New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-10-21
conservation in the Penitentiary on BackwelPs
Island to-day.
THE CAREER OF THE NEW BISHOP.


the history of the diocese and an organized body
of the Episcopal Church in the United States
And the venerable Presiding Bishop Smith VINO
by seniority Of conservation is Primate OF the
Epscopate, by the date of his own elevation 10
that order in 1882 divides the stretch OF the cen
tennial. and represents fifty years OF ohclai service
as bishop of the Church So that the conservation
of DR.. Potter while marking centennial, AT the
same time retrospectivey touches, in the person Oh
his consecratOr, the first half century OF lhe
Church's existence in America.
Dr. Potter is now forty-seven years OF age, AT the
full meridian of his capacity for hard work, and OF
intellectual maturity In figure he is tall, with
n finely proportioned and commanding person,
and a manner inviting confidence while
il exacts an unconscious Difference. AS
preacher his career is marked by stald,
sterling qualities. rather than the excep-
tional Vaccinations of popular Oratory There Is re-
markable modesty and simplicity, almost self
abnegation in his style and diction, careful at
tenton to the quality and honesty of speech, with
a characteristic dread of exaggeratiOn, and a
shrinking from the expedients of the mere
rhetorcian The nearer is brought into immediate
relations with the purpose of the preacher, i'll which
purpose the preacher himself is easily forgotten.
His idiom is vigorous, sinewy Saxon, well tenn
pered with various cultures of books, travels,
society and experience. He makes sure of the quick
intelligence and appreciation of his listeners and
his capital lies in this gift of making the most OF
his opportunity with no waste or by-play OF Woru-
spinning, no artfce or exploit of the pedant, and
withal fine flavor of grace and elegance that
feathers the arrows of his argument to sure ana
ready purpose DR.. Potter is a direct, cogent, per-
suasive preacher. His topics are rarely drawn from
polemcs vexed questions that distract and puzzle
priests and people He deals little nj mere
is resonant and penetrating, with an agree
able and well-managed meditation; and his clear,
deliberate elocutiOn seizes and retains the atten-
ton. His readiness and felicity in extomporc and
occasional addresses are something exceptional
among the clergy.
HIS Fathers SPLENDID WORK.
Dr. Potters career affords happy illustration of
hereditary gifts and endowments His father was
Dr. AlOnzO Potter, who i'll 1S45 succeeded Dr.
Henry Ustick OnderdOnk in the EpiscOpate of
PENNSYLVANIA. Although Bishop Alonzo Potter had
grown up and ripened in academic life and col
iegate professorships, his administration of the
Diocese of Pennsylvania not only resusci-
tated the distracted and disheartened Church.
by the dignity and force of his manly
eloouence, by his deep practical wisdom, as well
as by the symmetry and spiritual vigor ofhis Chris
tian life, but il at the same time constituted new
era in the relations of the Episcopal Church to the
larger life of the community. lie recognized
the claims of modern science To the consideration or
Christian men and pointed out its knshlP with
divine revelation and the supernatural To his
efforts in developing and bringing into relation the
foremost minds of the Episcopal church are largely
due the Church congresses which of late years have
expanded the influence of that Church and given
il a commanding position lie was also pioneer
of the temperance movement, standing untash-
iOnably and almost alone in his advocacy
of its doctrines uncOnsciOusly III his eloquent
papers and addresses. opening the way Tor the re-
cent development of the Church Temperance So
ciptv which already has footing in almost every
The newly made Bishop plainly derives in this
way his intuition for effective, aggressive Church
work and not only this, but quick, Intelligent
sympathy with all good, sound work in his Church
or outside of it, The Church does not dwarf the
measure of his humanity citizenship. Yet he is
not an indifferent churchman. lie recog,
nizes its historic and tgrglG K nfgGgrty ana i
| that of Heber and Leighton. Too much In earnest
with the toll and burden Of duty to degenerate into
partisanShip he is not likely to take On at TINS
spiscoP9to he will enter more i%medjiatel$S
| his diocese. He has learned the secret
of training rch Christians In habits of systematic
a areasUTy Of the ChnrcE in NewYork With it,
| enormous fortunes, is likely TO fertiize the new
administration with instituted abundance The
Bishop will not find himself hampeIcd for want OF
| money and the heartiest cooperation.
But the Bishop is a grandson of Dr. Ehphalet
| Mott who may, without metaphor, be spoken Of as
the father of Union College. This great president
was wa master among men, young and old His hand
of steel in q velvet glove, his keen, quick insight
| into motive and character, his suavty ana lnVu!-
nerable dignity, his patience and ingenious analysis
| of difficulties, his endurance and staying power IN
or IOaI o tbe last Here is another
| side of the new Bishops character and career
| thrown under the strong light OF heredlty. Ana
| that career exhibits O quiet orderly and proper
tionate growth.
| THE STAGES OF HIS ADVANCEMENT.
From his diaconate, passed in a country village,
| TO the date of his conservation there is found no
flaw nor break nor bunder in his rapid yet silent,
career of promotion. He seems to have been
quickly and easily recognized the needed
man, in many directions and at many times.
Yet 1t is well known that he has never sought pre-
ferment or ecclesiastical distinction. Indeed he has
kept himself aloof from the run of ambitious, self
seeking men. The hOnors of yesterday were laid
upon him with reclamation, yet in face of his
| nest remonstrances and those who know something
of the harmonious complete life OF his rectorship in
Grace Parish can well estimate the of per-
sonal sacrifice which thsnew service of the Church
| exacts The gifted son of Bishop whose influence
was unlimited, everybody wondered when they saw
the newly ordained deacon enter the rectOrship of
small parish in the little village of Greensburgh in
Western Pennsylvania By rapid stages OF unsOught
advancement he become sgccessveiy rector Of st.
Johns Church, Troy, coadJutOr with Blshop East
born in Boston and in 1868 rector Of Grace ChuTeh:
position of secretary to the House of Bishops 1t Is
| no secret that he has declined the Episcopate at
least on one occasion. He enters upon field which
has been made ready by the wise, patient far-seeng
| husbandry of his venerable knsman now well
stricken in years and full of honors And he enters
| at the same time upon new centenary in the life
of the Episcopal Church with the largest promise of
| q fruitful administration.
Bishop Potter is graduate of Union College, an
| alumnus of the Alexandria School of Theology, and
| received his dOctOrate from his Alma Mater In the
| face of an irresistible tidal movement Uptown,
| sweeping away many of the older families Of his
cure there has set in counter current of parish thrift
and regeneration. There is the expensive and ele-
CANT chapel in FOuIteenth-st., with its carefully
| appointed and multiplied administrations there is
the Clergy and Junior Century Club house there is
| the exquisite chantry Broadway there is the
great memorial charity fronting on Fourth-ave.;
and lastly there is the replacement of the old rick
| o., runnann snre with snlendid strnctnre In