The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-05-27
Twentieth Day-Tuesday.
The Conference was called to order at 8
A. NJ, Bishop Andrews presiding.

Inc conference was called to order at
A. NJ, Bishop Andrews presiding.
MISSIONS TO THE HEATHER.
Report No. 2 of the Committee on Epis-
copacy was presented. In it they recon-
mended that one of the General Superin-
tendents should visit Africa in the next
four years to extend the mission fields in
that country. 1t was also suggested that
during the quadrennium two visits should
be made to Europe, and also to India
China and Japan. AS a Bishop has to visit
San Francisco, it would be easy for HIM to
go to Japan, and also on visiting Italy to
go to Bombay and other portions of India.
DR.. Thoburn, of the India Mission, said
it was absurd to talk, as some members
had, of sending ship to Liberia with a
Bishop on board on an exploring eXpedi
ton. DR.. Livingstone Ouce gave IA wither-
ing description of Bishop standing on a
promontory on the main land Of Africa and
converting the natives through a telescope.
What was needed in those countries was a
man acquainted with the wants of the peo-
pie, who would reside permanently amongst
them. If they did not adopt this course
abandon foreign missions.
DIR. Curry was entirely in sympathy with
the previous speaker, and said all the church
had done towards evalgeliZng Africa had
been to send eX slaves there, who did moth
ing but stand on the shore with their faces
turned towards the setting sun, crying con-
stantly "Give, give" Missionary work
amongst the heather is heroic work, and
must be undertaken in heroic spirit
More brains are needed amongst our mis-
sionaries and then our foreign missions
will become foreign churches having a dis
tinctive power and influence they do not
now possess.
Drs. Hurst. Dashiell and Nelson also
joined in the discussion, and DR.. Walden
moved to recommit that part of the report
relating to Africa. The amendment was
lost and the report adopted as 4 whole.
FRATERNAL MESSENGERS FROM THE A. NJ
Z. CHURCH.
Messrs johnson, Dickson and Tanner,
fraternal messengers from the African NJ.
f. Church, were next presented to the
Conference.
Rev. Mr.. johnson said he felt proud to
stand in the presence of the assembled
wisdom of the nation, and the grandest
convocation ever held in the United States
Methodism had destroyed heatEendom, and
trampled Pagan idols in the dust. Here.
we see the magniticence of its organization;
in Africa, the splendor of it's results De-
tachments had been sent there, the banner
of the Cross had been unfurled. school
houses built, churches erected, and great
religious facilities devised. The walls of
China had also been sealed, and the
power of the gospel felt in India, and
in the islands of the sea. Its servants had
plowed oceans, navigated rivers, ridden
through valleys, and overcome all difficult
ties, until to-day barbarism had given place
to civilization, idolatry to Christianity, and
rudeuess to refinement.
A resolution of greeting to the fraternal
messengers was then presented and adopt
ed by rising vote.
Rev. J. +. Rankin, d. d., of Washing
ton, d. c., Fraternal Messenger from the
National Council of the Congregational
Union, was introduced to the Conference.
He said he did not stand there because
Congregationalsm did not have venerable
men to represent it, but because of certain
unforeseen circumstances which had arisen
He was glad to find such considerable lay
element in that assembly, which doubtless
accounted for the order, good nature and
intelligence which he saw prevailed. In
reading the history of Methodism lately he
was impressed with the similarity of their
polity and organization with that of his
church. More especially had he observed
this with reference to their views as to
what constitutes a Bishop, their twenty five
rules, and their belief as to the character
of the Roman Catholic Church. If there
was any danger to be appreheDded from a
dominant ecclesiastical organization it is |
good to know there is something in exist
ence which can check its power, and that
the Christian faith, in all its simplicity,
still exists. AS to the past, he was a Cal .
WHIST as to the future an Armenian, and !
was there to extend to them the right hand /
of fellowship and to pray that their future !
might be as glorious as their past. APP /.
plause.
Resolutions of greeting were then pre-
sented and sustained by rising vote.
The question of selecting the place of |
meeting for the next General Conference,
which had been made the order of the day, |
was taken up, Cincinnati, Philadelphia,
" ashington, ID. c., indianapolis and Cleve-
land being put in nomination. The vote |
l4S,. Indianapolis 1876, |
and Cincinnati was declared to be the place
appointed for the meeting of the General
Conference in 1880.
An invitation was read from General |
Ensign, President of the Maryland Steam
boat Company, through Rev. j. @. Peck,
of Mount Vernon NJ. E. Church, asking
the Conference to join in an excursion down
the Bay to Annapolis, on Thursday. Not
a single point of order was raised to the
reading of the resolution (the invitation),
and it was accepted with wonderful una
nimity