The New York herald., 1920-12-25
PLAN EARLY CHOICE
FOR BURCH'S PLACE
Episcopal Clergy Point to Need
of Active Head for Lenten
Season.

Sentiment among the Protestant Epis-
copal clergy otfhe diocese Of New York
strongly favors the early election of a
bishop to succeed the late Right Rev,
Charles Sumner Burch
The Rev. E. Briggs Nash. canon
sacrist Of the cathedral. pointed out yes
terday that he and his associates of the
cathedral clergy would weicpme an early
choice, especially In view OF the multi
phcity OF duties devolving upon the
eplscopate during the Lenten season.
This feeling is believed to be shared
iully by the members of the standing
committee OF the diocese. upon which
committee falls automatically the man
aSement OF all the affairs of the diocese
pending the election of new bishop.
me president of that committee is the
Rev. DR.. Ernest NJ. Stires, rector of St.
Ihomass Church. During the inter-
regnum his position virtually is that OF
the executive head of the diocese.
Or. Stires made 1t known yesterday
mat the standing committee had decided
70 announce next Monday the date
CHOSEN for the convocation of the special
ulocesan convention whose duty II Will
be to select Bishop Burch's successor.
preparation for the assembling OF a
convention charged with so important a
dury requires time. but it is thought the
GATE to be named Will be as early as Ia
consistent with a dignifled and orderly
procedure.
In the opinion of clergy and laity the
strongest candidates for the high eccle-
siastical honor will be the three local
fectors who. together with Bishop Burch.
shared the distinction of being nom
mated on September II, 1919, in the
convention which chose by an over
whelming majority the prelate who died
suddenly last Monday.
blshop Burch's leading competitors
at that time were DR.. ,Stires. DR.. Will
lam T. Manning. rector of Trinity. and
Dr' Charles Lewis Slattery, rector of
grace church. In the election last
year 1t was DR.. Stires who stood second
IN the voting to Bishop Burch, while
L'r' Manning was third. Each has a
large following, both clerical and lay.
deadlock in the convention. there
Iore. would be more than q possibility,
and In that event the choice might fall
upon dark horse" or compromise
candidate.
Under the rules of the church the
diocesan convention held for the cleo
tlon Of bishop is composed OF all the
clergy of the diocese and also of GER
tan lay delegates chosen TO represent
each parish in the diocese. The clerical
and lay bodies vote separately. Each
clergyman of the diocese in good stand
ing has the privilege of casting one
vote Each parish through its lay dele
fruf oil Hf.. u.
can be no election of "a bishop until a
majority Of the votes In each of these
two bodies voting separately. shall
have been cast for the chosen candi-
date.
For many reasons DR.. Stires looms
up as a sort of ecclesiastical favorite.
He Is the only New York clergyman
who Is a member of the Council of the
Episcopal Church. During his nineteen
years at st. Thomas's he has been emf
nently successful His experience in
raising funds for the present beautiful
Gothic edifice. which has cost about
$3.50, 900 It Is thought, points to him as
we'll qualified for the greater task de-
volving largely upon the next bishop
that of building the nave of the cathe-
dral, which will involve an outlay OF
several millions. DR.. Stires, further
more, is the present cnaTfnSH Vi the
building committee OF the cathedral.
DR.. Manning and DR.. Slattery. on the
other hand, both hold many important
offices and each has large and ioya
following. The rector Of Holy Trinity
usually has been considered the pre-
ferred candidate of the High Church
party. but in the convention of 1915
many delegates of that wing OF the
church left him in favor of Bishop
Burch. They disapproved Of the course
of Dr. Manning in having supported
the Congregational Concordat, which
was n proposal that clergymen of non
Episcopal denominations submit to adj
ditionai ordination at the hands OF an
Anglican bishop. SO that, under certain
prescribed circumstances, they might
be qualified TO administer the sacra-
inents Of the Episcopal Church.