The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-10-17
Rev. &C. Richmond, Of Phila-
dslphia, Suspended For Two
Years But Not Unfrocked
BISHOP AND LAYMAN
BLAMED BY CHAIRMAN
Clergyman Acquitted of All
But Nine Of the 40 Charges
Brought Against Him az Re-
suit of Long Dissension

Philadelphia Pa. OCT Is-Rsv
George Chalmers Richmond. Protest
ant Episcopal clergyman, was sus'
pended for two years from the Diocese
OF Pennsylvania today for attacking
the bishop OF his diocese.
In announcing the verdict of the
board of triers. the ecclesiastical
court which heard the charges against
the minister, the Rev. Fordyce H
Argo, rector of the Holy Nativity
Rev, Mr. Richmond's aocusers In
vehement and stong terms He fiayed
Bishop Alexander Maokay- Smith
now dead, Bishop Rhineiander. new
head OF the diocese and Francis A.
Lewis Ia wyer and leading layman. al
Instigators OF a movement to unfrock
Richmond He accused them as the
"agxressors In the affair which dis
ruptea Richmonds former parish, 81.
Johns.
He labeled their actions as i'm
moral. unehristain. illegal
He excused Rev. Mr.. Richmond 8
attacks on the diocesan authorities as
''tustiaabie." For we're there more
publicity and denunciation" said Mr..
Argo. "our bishops would be of q
higher type than that revealed In this
testimony on the Bishop Maokey-
Smith and Bishop Rhinelander vari-
ETY."
He saraoasticaIly referred 10 the in
visible government" In the Diocese
and ca TED for n tribune IF the pee
pie" In its place. The two bishops
and Lewis were really on trial. not
Mr.. Richmond. he. said, and he con-
cluded:
I'm my opinion there lie guilt in this
case, grave. moral and canonicai
guilt--possinly criminal guilt, hut IL
rests elsewhere than upon Mr.. Rich
mond."
Guilty ON Mime Counts.
Henry Budd chancellor of the
diocese. called upon the triers for
their decision Mr. Argo, an chair
man gave the formal report OF hts
colleagues, the Rev. John A. Good
fellow, and the Rev. Edward Ritchie,
which was to the effect that they had
found Richmond guilty on nine OF
the lao specifications died against
,.flIfs and not ~u.isss on tina a1hsgs. 81
we recommend that he be sus-
pended for two years from render
ing OF the verdict" the chairman re-
ported, He began reading from q
manuscript OF u dozen typewriter
pages his own opinion OF the trial.
the EhdfEH t@S&a@fS WIZ AS&a5Sa INV.
Richmond OF conduct unoecoming a
clergyman" the diocesan authoritiss
and the Protestant Episcopal church
In general,
I'm presenting my seasons for dis
senting from that portion OF the YER
dict which ffnds Mr.. Richmond gull
ty." MIR. Argo began. II submit that
in this case, the first fact evident
from the testimony Is that all of Mr..
Tichmonds alleged ofYenses are the
outsrowth of situation created by
the actions of the authorities OF this
diocese, and leading layman,' 500
called In conjunction with other less
influential persons.
II mean in the first place Bishop
Alexander Mackay-Smith, Bishop p.
M. Rhinelander and MIR. Francis A.
LOWS.
Mr.. Richmond was not primarily
the 'troubler in Israel not the "aS-
gressor' according to the evidence;
but Bishop Mackay smith and Lewis
were. and later Rhinelander took
Mackay- Smiths place, Willis techni-
-------------~~----------