The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-05-20


Saints. preached at his conservation.
There were those who criticised Bishop
Greer for his lack Of clerical formally.
IF I cannot induce the respect that
Ia ministers due without artificial
aids do not deserve It." he replied.
There were those who said that in
his devotion to the practical in church
work he was neglecting the spiritual, yet
those who went TO him for spiritual
counsel knew that II was the very depth
Of his spiritual feeling that led him to
lavish his energy on the material needs
OF those OF his flock who were poor.
In his utterances he frequently rose to
great simple heights of spirituality as
when summoned before the diocesan au-
thorities and told of his selection as
coadjutor to the late Bishop Potter. In
volving succession to the headship Of the
diocese, he said:
ut Is great and sacred trust to
which you have seen fit to summon me.
And. II may say It. many of you know
that I did not seek It. I rather shrink
from It. / was happy and contented in
my field of work. and hoped that In
that field i could fll up the measure Of
my usefulness to the Church OF God
and my fellow men. 1t breaks my
heart to leave it-but you have called
me.
"One thing, however. you could not
compel me to do. You could not compel
me to be the bishop Of any party or
school Of thought in this diocese or in
the church. have come to recognise
the fact that beneath the surface, how
ever diversified that surface may be.
there Ii a deep and common devotion to
Our Lord and Saviour. Jesus Christ
That Name Is the only one shall recog-
nize and that Person the one / ehall try
to serve. ] cannot but recognise this as
the call Of God and whatever II may In
volve to me personally. with such power
as God has given me and such help as
you can supply. I will accept and devote
myself to the duties of the high Office
He was an Interchangeable advocate OF
the sanctity Ut the marriage tie and
declared that he took his task as bishop
as a man would take wife. for better
or for WORSE For his own wife he had
a particularly touching devotion.
Such a. suffragan I" he once spoke OF
her to some of his parishionera "Only
God knows how much she has done for
you through me-"
Personally Bishop Greer was OF rather
less than the medium height. active and
wiry UP to the very last OF his days.
When no came to New York he was
| devoted horseman, taste Inherited. ne
| said, from his forebears In Kentucky
and in the western corner OF Virginia
where he was born. Only a few weeks
ago in an interview in THE EVENING SUN
| he bewailed the passing OF smart horses
from Fifth avenue and his own Inability
| to enjoy his former daily rides In Cen
trail Park. II Is related Of him that ne
could talk horse with the shrewdest
dealer and could buy at his own price
when II came to purchase.
Bishop Greer's spirituality ana MS
work among the poor led him In 1914 70
take q strong position against war ana
to plead for tho idealisns OF peace
He was accused Of lack OF patriotism In
some respects, but this he always Dit
| teriy denied, and when the United states
was brought into the war he bent AL
his energies to the support OF the Gov
eminent. stopping construction work on
the Cathedral OF St John the Divine
| that all the financial and other energies
Of the church within his control might
be devoted to war work.
Parish House His Monument.
BY far the greatest monument to the
| Bishop will be the Parish House or 81.
Bartholomew's in East Forty-second
| street Beginning soon after his assump-
| ton Of the rectorship Of the church with
modest single building presented to
him by Mrs. William II Vanderbilt, tho
| institution, the first of Its kind In tho
city. has grown until 1t embraces almost
the entire block and comprises clubs Tor
| men and women, boys and girls. On i'm
portant surgical clinic and dispensary,
| tailor shop, q gymnasium, q rescue mis-
| sion for fallen men and women and an
| employment bureau with q tremendous
| business. 1t also has @ fresh air mission
with which are connected q farm and
| vacation homo near Bridgeport q penny
| provident fund, the FIRST Of Its kind,
| system Of tenement house Investigation.
| a sewing school. q kindergarten. an eye
| and ear dispensary, a free coal and wood
bureau. free cooking school, free
clothing distribution bureau, a chapter
| OF the Brotherhood OF st Andrew, a
loan bureau, a manual and industrial
| training school. a boys military brigade
| and meeting forms for the many parish
charitable and missionary societiea
The loan bureau was one OF the nrst
Of the organization to help the poor keep
out OF the grip of loan sharks II lends
| many thousands q year on chattel mort
cages at small interest, and there have
been many years In its history when not
a single foreclosure has been recorded.
Bishop Greer lived first in St Bartho-
lomews Parish House, later in the fine
old mansion in Gramercy Square where
| he was best known socially, and finally
| in the palatial diocesan residence within
| the Cathedral Close at 10th street and
| Amsterdam avenue. He was an invet-
crate pipe smoker. Though at public
| functions he never turned down his
wine glasses, he partook sparingly Of the
lighter vintages only.
| Bishop Greer was born IN Wheeling.
| w. Va, cIarch 20. 1s+4. lie was edu-
Gated at Washington and Jeffeson Col
| lege, Washington. Pa. and after inter
walls of school teaching and the study
OF law, made his Ecclesiastical studies at
Kenyon College. Ohio. and the Episcopal
| Seminary at Gambler in the same State.
| He had his doctors degrees in divinity
| and law from Brown and from Kenyon
| His father and mother were devout Epis-
copalians and his grandfather was a
clergyman of that church who served for
many years IN Wheeling.
| In 1865, as deacon. he assumed
charge of Christ Church, Clarksburg.
w. V. He was ordained TO the priest
hood in 1868 and became rector of Trim
ity Church, Covington, Ky, whence he
went in 1879 TO Grace Church. Provi-
dence, r. I. He was the author OF a
number of books on religious topics,
among them The Historic Christ"
From Things 10 God" 1.-The Preacher
and His Place" and visions"
| In 1869 he married Caroline A. Keith
| OF Covington. They had two sons and
two daughters all OF whom became wen
| known in New York society. Like their