed to, or rati- 
 fied, in the ensuing Greneral Convention. 
 
 Alterations of 
 this Constitution. 
 
 Article 10. 
 
 Bishops for foreign countries, on due application 
 therefrom, may bo consecrated, with the approbation 
 of the Bishops of this Church, or a majority of them, 
 signified to the Presiding Bishop ; he thereupon taking 
 order for the same, and they being satisfied that the 
 person designated for the Office has been duly chosen, 
 and properly qualified : the Order of Consecration to 
 be conformed, as nearly as may be, in the judgment of 
 the Bishops, to the one used in this Church. Such 
 Bishops, so consecrated, shall not be eligible to the Office 
 of Diocesan, or Assistant Bishop, in any Diocese in the 
 United States, nor be entitled to a seat in the House of 
 Bishops, nor exercise any Episcopal authority in said 
 States. 
 
 Done in the General Convention of the Bishops, 
 Clerffy, and Laity of the Church, the 2d day of 
 October, 1789. 
 
 Consecration of 
 Bishops for For 
 eign Countries. 
 
CONSTITUTION 
 
 History of 
 Alterations. 
 
 1789. 
 
 1804. 
 
 1841. 
 
 Full Veto of the 
 House of Bishops. 
 
 1811. 
 
 1829. 
 1838. 
 
 1838. 
 
 Note. — When the Constitution was originally adopted, 
 in August, 1789, the first Article provided that the 
 triennial Convention should he held on the first Tues- 
 day in August. At the adjourned meeting of the Con- 
 vention, held in October of the same year, it was pro- 
 vided that the second Tuesday in September, in every 
 third year, should be the time of meeting. The time 
 was again changed to the third Tuesday in May, l)y the 
 G-eneral Convention of 1804. — See Bioren's edition of 
 the Journals of the General Convention, 1817, pp. 61, 
 75, and 216. 
 
 The first Article was put into its present form at the 
 General Convention of 1841. 
 
 The third Article was so altered by the General Con- 
 vention of 1808, as to give the House of Bishops a full 
 Veto upon the proceedings of the other House. — See 
 Journals of General Convention, pp. 248, 249. 
 
 The second sentence of the eighth Article was adopted 
 at the General Convention of 1811. — See Journals of 
 General Convention, p, 274. 
 
 The words "or the Articles of Religion" were added 
 to the eighth Article by the General Convention of 1829, 
 
 The fifth Article was put into its present form at the 
 General Convention of 1838. 
 
 The same Convention adopted the following alterations. 
 — See Journal of General Convention of 1838, p. 24. 
 
 Strike out the word " States " wherever it occurs in 
 the first and second Articles, except where it follows the 
 word " United " in the first part of the first Article, and 
 insert in lieu of the word " States " the word " Dioceses." 
 Strike out the word " States " wherever it occurs in the 
 second, third, and fourth Articles, and insert in lieu 
 thereof the word " Dioceses." 
 
 Strike out the words "or district" in the fourth 
 Article, 
 
 J 
 
CONSTITUTION. 
 
 Strike out the word " State " in the sixth Article, and 
 insert the word " Diocese." 
 
 Strike out the word " States" in the eighth Article, 
 and insert the word " Dioceses ;" and in the eighth 
 Article strike out the words " or State " after the words 
 " every Diocese " 
 
 Strike out the word " States " in the ninth Article, 
 and insert the word " Dioceses." Strike out the word 
 " State " in the ninth Article, and insert the word 
 " Diocesan." 
 
 The sixth Article was put into its present form at the 
 General Convention of 1841. 1841. 
 
 Article 10 was finally agreed to, and ratified, in the 
 General Convention of 1844. 1844. 
 
 Articles 2 and 5 were put into their present form at 
 the General Convention of 1856. 1856. 
 
title I. 
 
 Canons 1 and 2 
 
 II, 
 
 title I. 
 
 OF THE ORDERS IN THE MINISTRY, AND OF THE DOC- 
 TRINE AND WORSHIP OF THE CHURCH. 
 
 Canon 1. 
 
 Of the Orders of Ministry in this Church. 
 
 In this Church there shall always be three Orders in 
 the ministry, viz. : Bishops, Priests, and Deacons.* 
 
 Canon 2. 
 
 Of the Admission of Persons as Candidates for Holy 
 Orders. 
 k I. All persons seeking admission to the ministry of 
 this Church, are to be regarded as candidates for Holy 
 Orders." 
 
 § II. Every person who desires to become a candidate 
 for Holy Orders in this Church, shall, in the first in- 
 stance, give notice of his intention to the Bishop of the 
 Diocese in which he intends to apply ; or, if there be no 
 Bishop, to the Standing Committee ; in which notice he 
 shall declare whether he has ever applied for admission 
 as a candidate in any other Diocese. No person who 
 has previously applied for admission as a candidate in 
 any Diocese, and has been refused admission, or, having 
 
 Three Orders of 
 Ministry. 
 
 Who are deemed 
 Candidates. 
 
 Notice of Inten- 
 tion 
 
 Adopted in 1789. Canon i. of 1832. ■" ^ 1 of Canon iii. of 1856. 
 
titU I. 
 
 Canon 2 
 
 III., IV. 
 
 Of the Admission of Candidates for Holy Orders. 
 
 Certificate re- 
 quired. 
 
 been admitted, has afterward ceased to be a candidate, 
 shall be admitted as a candidate in any other Diocese, 
 until he shall have produced from the Bishop, or, if 
 there be no Bishop, from the Standing Committee of the 
 former Diocese, a certificate, declaring the cause for 
 which he was refused admission, or for which he ceased 
 to be a candidate.* 
 
 To whom Appli- 
 cation must be 
 made. 
 
 § III. A person desirous of becoming a candidate for 
 Holy Orders, shall apply to the Bishop, or, if there be no 
 Bishop, to the Standing Committee, of the Diocese in 
 which he resides, unless the said Bishop or ecclesiastical 
 authority shall give their consent to his application in 
 some other Diocese.'' 
 
 Certificate from 
 Standing Com- 
 mittee. 
 
 § IV. No person shall be considered as a candidate for 
 Holy Orders in this Church, unless he shall have pro- 
 duced to the Bishop to whom he intends to apply for 
 Orders, a certificate from the Standing Committee of the 
 Diocese of the said Bishop, that, from personal knowl- 
 edge, or from testimonials laid before them, they believe 
 that he is pious, sober, and honest ; that he is attached 
 to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Protestant 
 Episcopal Church; a communicant of the same ; and, in 
 their opinion, possesses such qualifications as will render 
 him apt and meet to exercise the ministry, to the glory 
 of God and the edifying of the Church. And when the 
 Standing Committee do not certify as above from per- 
 sonal knowledge, the testimonials laid before them shall 
 be of the same purport, and as ^uU as the certificate 
 above required, and shall be signed by at least one Pres- 
 
 » ^ 2 of Canon iii. of 1856. i" ^ 3 of Canon iii. of 1856. 
 
Canon 2 
 
 § V.-VI I 
 
 Of the Admission of Candidates for Holy Orders. 
 
 byter, and four respectable laymen of the Protestant 
 Episcopal Church.* 
 
 k V. It is also to be made known to every candidate, 
 for whatever order of the ministry, that the Church ex- 
 pects of him what never can be brought to the test of 
 any outward standard, — an inward fear and worship of 
 Almighty God, a love of religion, and a sensibility to its 
 holy influences, a habit of devout affection, and, in 
 short, a cultivation of all those graces which are called, 
 in Scripture, the fruits of the Spirit, and by which 
 alone His sacred influences can be manifested." 
 
 § VI. The requisitions of this Canon being fulfilled, 
 the Bishop may admit the person as a candidate for 
 Holy Orders, and shall record the same in a book to be 
 kept for that purpose, and notify the candidate of such 
 record : and in any diocese where there is no Bishop, 
 the Standing Committee may, on the same conditions, 
 admit the person as a candidate, and shall make record 
 and notification in the same manner." 
 
 § VII. The Canons of this Church which respect 
 candidates for Holy Orders, shall afTect as well those 
 coming from places in the United States in which the 
 Constitution of this Church has not been acceded to, as 
 those residing in States or Territories in which it has 
 been adopted ; and, in such cases, every candidate shall 
 produce to the Bishop to whom he may apply for Holy 
 Orders, the requisite testimonials, subscribed by the 
 Standing Committee of the Diocese into which he has 
 come.'^ 
 
 Habit of Devo- 
 tion, 
 
 Admission and 
 Record. 
 
 Canons apply to 
 Candidates from 
 all parts of the 
 United States. 
 
 * ^ 4, Canon iii., 1856. 
 = «J 6, Canon iii., 1856. 
 
 <> <J 5, Canon iii., 1856. 
 ^ 6 7, Canon iii., 1856. 
 
€ttle I. 
 
 Canon 2 
 
 § VI I I . 
 
 Of the Admission of Candidates for Holy Orders. 
 
 Application by a \ 
 Minister of an- 
 other Denomina- 
 tion. 
 
 Notice. 
 
 Certificate. 
 
 Testimonial from 
 Twelve Persons, 
 
 And Two Presby- 
 ters. 
 
 ^ VIII. [1.] When a person, who, not havmg had Epis- 
 copal Ordination, has been acknowledged as an ordained 
 minister or licentiate in any other denomination of 
 Christians, shall desire to be ordained in this Church, 
 he shall give notice thereof to the Bishop ; or, if there be 
 no Bishop, to the Standing Committee of the Diocese in 
 which he resides ; or, if he reside in a State or Territory 
 in which there is no organized Diocese, to the Missionary 
 Bishop within whose jurisdiction he resides ; which no- 
 tice shall be accompanied by a written certificate from 
 at least two Presbyters of this Church, stating that, from 
 personal knowledge of the party, or satisfactory evidence 
 laid before them, they believe that his desire to leave 
 the denomination to which he belonged, has not arisen 
 from any circumstance unfavorable to his moral or reli- 
 gious character, or on account of which it may be inex- 
 pedient to admit him to the exercise of the ministry in 
 this Church ; and they may also add what they know 
 or believe, on good authority, of the circumstances lead- 
 ing to the said desire.* 
 
 [2.] If the Bishop or Standing Committee shall think 
 proper to proceed, the party applying to be received as a 
 candidate shall produce to the Standing Committee a 
 testimonial from at least twelve members of the denom- 
 ination from which he came, or twelve members of the 
 Protestant Episcopal Church, or twelve persons in part 
 of the denomination from which he came and in part 
 Episcopalians, satisfactory to the Committee, that the 
 applicant has, for three years last past, lived piously, 
 soberly, and honestly ; and also a testimonial from at 
 least two Presbyters of this Church, that they believe 
 
 ^ § 8, Canon iii., 1856. 
 
Canon 2 
 
 § IX 
 
 Of the Admission of Candidates for Holy Orders. 
 
 him to be pious, sober, and honest, and sincerely attached 
 to the doctrine, discipline, and worship of the Church. 
 The Standing Committee, being satisfied on these points, 
 may recommend liim to the Bishop, to be received as a 
 candidate for Orders in this Church ; or, in a vacant 
 Diocese, the Standing Committee may so receive him.* 
 
 k IX. When a person, not a citizen of the United 
 States, who has been acknowledged as an ordained 
 minister in any other denomination of Christians, shall 
 apply to become a candidate for Orders in this Church, 
 the Bishop to whom application is made shall require 
 of him (in addition to the above qualifications) satisfac- 
 tory evidence that he has resided at least one year in the 
 United States, previous to his application.'' 
 
 k X. When a person, not a citizen of the United States, 
 who has been acknowledged as an ordained minister in 
 any other denomination of Christians, shall apply for 
 Orders in this Church, on the ground of a call to a 
 church in which divine service is celebrated in a foreign 
 language, the Standing Committee of the Diocese to 
 which such church belongs, may, on sufficient evidence 
 of fitness according to the Canons, and by a unanimous 
 vote at a meeting duly convened, recommend him to the 
 Bishop for Orders, and the Bishop may then ordain him, 
 and he may be settled, and instituted into the said 
 church, without his producing a testimonial to his char- 
 acter by a clergyman from his personal knowledge of 
 him for one year, and without his having been a year 
 resident in this country, anything in any other Canon 
 of this Church to the contrary notwithstanding. Pro- 
 
 Suck Af plication 
 by one not a Citi- 
 zen. 
 
 And to officiate in 
 a Foreign Lan- 
 guage. 
 
 Without Testi- 
 monial or Resi- 
 dence. 
 
 <J 9, Canon iii., 1856. 
 
 " ^ 10, Canon iii., 1856. 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 3 
 
 I., II. 
 
 Proviso. 
 
 Supervision of 
 Candidates. 
 
 Lay Readers. 
 
 Restrictions. 
 
 Of Admitted Carididates. 
 
 vided that, in both of the above cases, the person apply- 
 ing produce a certificate, signed by at least four respect- 
 able members of this Church, that they have satisfactory 
 reason to believe the testimonials to his religious, moral 
 and literary qualifications to be entitled to full credit." 
 
 Canon 3. 
 
 Of Admitted Candidates. 
 § I. The Bishop, or other ecclesiastical authority who 
 may have the superintendence of Candidates for Holy 
 Orders, shall take care that they pursue their studies 
 diligently and under proper direction, and that they do 
 not indulge in any vain or trifling conduct, or in any 
 amusements most likely to be abused to licentiousness, 
 or unfavorable to that seriousness, and to those pious and 
 studious habits, which become those who are preparing 
 for the Holy Ministry.'' 
 
 ^ n. No candidate for Holy Orders shall take upon 
 himself to perform the service of the Church but by a 
 license from the Bishop, or, if there be no Bishop, from 
 the clerical members of the Standing Committee, of the 
 Diocese in which such candidate may wish to perform 
 the service. And such candidate shall submit to all the 
 regulations which the Bishop, or said clerical members, 
 may prescribe. Ho shall not use the absolution or bene- 
 diction ; he shall not assume the dress appropriate to 
 clergymen ministering in the congregation ; he shall 
 conform to the directions of the Bishop, or said clerical 
 
 ^ Last paragraph of Canon xxiv., of 1832. 
 " ^ 11, Canon iii., 1856. 
 
Canon 3 
 
 § III.-V 
 
 Of Admitted Candidates. 
 
 members, as to the sermons or homilies to be read, nor 
 shall any Lay Reader deliver sermons of his own compo- 
 sition ; nor, except in case of extraordinary emergency 
 or very peculiar expediency, perform any part of the 
 service, when a clergyman is present in the congrega- 
 tion.* 
 
 k III. No person, who is a candidate for Holy Orders 
 in this Church, shall be permitted to accept from any 
 Diocesan convention an appointment as a Lay Deputy 
 to the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies of the General 
 Convention." 
 
 Candidates not 
 eligible to Gen- 
 eral Convention. 
 
 § IV. A candidate for Holy Orders may, on letters of 
 dismission from the Bishop or Standing Committee of the 
 Diocese in which he was admitted a candidate, be 
 transferred to the jurisdiction of any Bishop in this 
 Church ; and if there be a Bishop within the Diocese 
 where the candidate resides, he shall apply to no other 
 Bishop for ordination without the permission of the 
 former.* 
 
 Transfer to an- 
 other Diocese. 
 
 h V. Candidates shall not change their canonical resi- 
 dence but for bona fide causes, requiring the same to be 
 judged of by the Bishop ; or, if there be no Bishop, the 
 Standing Committee ; and they shall not be dismissed 
 from the Dioceses in which they were admitted, or to 
 which they have been duly transferred, for the conve- 
 nience of attending any theological or other seminary.* 
 
 » «J 12, Canon iii., 1856. b ^ 13, Canon iii., 1856. 
 
 ''■ ^ 14, Canon iii., 1856. 
 
 ^ Last clause of ^ 15, Canon iii., 1856. 
 
 Cause for Trans- 
 fer. 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 4 . 
 
 I. -Ill 
 
 General Provisions and Requisites for Ordination. 
 
 Previous Appli- 
 cation in another 
 Diocese. 
 
 Notice of Re- 
 jection . 
 
 Canon 4. 
 
 General Provisions and Requisites for Ordination. 
 
 § I. No Bishop shall ordam any candidate until he has 
 inquired of him whether he has ever directly or indi- 
 rectly applied for Holy Orders in any other Diocese ; 
 and if the Bishop has reason to believe that the candi- 
 date has been refused Holy Orders in any other Diocese, 
 he shall w^rite to the Bishop of such Diocese, or, if there 
 be no Bishop, to the Standing Committee, to know 
 whether any just cause exists why the candidate should 
 not be ordained. When any Bishop rejects the applica- 
 tion of any candidate for Holy Orders, he shall imme- 
 diately give notice to the Bishop of every Diocese, or 
 where there is no Bishop, to the Standing Committee.* 
 
 Age for Ordina- 
 tion. 
 
 Period of remain- 
 ing a Deacon. 
 
 § H. Deacon's Orders shall not be conferred on any 
 person until he shall be twenty-one years old, nor Priest's 
 Orders until he shall be twenty-four years old. No 
 Deacon shall be ordained Priest unless he shall have 
 been a Deacon one year, except, for reasonable causes, 
 it shall otherwise seem good to the Bishop.'' 
 
 Candidates from 
 vacant Dioceses. 
 
 ^ ill. Every candidate for Holy Orders who may be 
 recommended by the Standing Committee of any Diocese 
 destitute of a Bishop, if he have resided for the greater 
 part of three years last past within the Diocese of a 
 Bishop, shall apply to such Bishop for ordination. And 
 such candidate shall produce the usual testimonials, as 
 well from the Committee of the Diocese in which he has 
 
 10 
 
 ^ 16, Canon iii., 1856. "^ ^ 1, Canon v., 1856 ; Canon viii., 1832. 
 
Canon 4 . 
 
 § I V . - V I 
 
 General Provisions and Requisites/or Ordination. 
 
 resided, as from the Committee of the Diocese for which 
 he is to be ordained.' 
 
 § lY. No Bishop of this Church shall ordain any per- 
 son to officiate as a Priest in any congregation or 
 Church destitute of a Bishop, situated without the juris- 
 diction of these United States, until the usual testimony 
 from the Standing Committee, founded upon sufficient 
 evidence of his soundness in the faith, and of his pious 
 and moral character, has been obtained, nor until the 
 candidate has been examined on the studies prescribed 
 by the Canons of this Church ; and should any clergy- 
 man, so ordained, wish to settle in any congregation of 
 this Church, he must obtain a special license therefor 
 from the Bishop, and officiate as a probationer for at 
 least one year.^ 
 
 ^ Y. A clergyman who presents a person to the Bishop 
 for Holy Orders, as specified in the office for ordination, 
 without having good grounds to believe that the requisi- 
 tions of the Canons have been complied with, shall be 
 liable to ecclesiastical censure." 
 
 ^ YI. Agreeably to the practice of the primitive 
 Church, the stated times of ordination shall be on the 
 Sundays following the Ember Weeks, viz. : the second 
 Sunday in Lent, the Feast of Trinity, and the Sundays 
 after the Wednesdays following the 14th day of Sep- 
 tember and the 13th of December. Occasional ordina- 
 
 * ^ 7, Canon iv., 1856. 
 ' H2, Canon iv., 1856. 
 
 »> ^ 15, Canon v., 1856. 
 
 Ordination of one 
 to officiate with- 
 out the Jurisdic- 
 tion of the United 
 States. 
 
 Special License. 
 
 Liability of pre- 
 senting Clergy- 
 
 Times of Ordi- 
 nation. 
 
 11 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 5 . 
 
 §i.-iii, 
 
 Examinatio^i, etc.^for Deacon^ s Orders. 
 
 Examination by 
 Bishop and Pres- 
 byters. 
 
 tions may be held at such other times as the Bishop 
 shall appoint." 
 
 Ca N N 5 . 
 
 Examination and Testimonials for Deacon^s Orders, 
 
 and Ordination. 
 
 k I. Every person hereafter to be ordained Deacon in 
 this Church shall be examined by the Bishop and two 
 Presbyters, whose duty it shall be to ascertain that he 
 is well acquainted with the Holy Scriptures and the 
 Book of Common Prayer, and who shall inquire into his 
 fitness for the ministrations declared in the Ordinal to 
 appertain to the office of a Deacon, and be satisfied 
 thereof." 
 
 Period of Candi- ^ ^^- ^^ person shall be entitled to such examination 
 dateshtp. until he shall have remained a candidate for Holy 
 
 Orders at least one year, and shall have presented to the 
 Bishop a testimonial from at least one rector of a parish, 
 signifying a belief that he is well qualified to minister in 
 the office of a Deacon, to the glory of G-od and the edifi- 
 cation of the Church." 
 
 Testimonials 
 from Standing 
 Committee. 
 
 ^ HI. No person shall be ordained Deacon in this 
 Church unless he exhibit to the Bishop testimonials 
 from the Standing Committee of the Diocese for which 
 he is to be ordained, which shall be signed by the names 
 
 12 
 
 » Canon xx., 1832. In 1789 tlie Canon was passed without the last 
 clause. In 1808 this was added, and the Canon has continued unchanged 
 since that time. 
 
