Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-11
Death of Bishop souIe.

% A telegram from Nashville, Tennessee,
anIiOunceS tlIei death of the Rev. Joshua
SoHle, d. D., senior bishop of the Methodist
Episcopal Church South, who died in that
city at an early hour yesterday morning
The deceased became a minister of the
Methodist Church before the commences
nlent of the present century, and of course
long prior to the memorable division in that
church. He was born in Bristol, Maine, on
the 1st of August, 1871, and had attained
his eighty sixth year. He was licensed to
preach, in 1893, ordained elder in 1902, and
in 1884 was appointed presi ling cider of
the Maine district, which then embraced
twelve circuits and one station. within a
circumference of l,2O0 miles. In 1903 he
attended the general conference in Balti-
more; at which the plan of adeegated gen
eral conference was adopted, the constitu-
ton Of which, as it now appears in the
:. .Discipline.o was drawniup by Mr.. SouIe.
After presiding over various other districts
of Maineand Massachusetts, he was, il 1916,
elected by the general conference book
agent and editor of the Methodist Mag
aZine," and in 1920 he was elected to the
episcopate, but declined ordination, he not
being willing to exercise the functions of a
bishop if the power of electing the presid-
ing elders was invested in the annual con-
ferences, as was then proposed by the gen
eral conference. In 1920 he was stationed
in. New York; the next year he was the
preacher in charge of the station in that
city; the two following years he
had charge of the Baltimore city
station, and many persons are yet living
who have a vivid recollection of his min
istratiOns in this city. In 1924 the general
conference, holding its sessions in Balti-
more, reelected him to the episcopate, and
his objections having been removed, he ac-
cepted and was ordained bishop. The gem
eral conference of 1910 appointed Bishop
Soule iGs representative to the British Wes-
leyan Methodist Conference, which met in
1912, and after fulfilling that appointment
be travelled extensively in the British Is
lands aud France. At the decease of Bish-
OPP Roberts, March %, 1913, he became the
senior bishop of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, and at the general conference held
in New York in 1874 he took decided
stand against the action of the majority,
who desired Bishop Andrews to desst
from the exercise of his episcopal func-
tions because he had become, by marriage,
connected with slavery. The issues in
volved in this subject at that time, it is
well known, resulted in the division of the
Church, Bishop Soule adhering to the
Southern portion, and changing his resi-
dence from Lebanon, Ohio, to Nashville,
Tennessee. During 1853 "a the deceased
made an episcopal tour in California, and
on his return withdrew from the active
duties of his Office in consequence of inn
paired health, although as long as he was
able to do so be continued to preach, which
of late years has only been on rare occa-
sions. He was a man of much force, firm
and consistent in his convictions, and hold
ing the Church above all other interests
1t may be truly said of him that one full of
years and honors has gone down to the
grave.-Ba Baltimore San.
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