New-York tribune., 1878-02-16
4PROPOS OF DR. SEYM0CR.

POLITICAL METHODS ~ THE ELECTION OF BISHOPS
READINESS TO CoNFIRM WEAK MEN.
To the Edttor OF Fhe Trtbume.
SIR: II has been almost proyeIbial for years
that the very greatest men in the Republic cannot DC
elected To the Office Of Presidents that such statesmen
Clay and Webster, and Calhoun. aud seward have made
too much OF record" in their lives to be available
candidates, aud that OF second rate ability with
less salient points attack have to be selected 1t is
constantly repeated that the unknown man. the man
with no record the strongest candidate Is there not
fear that IN our church affairs degeDerang into
this fault and perhaps for the very reason that We
have adopted something like political methods IN our
election Of Bishops Has It not virtually come
TO this that "a OF strong character ana strong
mind of special ability and learning, who has made any
mark in the church-a who has record-in short.
any man who is tit to be bishop in this growing land,
where that Office all Others requires vGor, and force.
and energy and real ability stands very poor chance
Of favorable action from the standing Committees; or
rather Jr this Is not question OF pfsohhI anplonb
that the church stands poor chance OF securing
his services bishop through the action OF these com,
mtces Let nan. totally unknown De eleeted as Il
bishop. and the committee, with Surprising unahnlty.
& EGe aye se wnm y "eG that iG" very t being a
known was Ia show the untness OF the man Tor
work which requires the highest talent and TIE greatest
force Talent and force things To be hidden under
"A bushe! and the clergyman who has not developed
enough of them 10 give him National reputation GER
tany the TO be put IN the forefront III the bat
tc against nidehty and dissent IN ths land iet LOOK
"A
few notable exceptions see how far they fail below the
highest type OF cergymen In the Church.
Recent occurrences have forced tins subject on the at
tenon of conservative churchmen and lead me 10 SOUND
the alarm lest To have cplscOpdte or mett
Ocre neg and weak For example, few years
ago TWO clermen elected bishops at about tue
same time. one was DR.. DckOveD undoubtedly the
hest known clergy man the Church. man or strong
character. traisccu,ant learning and ability, ald
a peculiar sweetness OF dSpoSltIou WHICH Is
10 unimporlaut element. In short, as was said
long since, "a born bishop" Extreme III Ger
tam views, but rs loyal rs steel to the American
Church The other, young clergNn an Oi pleasant man
nrrs good voice and kindly heart, bat OF no special
known ability learning; In fact. man Of whom the
church n large knew little except that he mad gone al
most TO the brink OF schisn and hlt his loyalty was at
least questionable. Yet the comparatively unknown
man was confirmed, and the known one OF strong chiI-
acter rejected We seemed tn be repeating the same
thing recently, except that would not Imply the sgut
est objection to ID EcclestOn: bat he certainly i not
known To the church people Of the country heary so
well as Dr. seymour. These passing events remind Que
of the action late General Convention, where the
new Diocese Of West Virginia was authorized without
by the most childish and puerie arguments, until the
vote showed how little stength was Dehnd the siin
battlc
II seems TO il IL time for the conservative laymen OF
the land n nav more attention TO the election Oi their
representatives standing committees. The system OF
putting supposed harmless old gentlemen there, as
kind OF compliment, OF rewardng pecuniary Deray
by place OF much real moment, should be abandOned
and we should IL that truly representative men OF
ability and vitality are placed there 10 prevent the
Church falling into the political error OF rejecting
highest places her nobcs ana strongest e anu
filling them with the negative ana the unknown.
Ncr YORK. Ian. % 1873 CONSERVATIVE LANMAS.