he whole earth that hath not been ordered by Episcopal regiment
since the time that the blessed Apostles were here conversant." And
though, says Bishop Doane, departures from it, since the time of which he
spoke, have been but too frequent and too great, "Episcopal regiment" is
still maintained as Christ's ordinance, for the perpetuation and
government of his Church, and is received as such by eleven twelfths of
the whole Christian world. For a period of fifteen hundred years after the
Apostolic age, ordination by Presbyters was totally unknown, except in a
few crooked cases, where the attempt was made, and followed by instant
condemnation from the Church, and the declaration that they were utterly
null and void. There was no ministry in existence, before the era of the
Reformation, but that which had come down direct from the Apostles, that
is, the Episcopal. This is admitted by nearly all the opponents of
Episcopacy.

The Episcopal Church in the United States, agrees with that of England, in
doctrine, discipline, and worship, with some few unessential variations.
Their Ritual, or Form of Worship, is the same, except that some few parts
have been omitted for the sake of shortening the service, or for other
reasons. Changes became necessary in the prayers for Rulers, in
consequence of the independence of the United States.

The different Episcopal parishes in each of the United States, (except in
some of the newly-settled parts of the Country, where two or more States
are united for this purpose,) are connected by a Constitution, which
provides for a convention of the clergy and lay delegates from each parish
in the State or Diocese. This Convention is held annually, and regulates
the local concerns of its own Diocese, the Bishop of which, is the
President of the Convention. The Conventions of the different Dioceses
elect Deputies to a General Convention, which is held once in three years.
Each Diocese may elect four Clergymen and four Laymen, as delegates, who,
when assembled in General Convention, form what is called the "House of
Clerical and Lay Deputies," each Order from a Diocese having one vote, and
the concurrence of both being necessary to every act of the Convention.
The Bishops form a separate House, with a right to originate measures for
the concurrence of the House of Clerical and Lay Deputies, each House
having a negative upon the other, as in the Congress of the United States.
The whole Church is governed