 ^ (/l, Canon iv., 1856. ' <5 2, Canon iv , 1856. 
 
Canon 5 
 
 I V 
 
 Examination, etc., for Deacon's Orders, 
 
 of a majority of all the Committee, the Committee being 
 duly convened, and which shall be in the followins: 
 words : — 
 
 We, whose names are hereunder written, testify that A. B. hath laid 
 before us satisfautory testimonials, that for the space of three years 
 last past, he hath lived piously, soberly and honestly, and hath not 
 written, taught, or held anything contrary to the doctrine or discipline 
 of the Pi-otestant Episcopal Church ; and, moreover, we think him a 
 person worthy to be admitted to the sacred Order of Deacons. In wit- 
 ness whereof, we have hereunto set our haads this day of 
 
 , in the year of our Lord " * 
 
 k IV. But before a Standing Committee shall proceed 
 to recommend any candidate, as aforesaid, to the Bishop, 
 such candidate shall produce from the Minister and 
 vestry of the parish where he resides, or from the vestry 
 alone if the parish be vacant ; or, if there be no vestry, 
 from at least twelve respectable persons of the Protestant 
 Episcopal Church, testimonials of his piety, good morals, 
 and orderly conduct, in the following words : — 
 
 " We, whose names are hereunder written, do testify from evidence 
 satisfactory to us, that A. B., for the space of three years last past, hath 
 lived piously, soberly, and honestly, and hath not, so far as we know or 
 believe, written, taught, or held any thing contrary to the doctrine or 
 discipline of the Protestant Episcopal Church ; and, moreover, we think 
 him a person worthy to be admitted to the sacred Order of Deacons. 
 
 In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this day 
 
 of — ■, in the year of our Lord " 
 
 He shall also lay before the Standing Committee tes- 
 timonials signed by at least one respectable Presbyter of 
 the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, 
 in the followingr words : — 
 
 Testimonials to 
 Standing Com- 
 mittee, 
 
 From Minister 
 and Vestry. 
 
 Or Twelve Per- 
 sons. 
 
 Personal Testi- 
 monials. 
 
 ^ 4, Canon iv., 1856. 
 
 13 
 
Examination^ etc. ^ for Deacon^ s Orders. 
 
 '•I do certify, that A. B., for the space of three years last past, hath 
 lived piously, soberly, and honestly, and hath not, so far as I know or 
 believe, written, taught, or held any thing contrary to the doctrine or 
 discipline of the Protestant Episcopal Church ; and, moreover, I think 
 him a person worthy to be admitted to the sacred Order of Deacons. 
 This testimonial is founded on my personal knowledge of the said A. B. 
 for one year last past, and for the residue of the said time upon evidence 
 that is satisfactory to me. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my 
 hand this day of , in the year of our Lord, ." * 
 
 Substitute for 
 Testimonials 
 from Minister 
 and Vestry. 
 
 Examinations of 
 Candidates, Min- 
 isters in other 
 Denominations. 
 
 k V. But in case a candidate, from some peculiar cir- 
 cumstances not affecting his pious or moral character, 
 shall be unable to procure testimonials from the Minister 
 and vestry of the parish where he resides, the Standing 
 Committee may accept testimonials of the purport above 
 stated, from at least twelve respectable members of the 
 Protestant Episcopal Church, and from at least one 
 respectable Presbyter of the said Church, who has been 
 personally acquainted with the candidate for at least one 
 year.'' 
 
 \ VI. Candidates, who, not having Episcopal ordina- 
 tion, have been acknowledged as ordained or licensed 
 ministers in any other denomination of Christians, may, 
 at the expiration of not less than six months from their 
 admission as Candidates, be ordained Deacons, on their 
 passing the same examinations as other candidates for 
 Deacon's Orders ; and, in the examinations, special re- 
 gard shall be had to those points in which the denomina- 
 tion whence they come differs from this Church, with a 
 view of testing their information and soundness in the 
 same ; and also of ascertaining that they are adequately 
 acquainted with the Liturgy and Offices of this Church ; 
 
 "J 5, Canon iv., 1856. 
 
 •> (j 6, Canon iv., 1856. 
 
 14 
 
Canon 6 
 
 §■ 
 
 1 1 
 
 Of Deacons. 
 
 provided, that in their case the testimonials shall be re- 
 quired to cover only the time since their admission as 
 candidates for Holy Oi'ders.* 
 
 k YII. When any person, not a citizen of the United Candidate not a 
 States, who has been acknowledged as an ordained or Citizen. 
 licensed minister in any other denomination of Christians, 
 shall apply for Orders in this Church, the Bishop, to 
 whom application is made, shall require of him (in ad- 
 dition to the above qualifications) satisfactory evidence 
 that he has resided at least one year in the United States q^^ Year's R 
 previous to his application." idence. 
 
 Canon 6. 
 
 Of Deacons. 
 
 § I. Every Deacon shall be subject to the regulation 
 of the Bishop, or, if there be no Bishop, of the clerical 
 members of the Standing Committee, of the Diocese for 
 which he is ordained, until he receive letters of dismis- 
 sion therefrom to the Bishop or ecclesiastical authority 
 of some other Diocese, and be thereupon received as a 
 clergyman of such other Diocese ; and he shall officiate 
 in such places as the Bishop, or the said clerical mem- 
 bers, may direct." 
 
 Deacons subject 
 to Control of 
 Bishop, j-c. 
 
 § 11. [1.] No Deacon shall be settled over a parish, or 
 congregation, until he shall have satisfactorily passed 
 the three examinations required for Priest's Orders. 
 
 » {} 3, Canon iv., 1856. ^ ^ 8, Canon iv., 1856. <^ ^ 11, Canon iv., 1856. 
 
 Restrictions upon 
 Settlement, 
 
 15 
 
^itk I. 
 
 Canon 7. 
 
 I. , 1 1 
 
 Of Candidates for Priest's Orders, etc. 
 
 And upon Offici- [^'] ^^ Deacon shall officiate in any parish, or con- 
 
 ating. gregation, without the express consent of the Rector for 
 
 the time being, where there is a Rector ; nor in any case 
 without the assent of the Bishop ; and when officiating 
 in the parish or congregation of a Rector, he shall be en- 
 
 Suhject to the tirely subject to the direction of such Rector in all his 
 
 Rector. ministrations.* 
 
 No Transfer ^ HI- No Deacon, who shall not have passed the ex- 
 
 withont Request aminations required for Priest's Orders, shall be trans- 
 of Bishops. ferred to another Diocese without the written request of 
 
 the Bishop to whose jurisdiction he is to be transferred." 
 
 Examinations, 
 ■when to he ap- 
 plied for. 
 
 Canon 7. 
 
 Of Candidates for PriesVs Orders, and their Ordination. 
 
 § I. If any candidate for Priest's Orders shall not, 
 within three years after his admission, apply to have the 
 first and second examinations held as hereinafter pre- 
 scribed, or if he shall not, within five years from his ad- 
 mission, apply to have the third examination held, 
 (unless the Bishop, for satisfactory reasons, to him as- 
 signed, shall allow him further time,) the said person 
 shall, in either case, cease to be a candidate." 
 
 Admission 
 of Deacons, as 
 Candidates for 
 Priest's Orders. 
 
 k 11. [1.] Every Deacon of this Church'may be ad- 
 mitted, by the Bishop of the Diocese to which he belongs, 
 on the recommendation of the Standing Committee, (or, 
 where there is no Bishop, by the Standing Committee,) 
 
 16 
 
 » () 9, Canon iv., 1856. " § 10, Canon iv., 1856. ■= ^ 14, Canon v., 1856. 
 
Canon 7 
 
 §11 
 
 I V 
 
 Of Candidates for Priest's Orders, etc. 
 
 a candidate for Priest's Orders, provided he have the 
 qualifications hereinafter required. 
 
 [2.] A candidate for Deacon's Orders may, in like 
 manner, and upon the same terms, be admitted a candi- 
 date for Priest's Orders, provided he do not require the 
 dispensation hereafter allow^ed.* 
 
 k III. Every person wishing to become a candidate for 
 Priest's Orders, must lay before the Standing Committee 
 a satisfactory diploma, or other satisfactory evidence, 
 that he is a graduate of some University, or College; or 
 a certificate from two Presbyters appointed by the 
 Bishop (or, where there is no Bishop, by the clerical mem- 
 bers of the Standing Committee), to examine him, of his 
 having satisfactorily sustained an examination in Natural 
 Philosophy, Moral Philosophy, and Rhetoric, and in the 
 Grreek Testament, and the Latin tongue.^ 
 
 § IV. When a Deacon, applying to be admitted a can- 
 didate for Priest's Orders, wishes a knowledge of the 
 Latin, Grreek, and Hebrew languages, and other branches 
 of learning not strictly ecclesiastical, to be dispensed 
 with, the Standing Committee shall not recommend him 
 as a candidate, until he shall have laid before them a 
 testimonial signed by at least two Presbyters of this 
 Church, stating that, in their opinion, he possesses ex- 
 traordinary strength of natural understanding, a peculiar 
 aptitude to teach, and a large share of prudence ; and 
 the Bishop, with the consent of the Standing Committee, 
 shall have granted the dispensation. But in regard to a 
 
 Admission of 
 Candidates for 
 Deacon's Orders 
 as Candidates for 
 Priesfs Orders. 
 
 Qualifica'.inns. 
 Diploma. 
 
 Certificate of 
 Examination. 
 
 Dispensation 
 from Latin, 
 
 (J 1, Canon v., 1856, 
 
 '' ^ 3, Canon v.. 1856. 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 7 
 
 V. -VII, 
 
 Of Candidates for Priesfs Orders, etc. 
 
 Hebrew. 
 
 Period of Cundi- 
 dateship. 
 
 Period of Pre- 
 vious Study al- 
 lowed Candidates 
 from other De- 
 nominations. 
 
 Not to exceed two 
 Years. 
 
 Three Examina- 
 tions/or Priest's 
 Orders. 
 
 First. 
 
 knowledge of the Hebrew language, in all cases the 
 Bishop shall have the sole discretion of dispensation." 
 
 § V, If, after obtaining the canonical testimonials 
 from the Standing Committee, the person be admitted 
 as a candidate, he shall remain a candidate for the term 
 of three years before his ordination as Priest, unless the 
 Bishop, with the consent of the Standing Committee, 
 shall deem it expedient to ordain the candidate after the 
 expiration of a shorter period, not less than one year.'' 
 
 k VI. Every person who has been a candidate for the 
 ministry of any other denomination, and has been re- 
 ceived as a candidate for Priest's Orders in this Church, 
 may be allowed, by the Bishop, with the consent of the 
 members of the Standing Committee, the period of time 
 during which he has been a student of theology or can- 
 didate in such other denomination, provided the time so 
 allowed does not exceed two years." 
 
 § VII. [1.] There shall be assigned to every candidate 
 for Priest's Orders, three different examinations, at such 
 times and places as the Bishop to whom he applies for 
 Holy Orders shall appoint. The examination shall take 
 place in the presence of the Bishop and two or more 
 Presbyters, on the following studies prescribed by the 
 Canons, and by the course of study established by the 
 House of Bishops. The first examination shall be on 
 the books of Scripture, the candidate being required to 
 sive an account of the different books, to translate from 
 
 ' ^ 4 Canon v., 1856. •> <J 5, Canon v., 1856. ' () 6, Canon v., 1856 
 
Canon 7. 
 
 § VII I 
 
 Of Candidates for Priest's Orders, etc. 
 
 the original Greek and Hebrew, and to explain such 
 passages as may be proposed to him. The second ex- 
 amination shall be on the evidences of Christianity and 
 systematic Divinity : and the last examination shall be 
 on Church History, Ecclesiastical Polity, the Book of 
 Common Prayer, and the Constitution and Canons of the 
 Church, and of the Diocese for which he is to be or- 
 dained. In the choice of books on the above subjects, 
 the candidate is to be guided by the course of study 
 established by the House of Bishops. At each of the 
 forementioned examinations, he shall produce and read 
 a sermon or discourse, composed by himself, on some 
 passage of Scripture, previously assigned to him, which, 
 together with two other sermons or discourses on some 
 passage or passages of Scripture selected by himself, shall 
 be submitted to the criticisms of the Bishop and clergy 
 present: and before his ordination he shall be required 
 to perform such exercises in reading in the presence of 
 the Bishop and clergy, as may enable them to give him 
 such advice and instructions as may aid him in perform- 
 ing the services of the Church, and delivering his ser- 
 mons with propriety and devotion. 
 
 [2.] Such examinations may take place either before 
 or after the admission of the candidate to Deacon's 
 Orders. Nothing in this Canon shall be construed to 
 require any person who has already passed any exami- 
 nation to repeat the same.* 
 
 § Vin. The Bishop may appoint some of his Presby- 
 ters to conduct the above examinations, and a certificate 
 
 » () 11, Canon v., 1856. 
 
 Second. 
 Third. 
 
 Sermons. 
 
 Exercises in 
 Reading. 
 
 Period of Exam- 
 inations. 
 
 No Repetition. 
 
 Appointment of, 
 and Certificate by, 
 Examining Pres- 
 byters. 
 
 19 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 7 . 
 
 § I X . - X I 
 
 Bishop's Exam- 
 ination. 
 
 Standing Com- 
 mittee, when to 
 act. 
 
 Re - examination 
 in such Case. 
 
 Title for Orders. 
 
 Learning of 
 Priests. 
 
 20 
 
 Of Candidates for Priesfs Orders, etc. 
 
 from these Presbyters, that the prescribed examinations 
 have been held accordingly, and satisfaction given, shall 
 be required of the candidate : provided that, in this case, 
 the candidate shall, before his ordination, be examined 
 by the Bishop, and two or more Presbyters, on the above 
 studies." 
 
 S IX. In a Diocese where there is no Bishop, the 
 Standing Committee shall act in his place, in appointing 
 the examining Presbyters required by this Canon. And 
 in this case, the candidate shall again be examined by 
 the Bishop to whom he applies for Holy Orders, and two 
 or more Presbyters, on the studies prescribed by the 
 Canons.'' 
 
 k X. No person shall be ordained Priest unless he shall 
 produce to the Bishop a satisfactory certificate from 
 some Church, Parish, or Congregation, that he is en- 
 gaged with them, and that they will receive him as 
 their minister : or, unless he be a missionary under the 
 ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese to which he be- 
 longs, or in the employment of some Missionary Society 
 recognized by the General Convention ; or unless he be 
 engaged as a professor, tutor, or instructor of youth in 
 some college, academy, or other seminary of learning, 
 duly incorporated." 
 
 § XI. No person shall be ordained Priest in this 
 Church until he shall have satisfied the Bishop and 
 Presbyters by whom he shall be examined, that he is 
 
 » (j 12, Oanon t., 1856. •> (j 13, Canon v., 1856. <= (J 10, Canon v, 1856. 
 
Of Candidates for Priesfs Orders, etc. 
 
 well acquainted with the Holy Scriptures, can read the 
 Old Testament in the Hebrew language, and the New 
 Testament in the original Greek ; is adequately ac- 
 quainted with the Latin tongue, and that he hath a 
 competent knowledge of natural and moral philosophy, 
 and of Church history, and hath paid attention to com- 
 position and pulpit eloquence, as a means of giving 
 additional efficiency to his labors ; unless the Bishop, 
 with the consent of the Standing Committee of his 
 Diocese, shall have dispensed with the knowledge of the 
 Latin and Grreek languages, and other branches of 
 knowledge not strictly ecclesiastical, in consideration of 
 such other qualifications for the Gospel ministry as are 
 set forth in Section IV. of this Canon. The dispensation 
 with the knowledge of the Hebrew language, to be re- 
 garded as in that Section.* 
 
 Dispensation. 
 
 § XH. No person shall be ordained a Priest in this 
 Church until he shall have exhibited to the Bishop tes- 
 timonials from the Standing Committee of the Diocese 
 for which he is to be ordained, which shall be signed by 
 the names of a majority of all the Committee, the Com- 
 mittee being duly convened, and shall be in the following 
 words : — " 
 
 Testimonials 
 from Standing. 
 Committee. 
 
 " We, whose names are underwritten, members of the Standing 
 
 Committee of the Diocese of , do testify that A. B. hath laid 
 
 before us satisfactory testimonials, that, for the space of three years last 
 past, he hath lived piously, soberly, and lionestly, and hath not written, 
 taught, or held any thing contrary to the doctrine or discipline of the 
 Protestant Episcopal Church ; and, moi'eover, we think him a person 
 worthy to be admitted to the sacred Order of Priests. In witness where- 
 
 Canon v, 1856. 
 
 b (^ 7, Canon v., 1856. 
 
 21 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 7 . 
 
 XIII 
 
 Of Candidates for Pi'iesfs Or^ders, etc. 
 
 -, in the 
 
 Testimonials 
 to Standing Com- 
 mittee from Min- 
 ister and Vestry. 
 
 of, we have hereunto set our hands this day of - 
 
 year of our Lord ." 
 
 ^ XJII. But before the Standing Committee shall pro- 
 ceed to recommend any candidate, as aforesaid, to the 
 Bishop, such candidate shall produce from the Minister 
 and Vestry of the parish where he resides, or, if the 
 parish be vacant, or if the applicant be the minister of 
 the parish (a Deacon desirous of Priest's orders), from 
 the Vestry alone, testimonials of his piety, good morals, 
 and orderly conduct, in the following words : — 
 
 Personal 
 monials. 
 
 Testi- 
 
 " We, whose names are hereunder written, do testify that A. B., for the 
 space of three years last past, hath lived piously, soberly, and honestly, 
 and hath not, so far as we know or believe, written, taught, or held any 
 thing contrary to the doctrine or discipline of the Protestant Episcopal 
 Church ; and, moreover, we think him a person worthy to bo admitted 
 to the sacred Order of Priests. In witness whereof, we have hereunto set 
 our hands this day of , in the year of our Lord 
 
 He shall also lay before the Standing Committee tes- 
 timonials signed by at least one respectable Presbyter of 
 the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States, in 
 the following form : — 
 
 " I do certify, that A. B., for the space of three years last past, has 
 lived piously, soberly, and honestly, and has not, so far as I know or 
 believe, written, taught, or held any thing contrary to the doctrine or 
 discipline of the Protestant Episcopal Church ; and, moreover, I think 
 him a person woi-thy to be admitted to the sacred Order of Deacons. 
 This testimonial is founded on my personal knowledge of the said A. B. 
 for one year last past, and for the residue of the said time upon evidence 
 that is satisfactory to me. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 
 hand this day of , in the year of our Lord 
 
 22 
 
 =■ () 5, Canon iv., 1856. 
 
Canon 8. 
 
 Of Miiiisters Officiating in a Foreign Language. 
 
 Under the circumstances mentioned in Section V. of 
 said Canon 5, or if there should be no vestry, the cer- 
 tificate provided for in that Section may be substituted 
 for the one above mentioned." 
 
 § XIV. In the case of a candidate for Priest's Orders, 
 who has been ordained a Deacon within three years pre- 
 ceding, the testimonials may be so altered as to extend 
 to such portion only of the three years preceding his ap- 
 plication for Priest's Orders, as have elapsed since his 
 ordination as Deacon ; and the Standing Committee 
 shall allow the testimonials so altered the same effect as 
 if in the form prescribed, and shall sign their own testi- 
 monial, in such altered form, with the same effect as if 
 in the form prescribed, unless some circumstance shall 
 have occurred that tends to invalidate the force of the 
 evidence on which the candidate was ordained Deacon.^ 
 
 Substitution al- 
 lowed. 
 
 Alteration as tn 
 Time. 
 
 Canon 8. 
 
 Of Ministers Officiating in a Foreign Language. 
 
 When a clergyman, coming from a foreign country, 
 and professing to be regularly ordained, shall be called 
 to a Church of this communion, in which Divine Service 
 is celebrated in a foreign language, he may, with the 
 approbation of the Bishop of the Diocese in which such 
 Church is situated, acting with the advice and consent 
 of the Standing Committee, or with the unanimous con- 
 sent of the Standing Committee if there be no Bishop, 
 and, on complying with the other requisitions of the 
 
 ' () 8, Canon v.. 1856. 
 
 t i) 9, Canon v., 1856. 
 
 Ministers Offici- 
 ating in a For- 
 eign Language. 
 
 23 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 9 
 
 May settle. 
 
 Ministers or- 
 dained by Bish- 
 ops not in Com- 
 munion with 
 this Church. 
 
 May be received. 
 
 24 
 
 Of the Admission of Ministers, etc. 
 
 Canons, settle in the said Church, as the minister thereof, 
 without having resided one year in the United States, 
 any thing in these Canons to the contrary notwithstand- 
 ing.' 
 
 Canon 9. 
 
 Of the Admission of Ministers ordained by Bishops not 
 in Communion with this Church. 
 
