New-York tribune., 1919-07-21
Rev. DR.. Charles Lewis Slat.
terry Favored by Many for
Bishopric, One of Lead.
ers in Episcopal Church
Is Son of a Clergyman
His Sermon at Columbia in
1918 One of Best Exam
pies of inePulpit Method


preachers would be complete without
portrait of the Rev. Dr. Charles
Lewis Slattery, rector of Grace
Church. He is the dark horse" in
the campaign for the Bishopric. BY
many of his colleagues in the minis
try he is looked upon as the only
rector upon whom the convention can
agree, in view of the sharply define /
lines In churchmanshlp that are being
drawn.
One Of the clergy, discussing Dr..
Slattery in connection with the epis
copacy, said: "If DR.. Slattery fails Of
election it will be because he has kept
SO peculiarly within his own parish.
AS preacher he is seldom heard
anywhere but in Grace Church or one
of its affiliated chapels Yet he
reaches a tremendous congregation,
for his sermons and addresses are
collated and published. Nearly every
year finds new book of his author
ship.
Dr.. Slattery was born in Pittsburgh l.
1867. His father was clergyman, an ..
the finest tribute to his ministry is the !.
his son never thought Of any othe
profession. He was graduated frol
Harvard in 1891 and from the Epis
copal Theological School at Cambridge
three years later. He was made deacon
in the year of his graduation from
Cambridge and ordained priest the
next year. He was master at Croton
School from 1894 to 1896, and served
in the same period as rector of st.
Andrews, Aver, Mass.
Went to Work in West
From Groton he went to the Ca
thedral of Our Merciful Saviour at
Faribault, Mimi, as dean. He re-
manned there until 1907, when he re-
turned to Massachusetts,, becoming
rector of Grace Church at Springfield.
In May, 1910, he was elected rector
Of Grace Church, New York. His
election to the historic old New York
parish came as complete surprise.
was unknown. SO far as\the member
ship of the church was concerned it
had seldom heard his name.
Dr.. Karl Reiland, present rector of
st. Georges, had been mentioned fire.
quently in connection with the Grace
Church rectorship because Of his sue
cess in building up the evening con-
gregations. Crowds had attended
these services, and, considering the
was considered remarkable. But DR..
Reiland's candidacy was seen to be
impossible at the time and he had
gone to a church in Yonkers Then
followed the resignation of DR.. Hugh
Blrckhcad from St. Georges and the
election Of DR.. Rcland to that pulpit.
SO it happened that DR.. Slatterys com
ing was almost coincdent with the re-
turn of DR.. Reiland to New York.
The work Of the two clergymcn has
been cast in neighboring parishes, but
there has been no rivalry. Each has
found his own particular work.
Before coming to New York DR..
Sls sttery had made marked success
of his ministry to young men. He had
been a popular lecturer in the Scabury
Divinity School, Faribault, Minn, and
later at the Berkeley Divinity School
In the year following his election as
rector of Grace Church he was chosen
as Paddock lecturer at the General
Theological Seminary. To a clergyman
the mere mention of his designation as
Paddock lecturer would be construed
as one Of the highest honors within the
gift of the Episcopal Church. In 1915
DR.. Slattery was nominated as West
lecturer in Stanford University.
SO it is seen that his experience has
been of a broad nature, and his selec-
tlon as lecturer in Stanford University
indicates that his fame had spread to
the continental limits.
IN view of this, it seems strange that
there should be any question of his
election, because he has kept so pecnl-
iarly within his own parish" Yet the
point made by his colleague was we'll
d churches DR.. Slattery is first and fore
most rector of Grace Church. Other
clergymen Of his eminence are being
heard in all parts of the city.
He regards his rectorship as one of
tho great opportunities of the Church,
and few outside of the parish realize
how farrcaching it is. The average
New Yorker looks upon Grace Church
as fabulously rich parish, in the
under any ones leadership because Of
its endowments and because of the SEN
timental interest in it's continuance.
Evening Services Are Popular
Grace Church is one of the busiest
parishes in the city. It's congregation
has moved to all parts Of the city and
suburbs; but there is no empty pew
problem. Before the coming Of Dr.
Reiland the evening services were a
difficulty; but it was seen that the
crowds would come. in season now the
evening services are popular.
DR.. Slattery, at ffty-two, is a serious
studious clergyman who is something
of o combination Of the new and the
old. His training at Cambridge Theo-
logical School would Indicate that his
thought does not run in the channels
Of the old orthodoxy. Yet he is not so
ultra radical in his theology as to be
classed with the leaders of the mod
ernistic movement. No old member of
Grace Church is offended by his pulpit
utteranccs. His position is somewhere
between the old orthodoxy and the
newer movements. His pulpit manner
is quiet and yet authoritative. He
speaks to his people much as teacher
speaks to his pupils Perhaps his early
experience at Groton and his later days
Mt the divinity schools and at Stanford
University have left their impress upon
him.
In appearance he is a typical Church
Of England Clergyman. This is quite
in keeping with his environment at
Grace Church, where every prospect
reminds one of an English parish
church and where the English style of
spelling is still used. Official docu-
ments Of Grace Church spell "neigh
bourhood" as the English custom is to