The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-03-28
ABOUT BISHOP ANDREWS
Il SKETCH OF Il FAMOUS BISHOP or
THE M. Il. CHURCH.

|
A Graduate of Wesleyan University-Was
of tho New York East CONFERENCE.-The
Wife n Cheshire Lady.
Members of the Methodist Episcopal
church, says the New York Times, hold
their Bishop Andrews in high esteem
for the many admirable qualities which
he possesses, but conspicuous among
those qualities in his judicial mind.
Close observers of this distinguished
| bishops methods of work have been
led to remark that the bench lost an
able judge when Edward Gayer An
drews chose the ministry for his field
Of labor. In the judicial quality of his
mind the bishop is thought to resem-
BILE his brother, Judge Charles Andrews
who recently retired from the Court of
Appeals Of this state, in consequence
of the age limit. Bishop Andrews's le-
gal acumen and judicial balance find
effective employment, however, in his
present work. Questions are constant
ly arising which require an official in
depreciation Of Methodist Episcopal
law or of some provision in the Book
of Discipline, and Bishop Andrews is
one of the few heads of that Church to
| whom it's members look for final judg-
| ment in matters of doubt or contro
versy.
Edward G. Andrews and Bishop
| Merrill of Chicago are the two oldest
active bishops in the Methodist Episco-
pal church. Although Bishop Merrill
ranks as the senior bishop, both men
| We're elevated to bishopries by the
same General Conference, in 1872, and
they are very nearly of the same age.
Bishops Bowman and Foster, who were
| also elected at the 1872 conference, are
on the retired list because Of advanced
age. Bishop Andrews is native of
| New Hartford, in this state, and the
date of his birth is August T, 1876. He
| deliberately selected the Christian
ministry for his life's work, and as
soon as practicable he entered the
Wesleyan university as student. He
was graduated from that institution in
1847. and entered at once upon church
work. He was ordained a deacon by
Bishop James and ordained an elder by
Bishop Scott. In August, 1851 the
young clergyman was married to Miss
Susan M. Hotchkiss of Cheshire, Conn.
An earnest and enthusiastic worker
the future bishop speedily attracted the
attention of the leading men of his de-
Az, o1I 81
man said Of him at that time: This
young Andrews seems to be of the
right sort. He is builder up and we
need him." The first important serv-
ice to which Mr.. Andrews was called
was to the Cazenovia seminary, in
this state, and he did effective work in
the development of that school. He was
made President of the institution in
1855, and remained there several years
1t was about 1864 that he became a
preacher in the New York East Con-
ference, and he was appointed success
sively to the pastorates of the Sands
street, the st. Johns, and the Seventh
| Avenue church, in Brooklyn In each
place his pastorate was exceedingly
successful, and he formed strong and
lasting ties of friendship. His large
experience as an educator and in pas
toral work developed in him broad
mindedness and a degree of public
spirit that gradually brought him into
view as one of the strong and progress
sive men in his church. Early in his
career he established reputation for
fairness, liberality, and earnestness of
purpose. AS a preacher he has always
been clear, forcible, eloquent, and at
tractive. This is what a felow-worker
in the Methodist Episcopal church
says of Bishop Andrews as a speaker:
His style of preaching is of a high or
der combining the graces of a heart
imbued with the spirit Of Christ and a
pure and cultured intellect. Though
plain and practical, his words are at
all times calculated to interest and in
struct the hearer. The bishop has in
variably shown a wise and discrimin-
ating judgment in his treatment of
questions with which he finds it neces-
sary to DEAL
When Edward Gayer Andrews was
made a bishop matters of great inter
est Occupied the minds and attention of
the leading workers in the Methodist
denomination. 1t was at the General
! Conference which met in Brooklyn, in
1872. The bishops then elected besides
DR.. Andrews were Thomas Bowman,
William l.. Harris, Randolph S. Fos-
ter, Isaac M Wiley, Stephen M. Mer-
rill, Gilbert Haven, and Jesse r. Peck.
At that conference was adopted, by the
decisive vote of 242 to 36, the plan of
lay delegation which had been pro-
posed by the General Conference of
1868, and approved by the votes of more
than three-fourths of the ministers
voting in the annual conference. It is
interesting, in this connection, to note
the growth Of the idea of lay represen-
tation in the Methodist conference.
One of the burning questions Of the
hour among Methodists is equal repre-
sentation of ministers and laymen in
the General Conference. This question
has been widely and earnestly discuss
ed of late, and it is likely to form a
prominent feature in the proceedings
of the General Conference next month.
Another question in process of agita.-
ton in Methodist circles Is the propos-
ed abolition of the five-year time limit
Of pastorates. The idea is not to dis
pense with the itinerant system. but
simply to change the custom, so that
a bishop or presiding elder may be free
to return a minister to charge for as
many consecutive terms as may be de-
sired.
l yrt..