Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-09-19
THE METHODISTS.

THE METHODISTS.
THE MEETING OF THEIR ANNUAL
CONFERENCE At ROCHESTER,.
The Start from st. Paul-How the Ministers
Enjoyed the Weekly ..Globe"-A Sketch of
Bishop Foster-Opening of Conference
Charges Against Clergyman-The First
Days Proceedings.
Specially Reported for the Globe.
| ROCHESTER, Sept. 10, 1878.-To practi-
cal eye, Methodist conference or camp
meeting could have been seen in the dim
distance this morning just before the train
left the depot at ST. Paul. There was a
sprinkling of white chokers and high cut
coats, (and this is not always an indication
of old Methodism), but the ssgrip'' sack, and
''why, how do you do brother,' with the
generous, extended hand for hearty grip
and shake, are sure indications that Metho-
dist blood flows near the surface. But,
in comes Donnelly, the little giant,
who is going to shake 'em up
this fall in the old fashioned style; Michael
Doran comes next, and soon Hall comes hur-
riedly in after a few hours nervous sleep
and pleasant dreams, and next comes Sister
Bishop and Mrs. Hackett, two of St. Paul
strong advocates of temperace, and what,
with 0rdazsdry passengers, we soon have
such makeup as is not seen every day in the
week; and we were, what the conductor
| termed as he struggled along through pass
es and half-fare tickets, "a great crowd"
At every station we had an accession of
laymen and preachers until we found our
selves ''full train winding our way
some to the Greenback con-
vention at Northefld, some to
the Womens temperance union convention
at Owatonna and the balance to the Metho-
dist conference at Rochester. At Faribault
we fell in with Hon. r. s. Buckam, who,
with his wife, father, and sister are on their
way for the tour of Europe. They will sail
from New York on the End proximo, and be
gone from four to six months.
At Owatonna we remained about an hour,
and were just in time to see the parade of
Forepaugh's mammoth circus. Here we
met Mrs. Foster, the great temperance lee
turer, who is about returning home after a
long and successful lecturing season. Some
one asked her to go to theconference. She
said she would like to, but had ties at home
that called her in that direction. At this, a
gentleman called her away to give her an
introduction to Charley De Graf, and ex-
pect he now wears blue ribbon.
THE BISHOP.
Bishop Foster, while waiting for a trans
fer, took a stroll over the village and came
back as full of wonder and surprise as did
the spies Caleb and Joshua who came back
ladened. with the fruit of the country to
which they had been sent. He says: 'sIt is
wonderful, wonderful, to see this great coun-
try. was up here twenty years ago, but
little did dream of such vast improvements
and such vast resources. Thriving towns
and great farming interests in every direc-
tion.''
BY the way, speaking of the bishop, as he
is one of the recent appointments, it is but
just to say that he is considered one of the
strong men of the church. He is of COM
handing appearance, and looks more in
years than he really is-58. The weed on
bis hat denotes him widower. He is
a native of Ohio, although at present resi-
dent of Boston. He has been a bishop in
the church since 1862, and, although not a
graduate of any institution of learning, yet
he does belong to that class of some of our
greatest men known as "self-made men,"
and at the time of his election to the
bishopric was president of the Drew Theo-
logical Institute. The bishop will, next
year, make the tour of the Orient, for the
purpose of officially visiting the missions in
that far off, wonderful land.
After leaving Owatonna, took upon my
self the office of missionary, and distributed
the WEEKLY GLOBE, the Rarus and Edwin
Forest edition. among the ministers. At first
hesltated, but, as my observation has led
me to ielieve that a good minister loves
a good horse, l thought I would
chance it." In minute or two you could
not see anything but Rarus. passed Bish-
OPP Foster by, thinking, perhaps, he would
rather have the Northwestern Christian
Ad0ocote, (and probably he would for regu-
lar Sunday reading) but brother Tom Nc
Clary came to me ard says: 'Have you got
another one of them? you passed the bishop
by, and 1 gave him mine.'' ssCertainly,''
says I, Il am glad, brother McClary, that
you appreciate good paper.'' The news
boy took the alarm, and came to me and
said: "See here Squire, you're spelling my
whole business. can't sell these men
anything in thousand miles, "Well,''
says I, "I'm sorry for that, but you spoke
/ too late.'
AT ROCHESTER,.
We reached Rochester about 1 O'Clock
and the task of billeting minis
ters about town was entered
into by Rev. w. G. Rice, resident pastor.
This was no easy task when we remember
that 1876 ministers and forty-one wives had
with this train reported themselves present.
The good people of Rochester, taxed as they
are by the county fair now in progress, and
other local causes, have responded nobly to
the call for accommodations for the mem
bers of the conference.
The conference sermon was preached in
the evening by Rev. E. r. Lathrop. Rev.
w. 9. Rice, of Rochester, pastor in charge
| gave out the hymn,
| Jesus lover of my soul'' etc.,
and said the congregation would sing with
out instrumental music, to show the style
Methodist ministers adopt where the congre-
cation are too poor to buy an instrument.
The ministers feeling pretty happy over an
afternoon spent in Misunderstanding and greet
ing, made the ;welkin ring in true Methodist
ical style. The conference sermon is proba-
bly, preached under more difficulties
than any other, from the fact
that the ministers are tired after their
| 1Onrnov and ORC ,,,oo44Iol MT.