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Show REV. BR BTJRTSELL. He Is Eminently Fitted. For the New York Regency. (From the Kingston (N. Y.) Daily Leader) The Rev. Dr. Burtsell was born in ! the city of New York about sixty years ago. He studied for some tjrae at St. Francis Xavier's College. From there he went to a college in Montreal, where he acquired a fluent knowledge of the French language. At the age of 13 years he went to Rom and entered the College of the Propaganda. He spent about nine years in Rome, was ordained a priest and in the year 1862 returned to New York. He was appointed assistant as-sistant to the Rev. Thomas S. Preston at St. Ann's Church. In 1868 he 'was authorized by Archbishop Arch-bishop McClonkey to form the new parish par-ish of the Epiphany. The district of the new parish, comprises about 10,000 souls. It was more populous than wealthy. There he built one of the finest churches- in the city. He soon gained the affection and confidence of his parishioners, whose attachment to him increased as the years went on. He was devoted to them and they to him. There seemed to be in him a rare combination of the zeal of the pastor of souls and of the careful methods of the businewi man. While he gave himself him-self up with unwearied attention to the spiritual welfare of his flock, he, at the same time, administered the financial finan-cial affairs of the parish in a' most systematic sys-tematic and successful manner. He was the first priest 4n the diocese of New York who earned the distinction of building a large church and paying off its entire debt. The importance and difficulty of this fact will be appreciated appreci-ated when it is borne in mind that the Church of the Epiphany cost about $250,000, and that the people were for the most part poor, and that every cent of the debt was paid in les3 than twenty years. In the year 1890 he was transferred to St. Mary's Church in Rondout. He had been pastor of the Church of the 5Spiphany nearly twenty-three years. His parishioners were so loth to part with him that they got up a monster petition . for his restoration, which, in the course of a few weeks, was signed by 50,000 persons. His. transfer to Rondout Ron-dout was the result of comDlieations which arose from his connection with the case of the Rev. Dr. Edward Mc-Glynn. Mc-Glynn. From his boyhood days ' Dr. Burtsell had been Dr. McGlynn's most intimate friend. He admired Dr. Mc-Glynn Mc-Glynn for his learning, eloquence, charity and whole-souled devotion to every good cause. He was convinced that Dr. McGlynn had been unjustly treated and that his suspension and excommunication were founded 'on misapprehension of his teo.ehing.- &-nl j of his attitude toward his- ecclesiastical i superiors. As Dr. McGlynn's counsel. he made use of every legal means which I his acute mind c-ould think of to secure- the revocation of the unjust sentence, j I In 1S;2 the excommunication was lifted J by tho Papal Delegate. ArcihblShop Sa- j I tolH, and Dr. McGlynn was restored with honor to the exercised of his priestly priest-ly ministry. To Dr. Burtsell more than to any other man this happy event was due. an event which may be fitly described de-scribed as or.e of the most Important in the history of the Catholic Church in America. Dr. McGlynn had multitudes multi-tudes of friends ami sympathizers all over the country, whose hearts were thrilled with joy and gratitude at the happy outcome of his severe trials, and they all recognized that the largest measure of gratitude was due Dr. Burtsell for the unselfish devotion, tact-and tact-and ability with which he had conducted con-ducted ho defense of his brother pTiest. During the ten years which Dr. Burtsell Burt-sell has sient In Rondout, he has endeared en-deared himself to all claw-'-es of citizens. Without distinction of creed or political belief, they pay to him the fullest tribute trib-ute of confidence and respect. He hs won the good will and esteem of all by his courtesy, hit? kindness and his active sympathy with every good work. They j look on him as the finest type of tho Christian Prit-ttt and gentleman. Bctidt-3 renovating and embellishing itt. Mary's Church, he has paid off all its debt. He is the only Priest whese privilege it has been to have two Churches consecrated. In recognition of his excellent work he was recently made by the ArthbiahuP of New York the first irremovable rector of St. Mary's Church. He is a-teo largely responsible for the erection of the hospital at Kingston, to which people of all creeds are admitted. It was through his initiative that the project of building the hospital took definite .shape. The hospital directors j have shown their appreciation of his ef- i forts by electing him president. For some time past the hospital bar boen J free of debt, thanks again in no small degree to the energy and ability of Dr. , Burtsell. If he had done nothing elie than give the first impulse to the building build-ing of the hospital and place it on a sound financial basis, this alone would have entitled him to the highest place j in the affections of hid fellow townsmen. towns-men. No institution was more sorely needed. It has proved itself feo usei'ul ard necessary that Kingston wonders how it ever got "aiong wiuiou-i ic. Dr. Burtsell is conceded to be the best informed Priest on Church law in the United States. His clear- calm, judicial mind, his knowledge, as accurate as it is extensive, and his acute reasoning powers, make his opinion in difficult cases sought for from every part of the country. But, while he has always been assiduous in applying himself to the different branches of ecclesiastical learning and in attending to the duties of his sacred calling, he ha3 not omitted to make a profound study of the problems prob-lems which concern the well-being of society. It would be a more exact expression ex-pression of the truth to say that he that Viij verv iit-ii1-Horit imnoscw on him the obligation of giving his best thought to all the great questions, civil and temporal, as vell as spiritual, which affect the interests of his fellow-men. fellow-men. Hence it came very natural to him from an early day to take a deep interest in educational matters. Even now he is giving a proof of this interest inter-est by the active rart which he is taking tak-ing in the establishment of a large public pub-lic library in Kingston. It was, therefore, there-fore, no surprise to his friends when they heard him spoken of as a candidate candi-date for the regency. They feel that no man i-s more worthy of the hunor, and it would be a most gratifying thing to his host of admirers if they t'hould learn that the legislature had invited this wiee and warm friend of education, educa-tion, this good Priest and public-spirited citizen to become a member of the board of regents of the state of New York. |