 When a Deacon or Priest ordained by a Bishop not in 
 communion with this Church, shall apply to a Bishop 
 for admission into the same as a minister thereof, he 
 shall produce a written certificate from at least two 
 Presbyters of this Church stating, that from personal 
 knowledge of the party, or satisfactory evidence laid 
 before them, they believe that his desire to leave the 
 communion to which he has belonged, has not arisen 
 from any circumstance unfavorable to his moral or reli- 
 gious character, or on account of which it may be inex- 
 pedient to admit him to the exercise of the ministry in 
 this Church ; and he shall also, not less than six months 
 after his application, in the presence of the Bishop and 
 two or more Presbyters, subscribe the declaration con- 
 tained in Article VII. of the Constitution ; which being 
 done, the Bishop, being satisfied of his theological ac- 
 quirements, may receive him as such minister." 
 
 » Canon xxiv., 1832. 
 
 b Canon x., 1841. 
 
Canon 10. 
 
 §1 
 
 Of Ministers ordained in Foreign Countries, etc. 
 
 Canon 10. 
 
 Of Ministers ordained in Foreign Countries by Bishops 
 in Communion ivith this Church. 
 
 k I. A clergyman coming from a foreign country, and 
 professing to have been ordained out of the United 
 States by a foreign Bishop in communion with this 
 Church, or by a Bishop consecrated for a foreign country 
 by Bishops of this Church under Article X. of the Con- 
 stitution, or by a Missionary Bishop elected to exercise 
 Episcopal functions in any place or places out of the 
 United States, shall, before he be permitted to officiate 
 in any parish or congregation, exhibit to the minister, 
 or if there be no minister to the Vestry thereof, a certi- 
 ficate signed by the Bishop of the Diocese, or if there 
 be no Bishop by the Standing Committee duly convened, 
 that his letters of Holy Orders are authentic, and given 
 by some Bishop in communion with this Church, and 
 verbose authority is acknowledged by this Church ; and 
 also that he has exhibited to the Bishop or Standing 
 Committee satisfactory evidence of his pious and moral 
 character, and of his theological acquirements ; and in 
 any case, before he shall be permitted to settle in any 
 Church or Parish, or be received into union with any 
 Diocese of this Church as a minister thereof, he shall 
 produce to the Bishop, or if there be no Bishop to the 
 Standing Committee thereof, a letter of dismission from 
 under the hand and seal of the Bishop with whose Dio- 
 cese he has been last connected ; which letter shall be, 
 in substance, that provided for in Section VII. of Canon 
 12 of this Title, and shall be delivered within six months 
 
 Ministers Or- 
 dained in Fo- 
 reign Countries 
 by Bishops in 
 Communion 
 with this Church. 
 
 Certificate. 
 
 Letter Dimisso- 
 ry. 
 
 25 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 10 
 
 1 1 
 
 Of Ministers ordained in Foreign Countries^ etc. 
 
 from the date thereof ; and when such clergyman shall 
 have been so received, he shall be considered as having 
 passed entirely from the jurisdiction of the Bishop from 
 whom the letter of dismission was brought, to the full juris- 
 diction of the Bishop or other ecclesiastical authority by 
 whom it shall have been accepted, and become thereby 
 subject to all the canonical provisions of this Church ; 
 Subscription. Provided, that no such clergyman shall be so received 
 into union with any Diocese until he shall have sub- 
 scribed, in the presence of the Bishop of the Diocese in 
 which he applies for reception, and of two or more Pres- 
 byters, the declaration contained in Article VII. of the 
 Constitution ; which being done, said Bishop or Standing 
 Committee, being satisfied of his theological acquire- 
 ments, may receive him into union with this Church as 
 Res- a minister of the same ; Provided, also, that such minis- 
 ter shall not be entitled to settle in any Parish or Church, 
 as canonically in charge of the same, until he shall have 
 resided one year in the United States subsequent to the 
 acceptance of his letter of dismission. 
 
 One Year's 
 idence. 
 
 Foreign Dea- ^ H- -A-nd if such foreign clergyman be a Deacon, he 
 
 cons. shall reside in this country at least three years, and ob- 
 
 tain in this country the requisite testimonials of charac- 
 ter, before he be ordained a Priest,* 
 
 » Canon ix., 1844. 
 
 20 
 
Of Pcrso7is not Ministers officiating 
 
 Canon 11. 
 
 Of Persons not Ministers officiating. 
 
 § I. No person shall be permitted to officiate in any 
 congregation of this Church without first producing the 
 evidence of his being a Minister thereof to the Minister, 
 or, in case of vacancy or a,bsence, to the Church war- 
 dens, vestrymen, or trustees of the congregation.^ 
 
 § II. No Minister shall officiate transiently in a va- 
 cant Parish, or in one the Rector or Minister of which 
 is sick or absent, unless the Wardens or Vestry are sat- 
 isfied he is at the time a Minister in good and regular 
 standing. When from another Diocese, letters com- 
 mendatory from the ecclesiastical authority thereof may 
 be required.'' 
 
 Canon 12. 
 
 General Regulations of Ministers and their Duties. 
 
 ^ I. [1.] It is hereby required, that on the election of a 
 Minister into any Church or Parish, the Vestry shall de- 
 liver, or cause to be delivered, to the Bishop, or where 
 there is no Bishop to the Standing Committee of the 
 Diocese, notice of the same, in the following form, or 
 to this effect : — 
 
 " We, the Church Wardens (or, in case of an Assistant Minister, We, 
 the Rector and Church Wardens), do certify to the Right Rev. (naming 
 the Bishop), or to the Rev. {naming the President of the Standing Com- 
 mittee), that {naming the person) has been duly chosen Rector {or Assist- 
 ant Minister, as the case may be) of {naming the Parish or Church). 
 
 Evidence of be- 
 ing a Minister 
 to be furnished. 
 
 The Consent ne- 
 cessary for Offi- 
 ciating. 
 
 Election and In- 
 stitution of Min- 
 isters. 
 
 * Canon xxxvi., 1832. 
 
 >> ij 5, Canon vii., 1856. 
 
 Certificate of 
 Election. 
 
 27 
 
title I. 
 
 C A NON 1 2, 
 
 §" 
 
 General Regulations of Ministers^ etc. 
 
 Certificate to he 
 transmitted for 
 Record. 
 
 Concerning In- 
 stitution. 
 
 Certificate to 
 Minister remov- 
 ing from one to 
 another Diocese. 
 
 Which certificate shall oe signed by the names of 
 those who certify. 
 
 [2.] If the Bishop or the Standing Committee he 
 satisfied that the person so chosen is a qualified Minister 
 of this Church, the Bishop, or the President of the Stand- 
 ing Committee, shall transmit the said certificate to the 
 Secretary of the Convention, who shall record it in a 
 book to be kept by him for that purpose." 
 
 [3.] And if the Minister be a Presbyter, the Bishop, 
 or President of the Standing Committee, may, at the 
 instance of the Vestry, proceed to have him instituted 
 according to 1he Oflice established by this Church, if 
 that Office be used in the Diocese. But if he be a 
 Deacon, the act of Institution shall not take place until 
 after he shall have received Priest's Orders. This pro- 
 vision, concerning the use of the Office of Institution, is 
 not to be considered as applying to any congregation des- 
 titute of a house of worship." 
 
 \^ [I. No Minister, removing from one Diocese or 
 Missionary District to another, shall officiate as the Rec- 
 tor, Stated Minister, or Assistant Minister of any Parish 
 or Congresjation of the Diocese or District to which he 
 removes, until he shall have obtained from the eccle- 
 siastical authority a certificate in the words following : 
 
 " I hereby certify that the Rev. A. B. has been canonically transfer- 
 red to ray jurisdiction, and is a Minister in regular standing. 
 
 ^ ij 2, Canon vii., 1856. " ^ 3, Canon vii., 1856. 
 
 <^ H, Canon vii., 1856. 
 
 28 
 
Canon 12 
 
 §111-, 
 
 IV 
 
 General Regulations of Ministers^ etc. 
 
 k III. The Alms and Contributions at the administra- 
 tion of the Holy Communion shall be deposited with the 
 Minister of the Parish, or with such Church officer as 
 shall be appointed by him, to be applied by the Minister, 
 or under his superintendence, to such pious and chari- 
 table uses as shall by him be thought fit." 
 
 k IV. [1.] It shall be the duty of Ministers to prepare 
 young persons and others for the holy ordinance of Con- 
 firmation. And on notice being received from the Bishop 
 of his intention to visit any Church, which notice shall 
 be at least one month before the intended visitation, the 
 Minister shall give immediate notice to his parishioners, 
 individually, as opportunity may offer, and also to the 
 Congregation on the first occasion of public worship after 
 the receipt of said notice. And he shall be ready to 
 present for Confirmation such persons as he shall think 
 properly qualified, and shall deliver to the Bishop a list 
 of the names of those confirmed. 
 
 [2.] And at every visiiation it shall be the duty of the 
 Minister, and of the Church Wardens or Vestry, to give 
 information to the Bishop of the state of the Congrega- 
 tion, under such heads as shall have been committed to 
 them in the notice given as aforesaid. 
 
 [3.] And further, the Ministers and Churchwardens 
 of such congregations as cannot be conveniently visited 
 in any year, shall bring or send to the Bishop, at the 
 stated meeting of the Convention of the Diocese, in- 
 formation of the state of the congregation, under such 
 
 » Canon lii., 1832. 
 
 Alms and Con- 
 tributions. 
 
 Duty on Episco- 
 pal Visitations. 
 
 One Mont It's 
 Notice. 
 
 List of Names. 
 
 Duty to give In- 
 formation. 
 
 Parochial Re- 
 ports. 
 
 29 
 
Parish Register 
 to he kept. 
 
 Register of Bap- 
 tisms. 
 
 List of Families. 
 
 Offi^ciating of 
 Ministers within 
 the Cures of 
 others. 
 
 Parish Bounda- 
 ries,not otherwise 
 defined. 
 
 30 
 
 General Regulations of Minister's, etc. 
 
 heads as shall have been committed to thera at least one 
 month before the meeting of the Convention.* 
 
 ^ V. [1.] Every Minister of this Church shall keep a 
 register of baptisms, confirmations, communicants, mar- 
 riages, and funerals, within his cure, agreeably to such 
 rules as may be provided by the Convention of the 
 Diocese where his cure lies; and if none such be pro- 
 vided, then in such manner as in his discretion he shall 
 think best suited to the uses of such a register. 
 
 [2.] The intention of the Register of Baptisms is 
 hereby declared to be, as for other good uses, so espe- 
 cially for the proving of the right of the Churohmem- 
 bership of those who may have been admitted into this 
 Church by the holy ordinance of Baptism. 
 
 [3.] Every Minister of this Church shall make out 
 and continue, as far as practicable, a list of all families 
 and adult persons within his cure, to remain for the 
 use of his successor, to be continued by him, and by 
 every future Minister in the same parish.^ 
 
 ^ VI. [1.] No Minister belonging to this Church shall 
 officiate, either by preaching, reading prayers, or other- 
 wise, in the parish, or within the parochial cure, of an- 
 other clergyman, unless he have received express per- 
 mission for that purpose from the Minister of the parish 
 or cure, or, in his absence, from the Churchwardens and 
 Vestrymen, or Trustees of the Congregation, or a ma- 
 jority of them. 
 
 [2.] Where parish boundaries are not defined by law, 
 or settled by Diocesan authority under the second Section 
 
 Canon xxvi., 1832. 
 
 b Canon xxix., 1832. 
 
Canon 12. 
 
 § VI 
 
 General Regulations of Ministers^ etc. 
 
 of Canon V. of Title III. of this Digest, or are not other- 
 wise settled, they shall, for the purposes of this Section, 
 be defined by the civil divisions of the State as follows : 
 
 Parochial boundaries shall be the limits, as now fixed 
 by law, of any village, town, township, incorporated 
 borough, city, or the limits of some division thereof 
 which may have been recognized by the Bishop, acting 
 with the advice and consent of the Standing Committee, 
 as constituting the boundaries of a parish. 
 
 If there be but one church or congregation within the 
 limits of such village, town, township, borough, city, or 
 such division of a city or town as herein provided, the 
 same shall be deemed the parochial cure of the Minister 
 having charge thereof. If there be two or more congre- 
 gations or churches therein, it shall be deemed the cure 
 of the Ministers thereof ; and the assent of a majority of 
 such Ministers shall be necessary. 
 
 When, under Diocesan authority, a new parish is con- 
 stituted, and its boundaries defined, this Section shall be 
 applicable to the same as so established, 
 
 [3.] If any Minister of the Church, from inability or 
 any other cause, neglect to perform the regular services 
 in his Congregation, and refuse, without good cause, his 
 consent to any other Minister of the Church to officiate 
 within his Cure, the Churchwardens, Vestrymen, or 
 Trustees of such Congregation shall, on proof of such 
 neglect or refusal before the Bishop of the Diocese, or if 
 there be no Bishop before the Standing Committee, or 
 before snch persons as may be deputed by him or them, 
 or before such persons as may be, by the regulations of 
 this Church in any Diocese, vested with the power of 
 
 To he certain 
 Civil Divisions 
 of the State. 
 
 Recognized by 
 the Bishop. 
 
 If but ane 
 Church. 
 
 If two or more 
 Churches. 
 
 A neiv Parish. 
 
 Neglect of Min- 
 ister. 
 
 31 
 
Rig fits of Prop- 
 erty undisturbed. 
 
 Of Clerical Resi- 
 dence and Remo- 
 val. 
 
 Letter Dimissory. 
 
 When to affect 
 canonical Resi- 
 dence. 
 
 When void. 
 
 S2 
 
 General Regulations of Ministers^ etc. 
 
 hearing and deciding on complaints against Clergymen, 
 have power, with the written consent of the before-men- 
 tioned authority, to open the doors of their Church to 
 any regular Minister of the Protestant Episcopal Church. 
 [4.] This Canon shall not affect any legal rights of 
 property of any parish. 
 
 h VII. [1.] A Minister of this Church removing within 
 the jurisdiction of any Bishop or other ecclesiastical 
 authority, shall, in order to gain canonical residence 
 within the same, present to said ecclesiastical authority, 
 a testimonial from the ecclesiastical authority of the 
 Diocese or Missionary District in which he last resided, 
 which testimonial shall set forth his true standing and 
 character. The testimonial may be in the following 
 words : — 
 
 " I hereby certify, that A. B., who has signified to me his desire to be 
 
 transferred to the ecclesiastical authority of , is a Presbyter (or 
 
 Deacon) of , in regular standing, and has not, so far as I know or 
 
 believe, been justly liable to evil report, for error in religion or vicious- 
 ness of life, for three years last past." 
 
 [2.] All such testimonials shall be called Letters Dimis- 
 sory. No such letter shall affect a Minister's canonical 
 residence, until, after having been presented according 
 to its address, it shall have been accepted, and notifica- 
 tion of such acceptance given to the authority whence it 
 proceeded. The residence of the Minister so transferred 
 shall date from the acceptance of his letter of transfer. 
 If not presented within three months after its date, it 
 may be considered as void by the authority whence it 
 proceeded; and shall be so considered, unless it be pre- 
 sented within six months. 
 
Canon 1 2, 
 
 §VII 
 
 General Regulations of Ministers^ etc. 
 
 [3.] If a Minister, removing into another Diocese, who 
 has been called to take charge of a parish or congrega- 
 tion, shall present a testimonial in the form aforesaid, it 
 shall be the duty of the ecclesiastical authority of the 
 Diocese to which he has removed, to accept it, unless the 
 Bishop or Standing Committee should have heard ru- 
 mors, that he or they believe to be well founded, against 
 the character of the Minister concerned, which would 
 form a proper ground of canonical inquiry and present- 
 ment ; in which case the ecclesiastical authority shall 
 communicate the same to the Bishop or Standing Com- 
 mittee of the Diocese to whose jurisdiction the said Min- 
 ister belongs ; and, in such case, it shall not be the duty 
 of the ecclesiastical authority to accept the testimonial, 
 unless, and until, the Minister shall be exculpated from 
 the said charges. 
 
 [4.] It shall be the duty of all Ministers, except pro- 
 fessors in the Greneral Theological Seminary, officers of 
 the Board of Missions, and chaplains in the army and 
 navy, to obtain and present letters of transfer as above 
 described, whenever they remove from one Diocese or 
 Missionary District to any other Diocese or Missionary 
 District, whether Domestic or Foreign, and remain there 
 for the space of six months.* 
 
 When Reception 
 may be Refused. 
 
 When Letters 
 Dimissory are 
 not required. 
 
 33 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 13 
 
 Election of 
 Bishops. 
 
 Six Presbyters 
 and six Parishes. 
 
 Turn or more 
 Dioceses uniting. 
 
 Dioceses imcon- 
 ntcted. 
 
 What IS a Settle- 
 ment. 
 
 Canon 13. 
 
 Of Bishops. 
 
 ^ I. [1.] To entitle a Diocese to the choice of a Bishop, 
 by the Convention thereof, there must he, at the time of 
 such choice, and have been during the year previous, at 
 least six officiating Presbyters therein, regularly settled 
 in a Parish, or Church, and qualified to vote for a Bishop, 
 and six or more Parishes represented in the Convention 
 electing. But two or more adjoining Dioceses, not 
 having respectively the requisite number of Presbyters 
 to entitle either to the choice of a Bishop, may associate 
 and proceed to the choice of a Bishop, to exercise juris- 
 diction alike in each of the associated Dioceses, if there 
 be, at the time of such choice, and have been during the 
 year previous, nine, or more, such Presbyters residing in 
 any part of such associated Dioceses, qualified as afore- 
 said ; and the Bishop, so elected, shall exercise Episcopal 
 jurisdiction over each of the associated Dioceses, until 
 such time as some one of such Dioceses, having six or 
 more Presbyters canonically qualified to elect a Bishop, 
 shall elect him, and he shall have accepted the office as 
 its own exclusive Diocesan ; whereupon, his connection 
 with the other associated Diocese or Dioceses shall cease 
 and determine : Provided, always, that the Dioceses thus 
 associated in the election of a common Bishop, and the 
 conventions thereof, shall, in all other respects, remain as 
 before, unconnected and independent of each other ; and 
 Provided, also, that such association shall be dissolved 
 on the demise of the Bishop, if not before. 
 
 [2.] A Minister is settled, for all purposes here or else- 
 where mentioned in these Canons, who has been en- 
 gaged permanently by any Parish, according to the rules 
 of said Diocese, or for any term not less than one year." 
 
 34 
 
 Canon vi., 1856. ^ Canon ii., 1844. 
 
Canon 13 
 
 §■■ 
 
 Of Bishops. 
 
 \ II. [1.] Every Bishop elect, before his consecration, 
 shall produce to the House of Bishops, from the Conven- 
 tion by whom he is elected, evidence of such election ; 
 and, from the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies in 
 General Convention, evidence of their approbation of his 
 testimonials, and of their assent to his consecration : and 
 also certificates, respectively, in the following words ; 
 such certificates, in both cases, to be signed by a consti- 
 tutional majority of the members of the Diocesan Con- 
 vention, or of the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies, 
 as the case may be. The same evidence of election by, 
 and the same certificate from, the members of the Dio- 
 cesan Convention, shall be presented to the House of 
 Clerical and Lay Deputies in Greneral Convention. 
 
 Testimony from the Members of the Convention in the Diocese from whence 
 the Person is recommended for Consecration. 
 " We, whose names are underwritten, fully sensible how important it 
 is that the sacred office of a Bishop should not be unworthily conferi'ed, 
 and firmly persuaded that it is our duty to bear testimony on this solemn 
 occasion, without partiality or affection, do, in the presence of Almighty 
 God, testify that A. B. is not, so far as we are informed, justly liable to 
 evil report, either for error in religion, or for viciousness in life, and that 
 we do not know or believe there is any impediment, on account of whidi 
 he ought not to be consecrated to that holy Office. We do, moreover, 
 jointly and severally, declare that we do, in our conscience, believe him 
 to be of such sufficiency in good learning, such soundness in the faith, 
 and of such virtuous and pure manners, and godly conversation, that he 
 is apt and meet to exercise the Office of a Bishop to the honor of God, 
 and the edifying of His Church, and to be a wholesome example to the 
 flock of Christ." 
 
 The above certificate shall be presented to the House 
 of Clerical and Lay Deputies in General Convention. 
 
 Testimony from the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies in General 
 
 Convention. 
 " We, whose names are underwritten, fully sensible how important it 
 is that the sacred Office of a Bishop should not be unworthily conferred, 
 
 Certificates to he\ 
 produced by the 
 Bishop elect. 
 
 Testimony from 
 Diocesan Con- 
 vention. 
 
 Testimony from 
 House of Cleri-, 
 cal and Lay Dep 
 iities. 
 
 35 
 
Consecrat/o'n. 
 
 Consecration du- 
 rins; Recess. 
 
 Consent of 
 Standing Com- 
 mittees. 
 
 Consent of 
 Bishops. 
 
 36 
 
 Of Bishrqjs. 
 
 and firmly persuaded that it is our duty to bear testimony, on this 
 solemn occasion, without partiality or affection, do, in the presence of 
 Almighty God, testify that A. B. is not, so far as we are informed, justly 
 liable to evil report, either for error in religion, or for vieiousness of 
 life ; and that we do not know or believe there is any impediment, on 
 account of which he ought not to be consecrated to that holy Office, but 
 that he hath, as we believe, led his life, for three years last past, piously, 
 soberly, and honestly." 
 
