The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1893-12-13
The Confirmation Of Father Halls
Election.

From the first there has never been
any doubt of his confirmation. A ma
jority of the standing committees of the
dioceses has already consented, thus
assuring his election. Not more than
three or four bishops will vote no.
The conservation will probably take
place at Burlington between the 9Th
and the 18th of January. We print (by
request) an able article upon the sub
ject from the New York Tribune.
The election of Father Hail. now of Eng
land, as bishop of the Episcopal Diocese Of
Vermont is striking tribute to personal
character, and for this reason has an inter-
est for Christians of every name. Father
Hall, who is a priest of the Anglican Order
of "Cowley Fathers" came to this country
about twenty years ago, and for seventeen
years labored in Boston. The prospect of
his succeeding in such field was, to saw
the least, doubtful. Not only was his the
ology of the ultra " Catholic type, but he
was member of monastic order, even
the habit of which must have seemed me-
dieval and un-American to the metropolis
of New England. Nevertheless, it was not
long before he gained the respect and adj
W
as we'll as inside the church. 1t was not
simply that the people discovered him to be
man of brilliant intellectual parts and
statesmanlike views, but in doing his work
he exhibited a singleness of purpose and
devotion to duty that were truly Christlike.
The cultured Gallios of Boston, who were
prepared to make clever epigrams about
the utter uselessness of "prestlets and
-" monks" especially in Boston, were num-
bered before many years among his warm.
est admirers; and Father Hall in his long
black cassoCk was admitted into the nam
theon of Boston's living worthless, along
with Oliver Wendell Holmes, Edward Ev-
erett Hale, Phillips Brooks and the rest.
1t was unique tribute to noble and un-
selfish life, paid by city that does not
lightly bestow such need of its regard.
Then came the exciting election of Phil
lips Brooks, between whom and Father
Hall warm friendship had sprung up. To
the unspeakable surprise of the strict party
men on both sides, the latter supported the
candidacy of his friend. The extreme rit-
ualists were especially indignant with him
for so doing. Some of them "read him out
of the party, and Father Page, his superior,
recalled him to England. This act provoked
widespread criticism at the time, and drew
from the press of the whole state the warm
est expressions of admiration for Father
Hall, so that, instead of leaving under an
implied stigma he left in triumph At the
his name was prominently mentioned; and
many think that his connection with the
Cowley order alone stood in the way of his
election. Now Vermont has chosen him as
its bishop, and If he shall see his way to ac-
cept, the Episcopal bench will be adorned
and elevated by his accession to it. More
over, he will be the bishop not of party,
but of the whole diocese
The lowest churchman in Vermont need
have no fear of being prosecuted by him.
For though he still stands by his theological
colors, he has unconsciously come to sym
pathize with the larger movements of re-
ligious thought that are modifying the
character Of all theologies to-day 1t
would not be surprising, indeed, if this fact
should lead few advanced High Church
dioceses to refuse their consent to his con-
secration Possibly some of the dioceses
which opposed the elevation of Bishop
Brooks may take this attitude, which would
prove the old adage, "Politics makes
strange bedfellows," to be true in the
church as well as the state. But whether
the election is confirmed or not, the choice
by such a staid New England diocese as
Vermont of an Anglican priest of religious
order for its bishop is remarkable out
come of that greater catholicity that is COM
ing to include the whole sphere of religion
brotherhood of st. John the Evangelist.