The Irish standard., 1902-08-02
BISHOP SPALDING.
Pen Picture Of the Famous IPrelate
of Peoria.

ASA AASsukS VI lAS IdAuUuS LElSlIVS
of Peoria.
The Right Rev. John Lancaster
Spalding, Sufragan Bishop of Peoria,
has been indorsed to the HGly See as
most worthy. in the estimation of the
diocesan conSulters and irrcmovablc
rcctors of the archdiocese of Chicago,
to succeed to the seat made vacant by
the death of the late Archbishop Fee
han. Tho following pen picture of
the distinguished prclatc is given by
the Chicago Americana
John Lancaster Spalding is not a
tall man. Slender without any suy-
gcsi'n of the lScctic in the fine lines
of his face, he might be taken for a
writer or IL doctor rather than for an
rccl,.siastic.
He is SiXty-two. lie looks fifty.
His movements are quick and ncr-
vnl,S, but instinct with Il fine cour-
tesy that is inseparablc from the
man.
When he speaks in public his lam
guage gives evidence of that precision
tf thought and nicely in dialcctics that
distinguish the clurchman of the
higher order.
His uttcrances are never hurrc,l
his thought is lucid to that degree
which takes its hest form in the use
of periods in spoken language. Yet
there is M evidence of the terscncss
Of the schools.
His features are clctln-cut; there
is none of the habbiness of age. His
eyes are bright and clear; his head is
Nap0leanic and well set on his slight
but well-knit figure. lie is very erect
There is nothing in his carriage to in
dent that he really is.
Had lie not been q churchman he
would have been eminent in the field
of social ccOnomy-perhaps his saccr
dotal office has not intcrfcrl to any
great extent with his development as
Il student of problems not altogether
Theological. For he is one of the few
Catholic churchmcn in tile United
States distinguished by a degree con-
fcrrcd by Il secular college. lie was
made Il doctor of laws by Columbia
last spring.
lie is amiable to degree, and those
who know the man well arc his most
enthusiastic friends. HE is perhaps
the most popular man in the Catholic
hierarchy among these who do not
agree with him in religious affairs.
Bishop Sparkling occupies very much
the same place in the estimation of
thinkers and professional men who
have come in contact With him us the
distinguished Catholic churchmen Of
England who. following Manning and
Newman, dominated all of Great Brit
ain and influenced the world by the
felicity of their manner i'm denuding
controversial subjects of their polem
lead features by the grace Of person
alitv.
Bishop Spalding was born June >.
1870 in Lebanon, Ky, Of house il
l,lstrious in the history of the church
in America.
or English and Irish stock. his fam
lily has been native to the soil of
America for $50 years. Martin John
Spading. his uncle, was archbishop
of Baltimore ANA distinguished for his
labor in behalf of education.
Bishop Spalding was educated at
Louvain. Belgium. and ordained in
1868. His first charge was in Louis
willie. Ky. In 1866 he was named one
of the thcologians of the second plrn-
ary council of Baltimore. In 1870 lit,
was assigned at his own request to a
church erected for negroes in Louis
vile. and attained distinction in this
field.
At the request of the PAulist Faith
crs he undertook to write the life of
his mcl>. Archbishop Spalding, and
earned his literary spur in the work.
lie WAS elevated from curacy to
hSllopric in 1877 and was the frs.
bishop OF Peoria, which diocese he
has since administered.
He has received the degree of LII.
ID. from Columbia University this
year and has been repeatedly distin-
guislEl by honors within the church.