New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-10-06

u -y.-.e of Bishops He must have happened
u" =, unusually uninteresting session. Neither
up..s.3ons nor the prelates appear in the least
% a, T7ishop Potter's "Reminiscences'' of a
Gu. dozen Of his episcopal associates. With
.,.,- dignity and earnestness and piety. the
80, Of whom DIT. Potter writes stand forth
,s-v human light in these intimate nara
>, .heir virtues and their foibles. The son
-. bssl,op and the nephew OF another, himself
-, FOR many years and for a long period
- that the secretary OF the House OF Blsh-
=. ere author IS uncommonly well qualified for
- ,orqenial task which he has undertaken.
~. s,stches make no claim to be complete BIZ
---.-bies. an no light" says the author can
- he read as embodying the graver material
: s,s+o-y But they VIII furnish some of those
.tss Nights by means Of which individuality In
- portraiture may be detected. and in the
-.,.r lighter and more playful quality Of which
-. recognized or recalled those more endearing
.-,o+e-isrics which make men widely remem-
80 snd genuinely beloved" How little dull
=. .sss,ops OF the House Of Bishops often were
=. frustrated by e number OF anecdotes related
nv the right reverend author.
n, one occasion a recent episcopal election
- oorne I'D for review, and, as usual. many IN
80 ouestions were asked in regard 70 the
',..,,-e1ect What kind OF wife has her
IS one Of the queries. His present wife
.,.,on ,Yterrogated began TO answer. when
-,,.,,, yvbittingharu Of Maryland, sprang TO MS
-. zone rlorentg he cried. DO l under
-.,s nv brother aright7 DID he say his pres
:. wife and am 10 understand by that phrase
;. means 10 imply that the Brotherhood has had
. --exiolls wife? Because II so cannot Nole
a. t,s confirmation. ST. Paul says a bishop
INST he the husband OF ore wife quoting
,,.-ss from the First Epistle OF Timothy which
,sso,,-s usually regard as designed 10 forbid.
!, an age in which the usage prevailed poIyga-
,.,-s union. A bishop whose sense OF hunor was
IS keen as Bishop whittingham's was feeble
&c srd asked. do I understand that the
,,s,o, n Maryland regards the language Of the
80 which be has 1ust quoted as manda-
80 "Certairly.' exclaimed Bishop Whiting
-, VERY well. then, Mr.. Chairman" said the
,-,s--ogatiug bishop blandly; If the Bishop OF
--,--,er5 regards the language OF st. Paul
rtsr be saws that a bishop must be the husband
:. ma wife as mandatory, would like TO ask
t,,, What he proposes 70 DO with the Blshop OF
fnsrning a bachelor bishop, who hasn't
any,"
Bishop Potter tells Of another occasion "hen
81 Eorsa NJ Bishops was sitting at a special
session in Philadelphia for the purpose OF NIL
.,s several vacancies in the missionary episco-
,s,s Several very young and wholly unknown
men had been nominated by bishops. who. be-
cause their nominees were so little known 70 me
House were tempted 10 describe them ana their
gifts In somewhat extravagant language. on
the following day, just before the elections were
70 take place. Bishop Wilmer. OF LOUISIANA
arose IN his place and. with a manner Of awe
Inspiring solennity," said:
Nj President, yesterday afternoon IN undertak-
-L-r E---rc 1OeT NV VI
was surprised az this knowing the a6stracIea ana
y1daTsnt habits Of the BlshoPl, IA rs seeking 10
yE-d ena found myself reading the inscriptions
where he Food Pailadelphians are buried, and such
az asseut6ge Of The great and virtuous, said 70
rnyset Ead never encountered. But as said SO
-sner7bera7 me panegvrics 10 which I had
listened yesterday morning in this house-renaeIn-
esss-y FOR ordinary and commonplace people 10 be
dead n order 70 be overpraised
The young nominees were not elected.
Bishop Clark Of Rhode Island, had an unfail-
ing fund Of hurnor and did much TO enliven the
sessions OF the House. The author relates how
at one tine, when the Presiding Bishop, whose
hrst name was Benjamin, was endeavor1ng TO
rake al explanation OF his action IN matter
q ecclesiastical discipline, and Involving him
sef tnd the whole subject IN further obscurity
and mystery as he proceeded. Bishop Clark
passed my desk. ana by a dexterous backward
movement OF his hand projected a small roll
o. paper across the page on which I was writ
ing. UnroIling it unsuspectingly l read, But
Benjam!ns mess was I'VE times so much as any
Of theirs"
Bishop Potter himself was not averse to TAX
ing hand IN the fun-naking, even when the
object o. his sport was revered friend as
the late Bishop Arthur Cleveland Coke, Of West
err New York 70 whom he pays an appre-
eauve and touching tribute. During general
convention which sat IN New York while the
author was secretary Of the House Of Bishops a
vel known editor gave dinner 10 several or
the bishops At the Union Club. and the peals
Of laughter which distinguished the feast found
their way downstairs 10 the ears Of the club
nel below" One Of these was a member Of
he family with which Bishop Coke was stay
Ing from whom the Bishop received a somewhat
Exaggerated notion Of the proceedings, which he
brought with him TO the meeting OF the House
nsxt Gay together with a determination TO bring
Ge guilty" parties 10 the bar Of the House, to
De publicly reprimanded. In the words OF the
t1tSor. whom the Bishop made his conhdant:
Tie whole story struck me. I confess. as gro
youls ~ - %--C-s - ~ y! tf,s- +Fe
s-AAop, therefore had finished his recital and had
cent Bishops 10 whom he had repeated the story, I
..iS| ~ < mock Indictment garnlshing IL with GER
- phrases lt the Bishop s, easily recognizable,
49, passed i across 10 Bishop sitting near me
re extracting from il the mrLh that II AFFORDED
- re handed Il 10 his Leighbor; ana seeing l-at
iE~s lkv-y 70 60 the rounds" turned 10 tHe
80 before me. Imagine II you can, my horror
~ SiaazeIae2f when, q little later feeling hand
~ ny shoulder. 1 looked up and saw Bishop
Seae, Win a.. expression OF wrath upon his face
r-el tFozc ne with terrOr-and my unfortunate
s-sos II L-s other hand! DR.. Potter, he Whls-
49, l-E Las just been handed 10 me Dy one OF
~ oetilral'-lI have never been aDle 10 discover
~ lis ep-scCpa! meIdler was1-'and u was Writ
., .slIgoset4is uavesty OF nay JUST inaisLiGon
tiss some Bishop n tnis house shan brlng II 70
Se lClce u the House ana demand that Its author
Al --e himself looked at the Blshop, ana tIeIl
&c bSye--il which l may say That Ead nor