Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1952-07-26
The New Bishops
From The Central Christian Advocate)

In the election of DR.. Edgar A. Love and Dr. Mat
thew W. Clair to the episcopacy at the recent Jursdc
tiOnal Conference held at Philadelphia, the Central
Jurisdiction chose two of its most worthy Both are
men of high culture and Christian character Both are
men who having made peace with themselves pos
the pose and stamina essential for the task
which is committed to their hands Never in the history
of the Negro in The Methodist Church has the quality
of Leadership which he chose to guide his been
more significant than This fact seriously taken
into account in the selection of these two men They
both sons of Methodist parsonages and have had
wide experience leaders in the church.
Bishop Love is graduate of Howard and Boston
universities and leader for many years in the WASH
ington Conference He had served as pastor, district
superintendent, chaplain in the United States army,
teacher at Morgan college and since 94O superintendent
of Negro work for the Board of Missions. His leader
ship in the church includes membership of number of
the general boards such the Board of Temperance
Commission on Chapains and Home Missions Council
of North America For number of quadrennia he has
represented his Conference at General and JursdctOna
Conferences.
The work of Bishop Love with the Board of Mis-
sons has carried him the nation and has extended
his leadership into wide section of church life.
He brings his responsibilities the richness of these
accumulated experiences, the courage of his convc
tions keen understanding of the detectives and goals
of the church and prophets vision. We predict that
the Baltimore Area to which he assigned in particular,
and the church in general will be spanked to vital
motion through his leadership.
DR.. Clairs election to the episcopacy is somewhat
unique in that represents the first time in the church,
among Negroes that the of bishop has been chosen
to in this capacity Bishop NJ W. Clair Sr lect
ed to the epscopacy in the Methodist Episcopal Church
in 1920 following the election of Bishop Robert E. Jones'
He and Bishop Jones the first two general supern
tendents of color to be elected in the Methodist church.
The recent election of Bishop Clair indication of
the Jurisdictions coming of age The fact that his father
bishop served barrier to him, he given
any special consideration because of it. The Conference
selecting the basis of their qualifications
for leadership and he emnenty met the qualifications.
Bishop Clair educated at Howard and Boston
universities and Tiff School of Theology For number
of years he professor at Cannon Theological semi
nary. Only few men have made such lasting impressions
q IT I91 his
at Cannon. His unsefsh life example to the
Students While it is probable that many of them for
got much of what he said in the classroom they
Der the radiance of his life and the meaning Of the
gospel of Christ he presented it in his daily contact
with them. His students camored for his election.
For II years he paster of st. Marks church,
Chicago and appointed superintendent of the Column
bus district at the last session of his Annual Conference
in May Bishop Clair has worked untirAgly the
years in the interest of adequately trained minis
try His service dean of pastors schools in his
and member of the Commission on Ministerial Train
ing contributed outstandingly toward beter-raned
ministry
He brings to the episcopacy keen understanding
of the needs and function of the ministry sympathetic
understanding of the problems and difficulties which
churches face, yearning for ever-deepening
of God among the people, humble spirit deep sensi
tlVty to divine command and uncOmpromisng faith
in the future.
AS these two sons of the church contribute to the
ready strong of the College of Bishops the people
continue II in hone