The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-04-03
From the Nashville American.

From the NASHVILLE American.
~ BRIEF telegram from Richmond
Wv Monday announced that death
has again entered the ranks of
the general superintndents of the Meth
odist Episcopal church, south, Bishop
Cranberry of Virginia, being the latest
victim. Bishop Cranberry died Monday
at his home at Ashland, Va, in the 18th
year of his age. The death of the ven
cradle bishop was unexpected, being due
to heart trouble. His wife died last No
vember in the same manner.
This is the fifth time that death has
depleted the ranks of the bishops of this
church during the past foul years, the
others, and in order in which they died,
being as follows: Bishops Hargrove,
Keener, Tigert and Smith. The death of
Bishop Cranberry leaves but eleven men,
bers of the College OF Bishop, and of this
number two, Bishops Fitzgerald and Gal
loway, are not now on the effective list.
The death of Bishop Cranberry is the
third since the adjournment of the gen.
eral conference, less than year ago,
leaving the number composing the Col
before the election of Bishops Tigert, At
kins and Ward. Notwithstanding the in
creased demands on the general superin-
tendents and the added work as result
of the growth of the church in all of
its departments, there are now as few
bishops on the active list as there have
been in several years.
The late Bishop Cranberry was educated
at Randolph-Macon college, from which
he graduated in 1SS. This institution in
1870 conferred upon him the degree of
doctor of divinity. He was admitted to
membership in the travelling ministry of
the Methodist church at the Virginia con-
ference of 1913. He was a chaplain in
the Confederate army from 1851 to 1866.
During the war he served with the army
of northern Virginia, and was once Sc
verely wounded, as the result of which
he lost the sight of one eye.
From 1915 to 1882 Bishop Cranberry was
professor of moral philosophy and prac-
teal theology in Vanderbilt university. In
1882 the general conference of the Metho-
dist Episcopal church. south, elected him
a bishop, an office which he has held for
twenty-five years. This was the same
conference that elected Alpheus w. Will
son bishop, and next to Bishop Wilson,
Bishop Cranberry was in point of service
the senior member of the college. On ac-
count of i'll health he took the super
annuate relation at the general confer
ence at Dallas, Tex, in 1902, completing
a term of twenty years as an active men,
Der of the college.
Bishop Cranberry was twice married,
the first time to Miss Jennie Massie in
1853, but she lived only year. The
second time he was married to Miss Ella
Winston, whom he survived less than six
months He was the author of the follow
ing works: "Bible Dictionary" 1886;
Twelve Sermons 1896; Experience of
the Growing Evidence of the Christian
Religion.
or the six children of ABishop Cranberry
he is survived by but three, one of his
sons, j. C. Cranberry, being a member of
the Virginia conference; another is in the
Philippine islands connected with the civil
service department of the government.
His only daughter is the wife of the Rev.
C. H Tucker, Methodist missionary to
Brazil.
While not a gifted orator, Bishop Gram
berry was a forceful and earnest preach
err and an exceptionally strong writer.
He was a man of scholarly attainments,