The sun., 1900-12-23
BISHOP POTTER'S WORK.
Many and Varied Interests -rhe care ~ the
Material ~ we'll ss the snisttssi Affairs NJ
2so psvishs. ~. Charitable and puhl'o
Enterprtsss tsis system Of work.

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To any one inclined 20 think that the clerical
profession to-day means leisure and corner
remote from the ways ~ men into which The
ptencher retires for sir days In ths week To
mediate. exchanging II on the seventh Tor
the pulpit. where he delivers IN two sermons
the result Of hi, weeks thought. few hours
with nishop Potter would be surprise ana
n revelation lie has under his charge nearly
$50 parishes. scattered about In nine counties.
which together cover an area OF So, 600 square
miles Yet tho supervision OF these churches
is only a part Of the work which makes him
one OF the busiest men In New York
A visit To the Diocesan Home IN Iafaystte
place. which IL tho Official Headquarters OF
Bishop Potter and the centre for the work OF
the diocese. on any Tuesday. Thursday or
Saturday morning. Is an interesting cIpe-
rience Industry is tho watchword From
eao until II business moves with snap and
vieor From the outer circle. where those
who wish to see the Bishop walt patiently.
one Of the most influential clcrRyinen In the
,ity Is admitted to tho inner room to consult
him about some OF the anairs OF his parish
Following this clergyman. perhaps,s shabby
man. with dropping shoulders. whose errand
IL easy to guess. and next an old soldier
When the earlier comcrs nave been oisposed
Of In quick succession. the visitor whose turn
Is next penetrates with curiosity into the
ofYlco Of the man who controls easily multi
plicity OF interests so great that tenth OF
them would send an ordinary man into ner-
vous prostration The Bishop's age from MS
appearance seems to be about IS lie isin
reality ten years older. nut tho TACT seems
hard to believe. In the lace OF the energy
and activity he shows He has no time TO
spare. What the visitor has TO say must ne
said quickly, and II II Is 10 ask the Bishop 10
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The Bishop during ms ONCE hours gathers
up the threads OF diocesan lNairs. uhdoes
a knot here, smoothes out tansle there.
until all Ia going smoothly Even the work
Of one large parish, In the present aspect of
church history, Is complex ana many-slden.
In itself church with hundreds Of members
implies organization along many limos and
the disposal of largo funds. Added TO this
il usually mission work or n parish house
which provides sewing classes, cooking
classes libraries. penny banks labor bureaus
and what not for poor people The rector OF
the church under these circumstances needs
Administrative ability. But tho bishop OF
New York. who Is expected to supervise the
work OF his parish multiplied by 250. to keep
IN mind rs well the pee '.liar virtues and faults
Of each ard 10 offer advice accordingly, must
have veritable executive genius Bishop
Potter is obliged 10 rely upon system TO get
through his work and he follows this syste m
exactly Thus. promptly at the stroke of IL,
the Bishop walks out 10 his carriage and drives
OF. leaving the lite callers. be they high or
low. 10 see him aLother day.
M doubt thi, punctualitv seems a trying
thing 70 those not favored with an audience,
but In il lies the secret Of the Bishops power
to turn of WORK His engagements are
Govetailed with no' crack between and delay
anywhere would disarrange his whole day.
The morning Office hours are only the begin
ninc-rreliminnry exercise. es it We're. Next
in the schedule perhans, Is an important COM
mittee meeting about the new cathedral.
Involving considerations which require all
the practical wisdom and common sense
the Bishop has in reserve When this Is over
il Ia luncheon time and the afternoon. it may
be. is reserved for confirmation service,
two hours distant from the city, where tho
Bishop must address the candidates rs well
a. confirm them. After the service he has
tens back TO II" city and about the time m
ordinarllv industrious man would call for his
slippers and newspaper he starts out on his
evening round OF duties Three engagements
between dinner and bedtime after n busy
day do not seem TO the Bishop TO" full
measure He will rreach and address candi-
dates at one of the city churches, attend
meeting OF the Church Labor Association,
two miles away, make an address in the Ma
sonic fraternity hall in another part of the
city. return home and as soon AS he closes tho
door bohind him dvate letters to one OF the
members OF his family who acts as his amanu-
ensis at such tim es,
Tho .irht-hour working day has never
gone into effect for the Bishop and his ork-
ing time includes every waking moment
He follows literally the advice Give every
fy ing minute something 10 keep In store"
II no did not he could not plough through
the mountain OF work that confronts him
every morning. In the Bishops calendar
oven seconds have their definite value and he
never wastes one His paper he takes with
his breakfast. No one OF his family ever saw
him sit down deliberately to read IL. and yet
he knows all the news OF the day No one
Ia