Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-18
TO BE MADE BISHOP.
the COMING coNsscRATloN or REV.
HENRY MELVILLE JACKSON, D. o.
VERY Impressive scrviccs--Fivs Preiates to
Take Part--fsiographicai sketch-His-
tory of tho Alabama Diocese

morning, az Selma. Ala, Rev. DR.. Henry
Melville jackson. who for nearly niteen
wears was rector OF Grace Episcopal
church, this city, will be raised TO the dig
nity of the Episcopate by beng conse-
Grated Assistant Bishop of the Diocese of
Alabama.
The conservation ceromonies-which are
always impressive DO peculiarly so on
this occasion owing 10 thenumber OF those
In the orders Of the Episcopal Church who
viii take part.
The Bishops who will be present and
conduct the ceremonies and services are
Bishops Randolph Of Virginia, Peterkin
OF West Virginia. Howe of South Carolina,
Thompson OF Cincinnati, and the venera-
bic Bishop Wilmer, OF Alabama.
THE PROGRAMME or SERVICES.
The programme of services will be as
follows:
Professional Hymn. No ia Morning prayer
nrst lcsson. 2ocn. w.; second lesson, Acts h
HYMN ga Communion service by the Bishop
presiding, Bishop Wilmer Tho Eplstle. ]. lin
chap. iii., by bishop. Tho Holy Gospel 81.
John, XXI, by q bishop. Hymn al. Inc con-
secration sermon by Bishop Randolph. The
presentation OF the Blshop-eiect by two bishops
feterkin aud Thompson. kytdence OF electlon-
resd BY the secretary OF the,council Conurma-
,ian Of election--resd by tho president OF the
Standing Com1ittee. Dr.. j. l.. Tucker. consent
OF the bishops-Tesc by the Archdoacon Of the
diocese. Tho "oroer for Consecration"
nv the Archdeac9n OF tho diocese. Tho Decla-
ration OF Conformity by the BishHp-eiect. Jhe
bidding 10 prayer by the Bishop presiaing. inc
Litany. Questions 70 the Blshop-oleet ~ no
Bishop presiding. Tho roOing or tho Bishop
elect by his attending Yresbyters. Voni, Creator
sp,ritus. Prayer by the Bishop presiding. Con-
sscraucn by the laying on OF hands. Inc ue-
livery OF the Bible 70 The new,eiected blshop.
for m
maiuder OF tho communion Office. hecesslonsi
hymn 100
LEAVE FOR SELMA MONDAY.
Bishops Randolph and Peterkin will leave
Richmond for Selma, Ala. on the L. NJ.
tram on the Richmond and Danville rail-
road Monday and will arrive at their desti-
nation at half-past o'clock Tuesday eve,
ping. They will probably be accompanied
by several Of DIR. Jackson's lay friends in
this city
DIR. jackson is now in Mobile, the guest
of Bishop Wilson.
BRIKP BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH.
Bishop-olect Jackson was born in Lou
DOM county. Va. about forty years ago,
and received the basis OF his education at
the Virginia Military Institute. lie after
wards studied at the Theological Seminary
ut Alexandria. and was ordained TO the
deaconate by Bishop Johns IN June, 1873,
and to the priesthood by the same Bishop
in July, 1874. His first charge was IN Mont
yomery county, Va, whence after two or
three years of labor he went TO Greenville,
s. o., but after about years work In that
field accepted O call to the pastorate OF
Grace church, this city, where he took
charge in October. 1876.
DIR jackson was elected TO the Episcopate
by special council of the Diocese OF Ala
bama which assembled in Selma on the
29th day of October last. accepted shortly
afterwards, and upon the action OF the
Council being submitted TO the General
Council of the Church it was sanctioned
without dissenting voice. He severed his
connection with Grace church as its rector
last Sunday night, upon which occasion he
preached q most eloquent sermon, ana
though il was evident that be was laboring
under strong emotion he made no allusion
10 his parting with his congregation, 10
whom BE had endeared himself and who
were endeared to HIM by the strongest ties.
