, 1881-09-25


founder Ut their sect rs lie had followed
Christ,
Dr. Osborn, who WAS chosen to preside OIL
the opening day rs tile leading representa-
appointment to tile American delegates. lis
address Of welcnIle WAS Il very tame affair.
The Doctor is what is called 4 ''llisll
Church " man. lie is the leader OF that ele-
III holding o1, to the ctat-ails. 50 to speak,
ri The Church Ut England, and which ll;1s re-
Gently been successful in having the prayers
of that Church read Oh Sabbath mornings III
many. Of the English Wesleyan churches:
This is all right, if tho people want It, but
what led l'r. Osborn to isllasinc that i would
I've tile right tlin., tu open Il Methodist Ecu
1nenicaI Conference with the reading Of these
prayers is Il mystery, and, to say the least,
was in very bad taste. American ,1etllotlsEn
las no use for such nonsense as this.
She believes in Deiiig herself, not IN aplllg
others. Tile three gentlemen who responded
Ia the address ut Wtlcolnc-yiz.: RislloI,s
NicTyeire AMI Warren, and the Rev. George
enough, anu by the variety they dis
played in presenting substantially the
SAME thoughts furnished the confer-
snye sy in pfns;;a: n;;y si5p''0" syp Mery"r Il ss!
address was wcl! seasoled with dry Amcrl-
can hu,,lor while the chief charm OF the re-
marks vi Bishop Warren WAS in the elegant
siictioE in which they were clothed, tuIn
i'll our own country.
Yurr readers will know that the position
! Of Lord Mayor Of the City Of London Is one
| nf almost overwhelming honor and dignity,
! Mayor is 4 Methodist AMI 4 delegate 10 the
! conference, they will understand that this
| fact gives to the gathering Il social ilnpnr-
| tallce which it otherwise would not have
1t was prohlenlatic with many whether
| so great 4 city as this, ant one 50
| accustomed to great gatherings, would he
| perceptibly Impressed even by st' great and
grand ;,n assclntlagp ;,s IL worlds Me1l.ntilst
Conference, This problem has been solved
| in Il way alike crt.lilahle 10 the conference
| and to the city. The gathering hts catscd
| quite Il stir here. Ey the Times and other
| leading Journals it has been characterized Ill
| poll!tfnus editorials rs the grg:ltcst rr1'E-
| iutls gathering, Of the century. The ecclt'St-
/ as1ica 1wUrid has also taken note Ut tho
| event, for on Tuesday morning the confer
| tntr was entertained with Il breakfast 1T
| Exeter Hall by the l:elisious Tract Society.
That, however, which has given the confer
| cnce its greatest need ut social triat Was tile
| reception 1T the Mansion House on ednes-
| day. Nearly a Thousand were bldden-tne
delegates and their I1,eS, the press, AMI the
| elite of London NIethotii>ll, alit there were
| few drclnatiMlS. II was looked upon us :.
go-as-yo,,-p,,se " sort Of affair, but nllliy
! of the gentlemen were in full evening dress,
! AMI the WY the latlles were adorned was 4
caution OF ut least john Wesley would
probably '1ase Thought 50. The Mayor; 4 ,}I }at .
| g,,o,!-n;t,urtd 1riSlnlan. with Il mouth th:iE
luoks as though il WAS made purposety to
sing olu-fasl,ioileti Methodist hymns. was at
tired for the occasion IN his robes uf state
the swor.! -bcarcr Standing to ms right anu
tits 1nace-bt.rcr OH tie lett. III receiving
the guests he was assisted b. the, Lady
Nayuress. lis sistcr-in-law- Tile Mayor $
wife is all invalid. but i'll London Lady
Mayoress is. as 1nurll OF 4 necessity is l4or't
Mayer. and 50 his brothers wife acts N this
| ftiIt3trH 1T tins
cpptun WAS the speech vi welcome delivered
| by his LuruSilp i'll the magnificent Egypt'all
Hail ot the Mansion House; lie welcomed
all. lie said, but especially those from the
| United States, Il Natcn, lle added, III whose
prosperity he greatly rejulced, and WHICH
SEEMED ia hin to haye been raised up BY
{iou 10 lead the world III all that was great M
and good. This nigh official, still clad III tue
| yarb of state, then drew from his pocket a
Mr,hotIist hyln1,-book and called upon his
guests to join linn III singing
| Ste how great llalne NspiEes,
kinded by i spark III grace
The Lord Mayor read this hym1, two lines
Mt Il tine, as the audience sa1lg and he threw
/ SO much uncton into the reading as to s'1g::
sest that lie lad had experience MS 4 local
preacher. nr. if not i'll that vocation, at least
as Il ActlluuiSt class-ieatlcr. Too much
credit cannot be bestowed upon this high
Methodist official, Tor it is said that. he ear
1its his Methodist principles even into tlie
| state laluIels he gives, anu despite ;sil
| Dreceaerts refuses to allow dancing on Suctl
occasions lit the matter OF temperance,
however, he is not 50 far advanced, fot
though lie furbids the stripping OF the ifE'li
fantastic,'' he tiucs nos withhold wine, and
indeed WAS not forgctfn1 to provide every
variety of this beverage even Tor the Ecu
mt1lical Conference.
The sccu1ld day of the conference brought
| Chicago tn the front, ami, considering tina.
yonr city figured SO prominently III making
Tile preliminary arrangements, this was
,.mine,,tly fitting. Perhaps it is not yener.
aiIv known that tile first suggestion Of III
| Erumenicai Conference was made III CHI!
rayv. Tie author of this suggestion was
HisNnp James, who. when he dropped the
rrluark, was proyidently in our city attend
| iur The Rock Island Conference. That tie
ciIi,f instrument i'll giving practical effect tt
this remark Is at present i Chicago llian, is 6
fnct which will not be so m,lcll in the ma
lille Of news to your people, But :" honor tC
wnt,m honor is ti,lc," and though it may
have been said before, must be allowed to
affirm again, that, but for the lllietatleADle
cOuf,.r,lcu would not have been held
| I,ro1u.rly. therefore, the Doctor is il0n0rtl
| wifi i scat on tile platform rs one OF the
| Secretaries Of the b,,,iy and Chicago wa:
t f,11tnrr recognized by being brought to tle
| front On 1he second day uf the