Daily Republican., 1881-09-07
The Methodist Ec menlc al

Inc Ael0OOIbt Ec u meNIc0Is
The first Ecumenical Council o
Methodism commences in London, Eng
land, to-day, in the old historic City
Road Chapel. The spot is rich in de-
nominational associations and dear to
the hearts of those who yenerate the
memory of the pioneers of this mighty
and progressive sect. The followers Of
Wesleyanism will assemble there to-
day from all parts OF the world, and
amongst them will be representatives
of the African, the Mongolian and
American as we'll as the Caucasian
race. Methodsm in one hundred and
forty years has spread to all countries,
and the world is emphaticslly its par
ish. The gathering will be similar in
scope to the Episcopalian Congress at
Lambeth, and the Presbyterian Ioun-
ellis at Edinburg and Philadelphia, aud
promises to attract an attention fully
equal in extent and interest to that
which was aroused by the great meet.
ings of other Evangelical bodies.
The branches Of Methodism sending
delegates to this great body of Chris
tians are UPWARDS Of twenty in NUM-
Der. Thirteen of these branches are in !
the United States, and four of them are |
in Canada. The Council is to be- com
posed of 400 members, of whom 200 are
assigned to British and Continental
Methodism and 200 to the Conferences
of the United States and Canada, COM
posed as nearly as possible Of an equal !
number Of clerical and lay delegates.
According to the latest official sta !
tistics of the denomination the grand l
total Of its ministers is 81 13l, with a
church membership of 4,69S, 800. The
main area of the activity and rapid e
growth of Meth0diSm has been in the c
United States, where its principles and a
policy took early and deep root, and in p
which its growth has been the wonder Il
in the religious world. 9
Council was made by the General Con
ference of the American Methodist
Church assembled at Balti.
more in 1876, and it was officially con- II
veyed to the British Wesleyan Confer ~
ence in 1873 by Bishops Bowman and II
Have", the latter now deceased. That OF
Conference appointed committee of OF
Conference charged with tho promo ut
lion of the plan, and in May, 1880, NJ
Joint Committee on the Methodist h'
Ecumenical Council" met in Cincin- pr
natl, issued a formal "call' and set se
forth programme Of proceedings to be ia
followed and a list OF subjects to be dis IN
cussed. o
Although the word "Ecumenical" Vi
means the whole world, it appears by "
the report of the committee that the "
Council Is not to exercise legislative J"
functions, nor to engage in controversy m
upon disputed points, nor to attempt to II
harmonic the diverse usages and diff IN
ferehces of discipline of the several VA
churches. The report declares that the 'oI
Council "is not for consolidation 50 tn
much as cooperation and todevise such I'M
means for prosecuting home and for We
sign work rs will result in the greatest de
economy and efficiency; to promote 'h'
fraternity, and to Increase the moral and ac
power of a common Meth mi
'dism.' Though the object is neither ne
judicial nor legislative in this Ecumen. IN
cal Council, it is a most worthy object mt
and if the Council exercises charity and cll
its proceedings will 20 a III
0ng distance towards uniting the or
whole body of Methodism in the world pr
nto one grand harmonious whole. rr
Ex-Governor Cove Salisbury, now We
deceased, was selected az the delegate MI
II the Wilmington Conference to this rr'
jouncil, but Thomas MaIlalieu, Of Mil. no
lngton, Maryland, was his alternate, ,
ha VIII now succeed him as delegate. 10