The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-03-02
C0NSTERNATI0N!
The Word That Describes the Feel
ings of the vestry OF
ST. MATTHEW'S ?. I. CnURCH.
Their Rector, REV. n. Rash sNOps, RE-
GsiveSa Gail to All sOuls' Church, INT
more, on tho Vanderbilt Estate, Near
A,hsvllle. n. C.-ITSs Not Yet Decided e
Accept but is to Watt BIltmOro ThI'
weok-Ml. VandsrblrS Recent Visit
Explained.

When Mr.. George Vanderbilt, OF the
New York. millionaire family OF that
name, visited Wheeling week ago last
Sunday, there were many surnlses as to
the real object OF his visit, The gentle
man himself told an Intellgencer repor-
ter he was looking at tho country"
which must have been delightful Occti-
patton, for the weather then was about
az dlaagreeable as It can be in the Ohio
valley at its worst--whlch IS very bad,
Now 1t transplres that Mr.. Vanderbilt
was here to hear Rev. DR.. II. Rush
Swope, rector OF 81. Matthew'S p. r.
church. II will be remembered he at
tended both the morning and evening
services at ST. Matthew's, and his pres
enCe was the cause OF much waBgIng OF
tongues In useless endeaYor to solve the
mystery.
Yesterday, DR.. swope received a for
NAL call from the Vestry OF All Souls
church, at BlltInorG, the Vanderbilt eS-
tate in North Carolina, near AsheVille, a
famous winter resort. This solves the
mystery that was wrapped around MI.
VanderbIlts visit to Wheeling,
1t seems that on his return TO New
York, Mr.. Vanderbilt expressed himself
well pleased with his visit to Wheeling
and with all he saw and heard of the rec
tor Of st. Matthews, The result was the
call received yesterday by DR.. Swope.
Conformation Among the VsstFy.
Last evening regular monthly meet
ing Of the vestry OF st. Matthew's was
held, at which DR.. swopC incidentally
mentioned the call he had received. Con-
steFnation e the word that describes the
feelings of the vestry and members OF
the congregation who have already heard
Of the call.
There is nj, intense interest IN the de-
cIslOn that DR.. SwOpe Will arrive az.
When an lntelllgencGr man called at the
rectory last night, the doctor said ne hao
not yet determined whether or not ne
would accept the call. DR.. ana MIS-:
Swope, however, Will leave on THURSDAY
for Blltmore, where he will look over the
field in which he is to labor In the event
OF acceptance OF the call. II Is needless
to say that the local congregation VIII
use every endeavOr to prevail upon their
rector to decline the offer, which Is an
deed tribute to DR.. SwOpe.
Blltmore IL an estate OF 100000 acres,
and II the winter home OF Mr.. Wander
blIt. There are hundreds Of employees on
the estate, to whom the rector OF All
Souls will minister, IN connection, prooa-
bly,, with school work on the estate.
Rev, DR.. David Greer, rector or st.
Bartholomew's, in New York city. In a
letter to DR.. Swope, says the Work AZ
BiItmore will be different from that IN
81. Matthews parish or in any other Or
binary parish. He adds that It Will no
doubt be interesting and unique, and ne
feels confident DR.. Swope would enjoy IT.
Reetors Of 81. Matthew'S.
st. Matthew's, by the way, has sent
many OF It's rec;ors on the road to bril-
liant career in the Protestant Episcopal
clergy. The first rector was Rev. John
Armstrong, the grandfather Of Rev. Dr.
Greer, OF st. Barsholomew's, New York.
He came here In 1920 His son, Rev:
William Armstrong, succeeded him ana
was followed IN 1857 by Rev. DR.. Perkins,
who left Wheeling IN 1861, and went 20
Washington City. where he died recently
He was followed by Rev. DR.. g. w. Cur
RE. now rector OF n wealthy ana nuIneT
Gus Baltimore parish. He was sucSeeu-
ed by Rev. DR.. Lathe, who entered tns
Reformd Episcopal clergy while rector
OF the Wheeling parish; he Is now located
in ySaItlnore. Rev, Or. ]. G. Armstrong
came next, In 1876, and was succeeded IN
IS7S by the present rector, DR.. SWope'
who. in his eighteen years of service IN
Wheeling, has becnme known as one OF
the leading lights in the Episcopal clergy
Ouring this period DR.. Swope has been
active both as minister and citizen ana
MD work in philanthropy has been es.
neciaIIy notable He has been connected
with the organization OF every charIty
started here with the exception OF the
Childrcn's Homs. and Is now president Oh
the City Hospital Association ana OF Al
tenheim. 1t can be seen that Or. SWOPe
work has been outside OF ms own p aLS,
rNlnI hounds, and for this ana many
other reasons there will be general re-
rret Throughout the community when Il
"a learned that it Is probable he VIII soon
leave Wheeling.
though the vcstry Of st. Matthews
hone Of. Swope will elect to stay mere
tho opportunity presented to nm - a
hrIIlinnt one and would place him WITHIN
m influence TINT would sooner or later
promote his career In the Episcopal
Rodney Rush swope was born In Phil
ndelphla, March Is, 1858. no was euu'
Gated in the public schools OF hiS hot !Ne
city. at Cheltenham academy anu az In ~
University of Pennsylvania, from WIZ"
latter institution he graduated clasSlSHs.
int never practIced. In the fall OF 1874
no entered the divinity church, CleVe-
land. November 1, 1873, he became rec
tor of 81; Matthews. He has been on
gavarRl occasions delegate 10 the III
snrinI convention ~ the Protestant lEpls-
rnnnl church of America. IN 1891 the
West Virginia University conferred upon
him the drgree Of doctor OF divinity.