The San Francisco call., 1899-12-03
BISHOP NICHOLS
D|SOWNS REV." f"
J, H. v, HARRIS
Investigation From
Far New York.
MAN OF MANY ATTAlNMENTS
LAY READER, EVANGELIST, AC-
TOR, NEWSPAPER MAN, ETC.
Oakland Ofice San Francisco Call.
SOS Broadway, Dec .

Oakland Office San Francisco Call.
SOS Broadway, Dec .
An investig igation has been started from
New York as 10 the Rev" J. II. W. Har-
rs, formerly OF this city. and this invesrt-
CATION has called forth some criticism OF
this remarkable gentleman II would
seem from some correspondence that has
passed lately between New York. his
present home, and Oakland, his former
home, that the claims Of the Rev J.
H W Harris 10 an interest in the Protes-
tant Episcopal church were disputed by
the high officials OF that denomination
Harris is now in New York and has
been attending the famous John-street
prayer meetings in the little old John
street Church, one OF the most famous
churches in the great city. he has be-n
taking 4 very active part in the proceed
ings OF this MONDAY business mems
prayer meeting and has been trying 70
obtain some active part in the evangeiistic
work there conducted Mr.. Harris did
not wholly impress the participants in
this active work. and one OF the leaders,
4. D. SniIsn. wrote 10 Oakland asking
that Bishop Nichols OF the Episcopal
..Concerning Rev. James II. W. Harris.
who claims 70 have been minister OF 4
parish between Oakland and Golden Gate,
ne is here, nOn-sectariAn, without en-
gagement. wears priesLly clothes, q big
silver cross on his watch ribbon and
states that he left the Episcopalian
church, having become cisguSIed with
sectartanism."
This request brought forth an answer
from Bishop Nichols in which he says
with regard 20 Harris:
Harris has for years posed as an eN-
clergyman OF our church, and time anc
again public announcement has been made
oc the falsity OF the claim For short
time be was a lay reader. but the license
had 70 be withdrawn He was never adj
mitred TO any sep toward the ministry
After having MS license Withdrawn ne
gelisr, business man. actor etc, and h-
managed 20 keep himself before the pub
lie"
Harris has had q most varied career
and. as Bishop Nichols says, has malagei
20 keep before the public gaze. he began
as lay reader in little church that he
had built near Em-ryville- He tried 70
gather a parish around him. but did not
succeed. and he had the rather remark
able experience OF having MS church
building sold under foreclosure for the
lumber in IL Then he started q mission
in a tent AT the corner Of Seventh and
Market streets. in this city, and those who
remember him will recognize Mr. Sni1en' ;
description or the priestly clothes and the
big silver cross he always affected the
most ultra-priestly attire, though not an
ordained minister OF any denomination.
Then Mr.. Harris drifted out OF Oakland
and tried san Francisco as an evangelist.
but failed. Then ne went on the road a.
an actor in q heavy melOdramA, which
went on the rocks in an interior city.
After that Mr.; Harris tried the bound
ing East and plunged into New York
with what result Mr. Sniffen shows Since
his arrival in that city he has been an
actor and an evangelist. and then wrote
his experiences for the New York papers.
first as an actor in the pulpit and then as
a minister on the stage Now the John
street prayer meeting is looking up his
record. and this is the strange history
that they find