 [2.] If the House of Bishops consent to the consecra- 
 tion, the Presiding Bishop, with any two Bishops, may 
 proceed to perform the same, or any three Bishops to 
 whom he may communicate the testimonials.* 
 
 ^ III. [1.] If, during the recess of the G-eneral Con- 
 vention, tlie Church in any Diocese should be desirous of 
 the consecration of a Bishop elect, the Standing Com- 
 mittee of the Church in such Diocese may, by their pres- 
 ident, or by some person or persons specially appointed, 
 communicate the desire to the Standing Committees of 
 the Churches in the different Dioceses, together with 
 copies of the necessary testimonials ; and if the major 
 number of the Standing Committees shall consent to the 
 proposed consecration, the Standing Committee of the 
 Diocese concerned shall forward the evidence of such 
 consent, together with other testimonials, to the Presid- 
 ing Bishop of the House of Bishops, or, in case of his 
 death, to the Bishop who, according to the rules of the 
 House of Bishops, is to preside at the next General Con- 
 vention, who shall communicate the same to all the 
 Bishops of this Church in the United States ; and if a 
 majority of the Bishops consent to the consecration, the 
 Presiding Bishop or Bishop aforesaid, with any two Bish- 
 
 ^ Canon iii., 1832. 
 
Canon 
 
 I V . - V 1 
 
 Of Bishops. 
 
 ops, may proceed to perforin the same, or any three Bish- 
 ops to whom he may communicate the testimonials. 
 
 [2.] The evidence of the consent of the different Stand- 
 ing Committees shall be in the form prescribed for the 
 House of Clerical and Lay Deputies in G-eneral Conven- 
 tion ; and, without the aforesaid requisites, no consecra- 
 tion shall take place during the recess of the General 
 Convention ; but in case the election of a Bishop shall 
 take place within six months before the meeting of the 
 General Convention, all matters relative to the consecra- 
 tion shall be deferred until the said meeting." 
 
 ^ IV. No man shall be consecrated a Bishop of this 
 Church until he shall be thirty years old.'' 
 
 ^ V. When a Bishop of a Diocese is unable, by reason 
 of old age, or other permanent cause of infirmity, to dis- 
 charge his Episcopal duties, one Assistant Bishop may 
 be elected by and for the said Diocese, who shall, in all 
 cases, succeed the Bishop in case of surviving him. The 
 Assistant Bishop shall perform such Episcopal duties, and 
 exercise such Episcopal authority in the Diocese, as the 
 Bishop shall assign to him ; and, in case of the Bishop's 
 inability to assign such duties, declared by the Conven- 
 tion of the Diocese, the Assistant Bishop shall, during 
 such inability, perform all the duties, and exercise all 
 the authorities which appertain to the oflSce of a Bishop. 
 No person shall be elected or consecrated a Suffragan 
 Bishop, nor shall there be more than one Assistant Bishop 
 in a Diocese at the same time." 
 
 § VI. A Diocese deprived of the services of its Bishop 
 
 » Canon v., 1832. "^ Canon viii., 1832. <^ Canon vi., 1832. 
 
 Evidence of 
 Consent. 
 
 No Consecration 
 within six 
 Months. 
 
 Age. 
 
 Assistant Bish- 
 ops. 
 
 No Suffragayi 
 Bishops. 
 
 Provisional 
 
 Bishops. 
 
 37 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 13 
 
 VII 
 
 Assistant, on 
 Restoration of 
 suspended 
 Bishop. 
 
 Of Domestic Mis- 
 sionary Bishops. 
 
 Mode and Evi- 
 dence of Election. 
 
 Exercise of Epis- 
 copal Functions. 
 
 38 
 
 Of Bishops. 
 
 by a sentence of suspension without a precise limitation 
 of time, may proceed to the election of a Provisional 
 Bishop, who, when duly consecrated, shall exercise all 
 the powers and authority of the Bishop of the Diocese 
 ■ during the suspension of such Bishop ; and who, in case 
 of the remission of the sentence of the Bishop, and his 
 restoration to the exercise of his jurisdiction, shall per- 
 form the duties of Assistant Bishop prescribed by the 
 fifth Section of this Canon ; and who in all cases shall 
 succeed to the Bishop on his death or resignation.* 
 
 § Vn. [1.] The House of Clerical and Lay Deputies 
 may, from time to time, on nomination by the House of 
 Bishops, elect a suitable person or persons, to be a Bishop 
 or Bishops of this Church, to exercise Episcopal functions 
 in States or Territories not organized into Dioceses, The 
 evidence of such election shall be a certificate, to be sub- 
 scribed by a constitutional majority of said House of 
 Clerical and Lay Deputies, in the form required by the 
 second section of this Canon to be given by the members 
 of Diocesan Conventions on the recommendation of Bish«- 
 ops elect for consecration, which certificate shall be pro- 
 duced to the House of Bishops ; and if the House of 
 Bishops shall consent to the consecration, they may take 
 order for that purpose. 
 
 [2.] The Bishop or Bishops so elected and consecrated, 
 shall exercise Episcopal functions in such States and Ter- 
 ritories, in conformity with the Constitution and Canons 
 of the Church, and under such regulations and instruc- 
 tions, not inconsistent therewith, as the House of Bishops 
 
 » Canon iii., 1850. 
 
Canon 13 
 
 ^ VII 
 
 Of Bishojis. 
 
 may prescribe ; and the House of Bishops may at any 
 time increase or diminish the number of States or Terri- 
 tories over which the said Bishop or Bishops shall exercise 
 Episcopal functions. 
 
 [3.] In case of the death or resignation of a Missionary 
 BLshop, or of vacancy by other cause, the charge of 
 the vacant Missionary Episcopate shall devolve on the 
 senior Bishop of this Church, with the power of appoint- 
 ing some other Bishop as his substitute in said charge. 
 
 [4.] The jurisdiction of this Church extending in right, 
 though not always in form, to all persons belonging to 
 it within the United States, it is hereby enacted, that 
 each Missionary Bishop shall have jvirisdiction over the 
 clergy in the district assigned him, and may, in case 
 a presentment and trial of a clergyman become proper, 
 request the action of any Presbyters and Standing Com- 
 mittee, in any Diocese sufficiently near, and the present- 
 ment and trial shall be according to the Constitution 
 and Canons of said Diocese. Or, if there be such a 
 Standing Committee appointed by the Missionary Bishop 
 as is hereinafter provided for, the clerical members there- 
 of may make presentment, and the trial shall take place 
 according to the Constitution and Canons of any Diocese 
 of this Church which may have been selected at the time 
 of the appointment of such Standing Committee, pro- 
 vided that the Court shall be composed of at least three 
 Presbyters, excluding the members of the Standing 
 Committee and the accused. 
 
 [5.] Any Bishop or Bishops elected and consecrated 
 under this Section shall be entitled to a seat in the House 
 of Bishops, and shall be ehgible to the office of Diocesan 
 Bishop in any organized Diocese within the United 
 
 Extent of Juris 
 diction. 
 
 Vacancy. 
 
 Jvirisdiction over 
 Clergy and 
 Mode of exerci- 
 sins; it. 
 
 Entitled to seat 
 in the House of 
 Bishops. 
 
 Eligible as a 
 Diocesan. 
 
 39 
 
I. 
 
 Canon 13. 
 
 VIII 
 
 Power upon the 
 Organization of 
 
 a Diocese. 
 
 Power to appoint 
 a Standing 
 Committee. 
 
 Proviso. 
 
 Report to General 
 Convention. 
 
 Of Foreign 
 Missionary 
 Bishops. 
 
 Evidence of 
 Election. 
 
 40 
 
 Of Bishops. 
 
 States. And whenever a Diocese shall have been organ- 
 ized within the jurisdiction of such Missionary Bishop, 
 if he shall he chosen Bishop of such Diocese, he may 
 accept the office without vacating his missionary ap- 
 pointment, provided that he continue to discharge the 
 duties of Missionary Bishop within the residue of his 
 original jurisdiction, if there be such residue. 
 
 [6.] Every such Bishop may yearly appoint two Pres- 
 byters, and two Laymen communicants of this Church, 
 resident within his missionary jurisdiction, to perform the 
 duties of a Standing Committee for such jurisdiction ; 
 Provided that no Standing Committee constituted under 
 this Section shall have power to give or refuse assent to 
 the consecration of a Bishop. 
 
 [7.] Every such Bishop shall report to each Greneral 
 Convention his proceedings, and the state and condition 
 of the Church in said States and Territories of the 
 United States ; and, at least once a year, make a report 
 to the Board of Missions." 
 
 ^ VIII. [1.] The House of Clerical and Lay Deputies 
 may, from time to time, on nomination by the House of 
 Bishops, elect a suitable person or persons to be a Bishop 
 or Bishops of this Church, to exercise Episcopal func- 
 tions in any Missionary station or stations of this Church 
 out of the Territory of the United States, which the 
 House of Bishops, with the concurrence of the House of 
 Clerical and Lay Deputies, may have designated. The 
 evidence of such election shall be a certificat-e, to be sub- 
 scribed by a constitutional majority of said House of 
 Clerical and Lay Deputies, expressing their assent to the 
 
 = Canon x., 1856 
 
Canon 13 
 
 § VIII 
 
 Of Bishops. 
 
 said nomination, which certificate shall be produced to 
 the House of Bishops ; and if the House of Bishops shall 
 consent to the consecration, they may take order for that 
 purpose. 
 
 [2.] Any Bishop elected and consecrated under this 
 Section, or any foreign Missionary Bishop heretofore 
 consecrated to exercise Episcopal functions in any place 
 or country which may have been thus designated, shall 
 have no jurisdiction, except in the place or country for 
 which he has been elected and consecrated. He shall 
 not be entitled to a seat in the House of Bishops, nor 
 shall he become a Diocesan Bishop in any organized 
 Diocese within the United States, unless with the con- 
 sent of three fourths of all the Bishops entitled to seats 
 in the House of Bishops, and also of three fourths of the 
 Clerical and Lay Deputies present at the Session of the 
 General Convention, or, in the recess of the General 
 Convention, with the consent of the Standing Com- 
 mittees of three fourths of the Dioceses. 
 
 [3.] Any Bishop or Bishops consecrated under this 
 Section, or any Foreign Missionary Bishop heretofore con- 
 secrated, shall, on presentment by two thirds of the Mis- 
 sionaries under his charge, for immorality or heresy, or 
 for a violation of the Constitution or Canons of this 
 Church, be tried, and, if found guilty, sentenced, in all 
 particulars as if he were actually resident within the 
 limits of the United States, except that the trial may be 
 within any Diocese in the United States. 
 
 [4.] Any Bishop or Bishops elected and consecrated 
 under this Section, or any Foreign Missionary Bishop 
 heretofore consecrated, may ordain as Deacons or Pres- 
 byters, to officiate within the limits of their respective 
 
 Limitation of 
 Jurisdiction. 
 
 No Seat in the 
 House of Bi- 
 shops. 
 
 Restriction upon 
 Eligihility as 
 a Diocesan Bi- 
 shop. 
 
 Mode of Pre- 
 senting and 
 Trying. 
 
 Power to Or- 
 dain Deacons or 
 Presbyters. 
 
 41 
 
Testimonials 
 necessary in such 
 Case. 
 
 Power of Dii 
 pensation. 
 
 Proviso. 
 
 Proviso. 
 Restrictions. 
 
 42 
 
 Of Bishojjs, 
 
 missions, any persons of the age required by the Canons 
 of this Church, who shall exhibit to him, or them, the 
 testimonials required by Canons 5 and 7 of this Title, 
 signed by not less than two of the ordained Missionaries 
 of this Church who may be subject to his or their 
 charge : provided, nevertheless, that if there be only one 
 ordained Missionary attached to the Mission, and capa- 
 ble of acting at the time, the signature of a Presbyter, 
 under the jurisdiction of any Bishop in communion with 
 this Church, in good standing, may be admitted to sup- 
 ply the deficiency. 
 
 [5.] Any Foreign Missionary Bishop consecrated under 
 this Section, or heretofore consecrated, may, by and with 
 the advice of two Presbyters, one of whom, if necessity 
 require, shall be a Presbyter in good standing under the 
 jurisdiction of any Bishop in communion with this 
 Church, dispense with those studies required from a can- 
 didate for Deacon's Orders by the Canons of this Church; 
 Provided no person shall be ordained by him who has not 
 passed a satisfactory examination, in the presence of two 
 Presbyters, as to his theological learning and aptitude to 
 teach : and Provided, further, that no person shall be or- 
 dained by him until he shall have been a candidate for 
 at least three years. Nor shall any Deacon, so ordained, 
 be advanced to the Order of Presbyters, who has not 
 been in Deacon's Orders for at least one year. Nor shall 
 any Deacon or Priest, who shall have been ordained under 
 this Section, be allowed to hold any cure, or officiate in 
 the Church in these United States, until he shall have 
 complied with existing Canons, relating to the learning 
 of persons to be ordained. 
 
Canon 13 
 
 § VIII 
 
 Of Bishops. 
 
 [6.] Any Foreign Missionary Bishop or Bishops elected 
 and consecrated under this section, or any Foreign Mis- 
 sionary Bishop heretofore consecrated, shall have juris- 
 diction and government according to the Canons of this 
 Church over all Missionaries or Clergymen of this Church, 
 resident in the district or country for which he or they 
 may have been consecrated. 
 
 [7.] Every such Bishop may yearly appoint not less 
 than two nor more than five Presbyters, resident within 
 his missionary jurisdiction and acting under the appoint- 
 ment of the Board of Missions, to act as a Standino; 
 Committee in such missionary jurisdiction, upon all ques- 
 tions pertaining to the interests of such missionary juris- 
 diction ; and, in case of the absence of the Bishop from 
 his jurisdiction, or of a vacancy in the Episcopate, said 
 Standing Committee shall be the ecclesiastical authority 
 of such missionary jurisdiction. 
 
 [8.] If any Minister of this Church, acting under a 
 Foreign Missionary appointment, and within the juris- 
 diction of a Foreign Missionary Bishop of this Church, 
 shall commit any offence which comes within the pro- 
 visions of Canon 2 of Title II., Of Off ences for which 
 Ministers may be tried and punished ; or shall re- 
 fuse obedience to the lawful authority of the Missionary 
 Bishop ; such clergyman shall be proceeded against 
 according to the Constitution and Canons of any Dio- 
 cese of this Church, which may have been selected at 
 the time of the appointment of the Standing Committee 
 of such Missionary Jurisdiction : Provided that a present- 
 ment shall first be made by the members of said Stand- 
 ing Committee, or, if the accused party be a member 
 of the Standing Committee, by the other member or 
 members thereof. 
 
 Jurisdiction 
 over resident 
 Missionaries or 
 Clergymen. 
 
 May appoint 
 Standing Com- 
 mittee. 
 
 Trial of Minis- 
 ters. 
 
 43 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 1 3 
 
 § IX 
 
 Of Bishops. 
 
 The Court. 
 
 Sentence. 
 
 Report to be 
 made to General 
 Convention and 
 Board of Mis- 
 sions:. 
 
 [9.] The Court for the trial of such Minister shall 
 consist of five Presbyters, excluding the members of 
 the Standing Committee ; or, if there be not five, then 
 of all the members of such Missionary jurisdiction. If 
 there be more than five, then shall the Standing Com- 
 mittee select, by lot, the five v^\\o shall compose the court, 
 which court shall proceed in the trial, according to the 
 Canons of the General Convention of the Protestant 
 Episcopal Church, so far as the same may be applicable 
 to such a case ; and where no provision is made adequate 
 to the exigency, the court shall consider and adjudge the 
 case according to the principles of law and equity. 
 
 [10.] The sentence of the court shall be rendered to 
 the Bishop of such Missionary jurisdiction, who shall 
 have power to revise and modify the same, and the de- 
 cision of the Bishop shall be final and conclusive. 
 
 [11.] Every Bishop elected and consecrated under this 
 Section, or Foreign Missionary Bishop heretofore conse- 
 crated, shall report to each General Convention his pro- 
 ceedings and acts, and the state of the Mission under his 
 supervision. He shall also make a similar report at 
 least once a year to the Board of Missions of this Church. 
 
 Election of a 
 Missionary Bi- 
 shop as a Dioce- 
 san. 
 
 ^ IX. [1.] When a Diocese, entitled to the choice of a 
 Bishop, shall elect as its Diocesan a Missionary Bishop 
 of this Church, if such election shall have taken place 
 within three months before a meeting of the General 
 Convention, evidence thereof shall be laid before each 
 House of the General Convention, and the concurrence 
 of each House, and its express consent, shall be neces- 
 
 Canon i., 1850. 
 
 44 
 
Canon 13 
 
 Of Bishops. 
 
 sary to the validity of said election, and shall complete 
 the same ; so that the Bishop thus elected shall be there- 
 after the Bishop of the Diocese which has elected him. 
 
 [2.] If the said election have taken place more than 
 three montlis before a meeting of the General Conven- 
 tion, the above process may be adopted, or the follow- 
 ing instead thereof, viz. : The Standing Committee of 
 the Diocese electing shall give duly certified evidence of 
 the election to every Bishop of this Church, and to the 
 Standing Committee of every Diocese. On receiving 
 notice of the concurrence of a majority of the Bishops 
 and of the Standing Committees in the election, and 
 their express consent thereto, the Standing Committee 
 of the Diocese concerned shall transmit notice thereof to 
 every Bishop of this Church, and to the Standing Com- 
 mittee of each vacant Diocese, which notice shall state 
 what Bishops and what Standing Committees have con- 
 sented to the election. And the same Committee shall 
 transmit to every Congregation in the Diocese concerned, 
 to be publicly read therein, a notice of the election to 
 the Episcopate thereof of the Bishop thus elected, and 
 also cause public notice thereof to be given in such other 
 way as they may think proper.* 
 
 ^ X. It is deemed proper that every Bishop of this 
 Church shall deliver, at least once in three years, a 
 charge to the clergy of his Diocese, unless prevented by 
 reasonable cause. And it is also deemed proper, that, 
 from time to time, he shall address to the people of his 
 
 * Canon ix., 1856. 
 
 Concurrence of 
 General Conven- 
 tion. 
 
 Election during 
 Recess. 
 
 Consent of Bisk- 
 ops and Stand- 
 ins Committees. 
 
 Notice of Elec- 
 tion, 
 
 Of Episcopal 
 Charges and Pas- 
 toral Letters. 
 
 45 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 13. 
 
 X I 
 
 Of Bishops. 
 
 Diocese, Pastoral Letters on some points of Christian 
 doctrine, worship, or manners." 
 
 Of Episcopal 
 Visitations. 
 
 Declining to Vi- 
 sit. 
 
 Council of Con- 
 ciliation. 
 
 Proviso. 
 
 k XL [1.] Every Bishop in this Church shall visit the 
 churches within his Diocese at least once in three years, 
 for the purpose of examining the state of his Church, 
 inspecting the behavior of his Clergy, administering the 
 Apostolic rite of Confirmation, ministering the Word, 
 and, if he think fit, administering the Sacrament of the 
 Lord's Supper to the people committed to his charge. 
 And if a Bishop shall decline, for more than three years, 
 to visit a Parish or Congregation, for reasons which to 
 him shall seem sufficient, it shall be the duty of the 
 Rector or Minister, and Vestry, or of one of them, to apply 
 to the Presiding Bishop, to appoint the five Bishops in 
 charge of Dioceses, who live nearest to the Diocese 
 in which such Church or Congregation may be situated, 
 to act as a Council of Conciliation, who shall amicably 
 determine all matters of difference between the parties, 
 and each party shall conform to the decision of the 
 Council in the premises. If the presiding Bishop shall 
 be the party within whose jurisdiction the Parish or 
 Congregation may be, then the application shall be made 
 to the Bishop next in seniority. And in any such case 
 as is above mentioned, the Bishop within whose juris- 
 diction the Parish or Congregation may be, may, at any 
 time, if he please, apply himself to the presiding Bishop, 
 for a Council of Conciliation ; Provided that, if, by the 
 action of the Greneral Convention, any Canon shall here- 
 after be made for the establishment of a Council or 
 
 46 
 
 » Canon xxvi., 1832. 
 
Canon 13 
 
 XI I 
 
 XIII 
 
 Of Bishops. 
 
 Councils of Conciliation, for the general purpose of 
 amicably reconciling differences of this or any other 
 kind, then such a case as is above named, shall be re- 
 ferred to such general Council of Conciliation, and the 
 parties shall abide by its decision. 
 
 [2.] To enable the Bishop, who may be Rector of a 
 Church, to make his official visitation, it shall be the 
 duty of the Clergy, in such reasonable rotation as may 
 be devised, to officiate for him in the performance of his 
 parochial duties, provision being made for the payment 
 of their expenses. 
 
 [3.J It is left to each Diocese to make provision, in such 
 way as it may deem proper, for defraying the necessary 
 expenses of the Bishop's visitation. 
 
