[This series on the history of the revisions made to the Constitution of the Episcopal Church (USA) over the years 1889-1901 is in four parts. Part I is here, Part II is here, and Part III is here; this post is the fourth and final part.]
In contrast to the mood at the General Convention of 1898, which had resulted in a wiping of the slate clean and a fresh start on Constitutional revisions, the General Convention which met for the first time in San Francisco beginning on the first Wednesday in October 1901 was all sweetness and light. The changes finally adopted in 1898 had been circulated among all the Church's dioceses in the intervening years, and the deputies came prepared to finish the process of revision quickly.
On its second day of meeting, the House of Deputies took up one by one each of the first seven articles of the new Constitution, together with the proposed new title for that document, and approved them all by mostly overwhelming majorities of at least 50 of the 59 dioceses in the Church. The one exception was the first article, which was approved by the minimum majority of dioceses represented. Nevertheless, it was approved, and the first seven articles then went to the House of Bishops, which approved them on its third day.
The House finished its work on the remaining articles on its fourth day, without any significant dissent. Ratification of those articles followed in the House of Bishops on the fifth day, and the new Constitution was complete. So that this historical document may be compared with the current version, I reproduce it below.
To read the entire article, click here.
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