Middleton S. Barnwell
Encyclopedia
Middleton Stuart Barnwell (born in 1882 and died in Savannah on May 6, 1957) was the seventh Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Idaho
and the fifth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia
. Barnwell was the 349th
bishop
of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
. He was also the first president of what is now Boise State University
.
. He was graduated from Centre College
in Danville, Kentucky
, with an associate's degree and earned his Bachelor's in Divinity and later honorary doctorate from the Episcopal Virginia Theological Seminary
. Barnwell served as the assistant rector at Christ Chapel in Baltimore
in 1909. In 1911, he become rector of St. Andrew's Church in New Bedford, Massachusetts
. While serving St. Andrew's, Barnwell married Margaret Thorne Lighthall (1889-1960).
He worked at the Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama
, from 1913-1923. Barnwell then became field secretary to the Protestant Episcopal Church and then was consecrated Bishop of Idaho
in 1925.
During this time in the late 20s and early 30s, Bishop Barnwell ran St. Margaret's School, a secondary girls' academy in Boise, Idaho
. With the Depression, more girls began to attend public school. Bishop Barnwell advocated that the academy become a junior college so that local high school graduates could begin their college education without out-of-state costs. In February, 1932, he began working to form a junior college out of St. Margaret's. While he found no local support, Barnwell did secure funding from The Episcopal Church. September 6, 1932, Boise Junior College opened its doors to about 75 students and fourteen faculty members (eight of whom were full-time). He told its first graduates,
Barnwell had served in as Bishop of Idaho for nearly a decade when the call for a bishop coadjutor went out from the Diocese of Georgia
. The election of a successor to Bishop F. F. Reese
took two conventions to be decided. On August 30, 1934, a special convention was held at Grace Church, Waycross
and failed in twelve ballots to elect a new bishop. A second session met January 15, 1935 at St. Paul's, Augusta
and took nine more ballots to elect Barnwell as the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Georgia.
At the time of his election, there were 16 parishes, 21 organized missions, 13 unorganized missions, five mission stations and one parochial mission. The still segregated church records noted 5,391 white and 1,029 black communicants. During his tenure as bishop, which lasted until 1954 the Diocese grew to 8,156 total communicants with two more churches becoming parishes and four additional missions created.
On the 10th year of his consecration as bishop of Georgia, he told the Diocese
On the occasion of his retirement he said of serving as bishop that a bishop needed, "robust health and a good driving ability" and for a large diocese like Georgia one should be "either celibate, or a man who is very unhappily married...for he will live on the highway." He went on to speak of "relentless weekends" visiting the scattered churches of the Diocese and "in between he tries to make friends with his wife and others who live in his home town." He died in Savannah on May 6, 1957. Bishop Barnwell and his wife Maggie had no children. She died in 1960. The couple is buried at Savannah's Bonaventure cemetery.
He was succeeded by Albert R. Stuart
as Bishop of Georgia.
Episcopal Diocese of Idaho
The Episcopal Diocese of Idaho is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America with jurisdiction over Idaho south of the Salmon River. It also includes one congregation in Wyoming. It is in Province 8 and its cathedral, St. Michael's Episcopal Cathedral, is in Boise, as are...
and the fifth Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia
Episcopal Diocese of Georgia
The Episcopal Diocese of Georgia, USA is one of 20 dioceses that comprise Province IV of the US Episcopal Church, and is a diocese within the worldwide Anglican Communion. The current bishop is the Rt. Rev. Scott Anson Benhase who succeeded the Rt. Rev. Henry I. Louttit, Jr...
. Barnwell was the 349th
Succession of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United States
This list consists of the bishops in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, an independent province of the Anglican Communion. This shows the historic succession of the episcopate within this denomination.-Key to chart:...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
. He was also the first president of what is now Boise State University
Boise State University
Boise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...
.
Life
Middleton S. Barnwell was born September 9, 1882 in Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. He was graduated from Centre College
Centre College
Centre College is a private liberal arts college in Danville, Kentucky, USA, a community of approximately 16,000 in Boyle County south of Lexington, KY. Centre is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution. Centre was founded by Presbyterian leaders, with whom it maintains a loose...
in Danville, Kentucky
Danville, Kentucky
Danville is a city in and the county seat of Boyle County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 16,218 at the 2010 census.Danville is the principal city of the Danville Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Boyle and Lincoln counties....
