Ask almost anyone confirmed in the Diocese of Southern Ohio from 1931 to 1959 what they remember about Bishop Henry Hobson and they'll mention his hands. Huge hands. Six feet, four inches tall, Henry Wise Hobson strode into Cincinnati to bring forceful leadership and change, an effective involvement with the national church, and strong opinions about mission and international affairs.

After his election in Southern Ohio, at age 39, Bishop Hobson began diocesan innovations. These featured uncompromising support of the national church, including a commitment, despite the Depression, to pay in full - and if possible beyond - the diocesan quota for program and mission, a commitment grounded in prayer and a deepening spirituality (then called "devotional life"). Ecumenically he reflected his own Presbyterian/Episcopal upbringing by establishing a dual congregation in Indian Hill, a suburb of Cincinnati. Enraged protests nationally resulted in the realization he had carefully followed the canons.

In 1931, the General Convention passed a resolution requiring a balanced church budget, but as the 1934 convention approached there was a deficit of almost $1 million. With Bishop Hobson's encouragement, lay persons raised the money necessary to erase the deficit. In response, the convention passed a resolution to establish a "Forward Movement Commission" to keep the church moving forward. Not surprisingly, the young Bishop of Southern Ohio was appointed as its chair. The 20 members met in Chicago and decided that what was needed was "something that would be used very widely by church members - not just to stimulate giving but to stimulate religion as a whole." This resulted in publications such as the devotional Forward Day by Day and visits to individual dioceses. In 1940, the program elements of the commission moved to the national church. The publishing arm stayed in Cincinnati as Forward Movement Publications under the direction of an executive committee with Bishop Hobson as chairman.

One of the last monarchical bishops, he was uncompromising in his vision, which always included prayer and a commitment to mission in addition to any fund raising. Working closely with Presiding Bishop Henry Knox Sherrill, Bishop Hobson and Bishop Sherrill were known affectionately as "Little Henry" and "Big Henry," although "Little Henry" was bigger!

Along with this unflagging commitment to the Episcopal Church, he is known for his support of his alma maters Yale University and the Episcopal Theological Seminary (now Episcopal Theological School). When World War I interrupted his seminary studies, he set off to serve, considering it a more valuable preparation for ministry than continuing his education uninterrupted.

He was unrepentantly prophetic, now often appearing inconsistent. When pacifism was popular before World War II, Bishop Hobson supported becoming involved. He was against Vietnam, was active in the early days of what is now Planned Parenthood, with its commitment to birth control, and favored capital punishment. He was always clear in his beliefs and supported what he believed. Toward the end of his life he was almost blind, but read everything Forward published, sending each week an encouraging letter to the editor. He died quietly at the age of 91, a legend who left the church a legacy of commitment. o

Sally B. Sedgwick is the associate director of Forward Movement Publications.