The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-09
BECK WITH ELECTED
 BISHOP 0F ALABAMA
Prominent Texas Minister Suc- ceedS Late Bishop BarnwelL
MURRAY A STRONG RIVAL
Three Ballots Required to Decide the Result, the Final Vote Being Very close-Mr. 6ecIcwlth a Ma
 tive of Virginia.

Montgomery, October -(special)-Af- ter an interesting contest the Rev. Charles N. Beckwith of Galveston, Tex, was elected bishop of the Episcopal dio- cese for the state of Alabama, to succeed the late Bishop Barnwell of Selma
 The Rev. John G. Murray of Birming- ham was the strongest opponent of MT. Beckwith and three ballots were neces- sary to decide the result. The final vote stood: Murray. IS; Beckwith. IT: John ston, 2.
 Charles Minnegerode Beckwith. named for the distinguished Dr. Minnegerode of Richmond, was born forty-eight years ago in Petersburg, Va He was educated at the University of Virginia and took the theological course at Sewanee He was next master of the grammar school at Sewanee. and after taking orders, be- came rector of St. Luke's church, Att lanta- Some fifteen years ago he went to Texas as rector of Trinity church of Houston. where he served seven years. He was elected bishop coadjutor of Texas but declined and entered the mission work. He was rector of Trinity church, Galveston, at the time of the flood, and was sent north by the diocese to get aid for rebuilding the churches of that city. After his church was restored he again entered mission work and is now general missionary of Texas. At the last Sewa- nee commencement he was made a D. D. and elected as lecturer on Sunday school training in the theological department. He has been married three times and has one child.
 The Proceedings.
 The council of the Episcopal diocese of Alabama met here in St Johns church today in special called session. the only business before it being the election of a successor to the late Bishop Barnwen Devotional exercises were held at 10 o'clock and it was after ii before the Rev. John G Murray, rector of the Church of the Advent in Birmingham called the council to order in the chapel adjoining the church. He did this by vir- tue of being chairman of the standing committee. Bishop Capers of South Caro- lima led in prayer. after which Dr. T. J. Beard of Birmingham was elected per- manent chairman and the council pro- ceeded to business. Nearly all of the fif- ty-four parishes and sixteen missions In the state were represented by lay dele gates, and only three or four of the thrty-one regular clergy were absent. Among the delegates are some of the most prominent meu in the state, includ- 1 ing Congressman George w. Taylor, ex- l Governor Johnston Mir. J. H. Fitts, Col. R. H. Pearson, Col. Rufus N. Rhodes, Capt. John N. Webb and Hon. Daniel | Coleman.
 Before going into the election quite a discussion arose as to the exact method | cf procedure. Reference was made to the plan followed at the last election, at l f f,a ala ffpd
 to retire and discuss the question of | whom to nominate to the Iaiety. Colonel 1 Rhodes characterized this as a method 1 by caucus and utterly unconstitutional, | though he disclaimed any offensive mean l ing by the word caucus. Major Screws l defended that method and contended that the clergy should retire for the discus sion of the character of candidates and not drag such matters before the public, J. P. Mcqueen, George w. Taylor, Col. R. H. Pearson, MT. Claire of Decatur and others took a hand in the discussion. As to Lay Delegates.
 Another question which was mixed with the one above was whether the lay dele gates must vote as a unit or each dele gates vote would be counted as frac- ticn. Each parish has one lay vote, and where the delegation, which may num- Der as many as five, differ among them- selves the matter becomes of import ance. The matter was not decided by any special action, but the motion to ad- journ was accompanied by an addendum that after dinner the council proceed to elect bishop according to the directions in the constitution, which are as follows:
 Sec 9. The election shall be made in the following manner: The order of the clergy shall choose, by ballot, in open council, some fit and qualified presbyter for that office and nominate the same to the lay delegates; and If this nomination be ar- proved by the lay order, voting thereon by ballot, he shall be declared duly elect ed. If two-thirds of the clergy be present majority shall be sufficient to determine choice; if less than two-thirds be pres ent, two-thirds of the votes of those present shall be necessary. If two-thirds of the parishes and organized missions are present by deputy majority of votes shall be sufficient to elect; if less than two-t thirds, two-thirds of the votes of tho lay deputies present shall be necessary. Some of the delegates had taken the position that under the last sentence each delegate present had one full vote on con- hrming the nomination by the clergy, but this did not prevail.
 Memorial to Bishop Barnwell. At the morning session fitting memor- ial was adopted to the memory of the late Bishop Barnwell, and a resolution adopted to pay his family $500 a year for five years. It was decided to take up a collection at the night nemorial service for the Barnwell memorial home. The dis cussion developed that the bishop left nothing whatever, his insurance merely going far enough to pay his debts.
 At the night memorial service, Bishop Capers preached the sermon. He preceded the late Bishop Barnwell as rector of St. Pauls church in Selma, and hence the peculiar appropriateness of his selection to pay the tribute to the dead pre.ate's memory
 Balloting Begins.
 At the afternoon session the clergy im- mediately proceeded to ballot for bishop in open session, the first ballot resulting | as follows:
 | The Rev. J. G. Murray of Birmingham, l 10; the Rev. MT. Reese of Macon, Ga., i; | the Rev. Dr. Kershaw of Charleston, S. | C., B. the Rev Dr. Wilmer of Atlanta, 1; 1 Dr. C. M. Beckwith of Galveston, 5; Dr. I Guerry of Sewanee g. the Rev. William | Manning of Nashville, 1; the Rev. A. l.. 1 Lloyd of New York, 1; Dr. I. J. Beard of Birmingham. 1; the Rev. Stewart Mo- | Queen of Montgomery, i; Bishop s. J. | Johnston of western Texas. l.
 | Dr. Beard then put in nomination the Rev. John G. Murray; the Rev. John | nett nominated Dr. Wilmer and Dr. Ban- mister put Bishop Johnston in nomination. The second ballot resulted: Murray. Il; Beckwith. IS; Wilmer, 8: Johnston. 4; Reese, 1.