, with an associate's degree and earned his Bachelor's in Divinity and later honorary doctorate from the Episcopal Virginia Theological Seminary
Virginia Theological Seminary
Virginia Theological Seminary , formally called the Protestant Episcopal Theological Seminary in Virginia, is the largest accredited Episcopal seminary in the United States. Founded in 1818, VTS is situated on an campus in Alexandria, Virginia, just a few miles from downtown Washington, DC. VTS...
. Barnwell served as the assistant rector at Christ Chapel in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
in 1909. In 1911, he become rector of St. Andrew's Church in New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
. While serving St. Andrew's, Barnwell married Margaret Thorne Lighthall (1889-1960).
He worked at the Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, from 1913-1923. Barnwell then became field secretary to the Protestant Episcopal Church and then was consecrated Bishop of Idaho
Idaho
Idaho is a state in the Rocky Mountain area of the United States. The state's largest city and capital is Boise. Residents are called "Idahoans". Idaho was admitted to the Union on July 3, 1890, as the 43rd state....
in 1925.
During this time in the late 20s and early 30s, Bishop Barnwell ran St. Margaret's School, a secondary girls' academy in Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
. With the Depression, more girls began to attend public school. Bishop Barnwell advocated that the academy become a junior college so that local high school graduates could begin their college education without out-of-state costs. In February, 1932, he began working to form a junior college out of St. Margaret's. While he found no local support, Barnwell did secure funding from The Episcopal Church. September 6, 1932, Boise Junior College opened its doors to about 75 students and fourteen faculty members (eight of whom were full-time). He told its first graduates,
All achievement begins in vision and continues through labor and through faith which is the most misunderstood word in the English language. Faith is not believing something you can't prove, faith is seeing something which is as yet invisible. And that's the sort of faith which we began this school.Bishop Barnwell served as the college's president from 1932 until 1934. At that time he recommended that Boise Junior College become a public institution. The school is now Boise State University]].
Barnwell had served in as Bishop of Idaho for nearly a decade when the call for a bishop coadjutor went out from the Diocese of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. The election of a successor to Bishop F. F. Reese
Frederick F. Reese
Frederick Focke Reese was the Fourth Bishop of Georgia. Reese was the 238th bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America .-Life:...
took two conventions to be decided. On August 30, 1934, a special convention was held at Grace Church, Waycross
Waycross, Georgia
Waycross is the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Ware County in the U.S. state of Georgia. The population was 14,725 at the 2010 Census. A small portion of the city extends into Pierce County. According the U.S...
and failed in twelve ballots to elect a new bishop. A second session met January 15, 1935 at St. Paul's, Augusta
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
and took nine more ballots to elect Barnwell as the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Georgia.
At the time of his election, there were 16 parishes, 21 organized missions, 13 unorganized missions, five mission stations and one parochial mission. The still segregated church records noted 5,391 white and 1,029 black communicants. During his tenure as bishop, which lasted until 1954 the Diocese grew to 8,156 total communicants with two more churches becoming parishes and four additional missions created.
On the 10th year of his consecration as bishop of Georgia, he told the Diocese
The happiest and most useful relationship for a Bishop or Priest is that of Friend to his people. It means trust—and service—and love. And beyond this there is nothing else.He served as Bishop of Georgia from 1936-1954.
On the occasion of his retirement he said of serving as bishop that a bishop needed, "robust health and a good driving ability" and for a large diocese like Georgia one should be "either celibate, or a man who is very unhappily married...for he will live on the highway." He went on to speak of "relentless weekends" visiting the scattered churches of the Diocese and "in between he tries to make friends with his wife and others who live in his home town." He died in Savannah on May 6, 1957. Bishop Barnwell and his wife Maggie had no children. She died in 1960. The couple is buried at Savannah's Bonaventure cemetery.
He was succeeded by Albert R. Stuart
Albert R. Stuart
Albert Rhett Stuart was born in 1905 in Washington. He was the Sixth Bishop of Georgia. He was the 532nd bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America .-Episcopacy:...
as Bishop of Georgia.
External links
- Honey Creek, the Camp and Conference Center of the Episcopal Diocese of Georgia has a Barnwell wing to the camp's lodge in honor of the Rt. Rev. Middleton S. Barnwell.