The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-04

produced two great editors Dr.
Buckley. of the New York Chris
tian Advocate, and Bishop Tit2ser-
In this long time it has produced num-
her of great preachers and some bishops
of the highest order of ability, but there
have been only two great editors. AS
an editor, Bishop Fitzgerald excelled As
paragraphist. He can compress
world of meaning i'll a paragraph. No
body ever felt like saying to him, "boll
it down" His sentences are vascular
if YOU cut them they would bleed. Every
word is chosen to express the meaning.
There is not Il surplus word in any sen
tcnce he writes. Every word counts
and it is the very word and none other
that conveys his meaning. In an age
when the linotype and cheap paper en-
courages quantity, the tendency is to
spread out and write space" at so
much Il line rather than to compress
great ideas into few sentences. Bishop
Fitzgerald could pack more religion, com
mon sense. wisdom and learning on the
first page of the Advocate than any other
editor | have read after could put in
q whole paper.
When he was made bishop, it was
called a promotion" / think it was
otherwise. Any great preacher can
grow into a good bishop, but it is few
good bishops who can grow into great
editors. An editor. like n poet, must be
born with the intuition or the afflatus.
A man may write ably and forcibly. and
enrich his productions with a wealth of
illustration. and write English that Addi-
son would envy, and~yet be failure as
an editor The bishop was born edi-
tor As circuit rider he was among
the best, as an author he had a charming
style, as a bishop ne is wise, just and
discreet. As an editor, he is at his best:
and his best puts him second to no living
religious editor Among the big men
North Carolina has given TO Tennessee
jackson, Polk. Johnson, Haywood and
many others-Fitzgerald ranks among
the best gifts of the mother State to its
daughter After all these years of labor
and honor in other lands. North Caro-
lima is glad to welcome Bishop Fitzgerald
back home in his high office of bishop.
He has the charity, the liberality, the
great-heartednet of the broad and hum
BILE Christian who feels that before
great while he will be called to say, II
have finished my course" May the gooo
bishop the greltt editor, the loving Caro-
linian (the tar has never been fully re-
moved from hfs heelsl live long TO bless
his church and country
Father Creeey was evidently impressed
with the bishop, for he says Of him in
this weeks Economist:
''The Conference was opened with
prayer and singing of an appropriate
hymn, after which the good bishop, deliv
cred Il short address from one of tie
beautitudes Of the sermon on the mount.
BLESSED are the peaee-makers. for
they shall he called the children of God
Bishop Fitzgerald appears to be an ola
man. probably passed the scriptural :im-
il, but the words that fell from his tremh-
ling lips We're so full of tenderness and
pathos, that we unconsciously recalled
the tradition of old st. John. who. when
hundred years old was led into his
pulpit and delivered a sermon of five
words Little children love one anoth-
or" The oisaop was evidently SINCERE
and felt what ne mcaat. as did the lai 90
congregation. Its senIimeH.s were wei!
timed in view If the exciting questIens
that will come lie before tho Coufer-
ence.
"The address of the bishop was re-
spondcd to by DR.. II. A. Yates, Pre-
siding Elder of the Raleigh district. who
is evidently looked up to as the Leader
on the floor of the Conference When
a hitch comes. either in a matter Of
taste or discretion. DIR. Yeates comes al-
tomatically to the front, with 4 kind
word of advice or suggestion. Dr.. Yeates
impresses us as a grave AMI earnest
man."
There is a venerable m4u of God.
loved by all North Carolina Method SIN,
whose absence is a loss to eyery delegate
and visitor For the first time in 43
years when the name Jesse A. Cunning
gim' was called, there was no answer
During all the years tor nalry halt
q century DIR. Cunninggim aas been Oh
of the men who has been ready to say
Here am /, Lord, send me-" On mis-
sion and circuit work. as pastor as col
lege agent, as presiding elder lie mas
been a Methodist preacher of the old
fashioned type, sticking close to the old
landmarks and crying out "show me :hs
old paths" Progressive and earnest i'll
advancing every interest of his church, he
has been a benediction aud an exampI:
Of Gety and devotion to his younger
| brethren Now, with his face set toward
| Zion, DR. Cunninggim in feeble health in
his home at Greensboro, sends to the
| Conference a request for superanuatcd
| relationship. Though he may never
again enter actively upon the work OF mis-
Master here there 90 up prayers +hai
| he may long~be spared to preach by
word and by example the gospel he has
| proclaimed for nearly fifty years. /
cannot remember when | did
not know this father in Israel He
| has been a man whose life may be sum-
med up in. This one thing | do" He was
| called to preach the gospel. He has al
| ways felt woe is me if / preach not
| the gospel" He never sought to please by
''man's wisdom" lie has known no
shortcuts to grace, and 'shake-hand rc.
lgion found no favor in his eye. He
has believed in contrition for sin and
has insisted upon it. Though not turn.
ing aside from his life work for any
thing, DR.. Cunninggim has always shown
| himself "diligent in business" He has
| COED business head and his church has
| looked to him to lead in temporal as
uall aG Sniritual nff,ipa AuJ ha hoG