Encomium
The sad news of the death of Bishop Ed Salmon of South Carolina and more recently of Nashotah invoked in me a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude for having known him. He was an eagle among Church leaders, the kind that younger priests (as I was at the time ) naturally saw as an example. His heart for evangelism, his wit, and a palpable sense of joy pervaded his ministry. He now stands before the Lamb and in a greater light.
For the purposes of this blog I want to hold Bishop Ed up as a defender of honoring the Ninth Commandment. He was an advocate of directness, candor, honesty, and an opponent of all forms of gossip and rumor - mongering. The New Testament took this very seriously. Bishop Ed once visited Wycliffe College (where I made the mistake of calling him the 'interim dean'!). He told how, whenever he heard a rumor he required the bearer to write it on the blackboard in the refectory, with his or her name, with the person from whom he or she heard it next called to add their name, etc. It was the death knell of gossip in his seminary. Only someone like Bishop Ed could get away with that. Still we would do well to emulate as we are able.
That quotation about seeing further if you stand on the shoulders of giants also comes to mind....and may almighty God be glorified in His saints.
Peace
+GRS