New-York tribune., 1919-09-17
N. Y. Diocese
Meets To-day to
Elect Bishop
Protestant-Episcopal Session
Will Vote Directly to Fill
the Vacancy for the First
lime in Eighty-four Years
Speedy Decision Expected
Bishop Burch and Rev. Drs.
Slattery, Manning and
Stires Backed by Friends

For the first time in eighty-four
years, the Protestant Episcopal Do
cese Of New York will vote directly
to-day for a diocesan Bishop. The
diocese had provided no coadjutor, so
that, at the death Of Bishop Greer, the
see became vacant.
special session of the diocesan
convention will be held in Synod Hall.
1t will be preceded by celebration of
the holy communion. in the Cathedral
of st. John the Divine, at half-past
ten o'clock. Bishop Charles Sumner
Burch. sutfragan, will oficiate, as
sisted by Cathedral clergy. Immedi-
municn service, Bishop Burch will call
the convention to order. 1t viii, pro-
ceed directly to the election of a
bishop.
Plans fer the convention were being
brought to completion late yesterday
1t had not been determined whether
nominating speeches would be per-
snitted but there was much sentiment
against such procedure. and it is ex-
pected that vote on the proposition
viii be taken at the outset.
Only one thing seemed certain last
night. and that was that no outsider
would be chosen for hte place. The
choice will so to New York recetor.
There seems to be no prejudice within
the diocese against the election of any
rector, no matter how we'll qualified
otherwise, who is not thoroughly fami-
liar with the affairs of the New York
Diocese.
Four Candidates Mentioned
There are four candidates that have
been mentioned prominently They
are Bishop Burch. the Rev. DR.. Charles
l.. Slattery. rector of Grace Church;
the Rev. DR.. William T. Manning, rec
tor OF Trinity Parish, and the Rev.
nr. Ernest NJ. Stires, rector of St.
Thomas's Church.
1t is expected that all four will be
voted upon on the first ballot.
Or. Stlres has made earnest efforts
70 have his name withdrawn from con-
sldera ton, but many of the prominent
iaymen Of the diocese insist that he
possesses one qualification in combi-
nation with others, that may result in
MS being the choice. The great prof
ect OF the building of the Cathedral
Of st. John the Divine, halted during
the war, needs to be pushed to com
pletlon. 1t will be necessary to raise
a huge fund for the purpose, perhaps
the largest fund ever raised for sim
gle church building in this country. In
ADDITION to his traits Of character and
ms thorough equipment for the bishop
re. DR.. Stirps mas record as a church
builder st. Thomas's Church repre-
sents his money-raisinp genius, and
the same qualities of effort that DR..
Stlres applied so successfully to the
work Of raising q fund for St '1homas's
are needed in the matter Of 4he cathe-
dral.
Dr. Manning the rector Of Trinity
farlsh, has Won v.de recognition as
an admlnistratcr by the manner n
winch he has handled the affairs of
TRINITY Corporation. He has not been
called upon to raise any large funds by
ms own efforts. but he has shown a
genius for administration. DR.. Man
ning has large following among the
,alty as we'll as among the clergy Of
New York.
No Long Deadlock Expected
DR.. Slattery was projected into the
discussion originally as compromise se
eandldate when it was felt that DR..
Manning and Dr. Stires would poll a
nearly equal number of votes and q
deadlock was feared.
1t IS not expected that there will be
a long deadlock in spite Of the fact
V"aC IL VIII be necessary to obtain q
majority OF .votes of both the clergy
and the laity voting separately, in
order to make a cnoice.
There are 3lS clerical votes in the
conventions They represent all the
clergy canonically attached to the di-
ocese who are IN priests orders. Five
hundred and one laymen are qualified
to sit in the convention. But they do
not vote as individuals, the ballots of
each parish being cast en- bloc. The
ajority rule will count in the casting
of the parish ballots. For instance
if parish has three delegates present
and two Of them favor one candidate
while the third has another choice, the
votes Of the two delegates. voting
alike, will be cast as one ballot and
the vote OF the third Will be lost
Because of the distribution of votes
among the MISSIONS fractions enter
into the reckoning The missions
have two delegates who cast half a