Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-03
BISHOP MURRAY,
CHURCH HEAD, DIES
Presiding EpiscopaIian Divine
Victim of ApopIexy at
Convention.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
ATLANTIC CITY. N. j., October g.
Bishop John Gardner Murray, head OF
the Protestant Episcopal Church in the
United States. died at 1885 pm. today
from a stroke of apoplexy during a
meeting of the House Of Bishops.
A business career of IL years. enforced
upon him by circumstances in the midst
of his preparation for the ministry.
proved blessing in disguise for Bishop
John Gardner Murray. Later in life
when he became the presiding bishop
of the Episcopal Church In the United
States that earlier training helped him
to gain the distinction of being one Of
the outstanding religious executives and
administrators Of the country.
The bishop, however. did not regard
as the all-important thing in religious
for ministers. Asked If he thought all
clergymen should have that training
before entering the priesthood he re-
piled: 1T. is not so important that
clergymen slsould have business train
ing as that business men should have
some religious training"
Held High Post.
As the presiding bishop and presi-
dent Of the National Council of the
Episcopal Church in the United States,
Bishop Murray occupied position SIM
liar to that Of the Archbishop Of Can
terbury, ecclesiastical head of the
Church of England. There is, however.
this marked difference between the two
Offices: The Archbishop of Canter-
bury is appointed by the British crown,
while the presiding bishop of the Amer
ican church is elected by the Episcopal
general convention for a term of six
years. Bishop Murray was the first
presiding bishop thus elected, all those
preceding him in the ONCE and prior
to the general convention Of 1925 at
which Bishop Murray was elected. hav-
ing executives and administrators of the
country.
Although he was one of the foremost
spiritual leaders of the Episcopal
Church. Bishop Murray had achieved
notable success in the financial and
commercial world before he embarked
upon what always had been his life's
ambition-service in the church.
Native Of Maryland.
Bishop Murray was born at Lonacon-
ing, Md, August 81, 1857. After COM
pleting his theological studies. the death
Of his father compelled him to postpone
MS entry into the ministry, the future
bishop being obliged to enter business
to help support his mother and three
brothers and sisters. In IL years. and
when he had reached the age of IS, he
was in position to satisfy his ambition
and was ordained.
Assigned to missionary work in Ala
bama, the young clergyman spent four
years in that difficult task. when he
was called to the Church OF the Ad-
vent. In Birmingham. Seven years later
he became rector of the Church of ST.
Michael and All Angels, at Baltimore
Md. He was elected Bishop Coadjutor
in 1909. and two years later, upon the
death Of Bishop Parrot. he became Bish-
op of the Maryland diocese
Bishop Murray's early business career
took him for period to Kansas. where
he met Miss Clara Alice Hunsicker of
Usage City, a member of a pioneer
family of that State. They we're mar
ried December 4, 1889, and five children
were born to them.