New-York tribune., 1920-12-21
Stricken While Walking
on Riverside Drive, Goes
to Home of a Friend
Who Had Treated Him
Ill Two Weeks
With Laryngitis
Elected Year Ago to Head
the Protestant Episcopal
Diocese of New York

The Right Rev. Charles Sumner
Burch. Bishop Of the Protestant Episco-
pal Diocese of New York. was stricken
with heart disease while walking on
Riverside Drive shortly after ! O'Clock
yesterday and died iii the apartment OF
Mrs. Alice NJ. Douglass, $50 Riverside
Drive, before medical aid could reach
him.
Though the Bishop had been suffer
ing from laryngitis for the last two
weeks and been confined to his bed for
a part OF this time, he announced TO the
Rev. DR.. Howard c. Robbins, dean Of
the Cathedral Of st. John the Divine. at
noon that he felt well enough to take
a short walk to get some sunlight and
fresh air" The announcement Of the
death of the Bishop at the Office Of the
cathedral III hour later was an over
whelming shock TO members Of his fam.
ily and the clergy connected with the
Church. AS Dean Robbins recountoc
the story Of the Bishops last few hour,
he was visibly moved
almost the last thing THAT III,
Bishop said before leaving me thi.
morning. the dean explained, "syas =
wish you would preach the Christina:
service Tor lae.' You know it is tb.
custom OF the Bishop to preach tn,
haster and Christmas services. and
Tecal1 now that he had been LOOKING
forward very particularly 20 preachint
that service himself"
The dean though* it verv s;eni,i
cant that this change Of mind should
nave come SO close upon death Itself.
Becomes Faint in Street
Il also recall now She dean vs-
marked, that after efforts os his phv
slcian to keep the Bishoh in bed @,
Saturday had failed the Bishop sal,
that walking N the aun alwav3 in
yigorated him. He left nae about nool
1or that very purpose. He walked u,
Riverside Drive to 10Th Street. vher
be felt faint. He recalled thst q frjens
lived in that neighborhood and wen
there to rest a minute. II was there
that he had on attack OF heart disease
and died"
when arrived he continued
canon Glover, superintendent Of St
Luke's Hospital. who had come in an
ambulance, was there, as we'll as
Ceaconess Windsor and Dr. Collins
the family physician. The Bishop had
died before the ambulance arrived
The body was removed to the cathedral
III the ambulance after Dr.. Collins had
communicated with tho medical ex-
aminer's Office"
AT the time of the Bishops death
the bishops wife and daughter, Mrs
Armada Marson, were downtown shop
ping. They were Informed that the
Bishop was alarmingly i'll. They re-
turned inm ediately to the parish
house, where they were told by Canon
Glover Of the Bishops death.
Stnndins Committee Notified
The members Of the standing COM
'nlttee Of the diocese were immediately
notified Of the death OF the Bishop and
tAAy in tie interim they had auto
natically become Tic ruling body in
the diocese
D,.. Ernest N. stiles. president Of the
committed and also rector Of st
Ihcmas's Protestant Episcopal Churcl
culogiSing Bishop Burch, said:
"The diocese Of New, York has had
bishops with unusual gifts o. intellect
eloquence or Craftsmanship, but the
ulocese mas never had bishop more
conscientious in the Gete rlnination Of
duty nor more faithful in fulhllment
than Bishop Burch.
His sympathy was unfailing. and
because he loved much he was uni
versally beloved. During the single
year of his cpiscopate all his fine quail
ties deepened and broadened. This was
observed in the general convention
meeting in October, 1919, and was par
ticularly remarked upon hts return
from the Lambeth conference last sum
!ner.
Those who heard Bishop Burch de
scribe the work, the spirit and the
results Of that conference felt that
they were listening to spiritual
leader Of vision and power. We were
locking forward TO splendid advance
in this diocese under his leadership
and for the moment we are unable to
Sc our way
"Only yesterday he visited the re-
CONTINUED page seven,