IN THE PRIME OF LIFE.
DIR. jackson is in the prime of life and is
physically and mentally robust. lie Is an
eloauent speaker. a ready debater, an IN
cisive writer. classical scholar, and 10
learned in the literature and poiity OF his
Church. He has been twice married, has
present wife being a daughter OF MIR;
James b. Pace of this city. lie received
his degree of ID. ID. from Randolph Macon
College. In view of DIR. Jackson's long
association with religious work In this city
and the prominent position he has occu-
pied in the councils OF his Church in Viz
cinia, q sketch of the diocese over which
he has been called to preside, his future
environments, and the circumstances OF
his election will prove of general interest.
The Diocese OF Alabama.
Az earlv "a January. 1880. the Episcopal
Diocese of Alabama was organized IN con-
yention at Mobile. 1t will be just SIXTY
one wears ago on the 25th of the present
month. Nor was il without some difficulty
that the organization was perfected. AZ
that time there was call for meeting
made by the few members OF this denoml;;
nation in Mobile. The word was circulated
throughout the State, and after many
drawbacks from various causes, the
small band Of devout Episcopalians met IN
assembly. Few though in number, yet
they came together with that religious zeal
and determination that IS now eylnced and
has ever been marked characteristic OF
Christian body. Prayer avalleth much"
Their consolation was in that. since such
a passage had been uttered by one whom
they were organizing for, and whom they
believed in firmly, for he was the one al
together lovely"
THE DIOCESE FOUNDED.
With earnest. prayer and duplication the
body worked for two days. The result
was tho founding of the diocese and the IN
spring of yigor and new life into the few
who had met. In this convention the fol-
lowing resolution was passed:
Resolued. That the Right Rev. Bishop
Brownell, from the Diocese of Connecti-
cut, be respectfully invited to preside in
the deliberations of this body"
II ha
and financial, of the diocese at that time
that the denomination could not sustain
regular bishop of its own. With bishop
the Church grew, the diocese strengthened
in every respect, the parishes increased
both in number and size.
THE WARRIOR BISHOP.
In 1913 the Right Rev. Leonidas Polk,
bishop OF Louisiana, was appointed as pro-
yipcial Bishop of this diocese-Alabama-
and acted as such until the election OF the
Right Rev. Nicholas Cobbs, of Ohio, on
MAY Q, 1914. He was the first permanent
Bishop of Alabama. With HIM came greater
prosperity TO the Church, and. naturally,
TO the diocese. He was earnest, conse:
Grated, sympathetic, kind, loving, and
Bishop Cobbs died on January IL, 1861.
BISHOP WILMER.
On the 2lst Of December, of the same
wear, in ST. Pauls Episcopal church. in
Selma, Rev. Richard Hooker Wilmer was
elected tho second Bishop of Alabama. In
81, Paul's church, Richmond, Va, he was
duly consecrated on March 6. 1862. lmme::
diately he entered upon his new field OF
labors. The sacred mantle OF his prede-
cessor fell upon his shoulders. Was he
worthy 70 wear itI The fight OF time, the
result of his hard labors, all 60. to show
that Bishop Wilmer was. With a heart
that is full Of love, with spirituality that
springs from God. with loyalty that
grows out Of devotion, sacrifice, and hui
m,lity, he has faithfully discharged his re-
iigious duties and obligations. both TO his
God and his Church at the same time.
LIFE AND CHARACTERISTICS.
The Bishop was born in Alexandria, Va,
IN March, 1916. and is now IN his seventy
ffth wear. Though be is rather infirm
bodily by reason OF his old age, yet he pos
sesses that same loving spirit toward man.
kind that has ever characterized him. His
traits are such as will attract one to him un-
consciously. As TO general appearance he
Is the embodiment of dignity, yeneration,
and manly stateliness. In his breast throbs
a heart that knows no bounds to generosity