may desire to have treated of or decided. It shall be incumbent on the Lower House to take up and dispose of any business submitted the Message from the Upper House immediately after the subject under consideration shall have been disposed of for the time being. 17. The Upper House may direct the Lower House to appoint a Committee to report to the Upper House on any subject on which they may desire the judgment of the Lower House, or to appoint their portion of a Joint Committee, or may summon the Lower House to a Conference. 18. Messages from the Upper House shall be delivered by an officer of the Upper House to the Prolocutor, who shall communicate them to the Lower House immediately on receipt, but not necessarily to the interruption of a speaker; and the House may by its vote, without discussion, decide on proceeding to the consideration of such a Message at once. 19. The Lower House may present to the Upper House any matter which they conceive to be a grievance or to require amendment, even when they have no proposition to make on the same; and the Upper House shall thereupon place it in order for consideration, with the view of providing a remedy; and shall, before the conclusion of the Session, declare to the Lower House the result. 20. The Prolocutor shall have the right of admission personally or by Committee to the Upper House, to communicate the desire or decisions of his House; and in such case he shall ascertain by Message when he or the Committee can conveniently received in the Upper House, and act accordingly. 21. It shall be competent to the Lower House to request a Joint Committee or Conference on any special object, beyond those submitted to it by the Upper House, or to propose for discussion any specific measure; to which request an answer shall be given; but it shall be at the option of the Upper House to accede to their request or not. 22. When either House shall desire a Conference with the other, or a Joint Committee, the reason for either shall be agreed to by the House desiring it, and communicated in writing to the other; the Prolocutor personally or by Committee in either case proceeding to the Upper House, either to deliver or to receive such reasons. 23. When either House shall have come to a decision upon any subject in which the other House is concerned, it shall communicate its decision to the other. 24. If the Lower House should not concur in a decision of the Upper House, they shall state their reasons for such nonconcurrence; and may either propose an amendment, or request the Upper House to suggest an amendment to meet their reasons or request a Conference. 25. If the Upper House should not concur in a resolution or decision of the Lower House, they may, in stating their nonconcurrence, either state their reasons or not; and may either propose an amendment, or request the Lower House to prepare an amendment, or appoint a Conference, to which the Lower House shall always give attention. 26. A conference may be either by deputation from both Houses, or by deputation from the Lower House, or by open conference, as the Upper House may think fit; and the place shall be appointed by the President. 27. No proposition shall be considered as sanctioned by the Synod, until it has received the separate sanction of both Houses, which shall be declared by the President in writing in the Schedule of prorogation. 28. Committees, whether of either House, or of the two Houses, may hold their meetings either during recesses in the Session, or during the prorogation of the Synod. 29. All Canons of Synod shall be fairly transcribed in a book to be kept for that purpose immediately after they are passed, and be attested by the Primate or other presiding Bishop, the Prolocutor, and the Secretaries of both Houses. 30. The expenses of the Synod, including the necessary travelling expenses of the members, shall be provided for by an assessment of the several Dioceses, represented in the Synod, proportioned to the number of licensed Clergymen in them; Dioceses having less than ten Clergymen being exempt; provided, however, that the expenses of any member of the Synod not attending during the whole Session of the Synod shall only be paid pro rata, and such proportionate part thereof as his attendance bears to the whole time the Synod is in Session; and that a Standing Committee be appointed who shall fix and determine the amount at any time to be paid hereunder; such Committee, however, to have a discretionary power to allow a greater proportion in case of absence from illness or other good cause arising during the sitting of the Synod. And such assessment shall be paid to the Treasurer of this Synod, who shall manage and administer the same. 31. All Canons dealing with matters of doctrine, worship, and discipline, and all alterations of such Canons, shall require to be passed at two successive meetings of the General Synod before coming into force; but all other enactments of the Synod shall come into operation as soon as passed, subject to the provisions adopted in regard to the Basis of Constitution. (See note on p. 62, Journal of 1893.) And no alteration shall be made in the Basis of Constitution except as provided in the said note, which is as follows: "No change in the Basis of Constitution shall be considered unless a majority of each Order is present, and no change shall take place unless unanimously adopted by both Houses or until affirmed by a two-thirds majority of the Upper House and a twothirds majority of each Order of the House of Delegates, and in the latter case it shall stand over for confirmation till the next meeting of Synod, when it must be affirmed by similar majorities. See page 46 and 49, Journal of First Session. 