Evening star., 1923-05-08
CHOICE Of BISHOP
ST|RS D. c. CHURCH
Episcopal Opinion Divides on
Suitability of Local or
Out-of-ToWn Man.

Whether a local or out-of-town
man shall be selected as bishop Of
the diocese of Washington seems to
be the big question agitating Episco-
pal Church circles here. following
the death Of Bishop Harding.
There is precedent for either selec>
ton. as the first bishop of the local
diocese. Bishop Satterlee. was chosen
from Calvary Church. New York, and
the second bishop. Bishop Harding.
was selected when he was rector Of
ST. Paurs Church here.
Whatever locality Is favored at
the election to take place at 10 am.
May 81 at the Church of the Ascen-
sion. leaders Of the faith here made
plain today that the choice will be
made according to the highest tradi-
tions of the Episcopal Church in
America.
Not Partisan Struggle.
It will not be a matter of high
church arrayed against low church,
or partisans of one man fighting ad-
vocates Of another, 1t was stated, but
will be a reasoned selection of the
man whom the majority of the lay
and clerical delegates to the conven-
tion think best fitted to carry on the
arduous duties of great diocese.
Diocesan duties doomed foremost
today in the minds Of those who are
interested in the coming election. The
affairs Of the diocese of Washington
are so multitudinous that there Is lit
tie doubt among those conversant
foremost among the delegates at the
convention will be the election at
once of a bishop of Washington.
For this reason. a simple. but ur-
gent one. 1t is deemed likely that no
particular attention will be paid at
the convention to any other business
than that Of electing bishop of
Washington. So. at this time, at
least, there seems little likelihood of
selecting a bishop suffragan, who
would act as an assistant bishop to
the presiding bishop Of the church in
America. but who also would be
bishop Of Washington.
VIII Avoid Long Delay.
This latter proposition has been put
forward, but 1t was said today that
the needs of the diocese are so urgent
that IL must go over until a future
date. 1t was pointed out that there
will not be general council meeting
until October. 1925, and that if any
such proposition as making the ma
tional head of the church the head of
the Washington diocese should be
taken seriously it would involve
waiting until 1925 to put in into
effect.
involve the local diocese going with
out a head until 1925. Such waiting
is regarded by some as entirely out
of the question. so it is declared the
local convention of May 81 will ad-
dress itself to the work in hand. the
al nf a hiShnn
and let the question of making Wash
ington the real national head of the
church in America take care of itself
until some time in the future.
Those interested in the selection of
the successor to the late Bishop
Harding. as far as could be learned
today, are dividing themselves some
what as follows: Those who would
inence made bishop. and those who
want, first of all. to get quickly a
bishop to take care of the affairs Of
the diocese.
Sentiment Is Divided.
Then there seems to be a division
of opinion also, and as yet mild, on
the whole question of electing a To-
cal or out-of-town man. Some think
that one chosen from some other city
would be free from any local likes
and dislikes, and therefore more like
ly to administer the trust free from
any charge of bias.
The others declare that a local man.
with his intimate knowledge of the
local situation, could better admins
ter the affairs of the diocese, and tina
the little likes and dislikes he might
have would not in any way imperiI
the work intrusted to him.
The new bishop. II chosen from out
Of the city. may be a rector of any
church, but II taken from the ranks
Of the present bishops must be either
a bishop suffragan or a missionary
bishop, as outlined in The Star of yes
terday.