The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-11-27
The Parish and the Bishopric.

A declination by the Rev. DR.. GREER
Of the Bishopric Of the new diocese OF
western Massachusetts, was almost a
foregone conclusion. As rector OF 81.
Bartholomew Church Of this city he
holds a place which in the wide range
OF its responsibilities is ov~ershadowed
In importance by few dioceses OF the
Episcopal Church.
With it's various missions and chapels
and religious and philanthropic agencies
and fraternities, St. Bartholomew IL
virtually a diocese in itself, and its
administ ration calls for abilities in its
rector not dissimilar from those required
of a Bishop, and these DR.. GREER pos
sesses in a peculiarly full measure.
Moreover, az he has been backed by the
great wealth Of his parish in all his
undertakings, because OF IFS coI,f-
denoe in both his zeal and his judg-
ment, he has developed a system OF
psrochial activities so large and broad
TINT abandonment of its direction
would seem like desertion OF duty to
New York at the call Of ambition Tor
ecclesiastical preferment.
Undoubtedly, however, the very quail
tiles and abilities which make DR., GREER
so competent as the head of a great
New York parish fit him also in a con-
spicuous degree for episcopal RESPONSE
bilities. For that reason he has beer
invited to three Bishoprics during the
last ten wears. Having declined the
succession TO the late Bishop PHILLIPS
Brooks, with the whole State OF Mass
achusetts IA "a diocese, IL was quite
obvious that wen a unanimous election
az the first Bishop Of a new diocese maze
by the separation Of its western COUNTIES
could not tempt him to give up his VIDE
sphere of parochial usefulness here.
The executive and administrative
abilities now required in the rector oil
a great metropolitan parish are so rarely
conjoined with the spiritual equipment
necessary to it's religious nourlshment
and elevation that a clergyman having
both is likely to be fixed permanently
in such a sphere Of duty. On the n
hand, there is for him a function largely
temporal, and, on the other, there IL a
demand for pulpit %eloquenoe and spir-
itual guidance removed from The con
Germs of the earth. He mus he both
a man Of the world and Il man of the
closet and the cloiSter, busy with AFFAIR.",
vet accustomed to the repose Of reliec-
tion and cultivated in the quiet and
gentle religious graces. II is something
like expecting Of the organizer and
director II "a great railroad system or
an industrial trust that he shall also
exhibit the character and temper OF the
philosopher or the poet whose thoughts
and occupations arr wholly apart from
the material competitions ~ society
These contradictory demands Of the
town clergyman have developed a new
type Of pastor Of a parish, and incid"n-
tally have transformed the clerical pro-
fes.ion by removing from II something
Of the reverence for the man 81 COD
ds cling IA All atmosphere of lurcr
spirituality than that surrounding the
inhabitants uf the SordId osrth only
The poetic character 81 the ministry
m the rye- 81 the laymen has suffered
but in place 1T u has come respect Tor
their ability In the pra"ichl aud inc
ohauical direction 81 religious agencies
fnt the soolal h@n-ni Whether IA" gam
10 a hIll eauiNalru, for tie luss has Vet
L. hr dcmHurtIdtrl.