Suter, John Wallace

(Dec. 1, 1859-Apr. 11, 1942). Priest and liturgist. He was born in Boston, Massachusetts. Suter received his B.A. from Harvard University in 1881 and his B.D. from the Episcopal Theological School in 1885. He was ordained deacon on June 17, 1885, and priest on June 8, 1886. From 1885 until 1912 he was the rector of the Church of the Epiphany, Winchester, Massachusetts. While there he also served other churches in Massachusetts, including the Church of the Redeemer, Lexington, Trinity Church, Woburn, and St. James Church, Somerville. He retired in 1912 to devote full time to writing and lecturing. From 1913 until his death, he was a member of the Commission on Revision and Enrichment of the Prayer Book, and from 1932 until 1942, he was the fifth Custodian of the Standard Book of Common Prayer. He published several books on liturgy with the Rev. Dr. Charles Morris Addison, including the People's Book of Worship (1919). It was a story of the BCP. Suter has been described as a “devotional liturgist.” He died in Boston, Massachusetts. His son, John Wallace Suter, Jr., succeeded him as Custodian of the Standard Book of Common Prayer. See Suter, John Wallace, Jr.