 [4.J The Bishop shall keep a register of his proceed- 
 ings at every visitation of his Diocese.* 
 
 § XII. It is the duty of every Bishop of this Church to 
 reside within his Diocese.'' 
 
 § XIII. It shall be lawful for any Bishop of a Diocese, 
 who is about to leave, or has left, his Diocese, with the in- 
 tention of going out of the limits of the United States, or, if 
 remaining out of his Diocese for the space of three calen- 
 dar months although without leaving the United States, to 
 authorize, by writing under his hand and seal, the Assistant 
 Bishop, or should there be none, the Standing Committee of 
 such Diocese, to act as the ecclesiastical authority thereof. 
 The Assistant Bishop or Standing Committee so author- 
 ized, shall thereupon become the ecclesiastical authority 
 
 Ciaia ii., ISj'o. 
 
 '•Canoai., 185G. 
 
 Clergy to supply 
 his Place as Rec- 
 tor. 
 
 Expenses of Vis- 
 itations. 
 
 Register to be 
 kept. 
 
 Of Episcopal 
 Residence. 
 
 Of Bishops ab- 
 sent temporarily 
 from, their Dio- 
 ceses. 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 13 
 
 XIV., XV, 
 
 Of Bishops. 
 
 of such Diocese, to all intents and purposes, until such 
 writing shall be revoked, or the Bishop shall return 
 Proviso. within the Diocese ; Provided, that nothing in this 
 
 Canon shall be so construed as to prevent any Bishop, 
 who may have signed such writing, from exercising his 
 jurisdiction himself, so far as the same may be practica- 
 ble, during his absence from his Diocese, or from per- 
 mitting and authorizing any other Bishop to perform 
 Episcopal offices for him.* 
 
 Forms of Prayer 
 or Thanksgiving 
 for extraordina- 
 ry Occasions. 
 
 § XIV. The Bishop of each Diocese may compose 
 forms of prayer or thanksgiving, as the case may require, 
 for extraordinary occasions, and transmit them to each 
 Clergyman within his Diocese, whose duty it shall be 
 to use such forms in his Church on such occasions. And 
 the Clergy, in those States or Dioceses, or other places 
 within the bounds of this Church, in which there is no 
 Bishop, may use the form of prayer or thanksgiving 
 composed by the Bishop of any Diocese. The Bishop in 
 each Diocese may also compose forms of prayer to be 
 used before legislative and other public bodies." 
 
 Performance of 
 Episcopal Duties 
 in vacant Dio- 
 ceses, Sfc. 
 
 Invitation, tem- 
 porary and re- 
 vocable. 
 
 ^ XV. [1.] Any Bishop, Assistant-Bishop, or Missionary 
 Bishop, may, on the invitation of the Convention or the 
 Standing Committee of any Diocese where there is no 
 Bishop, or where the Bishop is, for the time, under a 
 disability to perform Episcopal Offices by reason of a 
 judicial sentence, visit and perform Episcopal Offices in 
 that Diocese, or in any part thereof; and this invitation 
 may be temporary, and it may at any time be revoked. 
 
 48 
 
 Canon iii., 1853. 
 
 b Canon xlvii., 1832. 
 
Canon 13. 
 
 § XVI 
 
 Of Bishops. 
 
 [2.] A Diocese without a Bishop, or of which the 
 Bishop is for the time under a disabiUty by reason of a 
 judicial sentence, may, by its Convention, be placed 
 under the full Episcopal charge and authority of the 
 Bishop of another Diocese, or of a Missionary Bishop, 
 who shall by that act be authorized to perform all the 
 duties and offices of the Bishop of the Diocese so va- 
 cant or having the Bishop disabled ; until, in the case 
 of a vacant Diocese, a Bishop be duly elected and con- 
 secrated for the same ; and, in the case of a Diocese whose 
 Bishop is disqualified as aforesaid, until the disqualifica- 
 tion be removed ; or until, in either case, the said act of 
 the Convention be revoked. 
 
 [3.] No Diocese thus placed under the full charge and 
 authority of the Bishop of another Diocese, or of a Mis- 
 sionary Bishop, shall invite a second Bishop to perform 
 any Episcopal duty, or exercise authority, till its connec- 
 tion with the first Bishop has expired or is revoked.* 
 
 k XVI. [1.] If, during the session of the General Con- 
 vention, or within six calendar months before the meet- 
 ing of any such Convention, a Bishop shall desire to resign 
 his jurisdiction, he shall make known in writing to the 
 House of Bishops such his desire, together with the 
 reasons moving him thereto, whereupon the House of 
 Bishops may investigate the whole case of the proposed 
 resignation, including not only the facts and reasons that 
 may be set forth in the application for the proposed res- 
 ignation, but any other facts and circumstances bearing 
 upon it, so that the whole subject of the propriety or ne- 
 
 » Canon iv., 1847. 
 
 Full Charge of 
 another Bishop. 
 
 No other Bishop 
 to officiate dur- 
 ing such Charge. 
 
 Of Episcopal 
 Resignations. 
 
 Investigation. 
 
 49 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 13, 
 
 X V I 
 
 Of Bishops. 
 
 House of 
 Bishops to Ac- 
 cept or Refuse. 
 
 Resignation du- 
 ring Recess. 
 
 The Bishops to 
 meet. 
 
 cessity of such resignation may be placed fully before 
 the House of Bishops. 
 
 [2.] An investigation having thus been made, the 
 House of Bishops may decide on the application ; and, 
 by the vote of a majority of those present, accept or 
 refuse to accept such resignation ; and in all cases of a 
 proposed resignation, the Bishops shall cause their pro- 
 ceedings to be recorded on their journal ; and in case of 
 acceptance, the resignation shall be complete when thus 
 recorded ; and notice thereof shall be given to the House 
 of Clerical and Lay Deputies. 
 
 [3.] In case a Bishop should desire to resign at any 
 period not within six calendar months before the meet- 
 ing of a Greneral Convention, he shall make known to 
 the Presiding Bishop such his desire, with the reasons 
 moving him thereunto ; whereupon the Presiding Bishop 
 shall communicate, without delay, a copy of the same 
 to every Bishop of this Church having ecclesiastical 
 jurisdiction, and also to the Standing Committee of 
 the Diocese to which the Bishop desiring to resign 
 may belong ; and, at the same time, summon said 
 Bishops to meet him in person, at a place to be by 
 him designated, and at a time not less than three 
 calendar months from the date of his summons; and 
 should a number not less than a majority of all the 
 said Bishops meet at the time and place designated, they 
 shall then have all the powers given by the previous 
 clauses of this Section to the House of Bishops ; and 
 should a number less than a majority assemble, they 
 shall have power to adjourn from time to time, until 
 they can secure the attendance of a majority of all the 
 said Bishops. Should a proposed resignation of a Bishop 
 
 50 
 
Of Bishops, 
 
 be accepted at any meeting of the Bishops for that pur- 
 pose held during a recess, then it shall be the duty of 
 the senior Bishop present to pronounce such resignation 
 complete, and to communicate the same to the ecclesi- 
 astical authority of each Diocese, who shall cause the 
 same to be communicated to the several clergymen in 
 charge of congregations therein. And it shall be the fur- 
 ther duty of the Presiding Bishop to cause such resigna- 
 tion to be formally recorded on the journal of the House 
 of Bishops that may meet in General Convention next 
 thereafter. If the Bishop desirous of resigning should be 
 the Presiding Bishop, then all the duties directed in this 
 Section to be performed by the Presiding Bishop shall de- 
 volve upon the Bishop next in seniority'. 
 
 [4.] No Bishop whose resignation of the Episcopal 
 jurisdiction of a Diocese has been consummated pursuant 
 to this section, shall, under any circumstances, be eligi- 
 ble to any Diocese now in union, or which may hereaf- 
 ter be admitted into union, with this Church ; nor shall 
 he have a seat in the House of Bishops ; but he may 
 perform Episcopal acts at the request of any Bishop of 
 this Church having ecclesiastical jurisdiction, within the 
 limits of his Diocese. 
 
 [5. J A Bishop who ceases to have the Episcopal charge 
 of a Diocese shall still be subject in all matters to the 
 Canons and authority of the General Convention. 
 
 [6.] In case a suspended Bishop of this Church should 
 desire to resign at any period not within six calendar 
 months before the meeting of a General Convention, he 
 shall make known by letter to the Presiding Bishop such 
 desire; whereupon the presiding Bishop shall communicate 
 a copy of the same to each Bishop of this Church having 
 
 Notice. 
 
 Record. 
 
 If Presiding 
 Bishop. 
 
 Resigned Bishop 
 not eligible to a 
 Diocese. 
 
 Bishops without 
 Charge subject to 
 General Conven- 
 tion. 
 
 Resignation of 
 suspended 
 Bishop. 
 
 n\ 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 14 
 
 I, II 
 
 Notice. 
 
 Secretary of the 
 Lovier House to 
 keep a Register. 
 
 Notification 
 
 of admitted 
 Ministers. 
 
 52 
 
 Of a List of the Ministers of this Church. 
 
 jurisdiction ; and, in case a majority of such Bishops shall 
 return to the Presiding Bishop their written assent to 
 such resignation, the same shall be deemed valid and 
 final ; and written information of the said resignation 
 shall at once be communicated by the presiding Bishop 
 to the Bishop and Diocese concerned, and to each Bishop 
 of this Church." 
 
 Canon 14. 
 
 Of a List of the Ministers of this Church. 
 
 k I. The Secretary of the House of Clerical and Lay 
 Deputies shall keep a register of all the Clergy of this 
 Church, whose names shall be delivered to him, in the 
 following manner, that is to say : Every Bishop of this 
 Church, or where there is no Bishop the Standing Com- 
 mittee of the Diocese, shall, at the time of every Greneral 
 Convention, deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the said 
 Secretary, a list of the names of all the Ministers of this 
 Church in their proper Diocese, annexing the names of 
 their respective cures or of their stations in any colleges 
 or other seminaries of learning ; or, in regard to those 
 who have not any cures or other stations, their places of 
 residence only; and the said list shall, from time to 
 time, be published in the journals of the G-eneral Con- 
 vention. 
 
 § II. And, further, it is recommended to the several 
 Bishops of this Church, and to the several Standing 
 
 » Canon ii., 1850. 
 
Canon 15 
 
 §1 
 
 Mode of Securmg an Accurate Vieic, etc. 
 
 Committees, that, during the intervals between the 
 meetings of the G-eneral Convention, they take such 
 means of notifying the admission of Ministers among 
 them, as, in their discretion, respectively, they shall 
 think effectual to the purpose of preventing ignorant 
 and unwary people from being imposed on by persons 
 pretending to be authorized Ministers of this Church.* 
 
 Canon 
 
 15. 
 
 Of the Mode of securing' an accurate View of the State 
 of the Church. 
 
 ^ I. As a full and accurate view of the state of the 
 Church, from time to time, is highly useful and neces- 
 sary, it is hereby ordered that every Minister of this 
 Church, or if the parish be vacant the Wardens, shall 
 present, or cause to be delivered, on or before the first 
 day of every Annual Convention, to the Bishop of the 
 Diocese, or where there is no Bishop to the President of 
 the Convention, a statement of the number of baptisms, 
 confirmations, marriages and funerals, and of the number 
 of communicants in his parish or Church, also the state 
 and condition of the Sunday Schools in his parish, also 
 of the amount of the Communion alms, the contributions 
 for missions, diocesan, domestic and foreign, for parochial 
 schools, for Church purposes in general, and of all other 
 matters that may throw light on the state of the same. 
 And every clergyman, not regularly settled in any parish 
 or Church, shall also report the occasional services he 
 
 Statement by 
 Minister in Pa- 
 rochial Reports. 
 
 Clergymen not 
 settled, to report 
 Services. 
 
 » Canon xlviii., 1832. 
 
 53 
 
title I. 
 
 Canon 15. 
 
 II., Ill, 
 
 Bishop's Ad- 
 dress. 
 
 Committee on the 
 State of the 
 Church. 
 
 Mode of Securing an Accurate View, etc. 
 
 Pastoral Letter. 
 
 54 
 
 raay have performed ; and, if he have performed no such 
 services, the causes or reasons which have prevented the 
 same. And these reports, or such parts of them as the 
 Bishop shall think fit, may be read in Convention, and 
 shall be entered on the journals thereof. 
 
 § II. At every annual Diocesan Convention, the 
 Bishop shall deliver an address, stating the affairs of the 
 Diocese since the last meeting of the Convention ; the 
 names of the Churches which he has visited ; the num- 
 ber of persons confirmed ; the names of those who have 
 been received as candidates for Orders, and of those who 
 have been ordained, suspended, or degraded ; the changes 
 by death, removal, or otherwise, which have taken place 
 among the Clergy ; and, in general, all matters tending 
 to throw light on the affairs of the Diocese ; which 
 address shall be inserted on the journals. 
 
 ^ III. At every General Convention, the journals of 
 the difierent Diocesan Conventions since the last General 
 Convention, together with such other papers, viz. : Epis- 
 copal charges, addresses, and pastoral letters, as may 
 tend to throw light on the state of the Church in each 
 Diocese, shall be presented to the House of Clerical and 
 Lay Deputies. A Committee shall then be appointed to 
 draw up a view of the State of the Church, and to make 
 report to the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies ; which 
 report, when agreed to by the said House, shall be sent 
 to the House of Bishops, with a request that they will 
 draw up, and cause to be published, a Pastoral Letter to 
 the members of the Church. And it is hereby made the 
 duty of every clergyman having a pastoral charge, 
 
Canon 15 
 
 §IV., V 
 
 Mode of Securing an Accurate View etc. 
 
 when any such Letter is published, to read the said Pas- 
 toral Letter to his congregation on some occasion of 
 public worship. 
 
 § IV. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Con- 
 vention of every Diocese, or of the person or persons 
 with whom the journals or other ecclesiastical papers 
 are lodged, to forward to the House of Clerical and Lay 
 Deputies, at every General Convention, the documents 
 and papers specified in this Canon. 
 
 k V. It is recommended that the Bishop and Standing 
 Committee of the Church in every Diocese, or, if there 
 be no Bishop, the Standing Committee only, prepare, 
 previously to the meeting of every General Convention, 
 a condensed report, and a tabular view of the slate of the 
 Church in their Diocese, comprising therein a summary 
 of the statistics from the parochial reports, and from the 
 Bishop's addresses, specifying the capital and proceeds of 
 the Episcopal fund, and of all benevolent and missionary 
 associations of churchmen within the Diocese, for the 
 purpose of aiding the Committee on the state of the 
 Church, appointed by the House of Clerical and Lay 
 Deputies, in drafting their reports." 
 
 » Canon xii., 1853. 
 
 To he read to every 
 Congregation. 
 
 Duty of Diocesan 
 Secretaries. 
 
 Recommenda- 
 tion to Bishop, 
 etc. 
 
 Condensed Sum- 
 mary. 
 
 55 
 
^ttU I. Canons 16 and 17. 
 
 §1 
 
 Editions of the 
 Bible to be Cor- 
 rected by the 
 Standard- 
 
 Certificate. 
 
 Correct Editions 
 of the Prayer- 
 Book, Sfc. 
 
 Certificate. 
 
 56 
 
 Of the Mode of Publishing the Bible., etc. 
 
 Canon 16. 
 
 Of the Mode of Publishing authorized Editions of 
 the Standard Bible of this Church. 
 
 The Bishop of this Church in any Diocese, or where 
 there is no Bishop the Standing Committee, is author- 
 ized to appoint, from time to time, some suitable person 
 or persons, to compare and correct all new editions of 
 the Bible by the standard edition agreed upon by the 
 General Convention, and a certificate of their having 
 been so compared and corrected shall be published with 
 said book,* 
 
 Canon 17. 
 
 Of Publishing Editions of the Book of Common 
 Prayer. 
 
 k 1. The Bishop of this Church in any Diocese, or, 
 where there is no Bishop, the Standing Committee there- 
 of, shall appoint one or more Presbyters of the Diocese, 
 who shall compare and correct all new editions of the 
 Common Prayer-Book, the Articles, Offices, Metre Psalms 
 and Hymns, by a copy of the standard edition; and a 
 certificate of said editions, having been so compared and 
 corrected, shall be published with the same. And in 
 case any edition shall be published without such correc- 
 tion, it shall be the duty of the Bishop, or, where there 
 be no Bishop, of the Standing Committee, to give public 
 notice that such edition is not authorized by the Church. 
 
 ^ Canon xliv., 1832. 
 
Canons 18 and 19 
 
 Of the due, Celebration of Sundays. 
 
 k 11. The octavo edition of the Book of Common 
 Prayer, the Articles, Offices, Metre Psalms, and Hymns, 
 set forth by the Greneral Convention of 1844, and pub- 
 lished by the New- York Bible and Common Prayer- 
 Book Society, and by Harper & Brothers, in 1845, is 
 hereby declared to be the standard edition." 
 
 Canon 18. 
 
 Of the due Celebration of Sundays. 
 
 All persons within this Church shall celebrate and 
 keep the Lord's day, commonly called Sunday, in hear- 
 ing the "Word of G-od read and taught, in private and 
 public prayer, in other exercises of devotion, and in acts 
 of charity, using all godly and sober conversation." 
 
 Canon 19. 
 
 Of Parochial Instruction. 
 
 The Ministers of this Church who have charge of 
 parishes or cures, shall not only be diligent in instructing 
 the children in the Catechism, but shall also, by stated 
 catechetical lectures and instruction, be diligent in in- 
 forming the youth and others in the Doctrine, Constitu- 
 tion and Liturgy of the Church." 
 
 » Canon vii., 1847. " Canon xli., 1832. 
 
 Canon xxviii., 1832. 
 
 What is the 
 Standard Edi- 
 tion. 
 
 Observance of the 
 hordes Day. 
 
 Parochial In- 
 struction. 
 
 57 
 
Citk I. 
 
 Canon 20 
 
 Of the Use of the Book of Common Prayer. 
 
 Use of the Book 
 of Common 
 Prayer. 
 
 Canon 20, 
 
 Of the Use of the Book of Common Prayer. 
 
 Every minister shall, before all sermons and lectures, 
 and on all other occasions of public worship, use the 
 Book of Common Prayer, as the same is or may be 
 established by the authority of the Greneral Convention 
 of this Church ; and in performing such service, no other 
 prayers shall be used than those prescribed by the said 
 Book.'' 
 
 Canon xlv., 1832. 
 
 58 
 
C A NO N 1 . 
 
 h 
 
 1 1 1 
 
 title II. 
 
 OF DISCIPLINE. 
 
 Canon 1. 
 
 Of Amenability and Citations. 
 
 § I. Every Minister shall be amenable, for offences com- 
 mitted by him, to the Bishop, and if there be no Bishop 
 to the clerical members of the Standing Committee, of 
 the Diocese in which he is canonically resident at the 
 time of the charge. 
 
 To whom Min- 
 isters are amena- 
 ble. 
 
 § II. Unless a Diocesan Convention shall otherwise 
 provide, a citation to any Minister to appear, at a certain 
 time and place, for the trial of an offence, shall be deemed 
 to be duly served upon him if a copy thereof be left at 
 his last place of abode within the United States, sixty 
 days before the day of appearance named therein ; and 
 in case such Minister has departed from the United 
 States, by also publishing a copy of such citation in some 
 newspaper printed at the seat of government of the 
 State in which the Minister is cited to appear, six months 
 before the said day of appearance." 
 
 Mode of serving 
 Citations. 
 
 § III. A notice or citation required by any Canon of 
 this Church, when no other mode of service is provided, 
 may be'served by leaving a copy with the party, or at his 
 
 ^ Canon v., 1835. 
 
 Of Notices in 
 general. 
 
 59 
 
®itle II. 
 
 Canon 2 
 
 I., II 
 
 Of Offences for which Ministers may he Tried, etc. 
 
 last place of abode within the United States ; and if he 
 shall have left the United States, by also publishing a 
 copy thereof in some newspaper printed at the seat of 
 government of the State or Territory where such party 
 last resided.* 
 
 Punishable Of- 
 fences. 
 
 Proceedings on 
 Public Rumor. 
 
 60 
 
 C ANON 2. 
 
 Of Offences for which Ministers may be Tried and 
 Punished. 
 
 k I. Every Minister shall be liable to presentment 
 and trial, for any crime or gross immorality, for dis- 
 orderly conduct, for drunkenness, for profane swearing, 
 for frequenting places most liable to be abused to licen- 
 tiousness, and for violation of the Constitution or Canons 
 of this Church, or of the Diocese to which he belongs ; 
 and, on being found guilty, he shall be admonished, sus- 
 pended, or degraded, according to the Canons of the 
 Diocese in which the trial takes place, until otherwise 
 provided for by the General Convention. 
 
 § II. If a Minister of this Church shall be accused, 
 by public rumor, of discontinuing all exercise of the 
 ministerial office without lawful cause, or of living in 
 the habitual disuse of public worship or of the Holy 
 Eucharist according to the offices of this Church, or of 
 being guilty of scandalous, immoral, or disorderly con- 
 duct, or of violating the Canons, or preaching or incul- 
 cating heretical doctrine, it shall be the duty of the 
 
 » Added, 1859. 
 
