The colored American., 1900-07-28
THE coIoRED AMERICAN, WARRINGTON. D. o.
FROM SLAVE 10 BISHOpRIC.
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Continued from first paqe)
with them. Among those present were
Blshops j. A. Shorter, J. NJ. Brown and
L. M. ID. Ward. In 1874 Mr.. Tyree
was ordained deacon at CHATTANOOGA
Dy the late Bishop J. NJ. Brown, ana
two years later Bishop A. W. Waymap
Ordained him an elder. In 1877 Rev.
Tyree was installed as pastor of Salem
chapel, in North Nashville, it being his
nrst city charge. In all, he served as
pastor of Nashville churches twelve
years, never at any time lowering the
standard of honor, and I use the term
"honor' In its most comprehensive
sense-comprehending all the virtues of
Christian man. Having entered the
ministry at an early age, his matri-
monial course was likewise He mar
ried early, and took upon him the care
OF a family. The result of his mar
riage was six children, three sons and
three daughters. While providing fo1
family he managed to complete the
theological course at Central Tennessee
college, being yaledictarian of his
class in 1888. He continued to study
at the college for two more years, put
ting in term in the Meharry Medical
College
In 1886 he was made Presiding Elder
OF the Chattanooga district. In the fall
of 1887 he was returned to Nashville
and given the largest and finest church
OF the connection in the city. Here, as
elsewhere, he made a successful pastor,
adding hundreds to- the church and
paying about $1,000 on the indebted
ness of the church. During his pas
torate of st. Paul, his life was sad
dened by the loss of a son, Wayman,
who was to him the gem of the family
and the fathers companion. The son
was eleven years old, very precocious
and was a jewel to father. The father
has never gotten over that aff1iction,
and never will. Even since his eleva-
ton to the Bishopric he has spoken of
the loss Of his son to the writer in the
tenderest of terms, as though his
death was of recent date.
With the exception of five years
1S93-1S9S), as pastor of Quinn Chapel,
Louisville, KY, in which city he com
pleted his course in medicine, DR..
Tyree's life work has been in his ma
tive State.
Efforts have been made to transfer
him north and west, but he insisted
on remaining in the South, where his
sympathles are, and where the bulk of
his people are.
The chief characteristic of Bishop
Tyree is the earnestness with which
he discharges his duties. He has been
faithful in little things, faithful to
every trust, and there Is not a blemish
on his character nor blot upon his in
tegrity. He is respected by all who
know him, and all of his felloW-citl-
zens, without regard to creed, rejoice
in his elevation.
While Bishop Tyree is not "opinion-
ated," when he makes up his mind he
will stand by his convictions. Yet his
heart is as tender as a woman's. His
self-control is wonderful This was
in meeting Rev. J. M. Hen
derson, at the General Conference. Mr..
Henderson had sought through the
press to defeat Bishop Tyree, and said
some very hard things, but the young
Bishop met him with a smile, and, to
use his own words, "had no i'll feeling
toward him" He is open and frank,
despising all shams. In his fight for
a seat on the Bishops Bench he re-
sorted to no tricks of the politician, for
he has nothing in common with the
craft of the politician. He sought pro-
motion on merit, and won, leading in
the race, and was declared the senior
Of the elected Bishops at Columbus,
Ohio, May II, 1900. He is now in
charge of the Eighth Episcopal Dis,
trict, covering Mississippi and Arkan-
sas.
GEORGE T. ROBINSON.