Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-10-08
TIE COUNCIL.
THIRD LETTER FROM THE RECORD
UNION" CORRESPONDENT,
Descriptive of the Methodist Ecumenical
Council at London, England, and
its Proceedings.
LONDON, September ID, lSsl.

LONDON, september 10, 1871.
With the exception of several misunder-
standings and controversies between the
Eastern and Western sections on matters
of business, the Conference proceeded
smoothly to the close of the first week.
There was I" muchee talkee," as the China
man would say, and with 400 professional
speakers gathered together, having nothing
| else to do, this was inevitable. 1t is felt
now that mistake was made in SO COM
pletely tying the hands of the Conference
in matters of legislation. Should another
Ecumenical be held four years hence, as is
probable, the gathering will be allowed
more latitude than the present body, and its
proceedings, per consequence. will be more
| interesting. 1t is evident, however, that
this first Ecumenical Conference, limited
as are its powers, will not be wholly barren
of results. 1t will be sure to lead to an
economizing of the Foreign Missionary
forces of Methodism, and there is proba-
bility now that it will issue a sort of pas
| toral address, which, coming from so dig
nifed and truly representative a body. will
| ublfSiSdl dltSubiOu, anu
out, as it will, the perils and demands of
the hour, cannot fail to do much good.
This Conference will also strengthen the
feelings and bring the bodies represented
| in it to better understanding of one an
other. There are already many in1ica-
tions that the Conference will benefit
American Methodism by cementing more
strongly the ties by which in these days
the long separated North and South are be-
ing drawn together.
THE INFLUENCE OF THE GATHERING
In this direction was forcibly illustrated
| by scene which occurred on Thursday.
A telling five minutes speech had been
made by Rev. J. G. Price, colored man
from North Carolina. One point in his
speech was that Methodism had ameli-
Grated the hardships of slavery. 1t had
| the slaves the speaker said, and at the
same time had caused the Christian slave
to think kindly of his master. The
| speech made great impression on the
Conference, and at it's close DR.. G. K.
Marshall, a leading representative of the
| III. E. Church South, arose, and amid loud
demonstrations OF approval, extended
his hand to the black man, who had
just sat down, saying, as he did so, 81
greet you as a brother, and l thank God
that your people are free" This episode
was greatly enjoyed by all present, but
to the American delegates it had a
peculiar significance, and brought, of
course, peculiar qualification. In this
connection it should be stated that
a speech was made yesterday which re-
minded the Conference that there had been
serious differences between some of the
English Methodist bodies, and which also
demonstrated that this gathering was likely
to effect the removal of these differences.
The author of this speech was Rev. VIM
Griffith, of tue Methodist Free Churches
Thirty years ago this gentleman and two
others, Revs. Everett and Dunn, were ex-
PEELED from the Conference of the British
Wesleyan Church for having used the press
to pass anonymous structures on several
prominent ministers of that church. Their
expulsion was brought about mainly
through the agency of Dr.. George Osborn,
the leading represeLt ative of British
Wesleysnism at this Ecumenical Confer
ence. Since that time Mr.. Griffith and
DR.. Osborn have never spoken to each
other. Yesterday, however, the former
gentleman, referring to the good he had
derived from the Conference, said that at
first he had no desire to be present, think
ing no
PRACTICAL RESULT
Would be reached from such a meeting,
but that now he felt as though he could
not afford to have been absent "and, he
added, "there is not person in this Con-
ference to whom 1 cannot give the right
hand of fellowship" These remarks
spoke volumes to those who knew of the
old feud and of the bitterness that had so
long survived it, and among the British
delegates there were many hearty g hear,
hears" and not few moistened eyes. DR..
Osborn was not at the moment in the Con-
ference room, or scene OF reconciliation
might have been enacted. Such scene,
however, is looked upon as one of the pro-
liabilities of the near future, and no one
more sincerely than your correspondent
hopes it will occur, for such things not only
presage good for Methodism, but they tend
also to relieve the monotony of the sessions
of this body, which, beginning, continuing,
and having their end in talk, are neces-
sarily for the most part rather tedious.
The themes of commanding interest
thus far discussed by the Conference have
been, 90 The Statistical Results of Meth
odism )" 'Women aud Their Work in
Methodism; = Scriptursl Holiness :
s'The Influence of Methodism on Other
Denominations - "The Christian Sab
bath y and 8. Temperance" In the dis
H. 4hap,a
spired that Methodism has 81, 453 local
preachers 80, les itinerant preachers
4, 1872, 600 members; 50, $50 Sunday schools,
and 4. 4Sl, $50 Sunday-school scholars. The
discussion in regard to the work OF
women was chiefly remarkable for its strong
conservativetone. Some had expected that
this representative gathering of the worlds
Methodism would favor the general open
ing of Methodist pulpits to women, and
the comforting upon them, when desired,
OF ministerial orders known to the Church.
How utterly those who entertain such ex-
pectations were disappointed will be well
understood when it is stated that the essay
ist, DIR. Antliff, of the Primitive Method
list Church, favored the admission of
women to the pulpit only in exceptional
instances, while the invited speaker,
DIR. Payne, President OF Ohio Wesleyan
University, said nothing on the subject, pro
or con, the cause OF female preaching find
ing, as matter of fact, but one special advo-
cate in the Conference. The discussion of
sCRIPTURAL HOLINESS
Claims special mention, not go much Tor
the ability displayed by DR.. Newman, j.
B. McFerrin, and others in its treatment,
as for the fact that the Conference by
large vote suspended its rules to allow the
consideration of this theme to extend be-
You'd the allotted hour, the understanding
being that the remarks should take on the
form of experience. This was the only
instance in which the Conference has sus-
pended its rules for any purpose. 1t had
refused to extend the time of prominent
speaker, even after the assurance from the