The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-06-01

real or imaginary. We stated to him, in addition to other things, that MT. Ew- ing had been called, he had accepted and resigned his charge at Greenville, Miss, and had set the second Sunday in Oc- tober for his coming, and what a great appointment it would be to us and to the whole parish, to say nothing about the great injustice and wrong to MT. Ewing himself in the event that his com ing was delayed beyond the second Sun day in October.
 Bishop Makes Promise.
 After we had gone over and discussed all matters the bishop then and there promised and agreed; that if the Vestry insisted upon MT. Ewing's coming to the Advent, which we then and there did by electing him unanimously as rec tor, then he, (the bishop would make no objections; that he would then and there withdraw any and all objections to his coming, that he would throw no possible obstacle in the way of his coming, and would take advantage of no technical rule or law or canon, but that he would furnish at once and without delay the re- quired certificate of MT. Ewing's qualih- cations; that he would furnish this certi- fiscate then and there but for the want of paper, pen and ink that he would ac- cept MT. Ewing and accept his letters of transfer as soon as received and would not take the six months allowed him un- der the canons for his acceptance. He said that the whole matter was then and there settled and that so far as he was concerned, there would be no aftermath to this matter We took this agreement and understanding to be full and com plete and upon the highest grounds. We then and there in the presence of the Bishop appointed committee consisting of pr. Riggs and MT. Pearson, who were to go at once to Greenville, Miss, and inform MT. Ewing the result of that con ference and to tell him that in his com ing to the Advent he would have not only the cooperation of the vestry, but of the Bishop as well. We separated with expressions of good will and high hope for the future.
 The Bishop. upon leaving, promised to take occasion to break bread at the earliest opportunity with each one of us. The committee went that night to Green vile, Miss, and the next day informed MT. Ewing the result of the conference and upon being so informed, he consent ed to come to the Advent During this conference the Bishop further stated. and after the agreement had been completed that while he was going to the consecra- ton of Bishop Bratton, he would not while there or elsewhere discuss the mat ter with any one allow the matter to be discussed with him, except with Mr. Ewing himself The Bishop went that night to Jackson, Miss, and in a few days thereafter, about the 4 of October letters of transfer came from Bishop Bratton. While these letters contained as we believed and contended, all that the law required substantially in regard to the law of transfer of clergyman they did also contain a reference to MT. Ewing's connection with the Morris mar riage and when they were presented to the Bishop he refused to accept them because of their being irregular fin form.
 l stop here long enough to say that whatever friction now exists between the Bishop and the Vestry of the Advent it grew out of our insisting upon the Bishop keeping and maintaing the agree ment of September 27 Our contention was that the bishop in all fairness to us was In honor bound to accept his letter of transfer by reason of the agreement of September 27 We were led to be- lieve and did believe that the Bishop was instrumental in causing such irregular letters to be sent. 1t was not on account of any prejudice against the Bishop be- cause of Mir Murray's defeat as Bishop of Alabama, and though we fear that the Bishop had allowed some silly per sons to make him so believe state 1t as a fact that when he came to the Diocese the Vestry was prepared and did intend to give him its entire co-Opera- tion
 As to Bishops Powers.
 With us. and the bishop understand 1t was not so much a question In the ab- stract, as some of the people throughout the Diocese have since been led to be- lieve. whether or not a Bishop in our church. had the legal right to refuse let ters not in the form laid down in the canon. though otherwise substantially conforming with the law of trnsfer of a clergyman from one Diocese to another,