Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-12-07
VIEWED WITH SUSPICION.
Ministers Feel There Is Something
Lurking Hehind the Alaskan
HisnDpric.

New York, Nov. 30.-The conservation
today in this city OF Rev. Peter Trimbls
Rowe of Sault Ste. Marie. Mich. "a
missionary bishop OF Alaska. serves &c
recall an episode likely to become his,
toric that transpired during the dura.
ton Of the triennial convention of the
Protestant -.s..sV
apollS last month.
This was the lengthy. Otter criticism
upon the existing conditions and pros
poets Of the denomination In Alaska.
made I'm the first joint session of the
house Of bishops and deputies by the
venerable Bishop Neeley Of Maine: and
who is probably better acquainted with
that faraway territory than any other
Of the distinguished men tia sat in the
convention.
In the speech in question Bishop Nee
ley took the ground that the money so far
spent in Alaska for the interests of the
church had been practically wasted:
that the large additional sum asked for
by the missionary who had been there
for several years would go the same
way, and that other denominations had
90 covered the field that there was prac-
tically no room remaining for Episcopal
effort. Prior to this speech. although
no initiative action had beer taken,
there a been rumors tina an effort
would be made to erect the territory
into n missionary see. and there were
those among the delegates who thought
that they read between the lines of the
venerable bishops energetic speech q
suggestion that there were wheels with
In wheels In the proposal to create THU
see. SO profound was the impression
created by the speech that when the
matter OF an Alaskan b%ishopric was
subsequently brought up In the house
of bishops. action was indefinitely post
poned. and the subject was supposed to
have been dropped. A couple OF days
later, however, the deputies We're cleo
trlfied by the announcement that the
bishops had reconsidered their action
and had decided to create a missionary
bishop. The proceedings Of the house
of bishops are transacted with
strict secrecy. and ! vas not until sew
eral days later that 1t leaked out that
the change of front was due to an ear
nest plea made by Bishop Potter OF New
York. which he supplemented with the
announcement that a wealthy layman.
whose name he was not at liberty to
disclose. bad offered to bear the entire
expense OF the b%ishopric about SIS, 000)
for a period of three years, or until the
next triennial convention at Washing
ton. This layman, 1t subsequently de-
veloped, was none other b j. Pier
pont Morgan. the New York ~financier
and head OF the recent o syndicates
and who was a delegate to the onven
ton.
Although both the creation OF the new
see and the election of DR.. Rowe as It's
first incumbent, were ratified by the
house OF deputies. there was q good deal
of quiet comment during the remainder
of the convention, which has not entire-
ly subsidized, concerning the in
which the matter was forced In the face
OF the expose by Bishop Medley, and
there have been various suggestions AZ
10 the nature Of the wheels within
wheels" that some Of the delegates
imagined they discerned. II Ii said
that some Of the missionaries Of other
creeds now working In the territory
combine with their ministerial func-
tons a watchful y over certain CONF
mercial or mining interests. In which
wealthy Americans of their own denom-
nations are concerned: but there has
been no direct charge that, back Of the
creation Of a new Episcopal see and the
selection OF a bishop of that faith to re-
side In the territory. Is any other mo-
tive than a desire to promote the
growth OF the church among he No
tlyes.