The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-10-18
TWAS ANALYSIS,
NOT CRITICISM
SAYS REV. GILBERT A. oTTMAN
IN SPEAKING OF BISHOP NELSON'S
ADDRESS ON THE SOUTH.

Bishop Nelson Has Studied Condi-
lions Closely and Was simply
Analysing for n Missionary
Body the Conditions That Must BE
Met With In Extending the Epis-
cOpaI Church In the SOuth-A
Brief Review of the Bishops
Statcmcnts-Was Not Criticising
the South.
The address of Bishop Cleland K.
Nelson of Atlanta, before the Episcopal
triennial convention in Boston, in
which he analysed the conditions con-
fronting the progress of the church in
the South was read with interest yes
terday by Savannahians. Considerable
comment was caused by his statement
that there was a strong prejudice
against the Episcopal Church in the
South, and in some cases to such an
extent that a man was denied the
clerkship in a bank because he be-
longed to that denomination.
Rev. Gilbert A. Ottmon, rector of st.
Paurs Episcopal Church, is perhaps
more intimately acquainted with Bish-
op Nelson than any of the other Sa-
vannah clergymen, having been init
mately associated with him for several
years. In speaking of the bishops ad-
dress last night, he said:
Il think a close study of Bishop Mel
sons address will show that the criti-
cism was only kindly. He was adj
dressing a missionary gathering and
his desire was merely to show what
conditions must be met with in the
work of extending the church in the
South. Bishop Nelson is Southern
born and Southern educated, and he
perfectly understands conditions eX-
listing here
THAT there is a prejudice against the
church in the South cannot be denied
This is partly due to the fact that it
was established by the Church of Eng
land. When the Revolutionary War
was in progress there was generated
hatred against everything English,
including the English Church This
was revived during the war of 1912 and
since that time has never died out.
"Then, too there Is d prejudice ex-
listing because Episcopal clergymen do
not exchange pulpits with the clergy of
other Protestant denominations. The
feeling against a ritual, liturgy and
formal worship also acts against us.
The Extent of Prejudice.
"As to the statement that a man was
denied a clerkship in a bank because
he was a Episcopalian, l myself know
of such an instance, or one nearly like
it. A gentleman, now employed in a
bank, has stated that he could not
JOi11 he ESpiC Chr1Yah hl de-
sired to do. because such a course
would 'injure the business of his bank.
las to the statement that there was
also a prejudice against an educated
clergy, that, too. is true. In looking
at the Bishops address, you must not
judge him by the conditions you find
in the larger cities of the South, but
by those of the country and the small
er towns. Here such a prejudice does
exist.
The Old Beliefs.
THE prejudice against an educated
clergy is the direct result of the old
belief, now held in many, many sec
tions of this state and the entire South,
that it was necessary to have an edu-
cation to preach the gospel. 1t is held
by the believers in this doctrine that
when man is called of God to
preach the gospel, that God will fur
nish him with the proper language. AS
a result they take a stand against the
Episcopal Church, which insists on
highly educated clergy.
las to the ultra Professionals, Bishop
Nelson refers to that class of Protest
ants who oppose anything that seems
to them to be a leaning toward
Catholicism. Thus the use of ritual,
a liturgy, the carrying Of the cross in
the procession, the use of candles, ana
the robes of the clergy, are taken by
them to signify a desire to go back to
Rome and so they are opposed to us.
Taken altogether, l think that you
will find that Bishop Nelson has made
fair and unbiased statement of con-
ditions existing here. What he said,
it should also be remembered, was not
In criticism, but was merely setting
forth of conditions, in order that it
might be clearly understood with just
what the church has to contend here"