Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-10-31
RENDERED A MITRE.
REV. Of. n. NJ. JACKSON CHOSEN AS
SISTANT BISHOP OF ALABAMA.
Tho Episcopaiinns OF That state Thus
Honor this Eloquent Exponent OK
Protestant Doctrines.


atty has made him wonderfully popular,
not only among Episcopalians, but with
oil who arc so fortunate as to know him.
For long number OF yeals he has
preached with earnestness and power at
Grace church, and by the sheer force Of
bis personal magnetism and forceful.
masterful Christianity has drawn around
him one of the finest congregations IN
this city. He is one of those rarely
gifted men who is popular with people
Of every class and condition, but his
most notable influence has been with
young men, and il is among them that his
best and most successful work has been
done.
FOURTEEN YEARS OF CHRISTLY LABOR.
Through fourteen years OF sunshine
and snow he has labored faithfully at bis
chosen church. steadfastly and firmly
refusing tempting calls from other larger
and richer congregations, so that his
church people have come TO think that
he would serve them on TO the end. But
il is not so ordained. His eminent abili-
ties have been so patent to the world
that it is not strange that he should now
be called 10 one OF the highest stations
in the Episcopal Church. This position
is that Of Assistant Bishop Of Alabama,
to which he was yesterday unanimously
elected by a special council OF the Epls-
copalians OF that State.
THE MAN II HERE.
il had been rumored for some time
that the Alabama Episcopalians were
looking to Virginia for an assistant TO
their bishop, and that II. u. Jackson
was the man.
A Dispatch reporter, knowing that
DR.. jackson was considering q call re-
Gently received from church in Bridge
port, CT, md also having this Alabama
rumor in mind, called on him yester-
day at his residence on the corner OF
Madison and Franklin streets.
The caller was met at the door by the
popular divine, and when, with an apol-
ogy for the intrusion, he made known
his errand, he Was cordially received
with the smiling remark "Ah, you ore
welcome, for am always glad to see
newspaper-men. ."
ACHAF IN A COSY STUDY.
After such @ cordial reception the re-
porter did not hesitate to unburden him
self. and il was in the soft Light of an
open fire that hickered and hared in a
corner of the Rector's cosy study that
the newspaper-man heard the story OF
the proiiered honor.
The reporter explained that be had
heard of the call to Bridgeport, and had
come to learn il Grace church was IN
danger of losing its pastor.
emo" said the Doctor, gazing
thouRhtfully into the fire, I" / think not.
1t hes been fourteen years ION the lst OF
October) since J came 70 Grace church,
and ! have grown to love the church and
the people, till l could hardly bear to
leave them. Indeed, had thought until
to-day that should die here"
THE TELEGRAM FROM SELMA.
The Dispotch representative expressed
his pleasure at learning that there was
10 danger Of another church taking DIR.
Jackson away from Grace, and asked
what was meant by the contingency
limited at 10y the Doctor.
81 have just received q telegram,
said the Rector, "telling mo that | have
been elected Assistant Bishop Of Ala
bama."
SURPRISED AND UNDECIDED.
"And you will accept?" asked the
newspaper-man eagerly.
81 do not know, said DR.. Jackson re
flectively, looking dreamily into the fire
and running his shapely white hand
through the hair that clusters about hi'
handsome forehead. alt has come upon
me so suddenly that | hardly have had
time to fully realize it. While it is true
that il was bruited about some time ago
that the bishopric would be rendered me,
/ had not given it much credit, thinking
IL merely rumor in fact, 1t had passed
almost utterly from my mind, so that the
telegram was a great surprise to me-"
FURTHER AND TREER CoSvERSATIOS.
Further conversation with the newly
elected Bishop elected the fact that on
Yesterday q special council of the Pro
tcstant Episcopal Church Of Alabama
was convened at Selma for the purpose
Of electing an assistant to the bishop OF
that diocese, Right Rev. Richard H..
Wilmer. The only thing further that
DR.. jackson knew about IL was what was
expressed IN the telegram which was sent
by the secretary OF the council, and
which said that he had been unanimous
ly elected to the Office.
Dr. Jackson said that the telegram
was, strictly speaking, informal, and
would probably be followed in q day or
two by an official letter notifying him OF
bis election. He could not, he said, say
anything at ali as to whether he would
accept the Office or not 1t was too high
and elevated q station TO be entered into
without mature and deliberate conside-
ration, and he would not venture to en-
ter the line of episcopal succession with
out a close and severe examination OF
his own fitness for The position.
THE MAN WILL HONOR THE OFFICE.
But while DIR. Jackson speaks modest
" he undervalues himself. All who
know him will be certain that he will
honor the Office, and while the people OF
Grace church, above all Others, will re-
gret to lose him. even they will probably
urge upon him an acceptance OF the
rendered honor. In it his usefulness
viii be extended, and while.as rector OF
the Richmond church his abilities and
his talents have distinguished him among
Lis fellow-men, as Assistant Bishop OF
Alabama d wider and freer field Will
be opened to him.
USEFUL LIFE.
The Rector Of Grace church is man
in the prime of life. He Is about forty
years OF age, though he has the 1.-the.
athletic figure OF man OF thirty, and
has strong classic features that would at
tract attention in any assembly. lie IS a
Yirginian by birth, having been born IN
Loudoun county, and received the basis
of his education at the Virginia Military
Institute. he afterwards studied at the
Theological Seminary near Alexandria,
Va. He entered the Episcopal ministry
seventeen years ago. preaching hrst IN
South Carolina. and coming to Grace
church fourteen years ago, succeeding
thara Tho r.. NJ DaHar His life flrra