Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-06
COOKE is DENOUNCED
Bishop Burgess Discusses the
EIoping Minister HotIy.
HE DEFENDS CLERGYMEN
Ministry Should Not Be Judged by
Wrong Doing Of One.
NO CLAIM OF PERFECTION
Character Of Congregation Has Much
to Do With the Preachers Make
Up, He Says.
NO CLAIM OF PERFECTION

HEMPSTEAD, L. l., May 6.-Bishop
Frederick Burgess of the Long Island do
cese did not mince matters in his sermon
this morning to the congregation OF st.
Georges Episcopal Church, where he occu-
pied the pulpit, in the place Of the ex-
rector, Jere K. Cooke. In view OF the
church crisis which st. Georges has passed
through, Bishop Burgess seemed to wish to
maintain as optimistic an attitude as posi-
BILE. He urged the Pensioners to be chari-
table in their views, and to look forward to
a time when the church should emerge from
the cloud in which it has been wrapped
He did not hesitate, however, to voice his
sentiments most decidedly on the subject
uppermost in the minds of every one. He
spoke most bitterly of the man who was
the cause of the weeks scandal. The
bishop attacked the worshipers of worldly
wealth, mostly found in society which is
spelled with a capital s." He denounced
socialism, on the other hand. He criticised
the newspapers and the fathers who bring
home the papers for their small children
to read. His forcefulness increased as he
progressed.
An Impressive Service.
The service was impressive for the sub
dued and rather sorrowful atmosphere
which pervaded the church. The bishop
spoke eXtemporaneously, opening his talk
it could not be called a sermon-with
reference to the calamity, worse than
DEATH which had befalleh the church.
He said:
Il, is of no use for me to try to for
get the incidents of the last week, or to
pass them by in silence. This parish, this
diocese, this dear church of ours, is suf-
ferng, and l come here as pastor of the
diocese to share with you in your sorrow
and Your shame
In view of much that has been said re-
garding lax morals in the ministry, the
bishop brought strong defense in favor
of the clergy. 1T IS not right to judge
man." he argued. II know that the clergy
are not perfect, for then the millennium
would be at hand. But it is seldom that
dark scandal or nhibeous sin is found
within the church, and the horror that
comes with it shows the .unusualness of the
sin. 1t would be better, far better, that
ecclesiastical trials were multiplied hun
dredfold than that infidelty or immortality
should creep into the ranks of the church
offices. But because one traitor brings dis
grace we must not be uncharitable toward
the whole order.
Some Pertinent Questions.
Then with his keen eyes searching the
faces of his congregation, Bishop Burgess
piled it with questions. with the force and
elaboration of a Calling gun. ASK your
self, is there anything dark or crooked
that 1 want to cover up? Is there any
thing in my own. life or sensuality or
cruelty? Am 1 leading double life, and
have 1 moral debts that l never mean to
pay?"
peculiar coincidence of the service lay
in the reading of the last lines of the Epis-
tie for today, the fifth Sunday after Easter:
Pure religion and undefied before God and
the Father is this: to visit the fatherless
and widows. in their affection, and to keep
himself unspOtted from the world" 1t is
generally known that Mr.. Cooke ministered
to the father of Miss Whaley in his last
illness. promising, on his dying bed, to care
for the spiritual and moral welfare of the
girl with whom he later eloped.
Prayer for Traitor.
Bishop Burgess closed his talk to the
people effectively. May we say a prayer
for him who has been a traitor to US. and
for her who has been betrayed, and for our
selves, that we. in the hour of our temp
tation. may not fall from grace
Bishop Burgess also said that he was
not one to feel that insanity should always
be used an excuse for immortality. He
said this country already suffers too much
from mawkish sentimentality.
An old colonial sign which hugh over the
front gate of st. Georges, bearing an in
scription regarding the date of its founda-
tor, has been taken down. Conspicuous by
it's absence from the church service was
the millionaire colony of Long Island,
which is always we'll represented. 1t is
most unusual for Bishop Burgess to con-
duct service entirely without assistance
The Rev. Percy Stickney Grant, rector of
the Church of the Ascension in Men York :
preached last night. He touched but E>ht-
ly on the recent happenings in the parish.
When there was occasion for mentioning
Mr.. Cooke. he uniformly called him 'our
friend
His text was taken from l Corinthians,
xv:5S, and his sermon was a general appeal
for courage. He said that there were three
attitudes in which people received such
blow as had fallen on the church: 1.-The
first was that of the newspaper man, who
wants to know how SO strange thing fell
out. The second is the ignorant attitude
of the friends of the fallen man, who are
prevented by their love from seeing the
Nervousness of his offense. The third is the
Christian attitude that sees clearly and yet
forgives.
Mrs. Cooke spent yesterday at the rec
tory, and refused herself to all callers.
Her sister, Mrs. Damon. positively denied
rumor that the extravagance of any of
DR.. Cookies connections had increased his
embarrassment.