32. It shall and may be competent for this Synod on application made therefor by the Synod of the Diocese of Newfoundland by resolution at any time to admit the Diocese of Newfoundland into this Synod as a member thereof. And the said Diocese of Newfoundland shall be represented in said Synod in the same manner and to the same extent as is provided by section three of this Constitution, and be otherwise subject to the provisions thereof. II. PERMANENT ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS AS I. ADOPTED BY BOTH HOUSES The General Synod shall meet (notice being previously given by the Primate, or, in the event of his inability to act, by the Metropolitan next senior by consecration, of the time and place of meeting), the Bishops and Clergy attired in their proper robes and shall proceed to the Cathedral or other Church appointed by the Primate for Divine Service, on which occasion the Holy Communion shall always be administered. The preacher shall be appointed by the Primate, and special prayer shall be made for the Synod. The collection shall be applied to the current expenses of the Synod, unless otherwise ordered by the Primate. At an appointed hour after Divine Service, the members of the Synod shall assemble at the place of deliberation, the Bishops being habited in their robes and the Clergy in gowns and hoods, where the President, after he has taken his seat, shall inform the Lower House with regard to their place of meeting and 2. direct them to elect their Prolocutor. 3. When the Prolocutor has been elected, he shall be conducted to the Upper House, accompanied at discretion by any members of the Lower House, and his election announced to the President. 4. The President shall then state to him the business on which the Upper House desires to engage the attention of the Lower House, specifying, when necessary, the order in which they desire it to be taken up. 5. On his return, a Deputy Prolocutor shall be elected by the Lower House in like manner as the Prolocutor to act in his absence or at his request, or during a vacancy in the office and the Prolocutor shall* introduce to the House the business on which the Upper House desires them to engage themselves. 6. On every day of meeting after the first, the Synod shall meet at 9.30 a.m., and shall proceed at once, before any business is announced, to Morning Prayer at the Cathedral or other appointed place, and after Prayers proceed to business. 7. The Synod when assembled for business, shall be prorogued by the Primate or President of the Upper House, after a resolution fixing the time of prorogation has been agreed upon by both Houses; and the President, with the consent of the Upper House, shall issue a Schedule declaring the state in which each matter of business stands which has been brought before the Upper House, and shall promulgate the same to the Lower House, 'and shall then at the hour agreed upon prorogue the Synod. 8. The Prolocutor, on receiving the schedule of prorogation, shall at the first opportunity communicate it to the Lower House. N.B.-The Primate, on receiving the names and post office addresses of the Delegation from the Church in the United States, shall forward to the Prolocutor the names, etc., of the Clergy and Laymen, and shall appoint one or more of the Bishops to care for the Bishops on the Delegation. The Bishop, or Bishops, thus appointed by the Primate, shall be responsible: I. For meeting, either in person or through another, on their arrival the Bishops entrusted to their care, and escorting them to the place in which they are to be entertained. 2. For accompanying them to the Upper House and introducing them to the Primate, and generally promoting their satisfaction in attending the General Synod as its guests.t *Amended pages 114 and 152, Journal Sixth Session, 1911. †See pages 39 and 47, Journal of Fourth Session, 1905. III. ORDER OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE LOWER I. HOUSE On the first day of meeting, after Prayer, the Clerical and Lay Secretaries shall call the roll of their respective Orders. 2. A quorum being present, the Prolocutor, elected at the previous Session of Synod, shall take the chair, or, in the event of his death, or of his not being a member of the House, or not being present, a temporary Chairman shall be elected by open votet. 3. After Prayer by the Prolocutor, or temporary Chairman, the election of a new Prolocutor shall be proceeded with by ballot after nomination.† 4. On his election the Prolocutor shall proceed to the Upper House accompanied by his nominators.† 5. On his return from the Upper House, a Deputy Prolocutor shall be elected in like manner as the Prolocutor,† and the Prolocutor shall nominate two assessors.‡ 6. The following officers, to hold office until the appointment of their successors, shall be elected by open vote.* (1) Two Secretaries-one Clerical and one Lay-by the Clergy and Laity respectively. (7) The Roll of Members as called by the Secretaries shall be referred to the Committee on Election and Credentials.† (8) After this the daily Order of Business shall be as follows: (2) Appointing Committees. (3) Presenting, reading and referring Memorials or Petitions. (4) Presenting Reports of Committees, of Treasurer, of Auditors. (5) Giving Notices of Motion. (6) Taking up Unfinished Business. *See pages 39 and 47, Journal of Fourth Session, 1905. †See page 77, Journal of Third Session, 1902. Amended pages 114 and 152, Journal Sixth Session, 1911. **See page 77, Journal of Third Session, 1902. |