Smyrna times., 1908-05-06
REV. GILREATH ANNOUNCES
HIS INTENTION TO RESIGN
NEWS CAME AS A SURPRISE TO
MEMBERS OF ST. PETERS
Statement Made In The Course Of a
Speech Rev. Gilreath Made at Epis-
copal Convention in Dover

oPeech Kew. Gilreath Made at Epis-
copal Convention in Dover
At the special convention of the
Diocese of Delaware held in Dover
last Thursday to elect a successor to
the late Bishop Coleman of Delaware
Rev. G. Valerie Gilreath of St
Peters Church Smyrna announced his
intention of leaving Smyrna as soon
as a bishop was elected. The state
ment was made in the course of some
remarks which Mr. Gilreath made in
espousing the candidacy of Bishop
Partridge of Toxic, Japan and to show
the convention that there were no
personal motives in wanting him
elected, he said that as soon as a
Bishop of Delaware was elected. he
intended resigning from St. Peters
Church Smyrna. A number of St.
Peter vestrymen were present to
whom the announcement came as a
su-r-Ise, it being the first intimation
to them that the rector intended re-
linquishing his work in this parish.
Rev. Gilreath has been in Smvrna
seven years, succeeding Rector
Thomas. Just what Mr.. Gilreath's
plans for the future are, he has not
announced, but it is expected that he
will move to his country home on
Long Island for a while, should the
convention in June succeed in elect
ing bishop.
Another Convention Ends in Deadlock
For the second time the Delaware
diocesan convention of the Episcopal
Church met Thursday to choose a sue
cessor to the late Bishop Leighton
Coleman, and for the second time a
deadlock occurred and the election
was put over till the regular meeting
OF the convention at Wilmington in
June. Two selections were made by
the clerical section of the convention
but both were rejected by the laymen.
On the 28th ballot the clerical mem
bers gave the necessary two-third
votes for DR.. Samuel Hart, GUS
tOdian of the American Book of Com
mon Prayer, of Hartford, Conn.,, the
vote being 10 for Doctor Hart, 8 for
Bishop Partridge, of Kioto, Japan,
and for the Rev. DIR. Nathaniel S.
Thomas, of Philadelphia. 1t was be-
lieved that this selection would be
ratified by the laymen, and the an
nouncement was made as the clergy
men took a recess that he had been
elected. Doctor Hart was over
whelmingly rejected by the lay sec
tion, the vote being 43 to 8. The
laymen declared that he was too old
for the duties of the office. Again
the clerical section balloted and on
the 34th chose the Rev. DR.. George
Lee Bliss, of Burlington, VT. He
was rejected by the laymen by a vote
of 26 yeas to q nays, a two-thirds
vote being necessary. Reason for
this action was not specifically given,
but one layman shouted: eve want
a low churchman for Delaware. -
Opposition to a High Church Bishop
1t developed that the high church
leanings of both DIR. Hart and Doctor
Bliss had much to do with their re-
lection. Bishop Hall, of Vermont,
who had urged DR.. Bliss as his own
successor, was pointed out as being
the founder of the cowley Order of
Monks. This aroused much opposi-
tiOn to Doctor Bliss and his rejection
resulted from a determined attack by
the low churchmen and was pronoun-
ced blow to high church ritualism.
In presenting Doctor Bliss name his
friends repeatedly termed him
conservative high churchmen. "
Sixteen rectors, later Is, with 10 as
the necessary vote for election,
participated in the clerical convention,
which was presided over by the Rev.
Kensey Johns Hammond. Forty-five
and at one time 46 laymen, with 80
and 81 respectively as the necessary
vote, participated in the lay conven-
tion, presided over by Merritt N.
Willis. The Rev. DIR. Thomas of
Philadelphia, who could only master
eight votes at this contvention,
although he came within two of
election at the larger convention in
Wilmington, was persistently sup
ported almost the entire day by Rectors
Hammond, Clay and Chesly, the
latter refusing to leave him at any
time. The Rev. DIR. John Harding,
Philadelphia, was also voted for.