The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-10-09

The council of the Episcopal church
for the diocese of East Carolina Will
meet in GoIdsbOro tomorrow. 1hls
assembly of ministers and Iaymen o.
the church is called by Bishop Wat
son for the performance OF a very
important duty-the election of a
bishop coadjutor for this diocese. The
bishop has taken this step because or
his feeble health, which prevents nun
performing the duties of his holy OF
flee. Upon the person chosen will de-
yoIve the responsibilities of the posi-
ton. He Will really be the acting
BISHOP Of the ~diOcese-mOre than d
mere assistant TO the present vener-
able incumbent. Therefore it can
readily be seen how important il IS
that the council should make a judi
cious seIection-should choose a man
well qualified for the work. acceptable
to the priesthood and laity of the
church and capable Of making hiIr:-
self popular with people of other de-
nominations and winning their respect
and esteem.
To this council there Will be PIE
scented the names Of several ministers,
and their qualifications will be urged
by their respective friends. Among
those whose election will be advocated
the man most generally known to our
readers is Rev. Robert Strange, now
rector of ST. Paul's church in Rich
mond, Va. Born in Wilmington,
reared among the people of the Cape
Fear section, known all over the do
ceSe, for years the rector OF the
Church Of the Good Shepherd, Of Ra-
leigh. then of St. James parish, OF this
city, DT. Strange needs no encom1ums
from the press or personal friends.
All who know him respect him for his
intellectual attachments and high
Christian character n love him be-
cause of his goodness of heart, his
brOtherIy love for and sympathy with
all men with whom. as minister of the
gospel or citizen, he is brought in con-
tact-a mar who by his gentleness of
character and affability OF manner
endears himself to all brought within
the circle of his acquaintance, Wheth-
e they be of his own denomination
or of Others-a mar who adds to these
qualifications the gift of ~elOquence in
the pulpit and on the rostrum far
above the general average of men in
the ministry or of the other learned
professions.
That these are the qualifications
possessed by one of the men whose
name Will be presented to this council
we believe all who have intimate &C
quaintance with DR.. Robert Strange
will admit.
These remarks about DR.. Strange
are not written for the purpose Of dis
paraging any other man whose name
will be submitted to the council, but
simply to give utterance to what we
believe to be the sentiments of a large
majority of the people chiefly inter
ested in the selection of a bishop CO.
adjutor for this diocese.
We are glad to earn that DR..
Strange's health has greatly improved.
In fact. he a entirely recovered and
is now Il perfectly sound man physi-
cally.
The council will meet tomorrow, but
a bishop will hardly be chosen before
Thursday. The lay delegates lave no
voice in the selection of a bishop ex-
cept to approve or disapprove of the
choice made by the ministers. The
latter make the nomination and pre-
sent the name to the other branch of
the council. whose only power is to
endorse or veto the action of the MN
listers.