Evening star., 1923-05-31
Convention Opens to Choose
Successor to Late Rt. Rev.
Alfred Harding.
FIVE ARE MENTIONED
AS BALLOTlNG NEARS
Dean Bratenahl, DR.. Dudley, DR..
Freeman and DR.. C. Ernest Smith
Lead Washington Clergy.

The special session OF the twenty
seventh convention of the Protestant
Episcopal diocese of Washington is
meeting today at the Church of the
Ascension. 18th street and Massachu-
setts avenue northwest, to elect the
third Bishop of Washington.
The Rev. DIR. George Fiske Dudley.
president of the standing committee
of the diocese. called the business
meeting of the convention to order
at noon, following a solemn commun-
. Ion service. which began 1t 10 o'clock
and ended at 1880 am. !
Prayers for the clergy who died
since the last meeting of the con-
vention in February were offered
after the session was called 70 order.
Those who died were the Rt. Rev:
Alfred Harding. second Bishop OF
Washington: the Rev. James w. Aus
tin and the Rev. Robert Talbot.
Quorum Found Present.
A quorum of both houses. that of
clerical and that of lay delegates. be-
ing reported present, the convention
settled down to as much business as
It would be possible to perform before
luncheon at 1 o'clock.
The committee on the right OF
clergy seats in the convention was
announced, as follows: Rev. +. Z.
Roth, Rev J. J. Queally and Rev. w.
w. Shearer The committee on the
rights of the laity to seats was an
nounced. as follows; n. L.: Bryan
1t was hoped that nomination
could be completed before lunch and
that ballots could then be printeo
during the lunch period. 1t was
somewhat doubtful. however, ma ema,
the real work of the convention couid
be started so quickly. oo
Adjournment was taken at l2.ot
O'Clock to allow the two committeeo
on representation to complete IN .ir
final list before ,presentlng mem nv .c
ly organized ST. Agnes parish asking
for union with the convention vas
adopted and the Rev. n. Z: Parkmah
was appointed chairman OF the COM
mittee on new parishes.
Five Leading Candidates.
4 committee was authorized to be
appointed to draw up resolutions
pertaining to the death of the late
Bishop Alfred Harding. 1t seemed
likely. at the time of adjournment,
that the Rev. Jay ]. Dimon, rector
of St. Andrews parish. would be
elected permanent chairman of the
convention.
The most prominently mentioned
for the bishopric OF Washington. be-
fore the voting began. were Dean
G. c. F. Bratenahl of tie Washing
ton Cathedral, DR.. Dudley, the Rev.
DR.. James E. Freeman Of the
Church of the Epiphany. the Rev:
C,,,it nf Thomas
and the Rev DIR. Ernest NJ. Stires OF
ST. Thomas, New York.
DR.. Dimon Presides.
Reconvening at 12:45 o'clock, the
convention after electing the Rev. DR..
Dimon as it's presiding officer. adopted
a resolution limiting nominating fea-
lures to ten minutes and secondlng
speeches to five minutes. only the two
speakers being allowed for any one
candidate.
The convention adjourned at Ills
o'clock for a luncheon, which was
served lay and clerical delegates in
the schoolroom.
The convention was to reconvene
again at 2:l5 o'clock when nomina-
tions for Bishop of Washington would
be in order. The first business upon
reconvening at 12:45 o'clock was the
presentation Of the lists Of clerical
eighty-fve clerical delegates and
seventy eight lay delegates. a major
ity of both houses is necessary to
election.
No official mention was made at the
session of the death of the Rev. James
MacBride Sterrett, associate rector of
All Souls Memorial Church. who today
killed himself. DR.. Sterrett was
delegate to the convention. but his
name was not reported to the conven-
tion during the reading of the list of
clerical delegates. The death of the
loved rector was a topic of sorrowful
conversation at the luncheon
Procession Enters Church.
The colorful procession entered the
at 10 o'clock. The order of the pro-
cession was as follows:
Crucifier, Joseph Goldsmith; flag
bearer. Leslie c. Rucker; the full
vested choir of As persons. under the
direction of George E. Bayliss. with
John B. Wilson at the organ: candi-
dates for holy orders; the clergy In
the order of their ordination; the
clergy within the sanctuary. the Rev.
DR.. James E. Freeman. Of the Church
of the Epiphany and the Rev. DR.. c.
Ernest Smith. clerical deputies to the
general convention. the Rev. Dr.
Fletcher of Rock Creek parish; the
Rev. DR.. Herbert Scott Smith, Canon
nahl- of the Washington Cathedral;
the acolytes, Gerald Catlin and Nor
man Z. Towson; the. Rev. II. Allen
Griff1th. secretary of the convention,
epistlor; the Rev. James w. Clark,
secretary of the standing committee,
gospeler; the venerable D. w. Cur
ran, archdeaconery of Washington;
the Rev. Mr. Metcalf, archdeaconery
of southern Maryland; Rev. Thomas
w. Cooke, rector of the Church of the
Ascension, chairman of the conven-
tion, and the Rev. DR.. George F. Dud-
ley, president of the standing COM
mittee, who was the celebram.
Order of Service.
The order of the service was as fol-
lows: Professional, '"The Church's
One Foundation: introit-'Gloria'
MOZART; "Kyrie," the Gloria Tibi
Gratias"; offertory anthem, the Doxol-
ogy; Sursum Corda," Sanctus,"
"Benedictus." "Agnus Del" the "Gloria
in Excelsis.' the 'Fourrold Amen" and
the recessional, Rejoice. Ye' Sure in
Heart"
The services, in their rich simplicity.
seemed to hold added significance today
as the delegates to the convention and
members Of the public bowed their heads
in prayer that the convention might be
guided in the selection OF the third
Bishop Of Washington.
The large auditorium Of the Church
Of the Ascension was not half filled
when the communion service began, the
representation Of the general public