Evening star., 1943-05-05

Was Serving os Head
Of ChopIoins' Commission
On Battlefront Tour
Bishop Adna Wright Leonard, SO
presiding bishop of the Washington
area of the Methodist Church. was
one of the youngest men to sit in
his denomination College of Bish-
ops when elevated at the age of 43
but in his 27 years in the episcopacy
proved himself an able and inspiring
leader and an excellent admins
traitor.
At the time of his death he held
many important positions. including
the craftsmanship Of the General
Commission on Army and Navy
Chaplains, representing 80 Protest
ant denominations. He was serving
in that capacity on tour of battle
fronts when he was killed.
Bishop Leonard was chairman OF
the Methodist Commission on Chap
lains and the Methodist Commission
on Camp Activities Always active
and vitally interested in education
he was chairman of the Board OF
Education of the Methodist Church
and chairman of the Board OF
Trustees of American University. He
entertained great hopes and plans
for the future of the university.
Able Parliamentarian.
Bishop Leonard was held in high
esteem not only in church circles
but also commanded the respect OF
big businessmen. He was a staunch
supporter of the American economic
system and true patriot who
worked increasingly to preserve the
best traditions of this country. He
also was said to be one of the best
parliamentarians in church leader
ship.
Bishop Leonard came by his in
terest in government, politics and
other affairs naturally His father
W do pllC INCt- IAOlid ol dOW y
Leonard, a well-known churchman
who once ran for the governorship
of Ohio on the prohibition ticket
Bishop Leonard himself was an
ardent foe of liquor, as we'll as
divorce, Communism and other ills
ne saw undermining the Nation.
In the time he had been in Wash
ington he succeeded in elevating
Methodism to more prominent
place than it had enjoyed before
He was popular in all walks of life
and much sought after as speaker
at both public and private affairs.
He was frank and open In Sep
tember, 1910. while testifying before
a Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on
a proposed constitutional amend
ment to limit the Presidents tenure
he rejected the indispensable man
idea. That did not, however, deter
President Roosevelt from stating
that the Bishop was the man best
qualified to make the tour of battle
fronts.
Examined Chaplain Candidates.
In Pittsburgh. the Associated
Press reported. his son, A. w. Leon
ard, jr., said the suggestion for the
visit of a Protestant leader to the
fighting front came from the Presi-
dent himself.
One of his last official acts be-
fore leaving on the ill-fated trip
was to examine Methodist candi-
dates for ecclesiastical Endorsement
as chaplains.
He was among the leaders who
helped draw up plans for uniting the
Methodist Episcopal Church South
and Methodist Protestant bodies. a
union consummated in April, 1899,
at Kansas City.
He was proud of the fact that he
was 33d degree Mason and was
honored by that organization at a
banquet two years ago attended by
many high ranking Government
officials as we'll as Masonic leaders.
Bishop Leonard was born in Gin
cinnati November 2, 1874, and spent
his early childhood in Ohio, moving
to Brooklyn with his family when
his father was named corresponding
secretary of the Board of Foreign
Missions.
Attended New York U.
He was educated in public schools
and later attended Pennington Sem
mary and New York University
graduating from the latter in 1899
and being ordained to the ministry
the same year. Two years later he
was graduated from Drew Theolog-
ical Seminary with degree of bach
elor of divinity.
Bishop Leonard went to Puerto
Rico Immediately after the Spanish
American War and was associated
with DR.. George w. Dress in helping
found the Methodist mission in that
territory and subsequently was ap-
pointed pastor of the American
Methodist Church in Rome. For
"a time he was president of the Boys
College of the Methodist Episcopal
Church in Rome.
Returning to this country in 1908
he served a series of pastorates, be-
ginning at Grace Church, Piqua,
Ohio. From there he went to Central
Church, Springfield Ohio, where his
father had served years before. From
there he went to Walnut Hills Meth
odist Church in Cincinnati, in whose
parsonage he had been born, and
later served in Seattle, Wash.
In 1916 the Puget Sound Con-
ference elected him to head the
delegation at the general conference
and sae following May he was elected
resident bishop Of the San Francisco
area, then a Methodist Episcopal
area. In 1924 he went to Buffalo as