Letters From the Bishops
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[155] From the Presiding Bishop
Chester, Nova Scotia, June 28, 1926.
Thank you for your gracious favor of the 18th instant. I shall be glad to arrange my engagements so that I may have the pleasure and profit of being present at the sessions of the Congress on Wednesday, October 13th, as you suggest, and praying the Divine blessing upon you in all your work and ways,
I am affectionately yours,
JOHN G. MURRAY.

From the Bishop of London
It is a very great regret to me that my schedule will not permit me to attend the Catholic Congress in Milwaukee, as I had hoped to do. Such Congresses in England have done us all a great deal of good. Will you please convey to the Congress my greeting, and best wishes for its success? And may God richly bless all who share in it, that their spiritual life may be enriched and that the kingdom of our Blessed Lord may be enlarged.
Yours in our Lord,
A. F. LONDON.

[156] From the Bishop of Bethlehem
Bethlehem, Pa., June 23, 1926.
Allow me to thank you for your most excellent letter telling me about the Second Annual Catholic Congress, to meet in Milwaukee, October 12th to 14th.
I deeply appreciate your thinking of me and your desire to have me attend. I cannot yet fully decide whether I can get off from several important engagements at that time, or not, but I shall certainly make an effort to be with you, and I am deeply thankful to you for your most kind letter.
With every good wish, believe me,
Faithfully yours,
ETHELBERT TALBOT.

From the Bishop of Ohio
Gambier, Ohio, June 23, 1926.
It will be impossible for me to be in Milwaukee for the Catholic Congress on October 12th-14th, as my duties here will compel my presence, but I thank you for your courteous letter and invitation. You, with your large knowledge of men and matters, will realize the importance of "the advance of the Catholic revival along sane and fundamental lines," as your excellent epistle suggests. It would be unwise and unfortunate to alienate the old-fashioned high Anglicans of Dr. Dix's school.
May God the Holy Spirit guide and direct you in this interesting and important movement to guard and defend the Ancient Faith.
Sincerely yours,
WILLIAM A. LEONARD.

[157] From the Bishop of North Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan, July 10, 1926.
Your kind letter of June 18th, inviting me to be present at the meeting of the Second Annual Catholic Congress, is received. I regret that the great distance between Japan and Milwaukee, and the duties of my office here, will not permit me to be present and receive the inspiration which will be given to all those who are so fortunate as to attend.
Praying that God the Holy Spirit may direct and govern all the proceedings of the Congress, I am,
Sincerely yours,
JOHN McKIM.

From the Bishop of Connecticut
Hartford, Conn., July 1, 1926.
I beg to acknowledge your letter of June 18th, at a very busy season, taking my earliest opportunity to do so and to thank you for your courtesy in writing me.
With the purposes of the Congress, as you outline them, I could not fail to be in sympathy. It was a privilege to attend the sessions of the New Haven Congress; and I have borne my testimony to the sanity and general excellence of the papers I heard there.
Certainly I should count it a privilege to attend the Congress in Milwaukee. Just at that time, however, there will be some things of importance going on here, and I do not see any likelihood that I can go to Milwaukee in October.
Please accept the assurance of my regard and of my earnest desire for God's blessing upon the Congress and upon you personally, and believe me,
Faithfully yours,
CHAUNCEY B. BREWSTER.

[158] From the Bishop of Chicago
Chicago, Ill., Sept. 24, 1926.
It has been my intention all along to go to the Congress. I am deeply interested in it.
I have been saying for some years that the so-called Anglo-Catholics have the future of the Church in their hands, if they will make it clear that the thing which they are after is the Christian religion in its reach after souls, in its claiming the world for Christ and in carrying the Catholic faith out in its application to missions, social righteousness and the upbuilding of the Kingdom of God. In other words, so long as this movement was looked upon as simply "high-church" or "ritualistic" or as standing for mere ecclesiasticism, it stood little chance of capturing the whole Church, but when its real program becomes apparent and its goal is seen to be the whole Christian religion for the whole world under the banner of Jesus Christ, it will lift the American Church into a higher and purer atmosphere, and silence a good deal of opposition.
I am glad that the Presiding Bishop is to be present. This will be a good thing for the Congress and a good thing for the Church. The Milwaukee Congress may prove to be a real turning point in the life of the Church.
Yours very sincerely,
C. P. ANDERSON.

[159] From the Bishop of Fond du Lac
Fond du Lac, Wis., Sept. 20, 1926.
I received your letter in June, and am surprised that you did not get a reply. I do not recall having acknowledged your letter, but I pride myself somewhat on the fact that I acknowledge all letters which seem to call for it and I remember very definitely having filled out the printed application blank with check and sending them to Milwaukee.
I have accepted an invitation from the Bishop of Milwaukee to be his guest during the Congress. I am very glad indeed that the prospects for the Congress seem to you so bright.
With my blessing, and anticipating meeting you in Milwaukee,
Affectionately yours in Christ,
REGINALD H. WELLER.

