Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-10-08

that many ministers now eminent in the
Church of England and other bodies, had
the good habit in early life of attending
Methodist preaching houses, and that not
few were converted there. As notable
instance of
METHoDIsM's GOOD WORK
In the latter line, the case of the great
Baptist preacher, Charles II. Spurgeon,
was cited. Mr.. Spurgeon was brought TO
the experience of religion through the
efforts of a Primitive Methodist local
preacher. He frequently refers to this fact
in his ministrations, and always has a
warm side for the friends of his youth.
Last Sabbath, out of Difference, it is sup
posed, to the Conference, and to the pres
ence in his tabernacle of large number of
the delegates, this worlds preacher DIS
coursed on that favorite tenet of early
Methodism, Holiness, advancing views
that were fully abreast, it is said, of those
held by even the most advanced modern
specialists on this doctrine. The Meth
odists here take pride in Spurgeon, claim
ing that he is what he is largely through
his early association with them; Mr.. Spur
geon, as already intimated, also takes some
pride in the Me5hodists, but his love is not
blind, and occasionally he gives them a
piece of his mind not at all pleasant to
ponder over. Your readers will recall a
statement in my last letter indicating a
growing tendency in the Wesleyan body
to adopt certain High Church practices,
such as the opening of their services with
the use of the Book of Common Prayer
Not long ago Sturgeon dealt this tendency
a severe rebuke. He was speaking Of the
religious progress of the age, and had re-
marked that much of it was in the wrong
direction, when he sdduced Methodism as
a striking example of this. Methodism, !"
said he, :" is going to the Church, the
Church is going to Rome, and Rome is
going to the devil" The one theme which
up to this writing has awakened the
greatest interest was that of
TEMPERANCE.
This was inevitable at gathering of
Methodists and the discussion of the
theme at this gathering was invested with
special interest, owing to the fact that the
Eastern and Western sections are not in
perfect agreement on the subject. In this
country total abstinence prevails among
Methodists only to limited extent. Prob
ably nearly all the American delegates
have been asked to partake OF either WINE
or beer at the Methodist homes where they
are being entertained. It is nothing un-
common here for even Methodist ministers
to drink moderately. How many glasses
of the sparkling beverage were slipped while
the preliminary arrangements for the Con-
ference were being made is q subject
which courtesy forbids us to speculate
upon but since the Conference began
your correspondent has seen decanters
of wine, with wine glasses, in one of the
rooms of City-road Chapel, from which
local committee had just emerged, and the
glasses looked as though they had been re-
Gently used. There are, to be sure, tenn
perance organizations in operation among
the British Wesleyans, and some progress
is being made. The young men in the
ministry are mostly total a5stainers, but
many of the middle-aged and old men still
drink little. In this matter, as your
readers are aware, the Methodist minis
tiers of America are far in advance OF their
British brethren, total abstinence among
them being rule TO which there are few
exceptions. This diversity of views and
practices made it certain that there would
be lively time on
TEMPERANCE DAY,
And there was no disappointment. The
discussion placed the British side of the
house in the rather humiliating position Of
having to listen to good lecturing from
the other side. Occasionally, too, the
ardent temperance spirits among them
selves struck out from the shoulder, one of
them, Mr.. Atkinson, ]. P, giving as the
reason why he, though an abstainer him.
self, had never signed the pledge, that he
entertained Wesleyan ministers
at his home, and that some of these, should
he fail 20 put the wine bottle before them,
would speak disparsgingly of his hos
pitality. This statement being questioned,
Mr.. Atkinson affirmed that one of the
leading ministers in the denomination, on
an occasion when that form of entertain
ment was withheld, had SO spoken. The
debate on this subject was listened
to by one of the largest and most
deeply interested audiences that the Con-
ference at any time drew together and
the body, it should be said, more so than
at any previous session, seemed to rise up
to the dignity BETTING it. The feeling
prevailed that the utterances of the Ecu
menical on this subject would be of great
Importance to the church, and would COM
mand attention from the outside world.
The tide of debate was all against the
British brethren for time, and it seemed
as though they were the only trangressors;
but when colored man arose and SAID
that in sold Virginny he had frequently,
in the by-gone days, detected the odor of
liquor on the breath of Methodist preach
ers, the tables were turned, and laugh
was INDUCED at the expense of the breth-
rem from abroad. The debate closed with
the understanding that at some subsequent
session the Business Committee would
bring in resolution to be adopted by the
Conference as an expression of its views
on this subject. 81. I.