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Stanford doesn't say where he goes "down to breakfast," but I'm guessing he goes to a dining hall.
"M.L.Y." is bold in Stanford's diary; apparently he thought Mary Leah's name was worth special emphasis.
We don't have a first name for Bishop McConnell, but he is probably Francis J. McConnell, the bishop of Pittsburgh, who was elected to that post in 1912 and still serving in 1924 on the Methodist Episcopal Board of Bishops. I wonder what he spoke about? Below is more information about him, taken from the website of the General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church. Drew University has a collection of Bishop McConnell's papers that are detailed at the
GCAH site. Interestingly, Bishop McConnell has a connection to both Mary Leah and Stanford as an alumnus of both Ohio Wesleyan and Boston University. In fact, Mary Leah's father may have been acquainted with him. McConnell's a pretty interesting guy, I think. See if you agree.
BIOGRAPHICAL
Francis John McConnell (1871-1953), American bishop, was born in Ohio August 18, 1871, the son of I. H. and Nancy J. Chalfant McConnell. His father was a Methodist preacher.
McConnell was educated at Ohio Wesleyan College and Boston University School of Theology. On March 11, 1887, he married Eva Thomas. They had two sons and a daughter.
McConnell became a member of the New England Conference in 1894, and served several churches in Massachusetts before joining the New York Conference.
From 1909 to 1912 he was president of DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. McConnell was elected to the episcopacy in 1912. As bishop he served, Denver, Pittsburgh, and New York. He retired in 1944.
McConnell's service in the larger church included the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America and the Methodist Federation of Social Action. He served as a visiting professor at Columbia University, Yale University, Drew Theological Seminary and Garrett Seminary. McConnell died on his 82nd birthday, August 18, 1955 in Lucasville, Ohio.
SCOPE NOTE
The Francis John McConnell collection brings together significant material documenting the church leadership of one of the foremost persons in the Methodist Episcopal Church of the 20th century. McConnell wrote extensively about church history, theology, the Bible, higher education, and social and political issues. He was an early defender of Hinkley G. Mitchell in the heresy controversy which led to the action of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church adopting a resolution giving the Conference the role of approving each professor of theology teaching in a Methodist institution. (Hinkley had lost his teaching position at Boston School of Theology because he doubted the traditional interpretation of Genesis.)
When McConnell was bishop of the Denver area, he was also responsible for the Methodist Episcopal Church in Mexico during the Mexican revolution and civil war. Bishop McConnell was a vocal supporter of the revolution.
When McConnell was a pastor in Pittsburgh, he became deeply involved in the steel strike of 1919 and was a strong advocate in the cause for labor rights. This was a harbinger of the strong social role he took throughout his ministry in every social issue from peace and justice to racism. A large correspondence is a source for reviewing the varied concerns of McConnell's ministry including his deep family relationships.
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