Page:A short account of the rise and progress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in America.djvu/107

 the death of the incumbent, all the members of that Parish, both of the clergy and laity, met together in the church, commonly to choose a fit person for his successor, to whom they might commit the care and government of their church. Thus, when Alexander was chosen Bishop of Jerusalem, it was by the compulsion or choice of the members of that church. And as to the Bishopric of Rome, we have a memorable instance of this kind in the advancement of Fabianus to that See. "Upon the death of Bishop Anterus, all the people met together in the church to choose a successor, proposing several illustrious and eminent personages as fit for that office, whilst no one so much as thought upon Fabianus, then present, till a dove miraculously sat upon his head, in the same manner as did the Holy Ghost formally descend on our Saviour; and then all the people, guided as it were with one Divine spirit, cried out with one mind and soul that Fabianus was worthy of the Bishopric, and straight way taking him, they placed him on the Episcopal throne. And as was Fabianus, so likewise his successor Cornelious was elected by the suffrage of the clergy and the laity." See Lord King, pages 55 and 56, and 3d verse.