Canon 
 
 §1 
 
 Misdemeanor in another Diocese. 
 
 Bishop, or if there be no Bishop of the clerical members 
 of the Standing Committee, to see that an inquiry be 
 instituted as to the truth of such public rumor. And 
 in case of the individual being proceeded against and. 
 convicted according to such rules or process as may be 
 provided by the Conventions of the respective Dioceses, 
 he shall be admonished, suspended, or degraded, as the 
 nature of the case may require, in conformity with their 
 respective Constitutions and Canons." 
 
 Canon 3. 
 
 Of a Clergyman in one Diocese or Missionary Dis- 
 trict chargeable with Misdet7ieanor in another. 
 
 ^ I. If a clergyman of this Church, belonging to any 
 Diocese or Missionary District, shall, in any other Dio- 
 cese or Missionary District, conduct himself in such a 
 way as is contrary to the rules of this Church, and dis- 
 graceful to his office, the ecclesiastical authority thereof 
 shall give notice of the same to the ecclesiastical au- 
 thority where he is canonically resident, exhibiting, with 
 the information given, reasonable ground for presuming 
 its correctness. If the ecclesiastical authority, when thus 
 notified, shall omit, for the space of three months, to pro- 
 ceed against the offending clergyman, it shall be within 
 the power of the ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese 
 or Missionary District within which the alleged offence 
 or offences were committed, to institute proceedings, and 
 the decision given shall be conclusive. 
 
 * Canon xxxvii., 1832. 
 
 Punishments. 
 
 Offence com- 
 mitted in a dif- 
 ferent Diocese. 
 
 Notice to Au- 
 thority of Offend- 
 er's Diocese. 
 
 Proceedings on 
 Neglect to act. 
 
 61 
 
title II. 
 
 Canon 3 . 
 
 § II., Ill 
 
 Misdemeanor in another Diocese, 
 
 Bishop may ad- 
 monish and for- 
 bid Officiating. 
 
 Notice of Prohi- 
 bition. 
 
 Prohibition how 
 Ions; to continue. 
 
 ^ 11. If a clergyman shall come temporarily into any 
 Diocese, under the imputation of having elsewhere been 
 guilty of any crime or misdemeanor, by violation of 
 the Canons or otherwise, or if any clergyman, while 
 sojourning in any Diocese, shall misbehave in any of 
 these respects, the Bishop, upon probable cause, may ad- 
 monish such clergyman, and forbid him to officiate in 
 said Diocese. And if, after such prohibition, the said 
 clergyman so officiate, the Bishop shall give notice to all 
 the clergy and congregations in said Diocese, that the 
 officiating of the said clergyman is, under any and all 
 circumstances, prohibited ; and like notice shall be given 
 to the Bishop, or if there be no Bishop to the Standing 
 Committee, of the Diocese to which the said clergyman 
 belongs. And such prohibition shall continue in force, 
 until the Bishop of the first named Diocese be satisfied 
 of the innocence of the said clergyman, or until he be 
 acquitted on trial. 
 
 Applicable to 
 Clergymen or- 
 dained in For- 
 eign Countries. 
 
 Notice of Pro- 
 hibition. 
 
 ^ in. The provisions of the last Section shall apply to 
 clergymen ordained in foreign countries by Bishops in 
 communion with this Church. Provided, that in such 
 case notice of the prohibition shall be given to the Bishop 
 under whose jurisdiction the clergyman shall appear to 
 have last been, and also to all the Bishops exercising 
 jurisdiction in this Church." 
 
 » Canon \i., 1850. 
 
 62 
 
Canon 4 
 
 Of the Dissolution of a Pastoral Connection. 
 
 Canon 4. 
 
 Of the Dissolution of a Pastoral Connection. 
 
 k I. When a Minister has been regularly instituted or 
 settled in a Parish or Church, he shall not be dismissed 
 without the concurrence of the ecclesiastical authority 
 of the Diocese ; and in case of his dismission without 
 such concurrence, the Vestry or Congregation of such 
 Parish or Church shall have no right to a representation 
 in the Convention of the Diocese, until they have made 
 such satisfaction as the Convention may require. Nor 
 shall any Minister leave his congregation against their 
 will, without the concurrence of the ecclesiastical autho- 
 rity aforesaid ; and if he shall leave them without such 
 concurrence, he shall not be allowed to take his seat in 
 any Convention of this Church, or be eligible into any 
 Church or Parish, until he shall have made such satis- 
 faction as the ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese may 
 require. 
 
 k II. In case of the regular and canonical dissolution 
 of the connection between a Minister and his congrega- 
 tion, the Bishop, or if there be no Bishop the Standing 
 Committee, shall direct the Secretary of the Convention 
 to record the same. But if the dissolution of the con- 
 nection between a Minister and his congregation be 
 not regular or canonical, the Bishop or Standing Com- 
 mittee shall lay the same before the Convention of the 
 Diocese, in order that the above-mentioned penalties may 
 take effect. 
 
 This Canon shall not be obligatory on those Dioceses 
 with whose usages, laws, or charters, it interferes." 
 
 > Canon xxxiii., 1832. 
 
 No Dismi!isai of 
 settled Minister 
 without Consent 
 of Authority. 
 
 Minister not to 
 leave without 
 Concurrence of 
 Authority. 
 
 Record upon Re- 
 gular Dissolu- 
 tion. 
 
 Submission to 
 Convention in 
 other Cases. 
 
 63 
 
Qlitit II. 
 
 Canon 5 
 
 l.-I V 
 
 Renunciation 
 when no ecclesi- 
 astical Proceed- 
 ing is pending. 
 
 Bishop to depose. 
 
 When Bishop of 
 another Diocese 
 may sentence. 
 
 Action may be 
 suspended for 
 six Months. 
 
 Renunciation 
 under Liability 
 to Presentment. 
 
 64 
 
 Of Renunciation of the Ministry. 
 
 Canon 5. 
 
 Of Renunciation of the Ministry. 
 
 ^ I. If any Minister of this Church, against whom 
 there is no ecclesiastical proceeding instituted, shall de- 
 clare, in writing, to the Bishop of the Diocese to which 
 he belongs, or to any ecclesiastical authority for the trial 
 of a clergyman, or where there is no Bishop to the 
 Standing Committee, his renunciation of the ministry, 
 and his design not to officiate in future in any of the 
 offices thereof, it shall be the duty of Ihe Bishop, or 
 where there is no Bishop of the Standing Committee, to 
 record the declaration so made ; and it shall be the duty 
 of the Bishop to depose him from the Ministry, and to 
 pronounce and record in the presence of two or more 
 clergymen, that the person so declaring has been de- 
 posed from the Ministry of this Church, 
 
 ^11. In any Diocese in which there is no Bishop, the 
 same sentence may be pronounced by the Bishop of any 
 other Diocese invited by the Standing Committee to 
 attend for that purpose. 
 
 ^ III. If the Bishop, to whom such declaration re- 
 nouncing the Ministry is made, shall have reason to 
 believe that the party has acted unadvisedly and hastily, 
 he may forbear all action thereupon for the space of not 
 more than six months, during which time the party may 
 withdraw his application. 
 
 ^ IV. If the Bishop shall have ground to suppose the 
 party to be liable to presentment for any canonical 
 offence, he may, in his discretion, and with the consent 
 
Canon 6 . 
 
 §1 
 
 Abandonment by a Presbyter or Deacon. 
 
 of the Standing Committee, proceed to have the appli- 
 cant put upon his trial, notwithstanding his having 
 made the aforesaid declaration ; and the same discretion 
 is allowed to the Standing Committee, in case the Dio- 
 cese should be without a Bishop. 
 
 k V. In the case of deposition from the Ministry, as 
 above provided for, it shall be the duty of the Bishop to 
 give notice thereof to every Bishop of this Church, and 
 to the Standing Committee of every Diocese wherein 
 there is no Bishop." 
 
 Canon 6. 
 
 Of the Abandonment of the Communion of this Church 
 by a Presbyter or Deacon. 
 
 k I. If any Presbyter or Deacon shall, without availing 
 himself of the provisions of Canon V. of this Title, 
 abandon the Communion of this Church, either by an 
 open renunciation of the doctrine, discipline, and worship 
 of this Church, or by a formal admission into any reli- 
 gious botly not in communion with the same, it shall be 
 the duty of the Standing Committee of the Diocese to 
 make certificate of the fact to the Bishop of the Diocese, 
 or, if there be no Bishop, to the Bishop of an adjacent 
 Diocese; which certificate shall be recorded, and shall be 
 taken and deemed by the ecclesiastical authority as 
 equivalent to a renunciation of the Ministry by the Min- 
 ister himself. Notice shall then be given to the said 
 Minister, by the said Bishop receiving the certificate, 
 
 » Canon v., 1850. 
 
 Trial may pro- 
 ceed. 
 
 Notice of Depo- 
 sition. 
 
 Abandonment 
 without Renun- 
 ciation. 
 
 Certificate. 
 
 Notice. 
 
 65 
 
Citk II. 
 
 C ANO N 7. 
 
 A Cler'gyman absenting himself from his Diocese. 
 
 Deposition after 
 six Months. 
 
 Proviso. 
 
 that unless he shall, within six months, make declara- 
 tion that the facts alleged in said certificate are false, he 
 will be deposed from the Ministry of this Church. 
 
 ^ II. And if such declaration be not made within six 
 months as aforesaid, it shall be the duty of the Bishop to 
 depose said Minister from the Ministry, and to pronounce 
 and record, in the presence of two or more Presbyters, 
 that he has been so deposed. 
 
 Provided, nevertheless, that if the Minister so re- 
 nouncing shall transmit, to the Bishop receiving the cer- 
 tificate, a retraction of the acts or declarations constituting 
 his offence, the Bishop may, at his discretion, abstain 
 from any further proceedings. 
 
 Absence for two 
 Years, when 
 Ground of Sus- 
 pension. 
 
 Duration of Sen- 
 tence. 
 
 66 
 
 Canon 7. 
 
 Of a Clergyman absenting himself from his Diocese. 
 
 When a clergyman has been absent from the Diocese 
 to which he belongs, during two years, without reasons 
 satisfactory to the Bishop thereof, he shall be required 
 by the Bishop to declare the cause or causes thereof in 
 writing ; and if he refuse to give his reasons, or if they 
 be deemed insufficient by the Bishop, the Bishop may, 
 with the advice and consent of the clerical members of 
 the Standing Committee, suspend him from the minis- 
 try ; which suspension shall continue until he shall give, 
 in writing, sufficient reasons for his absence ; or until he 
 shall renew his residence in his Diocese ; or until he 
 shall renounce the Ministry according to Canon 5 of 
 
 ^ Canon of 1859. 
 
Canon 8, 
 
 Abandonrnent by a Bishop. 
 
 this Title. In the case of such suspension as above pro- 
 vided for, it shall be the duty of the Bishop to give 
 notice thereof to every Bishop of this Church, and to 
 the Standing Committee of every Diocese wherein there 
 is no Bishop." 
 
 Canon 8. 
 
 Of the Abandonment of the Communion of the Church 
 by a Bishop. 
 
 If any Bishop, without availing himself of the provis- 
 ions of Section XVI. of Canon 13 of Title I., abandon the 
 Communion of this" Church, either by an open renunci- 
 ation of the doctrine, discipline, and worship of this 
 Church, or by a formal admission into any religious 
 body not in communion with the same, it shall be the 
 duty of the Standing Committee of the Diocese to make 
 certificate of the fact to the senior Bishop, which certi- 
 ficate shall be recorded, and shall be taken and deemed 
 as equivalent to a renunciation of the Ministry by the 
 Bishop himself. 
 
 Notice shall then be given to said Bishop by the said 
 Bishop receiving the certificate, that unless he shall, 
 within six months, make declaration that the facts 
 alleged in said certificate are false, he will be deposed 
 from the Ministry of this Church. 
 
 And if such declaration be not made within six 
 months as aforesaid, it shall be the duty of the senior 
 Bishop, with the consent of the majority of the House 
 
 » Canon ii.. 1841. 
 
 Notice to be giv- 
 en. 
 
 Abandonment of 
 Communion by a 
 Bishop. 
 
 Notice to be 
 given. 
 
 Deposition. 
 
 67 
 
title II. 
 
 Canon 9 . 
 
 I., II 
 
 Of the Trial of a Bishop. 
 
 Proviso. 
 
 of Bishops, to depose from the Ministry the Bishop so 
 certified as abandoning, and to pronounce and record, in 
 the presence of two or more Bishops, that he has been 
 so deposed. 
 
 Provided, nevertheless, that if the Bishop so certified 
 as abandoning, shall transmit to the senior Bishop a re- 
 traction of the acts or declarations constituting his 
 offence, the Bishop ma.y, at his discretion, abstain from 
 any further proceedings.^ 
 
 Offences for 
 which a Bishop 
 may be tried. 
 
 Canon 9. 
 
 Of the Trial, of a Bishop. 
 
 ^ 1. Any Bishop of this Church may be presented for 
 trial on charges for the follow^ing offences, viz. : 1. Crime 
 or immorality. 2. Holding and teaching publicly, or 
 privately and advisedly, any doctrine contrary to that 
 held by the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United 
 States. 3. Violation of the Constitution or Canons of 
 the Greneral Convention. 4. Violation of the Constitu- 
 tion or Canons of the Diocese to which he belongs. 
 5. Any act which involves a breach of his Ordination or 
 Consecration vows. 
 
 Charges in Wri- 
 ting. 
 
 h II. [1.] The proceedings shall commence by charges 
 in writing; and, except when the charge is holding and 
 teaching doctrine contrary to that held by this Church, 
 shall be signed by either. 
 
 68 
 
 » Canon of 1859. 
 
Canon 9 
 
 §" 
 
 Of the Trial of a Bishop. 
 
 Five male communicants of this Church, in good 
 standing, belonging to the Diocese of the accused, of 
 whom two at least must be Presbyters ; or. 
 
 By seven male communicants of this Church, in good 
 standing, of whom two at least shall be Presbyters, and 
 three of which seven shall belong to the Diocese of the 
 accused. 
 
 [2.] Whenever a Bishop of this Church shall have 
 reason to believe that there are in circulation rumors, 
 reports, or charges affecting his moral or religious char- 
 acter, he may, if he please, acting in conformity w^ith 
 the written advice and consent of any two of his brother 
 Bishops whom he may select, demand of the Presiding 
 Bishop of the House of Bishops, or if he be the Bishop 
 affected by such rumors, or if he be related to him 
 within the degrees hereinafter mentioned, then to the 
 Bishop next in seniority not so related, to convene a 
 Board of Inquiry in the mode hereinafter set forth, to 
 investigate such rumors, reports, and charges, and to pro- 
 ceed, in all respects, according to the provisions of this 
 Canon, as if charges had been formally made in either 
 of the two modes first mentioned in this section. 
 
 [J3.] Wlienever charges are formally made in either of 
 the modes first above mentioned, the accusers may, if 
 they choose, select a lay communicant of this Church, of 
 the profession of the law, to act as their adviser, advocate 
 and agent, in preparing the accusation, proofs, etc., until 
 such time as a Board of Inquiry is convened in such 
 manner as is hereinafter provided for ; or they may pre- 
 pare such charges themselves, without regard to any 
 particular form ; and, in either case, the grounds of ac- 
 cusation must be set forth with reasonable certainty of 
 time, place, and circumstance. 
 
 By whom to be 
 signed. 
 
 Action on Ru- 
 mors. 
 
 If advised by 
 two Bishops. 
 
 Accusers may 
 choose a lay Ad lo- 
 cate and Agent. 
 
 Reasonable 
 Certainty of 
 Charges. 
 
 C9 
 
QLiik II. 
 
 To whom to be 
 delivered. 
 
 Board of Inquiry. 
 
 How Constitu- 
 ted. 
 
 Notice to Mem- 
 bers. 
 
 70 
 
 Canon 9. Siii.,iv. 
 
 0/ the Trial of a Bishop. 
 
 § III. The charges, having been prepared in either of 
 the modes first above mentioned, shall then be delivered 
 to the Presiding Bishop of this Church, if he be not the 
 accused, nor related to the accused in any degree men- 
 tioned hereinafter in this Canon; in either of which 
 cases, the charges shall be delivered to the next Bishop 
 in seniority not so related. 
 
 § IV, A Board for making a preliminary inquiry into 
 charges thus preferred, shall be constituted as follows, 
 whenever such Board shall be necessary, viz. : 
 
 [l.j The Presiding Bishop, or senior Bishop, as the 
 case may be, to whom such charges are delivered, shall 
 take the list of Clerical and Lay Deputies to the last 
 General Convention that was held before such charges 
 were presented, and from that list shall choose by lot 
 two Presbyters and two laymen from the deputation of 
 the Diocese of the accused, and two Presbyters and two 
 laymen from each of the respective deputations of the 
 three Dioceses adjoining that of the accused ; and if 
 there be not three adjoining, of the three nearest thereto ; 
 and if more than three Dioceses adjoin that of the ac- 
 cused, those three that have the largest number of 
 canonically-resident Presbyters in them shall be ac- 
 counted adjoining, for the purposes of this Canon ; and 
 the sixteen individuals thus selected by lot shall consti- 
 tute the Board of Inquiry, a majority of whom shall 
 form a quorum for doing business. 
 
 [2.] The Presiding Bishop, or next in seniority as the 
 case may be, immediately after thus selecting by lot the 
 Board of Inquiry, shall give notice thereof to each mem- 
 ber of said Board, and direct him to attend at a time 
 
Canon 9 
 
 § 1 V. 
 
 Of the Trial of a Bishop. 
 
 and place designated by him, and organize the Board ; 
 and it shall be the duty of each member so to attend. 
 The place must be within the Diocese of the accused. 
 The Presiding Bishop shall, at the same time, send a 
 copy of the charges to the senior Presbyter of those thus 
 selected by lot from the four Dioceses. 
 
 [3.] On assembling, the Board shall organize by choos- 
 ing from among; themselves a President and Secretary, 
 and shall also appoint a Church Advocate, who must be 
 a lay communicant of this Church, and of the profession 
 of the law, and who thenceforward shall, in all stages of 
 the proceedings, if a trial be ordered, represent the 
 Church, and be the party on the one hand, while the ac- 
 cused is the party on the other. The sittings of the 
 Board shall be private ; the Church Advocate shall not 
 attend as prosecuting counsel, but shall be at all times 
 at hand and ia readiness to give his advice in all ques- 
 tions submitted to him by the Board. 
 
 [4.] In conducting the investigation, the Board shall 
 hear the accusations and such proof as the accusers may 
 produce, and shall determine whether, upon matters of 
 law and of fact, as presented to them, there is sufficient 
 ground to put the accused Bishop upon his trial ; and in 
 such investigation, as well as in all cases of trial by an 
 Ecclesiastical Court now authorized, or hereafter to be 
 authorized, by the Constitution or Canons of the General 
 Convention, the laws of the State in which such investi- 
 gation or trial is had, so far as they relate to the law of 
 evidence, shall be adopted and taken as the rules by 
 which the said Board or Court shall be governed. If a 
 majority of the Board present on such investigation, 
 shall be of opinion that there are sufficient grounds to 
 
 Place of Meeting. 
 
 Copy of Charges 
 to he sent. 
 
 Organization of 
 the Board. 
 
 Sittings to be 
 
 private. 
 
 Office of Church 
 
 Advocate. 
 
 Duty of the 
 Board. 
 
 Rides of Evidence 
 those of the State 
 
 in which theTrial 
 is had. 
 
 Presentment. 
 
title II. 
 
 Canon 9 
 
 IV 
 
 Of the Trial of a Bishop. 
 
 Copies of Pre- 
 sentment to be 
 sent. 
 
 Refusal to Pre- 
 sent. 
 
 Certificate of Re- 
 fusal, 
 
 Bar to Future 
 
 Presentment. 
 
 Exception. 
 
 Limitation of 
 Time. 
 
 Conviction in a 
 State Court. 
 
 72 
 
 put the accused Bishop upon his trial, they shall direct 
 the Church Advocate to prepare a presentment, to be 
 signed by such of the Board as agree thereto ; and to 
 that end, shall place in his hands all the charges, to- 
 gether with the testimony that has been laid before the 
 Board. 
 
 [5.] The Board shall then direct the Church Advocate 
 to transmit to the Bishop from whom they received the 
 charges, the presentment thus signed ; and shall cause 
 him also, without delay, to send to the accused Bishop a 
 copy of the same, certified by the Church Advocate to be 
 correct. 
 
 [6.] If a majority of the Board present shall be of 
 opinion that there is not sufficient ground to put the ac- 
 cused Bishop upon his trial, in such case, the charges, 
 together with a certificate of the President of the Board 
 of its refusal to make a presentment, shall be sent to 
 the Secretary of the House of Bishops, to be deposited 
 among the archives of that House. And no proceedings 
 shall thereafter be had by way of presentment on such 
 charges, except upon the affidavit of a respectable com- 
 municant of the Church, of the discovery of new testi- 
 mony as to the facts charged, and setting forth what 
 such testimony is. 
 
