THE Right Rev. Gregory Thurston Bedell, D.D., third Bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Ohio, was born at Hudson, New York, on the 27th of August, A. D. 1817, the only son of the Rev. Gregory Townsend and Penelope Thurston Bedell. The father of Bishop Bedell was a man of mark, a clergyman of rare abilities and thorough consecration to his work, who died in 1834, rector of St. Andrew's Church, Philadelphia, in the forty-first year of his age.

He was never physically robust and yet "he sustained an amount of work which would have seemed remarkable in any man, and in him was marvelous." In Dr. Sprague's "Annals of the American Episcopal Pulpit," there is a long letter concerning Dr. Bedell, written by Bishop McIlvaine. The likeness between the father and the son is certainly remarkable, for much of this letter is simply a good description of the saintly Bishop of Ohio. Take such words as these: "He was indebted for his ability to get through so

The above admirable sketch of Bishop Bedell is taken substantially from "The Kenyon Book," by Rev. Dr. William B. Bodine, whose long acquaintance with the Bishop allows him to speak as by authority.

much with so little wear of mind to his eminent habit of order and system. That habit appeared in all things-the smallest and the greatest. All were timed and placed, and came and went in rank and file, and a system once adopted was kept." So again, "He was the miner that always found gold, and knew how to use it for the good of men. He had great skill and power in communicating-what he possessed in his own mind he could impart; what he saw he could make others see.

He would place it in a light so distinct, with such precision of language and felicity of illustration, in such simplicity and often so beautifully, as to make him not only intelligible to the meanest capacity, but exceedingly interesting and engaging to all." And so again, "You know he was a very popular preacher, that is he drew a crowded congregation. But there was nothing like aiming at popular effect-no departure from simplicity, dignity, soberness, or faithfulness, nothing to please men, except as they were well pleased with what was well pleasing to God. The way of salvation, with all its connected verities; the work of grace in the heart and its counterfeits, how well he knew them. There was frequently

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a genuine eloquence in his preaching, often a very moving pathos as well in manner and word as in thought; always great impressiveness of speech and manner. His appearance in the pulpit was much in his favor. * Add to these things a voice which was capable of great effect, and was managed with peculiar skill, exceedingly clear and distinct in its utterances, and giving great expression to his thoughts, and then a delivery so grave and yet so animated, so quiet and yet so forcible, so self-possessed and yet so under the power of the great themes he preached on; a delivery which so perfectly fitted the style of his discourses, and so exactly exhibited himself." And so, still again, “To a naturally bland, kind, and cheerful spirit, his lively piety imparted an expression of serene enjoyment, which, associated as it always was with the seriousness becoming his high vocation, and the culture and intelligence of the well-educated gentleman, rendered him as acceptable and influential when he met his people at their homes as when they met him in his pulpit."

Bishop Bedell was an infant when his parents removed to Fayetteville, N. C., in 1818. He was less than five years old when, in 1822, they removed to Philadelphia. When he was still quite a lad he was sent to Dr. Muhlenberg's school, at Flushing, Long Island, where he remained until he entered Bristol Coliege, from which he was graduated in 1836. This col

lege was located at Bristol, on the Delaware, a few miles above Philadelphia. In 1835 Dr. Stephen H. Tyng wrote concerning it: "From its present course and prospects it may be looked upon with very great justice and reason, as likely to exercise more valuable and extensive influence upon the character of the Episcopal church than any other institution which is connected with it; and the ardent desires and expectations of Dr. Bedell and those who united with him in its establishment, promise to be even more than realized in its ultimate efficiency and worth."

Notwithstanding these hopeful words this college died in infancy. Several letters of Dr. Bedell to his son are published in his memoir. In these letters are to be found such golden words as these: "Nothing could give your father and mother. greater delight than to know that their beloved and only son was growing up to be a child of God. It would be of little cousequence to us to have you a great or learned man, if we should find you careless about God and indifferent to the salvation of your own soul. What we want you to be, and what we most sincerely pray that you may be, is a good man, loving and serving God. Nothing would be more grateful to my feelings than the idea that at some future day you would be prepared for the high and responsible duties of the ministry."

The good father died while the son

was yet a schoolboy, but the desire of his heart was to be gratified. His son was graduated from the Theological Seminary at Alexandria, Va., and immediately afterward, on the 19th of July, A. D. 1840, was ordained deacon. in St. Andrew's church, Philadelphia, by his great uncle, Bishop Moore. He was ordained presbyter by the same venerable Prelate, on the 29th of August, A. D. 1841. A very interesting account of this er ordination is printed in Bishop Henshawe's Memoirs of Bishop Moore.

The youthful deacon went to work at once at West Chester, Pa. He remained in charge of his first parish for three years, and then accepted a call to the rectorship of the Church of the Ascension, New York. Manton Eastburn had just resigned this parish to accept the Episcopate of Massachusetts. It was a strong parish, but became still stronger under the rectorship of Gregory Thurston Bedell. Indeed, it came to be regarded as one of the model parishes of the country, country, thoroughly organized and zealous in all good works. The statistics of the year 1858-59 show contributions amounting to over fifty thousand dollars. In 1859 Dr. Bedell resigned the charge of this parish to accept the duties of assistant Bishop in Ohio, after sixteen years of happy and most useful labor. He was consecrated Bishop during the General Convention which was held in Richmond, Va., in October, 1859, at the same time and place with his old school

friend, Bishop Odenheimer, and Bishops Gregg and Whipple. Bishop McIlvaine welcomed him most lovingly, and for thirteen years they worked together as bishops, “easily, lovingly, deferently, without a jar or jealousy." This is Bishop McIlvaine's testimony. Bishop Bedell's is equally clear and strong. "My assistantship has been an uninterrupted source of enjoyment. Every interview with Bishop McIlvaine has been instructive; every letter from him has been an encouragement; every hour of my association with him has been an enjoyment." "I have no anxieties," said Bishop McIlvaine, "Bedell is a loving

son.

Bishop McIlvaine died in March, 1873, when Bishop Bedell became his successor. In 1874 the old diocese was divided, Bishop Bedell electing the northern portion, which retains the old name of Diocese of Ohio. For fifteen years he led his flock gently as sole diocesan. At the time of his consecration his old school father, Dr. Muhlenberg, wrote to him and to Bishop Odenheimer, two of his boys, in verse. Among other things he said:

"The church needs Bishops who can preach
As well as rule their flocks and teach.
Like Paul, then, preach, nor aught beside
Christ Jesus and Him crucified."

Bishop Bedell has been faithful to this charge.

In the years of his strength he delivered three strong charges to his clergy which were printed. Many of