The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-10-07

censor, provided II did not ALLEVIATE or an
tagonize the people.
A BROAD CHURCHMAN.
can truthfully and confidently say
that what are known as the "Cathonc
clergy OF our church were among the
warmest friends and most loyal support
ers that the bishop ever had. Ills re-
lations with them were always or the
most cordial and lafectionate character.
Al this point. as an illustration OF me
| feelings toward Bishop Clark entertained
by clergy Of this stamp Shouts IKE 10
quote some words OF distinsqisned
words written and printed some 20 years
ago. DR.. Waterman, in speaking OF the
days. happily now long past, when there
was some display OF partisanship In the
diocese. hastens 10 bear witness that par
tisanship was never displayed on the part
Of the bishop. He said: II trust that
no one will ever think IL an impertinence
IL ] add here my grateful testimony TO
the large hearted and large minded toler-
ance Of the bishop OF the diocese. In
this noble character OF the Episcopal of
flee he is indeed not a novice. He began
10 manifest II 20 years ago. the date OF
his conservation, when IL was rarer
almost every mans mouth. / would that
he might live 20 see IL. he would help
us TO see IL In every mans life"
The cause OF Catholic churchmanship
owes a great debt OF thankfulness TO
Bishop Clark for giving IL a fair hearing
and free course. In short. the bishop
claim him partially. none wholly. He
belonged to and he represented the com
prehensiveness OF the church.
cburchman., Dua IN IN the a wholesome sense. He
was broad minded and sweet-tempered
He sympathized II seems 10 me. with
the broad" school more IN its standard
spirit than i'm its actual conclusions.
Bishop Clark was made TO he peace
maker. He was an irenic parsonage. He
had gifts ample enough for the very hign,
est positions I'm Chrlstendom. He would
have made a great and beneficent pope or
pa triarch or Archbishop OF Canterbury.
And how different the history or the
church would be-how much less sad, mad
popes and archbishops BEEN just like
Bishop Clark.
Take the charges of the English bish-
ops. covering the Wesley period and the
oxford movement and their errors In
judgement and their shortsightedness Is
deplorable.
UNION OF ALL CHRISTIANS.
Bishop Clark's addresses are free from
such blemishes, because he was not
driven to panic He took a long look
ahead and all around He had no iron
rigidity. He had no invincible pre-
JUDGES He was no ultra Protestant
though his sympathies were naturally
very much with the modern bodies
which march under that name. He knew
that Protestant" however, was only an
incidental sign, and II stood for disinte-
grafton and division. rather than for
unity. He knew that. Catholic, on the
other hand was historic OF the ages,
watchword of the faith, the language OF
the creed, and he could foresee the pos
sibility OF the word Protestant as an
appellation OF the church. outgrowing Its
significance, OUTLYING its usefulness, ana
retarding rather than furthering the
progress OF Christian unity and truth.
F-bo ha odNsia 40
IL a change in the name OF tho church
should be inevitable, 10 drop the word
Protestant" !" as this his own diocese had
done nearly 20 years ago. IL was the
counsel OF a statesman and a man or
common sense.
The bishop looked longingly for all
Christians to be one. But he took no mar
row view OF Christian unity. He was as
ready and as solicituos TO hasten inter
communion between us and the great
historic Catholbc bodies. as he was that
we should absorb our spiritual brethern
OF the various names about us. / am
told that his last official act was the
preparation OF letter 10 the ecclesiasti-
cal authority OF the Russian church, In
PRODUCING the bishop Of Fond-du-Lac.
with a view to friedly conference on
the relations OF the two great bodies.
and | am told that the letter said Just
what was most desirable. So on every
side our Father i'm God bestowed bless
ing
You may remember how. a few years
ago, pastoral letter OF Bishop Clark's
was read under the direction OF the
Roman bishop OF Providence, In the
Roman parochial schools. 1t was an
UNUSUAL. perhaps an unprecedented act.
But our Roman brethren always seemed
to recognize in Bishop Clark a true Apos-
tolic quality. Many years ago the late
Bishop Hendricken. Roman bishop OF
Providence told n friend OF mine that
Bishop Clark was just the man for
bishop.
great man has gone from us. We are
not likely TO look upon his like again.
We rejoiced in his light He was spared
to us so long. and serene and unim-
pa ired were the powers OF his hallowed
mind. that we almost forgot That
though the day be never so long, at last
the bells ringeth for evensong' Lit
orally at the vesper hour his soul was
sped into that unfading brightness. OF
which 1t IL said, AT evening time 1t shall
be light"
AS his life and works and spirit ana
example come back TO us. we shall see
more and more clearly how great he was
and how good he was: how he magnfed
his office by the truest sign Of an apos
tie. by the purity OF his life. by his sin
gleness OF eve to the glory OF God
ops. but under none whose fatnerhood in
God has been truer, more grateful and /
more instructive. He has left us a good I
ly heritage. Let us cherish 10 worthily !
and sustain It's lustre by following I'm |
his steps. who so carefully followed the /
footsteps Of the Saviour.
by the love I bear.
Re glad with me.
For the peace that Is and the perils /
passed.
For the hope that is and the rest at last" 1
ELECTION AS BISHOP
The late Bishop Clark was elected to |
his office during a special convention Of |
the Protestant Episcopal church in |
Rhode Island, held In St Johns church, /
Providence. September 26th and 9th |
1854. The rector OF St Johns church pre-
sided. BENJAMIN Watson was secretary |
The following clergymen were present
AnlaQafas