William White was the first and fourth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States (1789; 1795–1836), the first bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania (1787–1836), and the second United States Senate Chaplain (appointed December 9, 1790).
Background
William White was born on April 4, 1748 in Philadelphia, and died in the same city. He was the son of Col. Thomas White, born in London, by his second wife, Esther (Hewlings), widow of John Newman. William's sister, Mary, became the wife of Robert Morris, financier of the American Revolution.
Education
Young White was educated in Philadelphia, graduating in 1765 at the College of Philadelphia, forerunner of the University of Pennsylvania.
Career
He was ordained deacon in London, December 23, 1770, and priest, April 25, 1772. On his return to America he was made assistant minister at Christ Church, Philadelphia. In the course of the Revolution the Loyalist rector returned to England and White became rector of the parish, an office which he retained the rest of his life. He was the leader in the organization into a diocese of the parishes of the Church of England remaining in Philadelphia after the war. He was also the foremost advocate of a closer union between the churches of his communion in the various states; and the plan of organization of what became known as the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America which was adopted in 1785 and revised in 1789, was very largely of his devising. He introduced into this plan the fundamentally important principle that the laity should have an equal part with the clergy in all legislation. This principle was a complete novelty in the Anglican communion, though White thought it was to be found in the relation of Parliament to the Church of England. The original constitution of the Church was drafted by him and adopted largely as the result of his efforts. With William Smith he was chiefly responsible for the American revision of the Book of Common Prayer, which, with some modern alterations, has remained in use in the Protestant Episcopal Church ever since. Because of his sagacity, his gifts of leadership, and his character, he was the naturally designated bishop of the new diocese. Having been formally elected, September 14, 1786, and provided with suitable credentials, he was sent to England to receive episcopal consecration. This was received, Feburary 4, 1787, at the hands of the archbishops of Canterbury and York, and the bishops of Bath and Wells and of Peterborough, thus obtaining for the daughter Church in America English episcopal orders. His consecration had been made possible by an Act of Parliament dispensing, in such cases as White's, with the customary oaths of allegiance. On his return to America White at once took up again his pastoral work and at the same time carried on that of a diocesan. He was not an aggressive Churchman, though he did a surprising amount of controversial writing. He was tactful enough to recognize the grave limitations under which a bishop of the Church, once so closely connected with the English system, must work in order not to endanger his whole position. Ecclesiastically, he was conciliatory and inclusive without being "Latitudinarian, " as he has been mistakenly styled. These characteristics proved invaluable after White became presiding bishop of the Church on the death of Samuel Seabury in 1796, for the era was one of intense party feeling. His policy of cooperation with men of other denominations, in which he differed markedly from some of the bishops of his time, brought him into close touch with much of the benevolent and religious activity of Philadelphia. In the administration of his diocese he was hampered by the heavy duties of his pastoral charge and he did little to extend the work towards the western part of the state. In this he was markedly different from his younger contemporary John Henry Hobart of New York. In Philadelphia and the vicinity, however, White laid the foundations for a strong Church life which has remained characteristic of the diocese. His pastoral work was noted for his active promotion of the Sunday school, then a new institution and regarded with grave suspicion and even hostility by the more conservative of the denominations. His support of it was perhaps his most important contribution to general religious life. Since his parish had become united with two other congregations, St. Peter's and St. James's, he had under him in Philadelphia a staff of younger clergy whom he trained for service in the Church. Among such were William A. Muhlenberg, John Henry Hobart, Jackson Kemper. White's death in 1836 was universally regarded as a public loss to the community, and not merely to his own Church. He had become the patriarch of the town. He was buried at Christ Church, Philadelphia, and his remains were later placed beneath the chancel of that church.
Achievements
Politics
White could rarely be induced to preside at public meetings. He appeared to take little interest in politics and was loth to enter into public controversy. He at once recognized the independence of the United States on the passage of the Declaration of Independence, however, and altered the liturgy of his Church accordingly. He was long chaplain of Congress, was intimate with the early statesmen of the young nation--several of the more prominent being in his congregation - and contributed to their councils in his quiet way.
Views
Quotations:
"In regard to the subject of your inquiry, truth requires me to say that General Washington never received the communion in the churches of which I am the parochial minister. Mrs. Washington was an habitual communicant. .. I have been written to by many on that point, and have been obliged to answer them as I now do you. "
Connections
In February 1773 he married Mary Harrison, who died in 1797, by whom he had eight children.