Evening star., 1953-08-19
DR.. F. J. Mcconnell,
Methodist Bishop
And Educator
BY the Associated Press

BY the ASsocioted Press
PORTSMOUTH, Ohio. Aug.
19.-Funeral services will be held
Friday in nearby Lucasville for
the Rev. Dr., Francis j. McCon-
nell, retired Methodist bishop
and advocate of freedom in re-
ligion and thought.
He died yesterday on his 82d
birthday at his LucaSville home.
The Rev. DR.. Mcconnell was
once president of the Federal
Council of Churches of Christ,
later known as the National
Council of Churches of Christ in
the United States.
He served as bishop in Denver,
Pittsburgh and New York, was
in charge of Methodist missions
in Mexico, and also served in
India. For a time he was presi-
dent of DePauW University. The
New York bishopric is usually re-
garded as the church's most i'm
portant assignment.
He was recognized as leading
exponent of the philosophy of
personalism, which holds that
the ultimate reality is a plurality
of spiritual beings or independ-
ent persons.
His widow, a son and a daugh-
ter survive.
Bishop Mcconnell was recog-
nized as one of the outstanding
preachers of his church as well
as one of it's most active workers
outside religious confines.
The bishop was born on a farm
near Trinway, Ohio, August 18,
1871. the son of a Methodist
minister. He was graduated at
Ohio Wesleyan University in
1894 and then became a student
at the Boston University School
of Theology. While there he
came under the influence of
Borden Parker Bovine, professor
of philosophy and widely known
exponent of the philosophy of
perSonaliSm.
Leader of PersOnalists.
He became so imbued with
that theory that eventually he
was recognized as a leader of the
perSonalist group in America,
having gained a reputation as
an advocate of freedom in re-
ligion and thought. Later he
published a book, Borden Parker
Bowne-His Life and His Phi
losophy," in which he expounded
the beliefs of his old teacher.
While serving as pastor of the.
New York Avenue Church in
Brooklyn, DR.. Mcconnell was
invited to return to Boston Uni
versity as dean of the School
of Theology, but declined and
remained as pastor until his
election as president of DePauw
University. During his admin
istration as head of the univer-
sity he inaugurated and carried
to successful completion a cam
paign to increase it's endow-
ment fund, and broadened the
institutions educational plan by
increasing it's curriculum.
The bishop served for several
years as president of the Fed
eral Council of Churches of
Christ in AHnerica. He was first
elected to that post in 1923,
succeeding the Rev. DR.. S.
Parkes Cadman.
While Bishop Mcconnell in
terested himself in world affairs
generally, his principal concern
was promoting the church as an
independent institution with a
distinct duty and work to per-
form. Thus in 1927, when he
presided at the annual session of
the New York conference, he
said: "The church will be re-
duced to a mere social institu-
ton. sharing no measure of the
glory of God unless it ceases to
make adjustments to suit the
demands of governmental poll
cieS and to satisfy the social
of the times"
At the World Conference on
Faith and Order at Lausanne in
1927, held in the interests of
church unity, he reminded the
delegates: "The chief duty of the
church is to go back to the
simple gospels and forget modern
interpretations resulting from
higher criticism. It is
not possible to make the gospels
a set OF ethical regulations"
Headed Strike Probe.
During a strike of the steel
workers in Pennsylvania, the
bishop headed a commission
sent by the Inter-Church World
Movement to investigate con-
ditionS. SUGGESTIONS which he
made regarding working hours,
wage scales and improved hous-
ing conditions later were par
TALLY adopted by the steel
companies.
Bishop Mcconnell once met
Clarence S. Darrow, noted Chi
cago lawyer, in a debate on "The
Mechanistic Theory of Life" The
brisk battle of words and ex-
change of ideas attracted wide
attention and was held by
many to have resulted in a
victory for the bishop.
Among the volumes of which
Mcconnell was author
were: Religious Certainty"
Christian Focus" Understand
ing the Scriptures" Public
Opinion and Theolopv." "Chris-