Edward Bass
Encyclopedia
The Right Reverend Edward Bass (November 23, 1726 – September 10, 1803) was the first American
Episcopal bishop
of the Diocese of Massachusetts
and second bishop of the Diocese of Rhode Island
.
Bass attended Harvard University
, graduating in 1744. He taught and preached in Congregationalist
churches, then went to England to be ordained by the bishop of London in May 1752. He had been appointed assistant at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Newburyport, Massachusetts
, in 1749 by the new rector, Matthias Plant, whom he followed as rector in 1753, serving until his death in 1803.
Bass considered himself neutral during the American Revolution
but was accused by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts of supporting the colonists and lost his financial support. In May 1789, the first convention of the Diocese of Massachusetts, meeting in Salem
, elected Bass bishop of Massachusetts and Rhode Island but his parish rejected the election because lay delegates did not participate. In 1796 in Boston, Bass was unanimously re-elected bishop of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine
, with lay participation, and was consecrated in Philadelphia on May 7, 1797. He also oversaw the churches in New Hampshire
and is listed by the Diocese of Rhode Island
as its second bishop. Edward Bass was the 7th
bishop
consecrated for the Episcopal Church.
Bass died on September 10, 1803, just before he was to travel to Portland, Maine
. James Morss in his diary, wrote of him, "He felt ill on Saturday and felt he could not preach Sunday night and was concerned about my conducting the service without him as I had not done so before, but he was dead before Sunday."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Episcopal 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 Diocese of Massachusetts
Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts
Episcopal Diocese of MassachusettsThe Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts is one of the nine original dioceses of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America....
and second bishop of the Diocese of Rhode Island
Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island
The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the state of Rhode Island. It is one of seven New England dioceses that make up Province 1....
.
Bass attended Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, graduating in 1744. He taught and preached in Congregationalist
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
churches, then went to England to be ordained by the bishop of London in May 1752. He had been appointed assistant at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, Newburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 35 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 21,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...
, in 1749 by the new rector, Matthias Plant, whom he followed as rector in 1753, serving until his death in 1803.
Bass considered himself neutral during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
but was accused by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts of supporting the colonists and lost his financial support. In May 1789, the first convention of the Diocese of Massachusetts, meeting in Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
, elected Bass bishop of Massachusetts and Rhode Island but his parish rejected the election because lay delegates did not participate. In 1796 in Boston, Bass was unanimously re-elected bishop of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, with lay participation, and was consecrated in Philadelphia on May 7, 1797. He also oversaw the churches in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and is listed by the Diocese of Rhode Island
Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island
The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the state of Rhode Island. It is one of seven New England dioceses that make up Province 1....
as its second bishop. Edward Bass was the 7th
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...
consecrated for the Episcopal Church.
Bass died on September 10, 1803, just before he was to travel to Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
. James Morss in his diary, wrote of him, "He felt ill on Saturday and felt he could not preach Sunday night and was concerned about my conducting the service without him as I had not done so before, but he was dead before Sunday."
Consecrators
- The Right Reverend William WhiteWilliam White (Bishop of Pennsylvania)The Most Reverend William White was the first and fourth Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA , the first Bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania , and the second United States Senate Chaplain...
, 2nd bishop of the Episcopal Church, serving PennsylvaniaEpiscopal Diocese of PennsylvaniaThe Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America encompassing the counties of Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and Delaware in the state of Pennsylvania....
, and 1st and 4th Presiding BishopPresiding BishopThe Presiding Bishop is an ecclesiastical position in some denominations of Christianity.- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America :The Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is the chief ecumenical officer of the church, and the leader and caretaker for the bishops of the...
s - The Right Reverend Samuel ProvoostSamuel ProvoostSamuel Provoost was the third Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA, as well as the first Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York. He was consecrated as bishop of New York in 1787 with Bishop William White. He was born in New York City, of Huguenot descent, in 1742, and educated at...
, 3rd bishop of the Episcopal Church, first bishop of New YorkEpiscopal Diocese of New YorkThe Episcopal Diocese of New York is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island in New York City, and the New York state counties of Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, and... - The Right Reverend Thomas John ClaggettThomas John ClaggettThomas John Claggett was the first bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America to be consecrated on American soil and the first bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland.-Early family life:...
, 5th bishop of the Episcopal Church, first bishop of MarylandEpiscopal Diocese of MarylandThe Episcopal Diocese of Maryland forms part of Province 3 of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. It is made up of the northern and central Maryland counties of Allegany, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, Howard, and Washington...
See also
- List of Bishop Succession in the Episcopal ChurchSuccession of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United StatesThis 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:...