Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-06-19
BISHOP SIMPSON.
Death of the Leading Minister Of the
NJ. E- Church.

NJ. E- Church.
PHILADELPHIA June lS.-Mathew Simp-
son. senior Bishop of the NJ. (. Church
died this morning.
Mathew Simpson. d ID. l.. l.. d., senior
Bishop OF the NJ. f. Church in America, was
born ar Cadiz, Ohio, June 20, ISL. He
received an academic education in the town
IF his birth. and went from there to the
Madison college, at UniOptOwn, Pa, making
the Journey on foot In his eighteenth year
he was eleeted to the position of tutor in the
Madison college, where he taught some
wears In 1853 he commenced the practice
IF medicine. having carried o0 his medical
studies while. he was teaching. Becoming
converted to the Methodist faith he became
80 earnestly enlisted in the turtheranCe o;
the Christian religion that he entered the
ministry, and in 1855 was located in
charge of the Liberty street VI. + Church,
Pittsburg. The following year he took
charge Of a congregation at &ononga-
hela City Madison college OF Union
town, having become merged into the Allie
ghenv college Of Meadville, Matthew Simp
sou was elected Vice President Two years
later he was transferred to the Indiana con
ference, as the Indiana Ashbury University
had conferred upon him the honor OF being
its President After eleven wears in this
position, he was selected as editor of the
Western Christian Advocate, which was
published in Cincinnati. In 1852 the gene
raj conference Of the VI. +. church, at its
meeting in the city Of Boston, elected him
to the Office Of bishop. He now removed to
Pittsburgh, where he was located until 1852
when he changed his residence from Pitts
burgh to Evanston, where he remained for
several years, part OF which tim"
he was the honary President Of
the Garrett Biblical institute. Later
he removed to Philadelph phia, and
ever since selected that city as his residence
at the semi-annual conference. In the dis
charge of the duties Of his office, Bishop
Simpson has attended conferences held in
the States and nearly all the territories and
has made several trips to Europe upon &C.
cleSiastiCa affairs. la 1857 he was sent a.
delegate from the general conference to
the British-lriSh conference. and was also
delegate to the Evangelical alliance which
met in Berlin the same year. On the
close of his religious work. he made an ex-
tensive tour Of the old continent. going
through Turkey and the Holy Land and re-
turned to the United States in 1853. In
1870 he was again sent to Europe as del
rgate to the English conference of that
year. In 1874 he made tour Of Mexico
accompanied by his wife, and the
succeeding year went to Europe to
hold the conference of Ger.
many and Switzerland During the late
civil war of the United States. he was a
very confidential adviser of President Lin
coin upon many things connected with the
affairs of State and delivered numerous
stirring addresses in behalf of the union.
He was held in so high an esteem by the
authorities at Washington that with the eS-
ablishment of the Ere edman's bureau the
Secretary of War urged him to undertake
the organization of the Freedmen and Pres
ident Grant few years later invited him to
90 as a commissioner 10 Hayti. DE re-
fused both offers, however In the church
h was regar e as an autl oriGy and looked
upon with great reneration and love by his
associates. At the general conference
which met in Philadelphia last
month, Rev Drs. Ruckley, Lana
han and Warren: Governor Pattison
Ex-Governor John Evans, of Colorado, and
Oliver Hoyt, Esq. of New York, presented
a series Of resolution highly eulogistic Of
Bishop Simpson and expressing great re
gret that he was unable to preside over the
conference, as usual These resolutions
were unanimously adopted BY a rising vote
the entire audience being permitted to vote
with the delegates upon this complimentary
testament. Socially it has been said of
Bishop Simpson that be IS one of the most
affable and agreeable gentlemen to come in
contact with. winning all to him BY urbanitv
of manners, and by the warm love for his
fellovmen that beams from bis eyes His
love fer little children was very great and
they came to him without hesitancv. see
ing intuitively the large place they hold in
his afYactionS