The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-05-24
GhaGnEeligIatrcfr'
rIIE NEW BISHOPS.
Idaho. of the Bishops Elected
SE tuesday by the Methodist Ep'''O'
al General Conference

h,, rlucatiOn OF BlShOp NlVLIH'' IL,
l VIZ him a strong will and q powerful IN u
g ,.,Isct IN md the Ohio county schools VI
, e.,v wears ago gave him scGnly aIy ~
, ,'.cs for rudimentary English eau ,,..
,an He was born not for from nc o low" y
" IN Moscow, Brown County, on inc s ~, y
december 1926, and Is now in inc lo Ivy
'eycnth year OF his age. lis iS1n Mor Vii
esbocm9ker This trade Blsnop NJ. naes a,;ii
learned and followed While nc was si S't ~
,'S vc Nv Young lad his father removed y
nilIsScro, Highland County, ONO, anu J.
ia,"r IN Greenfield in the same county
lila son worked with him all this unit a,.,
,I In VT in his infancy he became mem
nnr n the Methodist Church. lie was
J 10, Christian and ardent lover oil INC
church Of bis choice. Several years De-
G Iorc his majority he became an exhorIel
an" and 70 contemplated entering the ministry
f. was in Greenfield, about the year lS34
ihat he preached bis first sermon ~ thS
sre Of nineteen. In this town he nae
stldied privately with Prof. J, ). BAR
principal Of the academy at that place
fare in these private studies he com
nepccd his Greek and Latin. 1aesI
studies, with the Hebrew, he has since
prosecuted alone, until he has acquired NJ
small proficiency in them. In INC year
1915 he was admitted as circuit rider IN
the Ohio Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. TweDty.seven years
ne has been preacher in thafchurch'
In July, ISIS, he married Miss Anna
BelImirc, Of Greenfield. His wife is still
living lie has two children living, both
sOns BY this marriage he became the
brothcr.in.law of u Mr.. Robinson, OF
Greenfield, but now Of Chillicothe. Mr..
Robinson Is q brother OF the Rev. DR.. Rob
inson, Of Kentucky DR.. Blair, his pr
yate tutor, Is now in the ministry in the
Methodist Church in West Virginia.
Bishop AIerrilrs ministry has been oil
or nearly so, in Southern Ohio md North.
ern Kentucky. lie has been editor Of the
W.,ierR Christian 44drOcdte ofthis city dur.
pp the last four years, During the last
twelve years preceding his election to that
pOsitiOn in 1868, he most oil the time acted
rs presiding elder.
Ills first travelling was on the Whining
ton Circuit, in this State. His other itin.
rracy was on the Marysyille Circuit, in
Union county, aud the Royalton Circuit.
He has been stationed as regular supply
OF presiding elder, in CirCleville, Marietta,
GroycpOrt, Granville, and Portsmouth, o.,
and in Maysvillc and Covington, in Ken.
lucky. Beginning in 1860, he WIS in Ken.
lucky four years, first in MaysVille and
then as pastor Of the Greenup Street
Church in Covington. From the outset
he was bold and OutspokGn on the subject
Ofslayery, and rendered essential service
To his country by the manly course he pur.
sued during the war. His brother served
us an enlisted man in the 3lst Ohio In.
fAntry for three years, and then re. enlisted
Tor the war.
Bishop Merrill received the degree Of
D. d. from three colleges at about the
same time, viz: Delaware and Athens,
o., and Union, Ia. His appointment as
editor Of the Western Christian AdpOcate
came from the Chicago General Confer.
rnce, while he was stationed at Marietta,
in 1868. q"
Bishop Merrill is eminently theolog-
iCal scholar. lie has spent his liic in the
study Of the doctrines that are distinctive.
y Methodist as opposed TO that of the
Baptist and Univcrsalis: churches. lie is
regarded rs one Of the most cOhversant, Il
no he most thoroughly versed OF the cler.
sy in the Scriptures. AS n presiding
officer he is looked upon MS the best the
Church has. A speech which most dis.
tinguished him was one made in opposi.
ton to lay delegation at the Chicago Gen.
eral Conference in 1868. Since the sue.
cess Of that project he has changed his
mind, and become favorable 10 ii. Pru:
dencC is one Of his strongest characters.
tics Those who know him best say he
makes lew mistakes.
Bishop Merrill is fond of controversy,
not in the sense of being eager for it, but
in being ready to meet and vigorous in
prosecuting it, During the first half ol
his ministry he engaged in numerous the.
illogical debates. One. was. in Ports.
mouth, in 1865 and 1859, with the Rev.
d.. franklin, Of Cincinnati, editor of the
Christian ReUiclr. The subject was, SIS
immersion the only Scriptural Mode OF
BAplism| DR.. Merrill took the mega.
i've The debate lasted eight days, and
excited great interest, It was aiterward
published in full. Another debate on
Tue same question he engaged in at Eliza.
BEETHOVEN, Licking county, Ohio. At Mt.
GiIead, Ohio, he had a debate on Univer.
saIIsm, with the Rev. DR.. Nye, then edi.
Tor OF the Star Of tie West, Of this city.
IL IS not necessary to state the questions
or designate the positions Of the contest.
ants. This debate lasted for six DAYS.
Bishop Merrill has for many years been
a contributor to the Western ChrEsttun
AdoocGte, the Methodist Quarterly Re6se,S,
and various secular papers. IIeis man
OF strong logical mind. In the study Of
formal logic he has taken great pleasure,
anu made great proficiency. His sermons
lie never wrote, not even in the ,wav OF
NOES lie does not, however, make a
noO1y OF this habit. For himself he
hunks the extcmp0rc plan the best while
Ie believes that writing is best for others.
IN regard, TO the nature of the office of
bishop, he has differed boldly and out.
SIGiokeny from DR., Whcedon, editor of the
Methodist Quarterly Rcrieto. DR., Wheetlon
maintains that the Bishop belongs TO n sort
VI q 'llrd estate in the church and holds
S al i,n1AIlGnable tenure upon his position,
while Bishop Merrill contends that il Is
merely an office in the church, and that
u Is lOF life; not from It's essential nature
oullrom the will and pleasure Of the
T Hih lie has alsomaintained that thc
nnsaor should be paid not from the Book
SSuncern revenues, but by direct cOntri.
oa''OnS from all the members OF the
Saatch. In all these views he has been
aoI hasIy, but daring Timidily is not 4
quality Of lis character. OnceI.is mind
y made up that u certain course is rirhI
Andbcst, he asks no further questions, I'M
SSts with all his might to realize it
BISHOP Merrill is an example OF wha
N0gIeness Of purpose, devotion and en-
Ssy, persistently applied, may do for
FF al