New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-20
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
TIE LATE BISHOP JAMES.
THE LIFE OF EDMUND $; JANIS, y: D. I'll IL

THE LIFE OF EDMUND s; JANIS. y: D., iilLc:Dlci
Church BY HENRY b. RIDGAwAY, ID. ID lZho'
PIP 425. New-IOrk; Phillips Hunt
The itinerary system, characteristic OF all the
branches of the great Methodist family Is carieu
10 its extreme in the life Of Bishop of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. His field of service Is o"uhUeu
nv the limits of no see or diocese; he Is practically
ono NJ hoard NJ snperintenGrnts which has gen
eral charge # the interests of the whole
Church. While the preacher changes his
narsh every one two or three years. usually WITHIN
the limits of single annual conference. the Bishop
moves from conference to conference IN Iapd sue
cesSion. and in the course Of single year may DC
called TO pres de at points most remote from each
other within the United STATES, and even over mis-
sion conferences in Germany, India emma ana
Japan lie may truly repeat the words OF lhe
founder of his Church: The world Is my parish
While presiding over the several annual confer
ences it is his duty to became personally familiar
with the capabilities and pecularities of each
preacher and the requirements of each congrrGa-
ton in order that appointments NAV be- made with
the highest wisdom Thus Methodist bishop
after many years Of service, becomes intimately ac-
ouainted with the work Of the whole church. ana
personally known to most Of its preachers ana
large number of its lay members. record Of his
official life is therefore in large sense history Oh
the church for the period it covers
Bishop James had been preacher for forty-SN
yeas and a bishop for thirty-two years when ne
died nj his home in this city in September, l@'"'
Starting in life with only district school cduca-
ton. beginning to teach At the age of seventeen
and educating himself while he taught othrrs-hrS
from the school room desk and then from the pulpit
he so Impressed the whole church with his
picty eloOucnce and wisdom that at the
early age of thiyty-seVen he was elected
70 the highest Office of the church 10y the General
Conference assembled in New-York IN 1874. He
was not member # that body and " had had
no opportunity of impresSnG he conference. either
In open session in committee. and his election
seems to have been wholly due 10 the opinion WEich
the members had formed of his character and
work. "Henceforth,' his biographer ADDS. for
thrty-two years he was to be waudercr over the
earth. travelling longer distances. enduring longer
absences FROM home and performing more ofi"ia
work than had then fallen to any of his calling
since the apostolic age"
Bishop Jancss home was in Ncw-IoTk and here
il was that ne passed the brief intervals OF rest he
tween his long j1uruevs. II was while pastor ~
the church t" which he members Of bis family be-
loilgcd that Er. Ridgaway formed the warm per
sonal attachmrut for the resident bishop which
gives tenderness Of touch to his treatment OF his
subject. Tho volume however is largely the record
of life-work written 10y Che worker. Extracts
from diaries and letters to wife, daughters
and friends constitute large and important
rart The book is substantially a history
of a great denomination from the year in which
il took the decisive action which made II an anti
slavery church nearly 20 the present time such
record is of interest not alone to members a one
church nor Ia the members of other churches who
came in contact with Bishop James and were i'm
pressed nv his force OF character moved 10 affrc
ton by his loving tenderness but to all desiIou, of
marking the growth of great religious organization.
whose history i, an important part of the history
of the country.
In summing mp the character Of his friend DR.. |
Ridg way SAYS: d." He was Wise, tender and con- |
ecentious. HIS mind combined comprehenSiyene>>
with a rare knowledge Of details. He knew each |
pa1ticular and knew il i'll relation to the whole |
HIS acquaintance with the preachers, their !
odap ations and circumstances, aud with |
the churches and missions marvellous.
His ewes were over the whole field, at
home and abr lad at once. His appointments
of the preachers at the Annual Conferences usually
gave satisfaction. No law decision he made was
ever oyerrnled by General Conference While "A
etanch Methodist he was cmneutly catholic IL his
views and sentiments. tie loved all the denOmina |
lions and reoiced in their prosperity. In the !
home more than any where else. his |
beautiful nature showed itself. His coming was |
n bepedicIon 10 the family. No man certainly since
Asbury mas made stronger or more distinctive !
impress upon American Methodlsm his wise say |
,ngs holy example, heroic services, sweet charity
and self denying pety will be treasured by genera
tions 10 come"