Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-09-17
THE COUNCIL.
TIE METEoDIsT EcUMBT1cAL COUNCIL
IL LONDON.
Predatory Letter-what the Council Repre-
sents-The Statistics
a Noteworthy Event.
Correspondence Of the RECORD Uslos.I
LoypoN. August %. 1881,

will witness the converting of an
ecclesiastical body which viii equal in
dignity and Importance any similar gather
ing ever held, and the influence of which
will be felt all over the globe We refer
to the Eeumencal Conference OF the world
Methodism. This Conference will CON
tinue two weeks. It's sessions will be held
in City-road Chapel, church whose de-
signer and builder was John Wesley, whose
walls echoed frequently with Wesley's
voice, in whose parsonage that venerable
minister died. and in the cemetery adjoin.
ing which, eide by side with the dust Of his
noble coadjutors, the founder of Methodisrn
lies buried. This church is a brick struc5-
ure, exceedingly plain in its architecture,
and very limited in it's dimensions At the
tightest squeeze it will not accommodate
more than $500 people, and it has The
additional disadvantage of not b4ing cen
trally located, For these and some other
reasons the Conference would better
have been held in some of the cOmmodious
and celebrated halls whica abound IN the
metropolis. But Methodism was born in
London, and consequently til most fitting
that the first family reunion should be held
here, while the same sense Of fitness points
unerringly to City.road Chapel, the old
homestead OF the family, as the place which
should be the immediate scene OF this great
gathering,
WHAT IT Representa-.
The Conference will represent the Meth.
odism CT the world. In other words, its
400 delegates viii represent about twenty
eight distinct church organizations, about
five millions Of church members, and a
Methodist population estimated at twenty
three million souls. The men constituting
the Conferences will be, as regards intellect,
learning ard official rank, the flower of
their several denominations. La the dis-
tribution OF representatives, the total
number Of 100 is divided equally between
the two hemispheres. The basis oil repre-
sentation from the different churches IS,
of course, the numerical strength of each.
The two hundred delegates who repre-
sent the Methodism of the United States
and Canada have now nearly all arrived on
this side, and, preparatory to the assem-
bling OF the congress, are seeking health,
knowledge and pleasure on the continent
and elsewhere. Having been duly ad.
monished by the censors of the Metho-
dist press at home that Christian minis
tiers should do nothing in foreign land
that they would fear to do among their
own people, these reverend gentlemen
will, doubtless, take due heed to their
ways, and we may hope that they will
seek all their amusements in the strict
line of legitimacy. When they return TO
England and appear in London, as they
will early in September, to be qusrtered
in the princely houses of the elite OF
London Methodism, they will fad them
selves regarded as ecclesiastical lions; and
will be feted both III social and religious
ways to a degree they probably have not
anticipated. The one fact which, above
all others, insures the delegates to this
Conference the liberties of this great city
and royal good time generally, is that
Alderman Macarthur, the Lord Mayor of
the Metropolis, is member of the Meth
odist communion, and, indeed, delegate
to the Ecumenical. If he can't make
&C the boys" enjoy themselves, who can !?
It is certain, too, that he will have the
viii to
TREAT THEM HOSPITALITY
AS well as the ability, for he is a man of
large heart and liberal tastes, though,
withal, strict Methodist. Mr., Macarthur
is the only Dissenter, i. e., the only man
outside the communion of the Established
Church, who has ever reached this high
dignity. His elevation rather hurt the
feelings of some of the big fellows, and
their dissatisfaction has deepened as time
has worn on, for while they are compelled
to admit that he makes, In all essential
particulars, most excellent official. they
still have observed with horror that he
throws the great weight of his official in.
fuence almost wholly in favor of the Meth
odists, and, what to them Is still worse,
that he allows Methodist principles tohave
an influence over the public banquets and
receptions held at the Mansion House.
The fact is, | suppose, that having the fear
of John Wesley's General Rules" before
his eyes, he holds his guests in little re-
straint Oh such occasions, not allowing
them to g trip the light fantastic" or to
guzzle brandy quite as much as they de-
sire. This to American Methodists will be
good news. and in using the columns of the
RECORD UNION to propose three cheer" for
this honorable Methodist official, and three
groans" for those who are mad at him, we
feel sure Of meeting hearty response both
from the editor and from your large con.
stituency OF religious readers.
BY SPECIAL REQUEST
OF the British and Continental section the
opening sermon of the Conference will be
preached by that prince of public orators,
Bishop Simpson. This will be the grand
est occasion of the Bishops life, and, as he
is now over 70, and in rather feeble health,
it is not likely such an opportunity will
ever come to him. The fire that spa1kled
in his eye aud burned in his words and
iFradiated his entire frame In the middle
age of his ministry is expected to come back
TO g the old man eloquent" for this emer-
gency, and those woo are privileged to
listen to this opening sermon will be favor
ed mortals indeed We shall tell it to our
children, and they will talk of it TO the
generation succeeding. Tie afternoon OF
the opening day will be an occasion equally
memorable. 1t is not down on the bills
exactly, for the formal selection will not
take place till the Business Committee
shall meet on the 9Th of September, but it
is perfectly understood that at this frat
session the chair will be occupied by the
Rev. George Osborn, D. D., President
of the British Wesleyan Conference, and
that this dignitary will deliver the
address of welcome to the delegates
from America. Responses to this address
will be made by Bishop Holland A.
McTyeire, D. D., of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church South Bishop Henry w. War
rem, D. D, of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, and by the Rev. George Douglass,
D. D., of the Methodist Church Of Canada.
Following these formal greetings and re-
sponses it is probable Though this is an.
other thing not down on the bills) that
season of social festivity will occur, the
Conference adjourning in all likelihood to
that seat of civic dignity, the Mansion
house, TO be entertained there by his Lord.
ship and the Lady Mayoress with some.
thing in the nature of banquet, supple
mented by feast of reason and flow Of