 [7.] No presentment shall be found in any case, unless 
 the alleged offence shall have been committed within 
 five years next before the day on which the charges 
 were delivered to the Presiding or senior Bishop. But 
 if the accused shall have been convicted of the alleged 
 offence in a State court, notwithstanding five years may 
 have elapsed since its commission, a presentment may 
 be founded on charges delivered to the Presiding or 
 
Canon 9 
 
 §^ 
 
 Of the Trial of a Bishop. 
 
 senior Bishop at any time within one year after such 
 conviction. 
 
 ^ V. [1.] When a presentment has been made by the 
 Board of Inquiry, or a majority thereof, to the Bishop 
 from whom they received the charges, it shall be the 
 duty of such Bishop forthwith to give to the accused 
 written notice to attend, at some place not more than 
 one hundred miles from the place of residence of the 
 accused Bishop, and at some time not less than twenty 
 days after the time of serving such notice, either per- 
 sonally, or by some agent authorized by him in writing 
 to act for him in the premises, for the purpose of select- 
 ing the Bishops who shall form the Court for the trial of 
 the said accused Bishop upon the said presentment. 
 He shall also give notice to the Church Advocate of the 
 time and place appointed for such selection. 
 
 [2.] At the time and place appointed in the notices, the 
 Bishop who has given the notices shall attend ; and, in 
 the presence of the accused Bishop, or of his agent 
 authorized as aforesaid, and also in the presence of the 
 Church Advocate, or of such person or persons as may 
 attend in his behalf, or, if no person shall attend on 
 behalf of one or both, of two Presbyters named by him- 
 self, the said Bishop shall cause to be placed in a vessel 
 the names of all the Bishops of this Church entitled to 
 seats in the House of Bishops, then being within the ter- 
 ritory of the United States, except the accused and 
 those Bishops who may be related to him either by con- 
 sanguinity or affinity, in the direct ascending or de- 
 scending line, or as brother, uncle, or nephew. He shall 
 then cause eleven of the said names to be drawn. The 
 
 Notice to Accused 
 upon Present- 
 ment. 
 
 And to Church 
 Advocate. 
 
 Formation of 
 the Court. 
 
 Eleven Names 
 to be draicn. 
 
 73 
 
title II. 
 
 Canon 9 
 
 Of the Trial of a Bishop. 
 
 Eleven 
 reduced to 
 Seven. 
 
 Notice to Mem- 
 bers of the Court. 
 
 Appointment of 
 Time and Place. 
 
 Certified copies. 
 
 Summons of 
 the Accused. 
 
 74 
 
 names so drawn, shall Ije entered upon a list as they are 
 drawn, and the accused or his agent may strike off the 
 list one name, and the said Church Advocate or his agent 
 another name, and so on alternately, until the number 
 be reduced to seven. If it shall happen that either party 
 shall neglect or refuse to strike, then the Bishop who 
 has given the notices shall reduce the number to seven, 
 by striking off so many of the last drawn names as will 
 reduce the list to that number. The seven Bishops 
 whose names remain, or a majority of them, when 
 assembled, shall constitute the Court for the trial of the 
 accused upon the presentment. 
 
 [3.] The Court having been thus constituted, the Bish- 
 op to whom the presentment was made shall immedi- 
 ately communicate to each Bishop who has thus been 
 by lot designated as one of the triers, the fact that he is 
 a member of the Court. He shall also appoint a time 
 and place for the assembling of the Court. The time 
 shall not be less than two nor more than six calendar 
 months from the day on which the notice should arrive 
 at the most distant Diocese, in the ordinary course of 
 the public mail. The place shall be within the Diocese 
 or Missionary field of the accused Bishop, unless where 
 the same may be of such difficult access, in the judg- 
 ment of the Presiding or senior Bishop, that reasonable 
 convenience may require the appointment of another 
 location. And the said senior Bishop shall cause the 
 Church Advocate to send certified copies of the said 
 presentment to all the Bishops who constitute the Court. 
 
 [4.] The Bishop to whom the presentment has been 
 made shall also immediately communicate to the accused 
 the names of the members of the Court, and inform him 
 
Canon 9 . 
 
 VI 
 
 Of the Trial of a Bishop 
 
 of the time and place appointed for its meeting, and sum- 
 mon him then and there to appear and answer. He or 
 any other Bishop of this Church having charge of a Dio- 
 cese, shall have power, until the Court assembles, upon 
 the application of either the Church Advocate or the ac- 
 cused, to issue a summons for witnesses. 
 
 ^ VI. The Bishops who constitute the Court, or a ma- 
 jority of them, having assembled according to the notice 
 given them, which notice it is hereby made their duty 
 to obey, shall proceed as follows, viz. : 
 
 [1.] They shall elect a President out of their own num- 
 ber, and appoint a Presbyter of the Church as Clerk, and 
 if necessary, another Presbyter as Assistant Clerk ; and 
 when thus organized, the President shall direct the Clerk 
 to call the names of the Church Advocate and the ac- 
 cused ; and if both appear, he shall then cause the Clerk 
 to read the presentment which was delivered to the Pre- 
 siding or senior Bishop, whose duty it is hereby made to 
 deliver the same to the Court upon its organization, 
 
 [2.] The accused shall then be called upon by the 
 Court to say whether he is guilty or not guilty of the 
 offence or offences charged against him, and his plea 
 shall be duly recorded ; and on his neglect or refusal to 
 plead, the plea of not guilty shall be entered for him, 
 and the trial shall proceed ; Provided, that, for sufficient 
 cause, the Court may adjourn from time to time ; and 
 Provided also, that the accused shall, at all times during 
 the trial, have liberty to be present, and in due time and 
 order produce his testimony, and to make his defence. 
 
 [3.] If the accused neglect or refuse to appear in per- 
 son, according to the notice served on him as aforesaid, 
 
 Power to sum- 
 mon Witnesses. 
 
 Course of Pro- 
 ceeding on the 
 Trial. 
 
 President. 
 Clerk. 
 
 Reading the 
 Presentment. 
 
 The Call to 
 plead. 
 
 Provisos. 
 
 Non-appearance. 
 75 
 
title 11. 
 
 Canon 9. 
 
 V I 
 
 Of the Trial of a BishojJ. 
 
 Contumacy. 
 
 Three Months^ 
 Grace to appear. 
 
 The Common. 
 Law, the Rule 
 of Proceeding. 
 
 Declaration of 
 Witness in Writ- 
 ing before testi- 
 fying. 
 
 except for some reasonable cause to be allowed by the 
 Court, they shall proceed to pronounce him in contu- 
 macy, and notify him that sentence of suspension or 
 degradation will be pronounced against him by the 
 Court at the expiration of three months, unless within 
 that time he tender himself ready, and accordingly ap- 
 pear and take his trial on the presentment. But if the 
 accused shall not lender himself before the expiration of 
 the said three months, sentence of suspension or degra- 
 dation from the Ministry may be pronounced against him 
 by the Court. 
 
 [4.] The accused being present, and the trial proceed- 
 ing, it shall be conducted according to the principles of 
 the Common Law, as the same are generally administered 
 ill the United States ; nor shall any testimony be receiv- 
 ed at the trial, except from witnesses who have signed a 
 declaration in the following words, to be read aloud 
 before the witness testifies, and to be filed with the rec- 
 ords of the Court : 
 
 " A. B., a witness summoned to testify on the trial of a presentment 
 
 against the Right Rev. , a, Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal 
 
 Church in the United States, new pending, do most solemnly call God to 
 witness that the evidence I am about to give shall be the truth, the 
 whole truth, and nothing but the truth ; so help me God !" 
 
 Depositions 
 when Attend- 
 ance cannot be 
 procured. 
 
 76 
 
 And if it be necessary to take the testimony of an ab- 
 sent witness on a commission, such testimony shall be 
 preceded by a similar written declaration of the witness, 
 which shall be filed and transmitted with his or her de- 
 position to the Court. The testimony of each witness 
 shall be reduced to writing. And in case there is ground 
 to suppose that the attendance of any witness on the trial 
 cannot be obtained, it shall be lawful for either party to 
 
Canon 9 
 
 Of the Trial of a Bishop. 
 
 apply to the Court if in session, or if not, to any mem- 
 ber thereof, who shall thereupon appoint a commissary 
 to take the deposition of such witness ; and such party 
 so desiring to take the deposition, shall give to the other 
 party reasonable notice of the time and place of taking 
 such deposition, accompanying such notice with the in- 
 terrogatories to be propounded to the witness ; where- 
 upon it shall be lawful for the other party, within six 
 days after such notice, to propound cross-interrogatories ; 
 and such interrogatories and cross-interrogatories, if any 
 be propounded, shall be sent to the commissary, who 
 shall thereupon proceed to take the testimony of such 
 witness, upon oath or affirmation, and transmit it under 
 seal to the Court. But no deposition shall be read at 
 the trial, unless the Court have reasonable assurance 
 that the attendance of the witness cannot be procured, 
 or unless both parties shall consent that it may be read. 
 Provided, that in any Diocese in which the civil gov- 
 ernment has authorized the ecclesiastical courts therein 
 to issue summons for witnesses, or to administer an oath, 
 the Court shall act in conformity to such laws. 
 
 [5.] All notices and papers may be served by a sum- 
 moner or summoners, to be appointed by the Court when 
 the same is in session, or by a member thereof ; and the 
 certificate of any such suramoner shall be evidence of 
 the due service of a notice or paper. In case of service 
 by any other person, the fact may be proved by the affi- 
 davit of such person. The delivery of a written notice 
 or paper to the accused party, or to the Church Advocate, 
 or leaving it, or a copy thereof, at the residence, or last 
 known residence, of either, shall be deemed sufficient 
 service of such notice or paper, on the Church Advocate 
 
 § VI 
 
 Commissary. 
 
 Cross-examina- 
 tion. 
 
 On what Condi- 
 tion Depositions 
 to he read. 
 
 Proviso. 
 
 Service of No- 
 tices and Papers 
 
 Certificate of 
 Service. 
 
 Mode of Service 
 
 77 
 
title II. 
 
 Canon 9. 
 
 VI 
 
 Of the Trial of a Bishop. 
 
 Accused may 
 have Counsel. 
 
 Counsel to he 
 Communicants. 
 
 Court to express 
 Opinion on each- 
 Charge and 
 Specification. 
 
 Decision to be re- 
 duced to Writing 
 and signed. 
 
 78 
 
 and accused respectively. If the person to be served 
 with any notice or paper shall have left the United 
 States, it shall be a sufficient service thereof to leave a 
 copy of such notice or paper at his last place of abode 
 within the United States, sixty days before the day on 
 which the appearance, or other act required by the said 
 notice or paper, is to be performed. 
 
 [6.] The accused party may, if he think proper, have 
 the aid of counsel ; and if he should choose to have more 
 than one counsel, the Church Advocate may have assist- 
 ant advocates, to be named by the accusers ; but in every 
 case the Court may regulate the number of counsel who 
 shall address the Court or examine witnesses. The Church 
 Advocate shall be considered the party on one side, and 
 the accused on the other. All counsel must be commu- 
 nicants of the Church. 
 
 [7.] The Court, having fully heard the allegations and 
 proofs of the parties, and deliberately considered the 
 same, after the parties have withdrawn, shall declare 
 respectively, whether, in their opinion, the accused is 
 guilty or not guilty of each particular charge and speci- 
 fication contained in the presentment, in the order in 
 which they are set forth ; and the accused shall be con- 
 sidered as not guilty of every charge and specification 
 of which he shall not be pronounced guilty by a majority 
 of the members of the Court. 
 
 [8.] The decision of the Court as to all the charges 
 and specifications of which a majority of the members 
 of the Court have found him guilty, shall be reduced to 
 writing, and signed by those who assent to it ; and a de- 
 cision pronouncing him not guilty of all those charges 
 and specifications of which a majority shall not have 
 
Canon 9 . 
 
 VI. 
 
 Of the Trial of a Bishop. 
 
 pronounced him guilty, shall also be drawn up, and 
 signed by those who assent to it ; and the decision thus 
 signed shall be regarded as the judgment of the Court, 
 and shall be pronounced in the presence of the parties, 
 if they shall think proper to attend. 
 
 [9.] If the accused shall be found guilty of any charge 
 or specification, the Court shall proceed to ask him 
 whether he has anything to say before the sentence is 
 passed, and may, in their discretion, give him time to 
 prepare what he wishes to say, and appoint a time for 
 passing the sentence ; and before passing sentence, the 
 Court may adjourn from time to time, and give the ac- 
 cused reasonable opportunity of showing cause to induce 
 a belief that justice has not been done, or that he has 
 discovered new testimony ; and the Court, or a majority 
 of its members, may, according to a sound discretion, 
 grant him a new trial ; but, in such new trial, no Bishop 
 shall sit who has already been a trier. Before passing 
 sentence, the accused shall always have the opportunity 
 of being heard, if he have aught to say in excuse or 
 palliation. 
 
 [10,] The accused having been heard, or not desiring 
 to be heard, the sentence of the Court shall then be pro- 
 nounced, and shall be either admonition, suspension as 
 defined by the existing Canons of this Church, or degra- 
 dation, as the offence or offences adjudged to be proved 
 shall seem to deserve. It shall be the duty of the Court, 
 .whenever sentence has been pronounced, whether it be 
 upon a trial, or for contumacy, to communicate such 
 sentence to the ecclesiastical authority of every Diocese 
 of this Church ; and it shall be the duty of such au- 
 
 Accused to he 
 heard before 
 Sentence. 
 
 New Trial. 
 
 Sentence. 
 
 Sentence to be 
 communicated, 
 and to whom. 
 
 79 
 
title II 
 
 Canon 9 . 
 
 § VI. 
 
 Of the Trial of a Bishop). 
 
 Record of Pro- 
 ceedings. 
 
 Exceptions. 
 
 How kept and 
 attested. 
 
 Lay Advisers 
 may he appointed. 
 
 Their Office. 
 
 thority to cause such sentence to be made known to 
 every clergyman under his jurisdiction. 
 
 [11.] Every Court shall keep a full record of its pro- 
 ceedings, including the whole evidence given before it. 
 Should any Court refuse to insert in its record a state- 
 ment of any testimony which has been received, or of 
 any decision which the Court has made, or of any fact 
 which has occurred in Court, or any paper which either 
 party has produced, it shall be the right of either party 
 to file an exception in writing, containing a statement 
 of such evidence, decision or fact, or referring to or de- 
 scribing such paper, which paper shall also be filed with 
 the exception. All exceptions and papers so filed shall 
 become parts of the record. 
 
 [12.] Such records shall be kept by the Clerk, and in- 
 serted in a book, to be attested by the signatures of the 
 President and Clerk. Every such book, and all papers 
 connected with any trial, shall be deposited with the 
 Registrar of the G-eneral Convention. Such books and 
 papers shall be open to the inspection of every member 
 of this Church. 
 
 [13.] Every Court, constituted under the authority of 
 this Canon, may be attended by one or more lay advi- 
 sers, who shall be communicants of this Church, and 
 of the profession of the law. Such advisers may be 
 present at all the proceedings of the Court, but they 
 shall have no vote in any case whatever; it shall be 
 their duty to give in person to the Court an opinion on 
 any question not theological, upon which the Court, or 
 any member thereof, or either party, shall desire an 
 opinion. If a dispute shall arise whether any question 
 be or be not theological, it shall be decided by the Court 
 
 80 
 
Canon 9 
 
 § VI I ., VIII 
 
 Of the Trial of a Bishop. 
 
 by a majority of votes. The Court may always, by 
 unanimous consent, appoint an adviser or advisers. If 
 they are not unanimous, each member of the Court may 
 name a candidate ; if not more than three are named, 
 they all shall be advisers ; if more than three are named, 
 the Court shall reduce them to three by lot. 
 
 ^ VII. [1.] Any Bishop of this Church may be pre- 
 sented for holding and teaching doctrine inconsistent 
 with that of this Church, by any Bishop in communion 
 with this Church, and not under suspension or degrada- 
 tion. No Bishop shall be presented in any other mode 
 for this offence ; and it shall not be lawful for two or 
 more persons to unite in any such presentment. The 
 Bishop making such presentment shall appoint a Church 
 Advocate. 
 
 [2.] Every presentment for alleged erroneous doc- 
 trine shall be signed by the person making it, and shall 
 be addressed to the Bishops of the Protestant Episcopal 
 Church in the United States, and delivered to the senior 
 Bishop entitled to a seat in the House of Bishops, and 
 not being the accused or the accuser, whose duty it shall 
 be to convene a Court for the trial of the accused. The 
 Court shall be composed of all the Bishops entitled to 
 seats in the House of Bishops, except the accuser and 
 the accused. Three fourths of such Bishops shall con- 
 stitute a quorum ; but the consent of two thirds of all 
 the Bishops entitled to seats in the House of Bishops 
 shall be necessary to a conviction. 
 
 ^ Vin. [1.] If charges be preferred against a Mis- 
 sionary Bishop who is not a Diocesan, such Missionary 
 
 Presentment Jor 
 erroneoui Doc- 
 trine. 
 
 By whom to he 
 made. 
 
 Church Advo- 
 cate. 
 
 To whom ad- 
 dressed and de- 
 livered. 
 
 Court to he con- 
 vened. 
 
 Of whom com- 
 posed. 
 
 Quorum. 
 Number necessa-\ 
 ry to a Convic-\ 
 tion. I 
 
 Case of Charges 
 against a Mis- 
 sionary Bishop. 
 
 81 
 
title II. 
 
 Canon 10. 
 
 I., II 
 
 Of Sentences. 
 
 Case of a Bishop 
 ivithout Juris- 
 diction. 
 
 Bishop shall be required by the Presiding or senior 
 Bishop to name some one of the three Dioceses nearest 
 to his District or Missionary field; and such selection 
 having been made, the proceedings shall then be pre- 
 cisely such as under this Canon they would be were he 
 the Diocesan of the Diocese named by him. Should the 
 Missionary Bishop refuse to name a Diocese, then the 
 Presiding Bishop may name any one of the three above 
 designated, and the effect shall be the same as if the 
 nomination had been made by the accused Missionary 
 Bishop. 
 
 [2.] If charges be preferred against a Bishop having 
 no jurisdiction, he shall be proceeded against precisely 
 as if he w6re the Diocesan of the Diocese in which he 
 has his civil residence." 
 
 Canon 10. 
 
 Of Sentences.^ 
 
 Suspension. § I. Whenever the penalty of suspension shall be in- 
 
 flicted on a Bishop, Priest, or Deacon in this Church, 
 the sentence shall specify on what terms, or at what 
 time, said penalty shall cease." 
 
 Degradation. ^ H. [1.] "When any Minister is degraded from the 
 
 Holy Ministry, he is degraded therefrom entirely, and 
 
 What Terms are not from a higher to a lower Order of the same, Deposi- 
 
 synonymous. tion, displacing, and all like expressions, are the same as 
 
 82 
 
 Canon xi., 1856. '' See the Constitution, Article VI. 
 
 •■ Canon iii., 1847. 
 
Canon 11. 
 
 Remission or Modificatiori of Judicial Sentences. 
 
 degradation. No degraded Minister shall be restored to 
 the Ministry, 
 
 [2.] Whenever a Clergyman shall be degraded, the 
 Bishop who pronounces sentence shall, without delay, 
 give notice thereof to every Minister and Vestry in the 
 Diocese, and also to all the Bishops of this Church, and 
 where there is no Bishop, to the Standing Committee." 
 
 Canon 11. 
 
 Of the Remission or Modification of Judicial Sen- 
 tences. 
 
 The Bishops of this Church, who are entitled to seats 
 in the House of Bishops, may altogether remit and ter- 
 minate any judicial sentence which may have been im- 
 posed, or may hereafter be imposed, by Bishops acting 
 collectively as a judicial tribunal ; or modify the same 
 so far as to designate a precise period of time, or other 
 specific contingency, on the occurrence of which such 
 sentence shall utterly cease, and be of no further force 
 or effect. Provided that no such remission or modifica- 
 tion shall be made except at a meeting of the House of 
 Bishops, during the session of some General Convention, 
 or at a special meeting of the said Bishops, which shall 
 be convened by the Presiding Bishop on the application of 
 any five Bishops; three months' notice, in writing, of the 
 time, place and object of .the meeting, being given per- 
 
 % » Canon xxxix., 1832. 
 
 No Resloratio7i. 
 
 Notice of Degra- 
 dation, to whom 
 given. 
 
 Remission of 
 Sentence, 
 
 Or Modification 
 thereof. 
 
 To be made at 
 General Con- 
 vention. 
 Or Meeting 
 specially con- 
 vened. 
 
 83 
 
title II. 
 
 Canon 12 
 
 I., II 
 
 Regulations respecting the Laity. 
 
 Majority of whole 
 Number of Bish- 
 ops must assent. 
 
 sonally to each Bishop, or left at his usual place of abode. 
 Provided, also, that such remission or modification be 
 assented to by a number of said Bishops not less than 
 a majority of the whole number entitled at the time to 
 seats in the House of Bishops ; and Provided, that noth- 
 ing herein shall be construed to repeal or alter Canon 
 10 of this Title." 
 
