Bigger than usual congregation this morning at St. John’s, Huntington. I

guess that in religion, as in showbiz, there is no such thing as bad

publicity. An exceptionally fine, eloquent, blunt but charitable,

here-I-stand sermon from our rector, James Byrum. (Here

he stands.) One passing

thought: why, in mine and the other hierarchical Christian churches, is it

hardly ever the devout, humble, hard-working parish priests like Rev. Byrum

who ascend to bishoprics? Why is it so much more often, it seems to me, the

bureaucrats, time-servers, schmoozers and fixers like Robinson–who has not

done regular parish duties since (I think) the Carter administration? Not

that I want them to take Rev. Byrum away from us to give him a bishopric.

No, no, please not. Hey–maybe that’s why.