From the Bishop of Western New York
London, July 7, 1926.
Thank you for your kind letter of June 18th. I am sorry that it will be quite out of the question for me to be present at the Congress, October 12th-14th. I was disappointed not to be at the last one and I shall follow what you do with interest. I am just completing my work abroad, which has been very heavy, and after a four months' absence from the United States I can give no attention to anything outside of my immediate duties.
With all good wishes, I remain,
Yours very faithfully,
CHARLES H. BRENT.

[160] From the Bishop Suffragan of Chicago
Chicago, Ill., June 24, 1926.
Replying to your letter of June 18th, I would say that I have long ago reserved the dates for the Catholic Congress at Milwaukee, and hope to be able to be present during the whole period.
I shall be glad to co-operate with you in any way which may be possible to further the interests of the Congress, and to help to make it a great success.
With kindest regards for you all,
Faithfully yours,
S. M. GRISWOLD.

From the Bishop of Western Michigan
Grand Rapids, Mich., June 23, 1926.
Replying to your letter of the 18th, I beg to say that I am glad to hear of the plans and purposes in connection with the Congress in October. My schedule is very uncertain just then and it is quite possible that I may have to be in the hospital about that time. However, I shall try to keep in touch with the progress of events, and, meanwhile, beg to extend my best wishes for the success of the undertaking.
Sincerely yours,
JOHN G. McCORMICK.

[161] From the Bishop of Maine
Portland, Maine, July 21, 1926.
Please pardon my long delay in answering your letter of June 18th, inviting me to be present at the Second Annual Catholic Congress, October 12th-14th, at Milwaukee.
I dare not hope to be able to get there, on account of many Diocesan duties. But I will set down the dates, and bear in mind the special service—the Solemn High Mass on October 13th.
Assuring you of my interest, and my sympathy with the essential purpose of the Congress, I am,
Faithfully yours,
BENJAMIN BREWSTER.

From the Bishop of Rhode Island
Office of the Bishop of Rhode Island, June 21,1926.
1 am greatly obliged to you for your letter of the 18th of June and for the announcement of the Second Annual Catholic Congress to be held in October.
It would give me great pleasure to be present if my appointments should permit.
Sincerely yours,
JAMES DE WOLF PERRY.

[162] From Bishop Rhinelander
Gloucester, Mass., June 22, 1926.
I fear it will be quite impossible to get so far away early in October—between obligations here and in Washington I shall not be free to roam.
But I shall pray earnestly for guidance and grace for the Congress, and a permanently fruitful result.
Faithfully yours,
PHILIP M. RHINELANDER.

From the Bishop Coadjutor of Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa, July 2, 1926.
Thank you for your letter of June 18th inviting me to attend the Catholic Congress to be held in Milwaukee in October. I am sure that if it were possible for me to be present I would receive much inspiration and uplift, but at this time it does not seem possible for me to accept the invitation. I am obliged to be in New York the first part of October and it is doubtful if I will be back in the West again in time for the Congress.
Trusting that it will in every way be successful and accomplish its great purpose, I am, with every good wish,
Faithfully yours,
HARRY S. LONGLEY.

[163] From the Bishop of Minnesota
Minneapolis, Minn., June 24, 1926.
I am in receipt of your cordial and courteous letter inviting me to be present at the Catholic Congress at Milwaukee in October next.
I am grateful for the invitation, but fear that it will be wellnigh impossible for me to be present owing to the pressure of other duties at that time.
With all good wishes,
Faithfully yours,
F. N. McELWAIN.

From the Bishop of Mississippi
Meridan, Miss., June 23, 1926.
I thank you for your invitation to the Catholic Congress, to be held in Milwaukee, October 12th-14th. I am sure it will be an interesting and valuable occasion. While not finding myself in agreement with or able to approve some of the forms taken to advance the Catholic revival, I recognize the very distinct service that is being rendered by those engaged in this effort. An effort "along sane and fundamental lines" . . . "putting first things first," interpreting the Catholicity of the Church in a day when the weakness of the philosophy and the practice of the dominant Protestantism is being felt even by many of its own best proponents, is pregnant with great service to the Kingdom of God. I hope that your Congress will render a large service to the Church.
Faithfully yours,
WILLIAM M. GREEN.

