The sun., 1919-09-18
SD BALLOT MAKES
BURCH NEW BISHOP
Suffragan Elevated to Bishop
ric Vacated by Death of
David H. Greer.
WILL ABJURE POLITICS
Not q Radical and Will Carry
Out Policies Of His
Predecessor.
WILL ABJURE POLITICS

special convention of the Episcopal do
cese Of New York yesterday to elect
euffragan Bishop Charles Sumner Burch
to the bishopric left vacant by the death
OF Bishop Greer, as whose assistant he
had served Cor nine years.
Five other candidates for the leader
ship of the most influential Episcopal
diocese In the country, with its $4,000
communicates, 265 organized parishes
and so-odd missions. failed to command
nearly the number OF votes that had been
conceded them beforehand. The first
ballot disposed OF the predictions that
one Of them would be successful Laity
and clergy were behind the suffragan. A
supposed high church strength was to-
tally lacking.
Almost the first word spoken by the
new Bishop was a declaration that ne
would rid the diocese OF ecclesiastical
politics that he would serve the whole
diocese not party or part Of 1t; that
he would be neither high church nor
low church in his administration.
While Bishop Burch's election was not
a surprise, his opponents, the Rev. DR..
William T. Manning of Trinity, the Rev
DR.. Ernest NJ. Stires of st. Thomas. the
Rev. Dr. Charles L. Slattery Of Grace
Church and the Right Rev. Nathaniel D.
Thomas, Bishop of Wyoming, were sup
ported by supposedly strong delegations
and considered to be more likely choices
The fifth candidate, the Rev. Dr. II.
p. Nichols OF Holy Trinity Church, Har-
lem, had not been prominently mentioned
us a possible successor OF Bishop Greer
others, however, had been in the COM
petition from the outset, with Drs. Man
ming, Stires and Slattery generally re-
garded as the three most logical sue
cessora
Churchmen attributed some of Bishop
Burch's strength, as revealed immedi-
ately by the FIRST ballot, to a desire to
make the Office OF Suffragan Bishop the
stepping stone to the bishopric. and.
therefore. assured of being a goal for
the most able of the clergy One and
perhaps two suffragans who will aid in
the discharge of the enormous task fall
ing to the Bishop Of New York diocese,
win be chosen at another special con-
vsntion- probably in January.
New Bishops Responsibilities.
Not only does Bishop Burch assume
-
diocese. but his election carries with It
the virtual rectorship Of the Cathedral
and presidency of the Cathedral board
Of trustees. presidency Of st. Stephens.
Annandale, and trusteeships of Columbia
University and the General Theological
Seminary of the Episcopal Church. His
election will be formally confirmed at
the general convention next month at
Detroit in accordance with church
canona He will then have a vote In
the House of Bishops at this convention.
Bishop Burch's election was made
unanimous by the 500 or more delegates
gathered In Synod Hall near the cathe-
dral when the third ballot was an
nounced. 1t was the first time since
1880 that a diocesan head had been
elected. Since 1880 the New York
bishops have succeeded automatically.
The office of suffragan does not hold
that privilege. however.
The new bishops rise in the church
has been almost meteoric. In fact, this
was argued against him by his OPP
ponents' supporters He was the first
suffragan In the United States when
ne was elected to that place In 1910,
Only four years before that he had been
ordained to the priesthood. He had
begun life as a newspaper reporter.
When the special convention opened In
tho nave OF the Cathedral of st. John
the Divine nearly all of the $40 au-
thorized delegates were present. The
diocese has 1853 organized parishes, each
with three lay delegates, but only one
vote for each parish. The thirty-four
organized missions have one lay delegate
with a half vote each.
Bishop Burch conducted the opening
communion service and paid a high
tribute to the late Bishop Greer as a
man OF profound depth of character.
Choice of a chairman stirred animated
debate that ended In the choice Of the
Rev. DR.. Nichols OF Holy Trinity Church.
Harlem
Candidates were named at once
Bishop Burch being nominated by the
Rev. Ralph ]. Walker of st. Slmeon's
Church, The Bronx; the Rev. DR.. John
p. Peters of St. Michaers named the
Rev. DR.. Manning: the Rev. DR.. George
r. Vandewater of St Andrews Harlem
nominated the Rev. DR.. Stires; Bishop
Thomas was sponsored by the Rev. Bel
ford l. Brown of Mount Vernon, while
DIR. Slattery, considered beforehand as
a possible compromise candidate between
the Manning and Stires factions was
proposed by the Rev. DR.. H. Percy Silver
Of the Church OF the Incarnation.
The opening ballot was as follows
Clergy Bishop Burch. 105; DR.. Man
ming. As; DIR. Slattery. AZ; DR.. stires,
so; Bishop Thomas. 8; DIR. Nichols, l
laity-Bishop Burch, So; DR.. Manning
10; DR.. Slattery. l7h: DR.. Stires. 2S N
Bishop Thomas. 8.
Bishop Burch received 1913 votes OF
the clergy and 70 of the laity on the
second polling, rejecting the swinging
of support to his side. The third and
deciding count was: Clergy-Bishor
Burch. 1873; DR.. Manning. 80; DR.. Stat
terry, IS DR.. Stires. IS Bishop Thomas
1 DIR. Nichols. 2; laity-Bishop Burch
S6h DR.. Manning, II; DR.. Slattery
1sh DR.. Stires, 2s5. ?
Cheers Greet Result.
Applause greeted the reading Of the
figures showing that Bishop Burch was
the choice. DR.. Stires and DR.. Manning
jumped to their feet simultaneously ant
moved that the vote be made unanimous
which was done. The ayes threatened
the security of the roof. There was NOR,
applause and cheering. A moment latel
Drs Stires and Manning we're des