Five weeks after Walker’s death, a special convention to elect took place. Eight names were presented. The first ballot narrowed the field to four, two High Churchmen and two Liberal Evangelists. On the third ballot one of the High Churchmen was elected, but he subsequently declined election. In July the convention tried again, but the candidate elected this time also declined the election.

In October, Convention convened for the third time. A new name was placed in nomination: the Rt. Rev. Charles Henry Brent. The same Brent who had indignantly left Buffalo back in 1877. He had since distinguished himself while working in Boston’s slums and been elected first missionary Bishop of the Philippines in 1901 where he became known as a statesman and advocate of church unity.

Brent had already declined elections to two other stateside dioceses, but when Western New York called, he was ready to return home. World War I was raging and General Pershing (whom Brent had confirmed while in the Philippines) had received orders to take command of the US troops in France. Pershing wanted Brent to be his chaplain-general. In November 1917 Brent met with the Standing Committee. It was agreed that he would become the fourth Bishop of WNY and be granted an immediate leave allowing him to accept Pershing’s call. For 18 months, the Standing Committee acted as ecclesiastical authority. Finally, in February 1919, Brent became resident within the Diocese, but his dedication to the goal of church unity would draw him away from the Diocese repeatedly throughout the remaining years of his episcopacy.

In 1920 Brent presided over a planning meeting for the first World Conference on Faith and Order and attended the Lambeth Conference. A sought after speaker, he also traveled to New York City, Boston, Toronto, St. Louis and Washington, DC for speaking engagements. His schedule took him away so frequently, that he requested a suffragan, and the Rev. David Lincoln Ferris of Rochester was elected in 1920. Diocesan Council was established that same year, and the Diocese’s first financial secretary was also hired.

In 1924, his health failing, Brent requested the election of a coadjutor and Ferris was unanimously elected. The issue of Diocesan division was again raised, and a committee was appointed study the matter.

In 1927, the first World Conference on Faith and Order met in Lausaane, Switzerland. Brent’s long dedication to the cause of church unity was richly rewarded when conference representatives from 127 Christian Churches elected him as their president. Two years later Brent returned to Lausaane for a continuation committee meeting. He died on March 27 and was buried there according to his request to be buried in the city where died.