 Removal of Com- 
 municants. 
 
 Certificate. 
 
 Crimes and 
 Scandals to be 
 censured. 
 
 Ordinary to be 
 informed. 
 
 Canon 12. 
 
 Regulations respecting the Laity. 
 
 k I. A communicant removing from one parish to 
 another, shall procure from the Rector (if any) of the 
 Parish of his last residence, or, if there be no Rector, 
 from one of the Wardens, a certificate stating that he 
 or she is a communicant in good standing ; and the 
 Rector of the Parish or Congregation to which he or she 
 removes shall not be required to receive him or her as 
 a communicant until such letter be produced." 
 
 k II. [1.] If any persons within this Church offend 
 their brethren by any wickedness of life, such persons 
 shall be repelled from the Holy Communion, agreeably 
 to the rubric. 
 
 [2.] There being the provision in the second rubric 
 before the Communion Service requiring that every Min- 
 ister repelling from the Communion shall give an account 
 of the same to the Ordinary, "it is hereby provided, that. 
 
 ^ Canon ii., 1847. 
 
 >> Canon xiii., 1853. 
 
 84 
 
Canon 12. 
 
 Regulations respecting the Laity. 
 
 on the information to the effect stated being laid before 
 the Ordinary, that is the Bishop, it shall not be his duty 
 to institute an inquiry, unless there be a complaint made 
 to him in writing by the repelled party. But, on receiv- 
 ing complaint, it shall be the duty of the Bishop, unless 
 he think fit to restore him from the insufficiency of the 
 cause assigned by the Minister, to institute an inquiry 
 as may be directed by the Canons of the Diocese in 
 which the event has taken place ; and the notice, given 
 as above by the Minister, shall be a sufficient presenta- 
 tion of the party repelled. 
 
 [3.] In case of great heinousness of offence on the 
 part of members of this Church, they may be proceeded 
 against to the depriving them of all privileges of Church 
 membership, according to such rules or process as may 
 be provided by the General Convention ; and until such 
 rules or process shall be provided, by such as may be 
 provided by the different Diocesan Conventions." 
 
 Inquiry on Com- 
 plaint in Writ- 
 ing. 
 
 Deprivation of 
 Privileges of 
 Church Member- 
 ship. 
 
 * Canon xKi., 1832. 
 
 85 
 
title III. 
 
 Canon 1 
 
 Special Meetings 
 of General Con- 
 vention. 
 
 Proviso. 
 
 Place of Meet- 
 ins. 
 
 Same Deputies. 
 
 86 
 
 %xXk III. 
 
 OF THE ORGANIZED BODIES AND OFFICERS OF THE 
 CHURCH. 
 
 Canon 1. 
 
 Of the General Convention." 
 
 § I. [1.] The right of calling special meetings of the 
 General Convention shall be in the Bishops. This right 
 shall be exercised by the Presiding Bishop, or, in case 
 of his death, by the Bishop who, according to the rules 
 of the House of Bishops, is to preside at the next G-eneral 
 Convention ; Provided, that the summons shall be with 
 the consent, or on the requisition of, a majority of the 
 Bishops, expressed to him in writing. 
 
 [2.] The place of holding any Special Convention 
 shall be that fixed on by the preceding General Con- 
 vention for the meeting of the G-eneral Convention, 
 unless circumstances shall render a meeting at such a 
 place unsafe ; in which case, the Presiding Bishop may 
 appoint some other place. 
 
 [3.] The Deputies elected to the preceding General 
 Convention shall be the Deputies at such special Con- 
 vention, unless in those cases in which other Deputies 
 shall have been chosen in the mean time by any of 
 the Diocesan Conventions, and then such other Deputies 
 shall represent in the Special Convention the Church of 
 the Diocese in w^hich they have been chosen.* 
 
 » See Constitution, Articles I , II., and III. 
 
 b Canon xlix., 1832. 
 
Canon 1 
 
 II. 
 
 Of the General Convention. 
 
 Duties of Regis- 
 trar. 
 
 ^ 11, [1.] The journals, files, papers, reports, and other Resistrai. 
 documents, which, under Canon 15 of Title I., entitled 
 Of Securing' an Accurate View of the State of the 
 Church, or in any other manner, shall become the pro- 
 perty of either House of the Greneral Convention of this 
 Church, shall be committed to the keeping of a Presby- 
 ter to be elected by the House of Clerical and Lay 
 Deputies, upon nomination of the House of Bishops, who 
 shall be known as the Registrar of the General Conven- 
 tion. 
 
 [2.] It shall be the duty of the said Registrar to pro- 
 cure all such journals, files, papers, reports, and other 
 documents now in existence ; to arrange, label, file, 
 index, and otherwise put in order, and provide for the 
 safe keeping of, the same, and all such others as may 
 hereafter come into his possession, in fire-proof box or 
 boxes, in some safe and accessible place of deposit, and 
 to hold the same under such regulations and restrictions 
 as the G-eneral Convention may from time to time pro- 
 vide. 
 
 [3.j It shall be the duty of the said Registrar to pro- Record of Conse- 
 cure a proper and sufficient book of record, and to enter crations of Bish- 
 therein a record of the consecrations of all the Bishops ^P- 
 of this Church, designating accurately the time and 
 place of the same, with the names of the consecrating 
 Bishops, and of others present and assisting ; to have 
 the same authenticated in the fullest manner now prac- 
 ticable ; and to take care for the similar record and au- 
 thentication of all future consecrations in this Church. 
 
 [4.] The expenses necessary for the purposes contem- Expenses. 
 plated by this Section shall be provided for by vote of 
 
 87 
 
title III. 
 
 Canon 1 
 
 I I I .-V 
 
 Notice to Dioce- 
 san Conventions. 
 
 Treasurer. 
 
 His Duties. 
 
 How Vacancy to 
 be filled. 
 
 Expenses of 
 General Conven- 
 tion. 
 
 88 
 
 Of the General Convention. 
 
 the Greneral Convention, and defrayed by the Treasurer 
 of the same.'' 
 
 § III. It shall be the duty of the Secretary of the 
 House of Clerical and Lay Deputies, whenever any 
 alteration of the Constitution is proposed, or any other 
 subject submitted to the consideration of the several 
 Diocesan Conventions, to give a particular notice thereof 
 to the ecclesiastical authority of this Church in every 
 Diocese.*" 
 
 § IV. At every triennial meeting of the General Con- 
 vention, a Treasurer shall be chosen, who shall remain in 
 office until the next stated Convention, and until a suc- 
 cessor be appointed. It shall be his duty to receive and 
 disburse all moneys collected under the authority of the 
 Convention, and of which the collection and disburse- 
 ment shall not otherwise be regulated ; and to invest, 
 from time to time, for the benefit of the Convention, such 
 surplus funds as he may have on hand. His account 
 shall be rendered triennially to the Convention, and shall 
 be examined by a Committee acting under its authority. 
 In case of a vacancy in the office of Treasurer, it shall 
 be supplied by an appointment to be made by the 
 ecclesiastical authority of the Diocese to which he be- 
 longed ; and the person so appointed shall continue to 
 act until an appointment be made by the Convention. 
 
 § V. In order that the contingent expenses of the 
 General Convention may be defrayed, it shall be the 
 
 Canon iv., 1853. 
 
 ^ Canon 1., 1832. 
 
 <^ Canon i., 1841. 
 
Canon 2 
 
 Standing Committees. 
 
 duty of the several Diocesan Conventions to forward to 
 the Treasurer of the General Convention, at or before 
 any meeting of the General Convention, two dollars for 
 each clergyman within such Diocese.* 
 
 Canon 2. 
 
 Of Standing Committees. 
 
 k I. In every Diocese there shall be a Standing Com- 
 mittee, to be appointed by the Convention thereof, whose 
 duties, except so far as provided for by the Canons of 
 the General Convention, may be prescribed by the 
 Canons of the respective Dioceses. They shall elect 
 from their own body a President and a Secretary. They 
 may meet on their own adjournment from time to time ; 
 and the President shall have power to summon special 
 meetings whenever he shall deem it necessary. 
 
 h II. In every Diocese where there is a Bishop, the 
 Standing Committee shall be a Council of Advice to the 
 Bishop. They shall be summoned on the ref^uisition of 
 the Bishop, whenever he shall wish for their advice. 
 And they may meet of their own accord, and agreeably 
 to their own rules, when they may be disposed to advise 
 the Bishop. 
 
 k III. When there is no Bishop, the Standing Com- 
 mittee is the ecclesiastical authority for all purposes 
 declared in these Canons.'' 
 
 » Canon viii., 1856. 
 
 b Canon iv., 1832. 
 
 Diocesan Ratio. 
 
 Duties of Stand- 
 ing Committee. 
 
 President and 
 Secretary. 
 
 To he a Council 
 of Advice. 
 
 When the Eccle- 
 siastical Au- 
 thority. 
 
 89 
 
title III. 
 
 Canon 3 . 
 
 I .- 1 u 
 
 Trustees how 
 appointed and 
 what number. 
 
 Their Duties. 
 
 Objects of the 
 Fund. 
 
 Discretion al- 
 lowed as Con- 
 tributors. 
 
 90 
 
 Trustees of the Missionary Bishops' Fund. 
 
 Canon 3. 
 
 Of the Trustees of the Missionary Bishops' Fund. 
 
 § I. It shall be the duty of the Greneral Convention, 
 at each triennial session, on the nomination of the 
 Standing Committee on the State of the Church, to ap- 
 point five laymen of this Church to constitute a Board 
 of Trustees of the Missionary Bishops' Fund. 
 
 k II. It shall be the duty of such Trustees to take 
 charge of all contributions of money or real estate which 
 may be made to them, and accompanied by designation 
 from the donors thereof, for any or either of the purposes 
 herein specified, viz. : — 
 
 [1.] For the present support of any Missionary Bishop 
 of this Church. 
 
 [2.] For investment, the interest or proceeds to be ap- 
 plied to such present support. 
 
 [3.] For the support of Bishops of this Church in new 
 Dioceses, or in regions in which the Church is not yet 
 organized. 
 
 [4.] For the endowment of the Episcopate in new 
 Dioceses, or in regions in which the Church is not or- 
 ganized. 
 
 ^ III. All contributions, the disposition of which may 
 not have been designated by the donors, shall be applied 
 by the said Board of Trustees according to their discre- 
 tion, for the above-named objects, until the direction of 
 the General Convention in the premises. 
 
Trustees of the Missionary Bishops^ Fund. 
 
 ^ IV. All moneys received by either of the Missionary 
 Committees of the Board of Missions specifically for 
 either of the purposes designated in this Canon, shall be 
 paid over to the Treasurer of the Board of Trustees 
 hereby constituted, accompanied by a statement of the 
 directions of the donors. 
 
 § V. The Board of Trustees, hereby constituted, shall 
 appoint a Treasurer, who shall keep fair accounts of all 
 the receipts and expenditures of the Board. These ac- 
 counts shall at all times be open to the inspection of any 
 Bishop of this Church, or of any accountant appointed 
 for the purpose by any three Bishops of this Church. 
 The Board shall have power to make all necessary dis- 
 bursements in the discharge of their trust. 
 
 § YI. The Board shall make a triennial report to the 
 House of Clerical and Lay Deputies on the third day of 
 the session of the General Convention ; and shall ac- 
 company their report with an account of their receipts 
 and disbursements during the last three years. It shall 
 be the duty of the House to refer such account to a com- 
 mittee to be audited. 
 
 ^ VII. Such Trustees are hereby empowered to pro- 
 cure an act of incorporation for the purposes and objects 
 specified in this Canon.* 
 
 » Canon ii., 1853- 
 
 Special Dona- 
 tions to be paid 
 over. 
 
 Treasurer oj the 
 Board. 
 
 Triennial Re- 
 port. 
 
 Incorporation. 
 
 91 
 
€itle III. 
 
 Canons 4 and 5. 
 
 I . 
 
 Trustees of the General Theological Seminary. 
 
 Canon 4 . 
 
 Of the Trustees of the General Theological Seminary. 
 
 Certificate of 1^ shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Conven- 
 
 Nomination. tion of every Diocese to forward to the House of Cler- 
 
 ical and Lay Deputies, at every General Convention, a 
 certificate of the nomination, by the Diocese, of a Trus- 
 tee or Trustees for the General Theological Seminary ; 
 and without such certificate the nomination shall not be 
 confirmed.* 
 
 Canon 
 
 5 
 
 Union with 
 Church in an- 
 other Diocese. 
 
 No Clergymanto 
 sit in two Dio- 
 cesan Conven- 
 tions. 
 
 92 
 
 Of Congregations and Parishes. 
 
 k I. Whereas a question may arise whether a Con- 
 gregation within the Diocese of any Bishop, or within 
 any Diocese in which there is not yet any Bishop settled, 
 may unite themselves with the Church in any other 
 Diocese, it is hereby determined and declared, that all 
 such unions shall be considered as irregular and void ; 
 and that every Congregation of this Church shall be 
 considered as belonging to the body of the Church of 
 the Diocese within the limits of which they dwell, or 
 within which there is seated a Church to which they 
 belong. And no Clergyman, having a Parish or Cure in 
 more than one Diocese, shall have a seat in the Conven- 
 tion of any Diocese other than that in which he resides.*" 
 
 » Canon i., 1847. 
 
 » Canon xliii,, 1832. 
 
Canon 5 
 
 §11., Ill 
 
 Of Congregations and Parishes. 
 
 ^ II. [1.] The ascertainment and defining of the bounda- 
 ries of existing Parishes or parochial Cures, as well as 
 the establishment of a new Church or Congregation, and 
 forming a new Parish within the limits of any other 
 Parish, is left to the action of the several Diocesan Con- 
 ventions, for the Dioceses respectively. 
 
 [2.] Until a Canon or other regulation of a Diocesan 
 Convention shall have been adopted, the formation of 
 new Parishes, or establishment of new Churches or Con- 
 ffregations witliin the limits of other Parishes, shall he 
 
 DO ' 
 
 vested in the Bishop of the Diocese acting by and with 
 the advice and consent of the Standing Committee there- 
 of ; and in case of there being no Bishop, in the ecclesi- 
 astical authority. 
 
 [3.] Nothing contained in this Section shall affect any 
 legal rights of property of any Parish. 
 
 § III. [1.] It shall be lawful for persons helonging to 
 this Church, but resident in any foreign country (other 
 than Great Britain and Ireland and the Colonies and 
 dependencies thereof), not within the limits of any 
 Foreign Missionary Bishop of this Church, to organize 
 as a Church or Congi-egation. 
 
 [2.] Such Church or Congregation shall be required, 
 in its constitution, or plan, or articles of organization, 
 to recognize and accede to the Constitution, Canons, 
 Doctrine, Discipline and Worship of the Protestant Epis- 
 copal Church in the United States of America, in order 
 to its being received under the direction of the G-eneral 
 Convention of this Church. 
 
 [3.] In order to such reception, it shall be required to 
 
 Parish Bounda- 
 ries, and new 
 Parishes. 
 
 Where Power 
 vested. 
 
 Vested Rights 
 preserved. 
 
 Congregations in 
 Foreign Lands. 
 
 BItist recognise 
 Constitution, etc. 
 
 93 
 
title III. 
 
 Canon 5. 
 
 I II 
 
 Of Congregations and Parishes. 
 
 Certificate of 
 Desire for Re- 
 ception. 
 
 Certificate of Sat- 
 isfaction. 
 
 Jurisdiction of 
 Presiding Bish- 
 op. 
 
 Power may be 
 assigned. 
 
 Clergymen sub- 
 ject to the Pre- 
 siding Bishop. 
 
 declare its desire therefor, duly certified by the Minis- 
 ter, one Church Warden, and two Vestrymen or Trustees 
 of said Church or Congregation. 
 
 [4.] Such certificate and the constitution, plan or ar- 
 ficles of organization shall be submitted to the Greneral 
 Convention during its session, or the Presiding Bishop 
 of the House of Bishops at any other time ; and in case 
 the same are found satisfactory, a certificate thereof 
 shall be forwarded to and filed by the Registrar of the 
 Church, and such Church or Congregation shall thereupon 
 become subject to and placed under the Episcopal gov- 
 ernment and jurisdiction of such Presiding Bishop for the 
 time being. 
 
 [5.] Such Presiding Bishop may from time to time 
 assign to any other Bishop of this Church having juris- 
 diction in the United States, the exercise of any Epis- 
 copal power or functions, in relation to such Church or 
 Congregation, for such period of time as he may deem ex- 
 pedient. 
 
 [6.] The Clergyman settled in such Church or Con- 
 gregation shall, in all respects, be subject to the juris- 
 diction of the Presiding Bishop, while in charge of such 
 Church or Congregation. 
 
 94 
 
Canon 6 . 
 
 Of the Organization of Neio Dioceses. 
 
 Ca N N 6 . 
 Of the Organization of New Dioceses.^ 
 
 § I. Whenever any new Diocese shall be formed with- 
 in the limits of any other Diocese, or by the junction of 
 two or more Dioceses, or parts of Dioceses, and the same 
 shall have been ratified by the General Convention, the 
 Bishop of the Diocese within the limits of which another 
 is formed, or in case of the junction of two or more 
 Dioceses, or parts of Dioceses, the Bishop of eldest con- 
 secration over the Dioceses furnishing portions of such 
 new Diocese, shall thereupon call the Primary Conven- 
 tion of the new Diocese, for the purpose of enabling it 
 to organize, and shall fix the time and place of holding 
 the same, such place being within the territorial limits 
 of the new Diocese. 
 
 h II. In case there should be no Bishop who can call 
 such Primary Convention pursuant to the foregoing pro- 
 visions, then the duty of calling such Convention for the 
 purpose of organizing, and the duty of fixing the time 
 and place of its meeting, shall be vested in the Standing 
 Committee of the eldest of the Dioceses, by the junc- 
 tion of which, or parts of which, the new Diocese may 
 be formed. And such Standing Committee shall make 
 such call immediately after the ratification of a division 
 by the G-eneral Convention. 
 
 § III. Whenever one Diocese is about to be divided 
 into two Dioceses, the Convention of such Diocese shall 
 declare which portion thereof is to be the new Diocese, 
 and shall make the same known to the General Conven- 
 tion before the ratification of such division.*' 
 
 » See the Constitution, Article V,. 1856. *• Canon viii., 1838. 
 
 Organization of 
 
 New Dioceses. 
 
 Primary Con- 
 vention. 
 
 The Call, by 
 whom to be 
 made. 
 
 When it intixt 
 be made. 
 
 Division of a 
 Diocese. 
 
 95 
 
title IV. 
 
 Canons 1 and 2. 
 
 Repeal of Re- 
 peal, no Re-en- 
 actment. 
 
 Form of altering 
 Canons. 
 
 title IV. 
 
 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS, 
 
 Canon 1. 
 
 Of Repealed Canons. 
 
 Whenever there shall be a repeahng clause in any 
 Canon, and the said Canon shall be repealed, such re- 
 peal shall not be a re-enactment of the Canon or Canons 
 repealed by the said repealing clause." 
 
 Canon 2. 
 
 Of the Repeal, Amendment and Enactment of New 
 Canons. 
 
 In all cases of future enactment, the same, if by way 
 of amendment of an existing provision, shall be in the 
 
 following form: "Canon (or Section of 
 
 Canon , or Clause of Section of Canon 
 
 ) of Title , is hereby amended so as to read as 
 
 follows :" And if the enactment is of an additional 
 Clause, Section, or Canon, it shall be designated as the 
 next Canon, or next Section, or next Clause, of a Canon, 
 or Section, in the order of numbering, of the Title to which 
 the subject properly belongs ; and if a Canon or Section 
 or Clause be stricken out, the existing numbering shall 
 
 ' Canon xi., 1838. 
 
 96 
 
Canon 3. 
 
 Of the Time of these Canons taking Effect. 
 
 be retained, until a new edition of the Canons be di- 
 rected. 
 
 The Committee on Canons of each House of the 
 Greneral Convention shall, at the close of each Session 
 of the Greneral Convention, appoint two of their num- 
 ber to certify the changes, if any, made in the Canons, 
 and to report the same, with the proper arrangement 
 thereof, to the Secretary, who shall print the same in 
 the Journal. 
 
 Canon 3. 
 
 Of the Time of these Canons taking Effect. 
 
 These Canons shall take effect on the first day of 
 January, in the year of our Lord 1860 ; from and after 
 which day all other Canons of this Church are hereby, 
 and shall be deemed to be, repealed ; Provided that 
 such repeal shall not affect any case of a violation of 
 existing Canons committed before that date ; but such 
 case shall be governed by the same law as if no such 
 repeal had taken place. 
 
 Who are to cer- 
 tify Changes of 
 Canons. 
 
 Time of 
 taking Effect. 
 
 General Repeal, 
 
 WILLIAM MEADE, D. D., 
 
 Presiding in the House of Bishops. 
 
 Attest, L. P. W. Balch, D. D., Secretary. 
 
 WILLIAM CREIOHTON, D. D., 
 President of the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies. 
 
 Attest, M. A. De Wolfe Howe, D. D., Secretary. 
 

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