The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-07-06
DeClinatiOn of the Rev.
Dr.. Greer is Received.
Another Convention to Elect
Bishop COadjutOr.
Rev. c. H. Brent of Boston Still Cau-
didate OF Many Delegates.

Rev. David ii. Greer of New York has
declined the Office of bishop coadjutor to
which he was elected by the convention Of
the diocese on June %.
Ihe communication declining the office
was sent TO Rov. DR. Locke of st. Michaels
church Bristol and was announced today.
The information has been received with
great deal of regret and dissatisfaction
Oh the part of laymen and clergy who cast
their votes for tine former rector OF Grace
church.
The convention which held the election
adjourned without day and It wifi now be
necessary TO call special convention.
IN all probability this will not be done
until autumn as so many of the clergy.
and laymen, too, for that matter, are away
from home and il will be necessary for all
parishes 10 again elect their delegates.
The provision in the constitution rela-
tive TO special conventions Is rs follows:
Special sessions of the convention may
he called by the bishop ut his discretion.
and IL shall become his duty to call them
upon request OF the standing committee.
In case Of the vacancy OF the episcopate,
of the absence for six months Of the
bishop from the diocese. or OF the pro-
longed disability of tho bishop a special
session OF the convention may be called
by the standing committee AT least
three weeks notice of such special session
shall be given 60 each clerical memb ber OF
the convention, and To the church war
dens of each parish in union with the
convention, by the secretary Of the con-
vention or in his absence by some person
appointed by tho bishop, or, as in the
above cases, by the standing committee,
TO act in the secretary's stead. No bust
ness shall be transacted at any special
session of the convention other than that
specified in the notice by which such
session has been called.
The Probable Candidate.
With the retirement of DIR. Greer 1t Is a
reasonable assumption that Rev. Charles
ii. Brent of ST. Stephens church, Bos-
ton, will be elected bishop coadjuto of
this diocese. He is still the candidate of
q very considerable following of enthu-
siastic friends among Rhode Island
churchmen and he was the second choice
of several who voted for DIR. Greer.
The result of the ballotiDg on June %
was:
Vote Of the clergy--Greer 2S, Brent 20.
Porter d Stone 0, Hodges g.
Vote of laymen--Greer l2l, Brent 81,
Porter Is, Stone |.
The following statement was published
In The News on the day before the con-
vention and 1t is still In order:
Ut. Drent is u Dlxn cnttfcHDaD, Dut Inc
movement to place him at the head Of the
diocese of Rhode Island originatod with
broad ohurchmen, attracted by the per-
sonality of tho man.
A prominent lay delegate to the oonven-
tion, who is one of DIR. Brent's supporters,
says of him that although man of
culture ana splendid scholarship, no has
not been satisfied with conducting fash
ionable church, but has lived himself
among Gods poor and preached to them
In the slums of Boston. But be has at.
tractei all classes by his oarnestness and
worth. and his congregation has been
made up of parishioners from the Back Bay
as we'll ms from the neighborhood OF the
church. DIR. Bront is also an active worker
in the Social Union of the church, an or
ganization in existence for the purpose of
bringing the principles of Christianity to
bear upon the social and labor questions of
the day.
Mr. Robert III. Gardiner of Boston and
member of the standing committee Of
the diocese of Massachusetts,, in letter to
layman of Providence, speaks of DIR.
Brent as follows
He seems 10 be wise, patient and fair
minded, always willing to hear both sides.
As a bishop l think he would naturally
take the Apostolic, not the Erastian view
OF "a bishops office, and devote himself To
the effort To be the chief pastor of clergy
and laity alike, and not to be public
official. and he seems to me TO have that
true hunger for souls which ought to be
the chief mark OF "a bishop"