New-York tribune., 1896-03-31
Az ayERJc,y HOyORED IN ENGLAND.

The appointmcnt of Bishop Potter as select
preachcr 10 the University of Cambridge. Eng
land. for the month Of May. 1891 is deserved
compliment 10 one wn) has become no lc-, lis
.jng,iishcd as n citizen than a. cliurchmin.
While il is true that in thus honOrng the bishop
of New-York Cambridge honors herself. th"
action Of the university Will crafty not only
the friends of the Bishop. but Americans gen
eraly. who feel that the merits Of their eminent
men have not always been duly recognized 10y
Englishmen in former years The two great
English universities have never been lavish In
honoring foreigners: and. whether rightly or
wrongly. many Americans have believed that
they were especially prNlisposc1 Ia ignore
Americans However that may have been In
the past they are animated by a more catholic
spirit to-day. and the appointment, Of Bishop
Potter is by no means the only indication that
American scholarship. and even American the
olocy. are finding a generous recognition on the
banks OF the Isis and the Cam.
II used TO be said that the shortest road 10
mit~e in the English Church was to edit Greek
plav Put that Is so no longer As n rule the
present occupants of the bishops bench in Eng
land are harl-working men. who. however high
they may rank as scholars are striving courage
ously to face the MANY religious and social prob
lens OF the day. The dryrot of the eighteenth
century. when "sava,ion by scholarship only
was almost a mark Of the Church. has dlsap-
pearcd and In its place has sprung np an abound
Ing vitality that has made the Anglican Church
n greater religious force than 1t ever was be
fore It still lays great stress on "A cultured
and learned ministry; bun the snccr. by taste
We are saved" has today no point when applied
to its clergy.
This change in the spirit and attitude Of the
English Church has been strikingly shown In
recent years by the popularity Of American
Episcopal clergymcn, who most Of all represent
the sturdy democracy of American life. Phil
lips Brooks conquered everything before him in
England. not only because he was great preach
er but because he was so distinctlvey Ameri-
can Bishop Whipple. Of Minnesota is the sim
pest OF men and as far as possible removed
from the typical idea Of preatc. But hardly
any man in this generation has received a more
splendid ovation than was given to him in OK
ford a few years ago. The same Is true OF other
American c.crgymcn. some Of whom Americans
first learned to appreciate when they were hon
Orcd in England.
AS regards Bishop Potter, his reputation at
home does not rest upon any foreign recognition
| OF his aDlltleS. Americans kHoW MIN W Dt IL
scholar and thcoogian who would not suffer
by comparison with any prelate in the English
Church. But they know also that he Is some
thing more and better than Il scholar and n
theoogian. Doubtless he Is a good churchman;
but II Is as a citizen and man that he has most
truly impressed himself on the community in
which he has so faithfully laborcd. As a patriot
he has been brave enough to speak the truth on
occasions when the truth was not PLEASANT and
as bishop Of Church that has many afa
tons with culture and wealth he has followed
| the teaching Of his Master in standing forth n
the champion and the friend Of the humble and
| the poor Americans would like 10 believe, and
they have some reason TO believe that his ap
pointmcnt by Cambridge one Of her select
preachers Is in part. at least recognition OF
the honorable place which Henry c. Potter, tho
citizen and the man, has filled In the many sided
civic and social life Of this city and community