[164] From the Bishop of Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah, July 2, 1926.
Thank you very much indeed for your letter inviting me to the Congress at Milwaukee. I wish so much that it were possible for me to attend, at least in part if not throughout. I am heartily in sympathy with the principles of the Congress and beg to assure you of my interest and prayers.
With all good wishes,
Faithfully yours,
ARTHUR W. MOULTON.

From the Bishop of New York
(telegram)
New York, N. Y., October 13, 1926.
Warm greetings and prayers for God's blessing upon the Congress.
WILLIAM T. MANNING.

From the Bishop Coadjutor of Tennessee
St. Joseph's Island, Ont., Canada, June 26, 1926.
Your kind invitation to attend sessions of the Catholic Congress in Milwaukee, October 12th-14th, has been received and is appreciated. Unfortunately I have already arranged for a preaching mission at that time and so will be deprived of the privileges and inspiration of the occasion.
With all good wishes, I am,
Faithfully yours,
JAMES M. MAXON.

[165] From the Bishop of Haiti
Port au Prince, Haiti, July 12, 1926.
Thank you very much for your letter of June 18th. Greatly to my regret, I find myself unable to leave Haiti before the end of October and then just for a few weeks. I am sending a small check to Mr. Morehouse to help with the expenses of the Congress. Assuring you of my wholehearted interest in the proposed Congress, and of my earnest prayer for its success, I am,
Faithfully yours,
H. R. CARSON.

From the Bishop of Springfield
Springfield, Ill., June 23, 1926.
I have your letter of June 18th, announcing the Second Annual Catholic Congress to meet in Milwaukee, October 12th and 14th.
I have the Congress down on my list of appointments, and expect to be there.
Praying God's blessing upon the effort, and with my sincere good wishes to you, I am,
Faithfully and affectionately yours,
JOHN C. WHITE,
Bishop of Springfield.

[166] From the Bishop Coadjutor of Vermont
Burlington, Vt., June 21, 1926.
I appreciate very much your invitation to attend the Congress and wish that I might be able to attend, but I am having a preaching mission that week in one of our missions here, and so those days are completely filled.
Hoping that you will have a most successful and profitable meeting, and with warmest personal regards, I am,
Very faithfully yours,
SAMUEL B. BOOTH.

From the Bishop Coadjutor of South Florida
Winter Park, Florida, June 24, 1926.
I beg to acknowledge receipt of your kind letter of June 18th, inviting me to be present at the meeting of the Catholic Congress, to be held in Milwaukee in October.
It would give me a great deal of pleasure to be present at the Congress, but I fear there is little likelihood of my getting away at that time. However, I shall certainly make an effort to attend the meeting.
Praying for God's blessing upon the success of the Congress, and with kindest regards, I am,
Very sincerely yours,
JOHN D. WING,
Bishop Coadjutor of South Florida.

[167] From the Bishop Coadjutor of Algoma
Sault Ste. Marie, Canada, October 2, 1926.
I am very much obliged to you for your kind invitation, which it would have given me very great pleasure to accept, but I regret to say that just after my consecration as Coadjutor of Algoma, a very painful attack of sciatica developed, and I have been forced to give up the idea of being able to attend the Congress. I need scarcely assure you that this is a very great grief to me, and I can only hope that on the next occasion you have a Congress I may be more fortunate. I shall pray very earnestly for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon all your deliberations, and I trust that your Second Annual Catholic Congress will be as great a success as the first one was.
Will you please convey to the Bishops, Clergy and Laity, gathered together in the Congress, my most cordial greetings, and the assurance of my prayers for their deliberations? I am,
Very sincerely yours,
R. ROCKSBOROUGH SMITH, Bishop Coadjutor.

[168] From the Bishop of Bermuda
Bishop's Lodge, Bermuda, 23d August, 1926.
I thank you for your kind invitation. We shall remember the Congress in our prayers, and I trust that it will be greatly blessed to the more confirmation of the Faith. I wish that I could hope to be present; but I fear that it will be impossible to give myself a holiday this year.
It has been a great pleasure to me to welcome several of your Priests: There is a close link between these little islands and our great neighbor.
Dominus vobiscum.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
ARTHUR BERMUDA.

From the Russian Orthodox Bishop of Chicago
Chicago, Ill., October 10, 1926.
Your kind invitation is at hand and much appreciated. Will possibly attend the Solemn Mass on Wednesday morning at your Cathedral and will count as a high privilege the opportunity to meet members of the Catholic Congress.
October 1st-14th by our calendar is the feast in honor of the Holy Virgin, and we have services on the eve of it, in which I take part, so it will not be possible for me to remain for the dinner on the evening of the 13th.
With sincere wishes for the success of the Congress, I remain,
Very faithfully yours,
THEOPHILOS N. PASHKOVSKY,
Bishop of Chicago