The Washington times., 1923-05-30

Episcopal EIectioneering for
Harding's Successor Finds
Three Viewpoints.

-" ~ ~V~"SSS@
The third Episcopal bishop Of
the diocese of Washington will be
an outsider.
Such was the prediction of one
of the best-informed diocesan Of
ficials on this, the eve of ballot
ings to pick successor to the
late Ri. Rev. Alfred Harding. The
special convention sits tomorrow
morning at the Church Of the
Ascension.
Sentiment Of Voters.
The official in question declared
three points of view" had been
evident in meetings of clergymen
and vestrymen at the various
churches which will send delegates
to the gathering. Sentiments OF
three classes are:
/. A man is wanted for the office
OF bishop who has long been identi
fled with Washington by residence
and occupancy of church post.
2. The Rev. James Edward Free
man, rector of the Church of the
Epiphany, is wanted, because of his
personal magnetism and great fol
lowing among the laity.
3. An outsider is wanted because
many delegates fear a local cleric
cannot command enough ballots to
elect, and a selection of a good com
promise candidate is believed to be
the only thing that will prevent the
convention from ending in a dead
lock.
1t was this sort Of electioneerine
that brought about the nomination
of Warren G. Harding at the Chi
cago convention in 1920, after the
henchmen of Wood, Palmer, and
Lowden had found they had not
sufficient backing to bring their can.
didate's triumph.
Possible Successors.
The leading candidates in class I
are thought to be the Rev. George
Carl Fitch Bratenahl, D. D., dean
of the Cathedral of So. Peter and
Paul and the Rev. G. F. Dudley,
rector Of St. Stephens.
The outstanding possibilities in
class are listed as follows: The
Rev. Ernest Milmore Stires, rector
of st. Thomas Church, New York;
the Rt. Rev. David Lincoln Ferris,
bishop suffragan of the diocese OF
western New York; the Rt. Rev.
Nathaniel Seymour Thomas, bishop
Of Wyoming, and the Rt. Rev
Frederick Bingham Howden, bishop
of New Mexico, and former rector
of st. Johns, Georgetown.
Services at Ascension.
Though there is no canon law
against it. it has never been Episco
pal practice in the United States to
allow diocesan bishops or bishops
coadjutor to be shifted from one dio.
cese to another. On the other hand
suffragan bishops or missionary
bishops may be candidates. Those
mentioned above as possibilities fall
into the latter classes.
Services at Ascension at 10 a. m
will precede the Oalloting. How long
nominations and Votings will take Is
entirely problematical. There may
be much oratOry, and there may be
little. There may be little difficulty
in hitting upon a compromise candi
date if it becomes evident this must
be the issue Of the convention, and
there may be great deal.
Each church Is entitled to send
it's rector and his assistants, IL any
and number or lay delegates from
| the vestry totaling that of tho
clerics. About eighty-five will be
seated, it is said. The Church Of tho
| Epiphany, with it's rector, three as
sistants nd four laymen will have
the heaviest voting bloc. Superanu
ated clergymen are entitled to q seat
but rectors who have been resident
in Washington less than six months
are not.
There is a possibility that bishop
will not be selected tomorrow. THAI
was the case at two convention
prior to the choice of Bishop Hard
ing. The overwhelmingly popular
clergyman put in nomination wal
Charles Henry Brent, now BishoI
Of Western New York. Twice he wal
easily elected and twice he refused
A third convention resulted In ALFRED
Harding's triumph, after a thrilling
ly close contest with the late Ran
dolph Harrison McKim, of the Church
| Of the Epiphany.