The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-04-15
ELDERS in COUNCIL.
Convention Of the Presiding Elders Of
the Methodist Episcopal Church OF
the West and Northwest.
Interesting Proceedings Last Evening
Addresses by Chaplain MeCabe
and Bishop Fowler.

northwest, VINO are attending the c0nVen- |
ton at the Meth odist Episcopal church. |
There are over one hundred of them in |
the city, and the members of the church |
will see that they are well taken care OF. |
The convention convened last evening, |
with Bishop c. Fl. Fowler presiding |
After hymn from the choir, Rev j. G.
Adams, of the Kankakee district, led in
prayer. Bishop Fowler read selection
from Rom. X, and the congregation as
sisted the choir in rendering Awake,
awake" rallying song of much spirit.
The Bishop followed with a short address,
stating the object of the convention, etc.
and concluded by introducing DR.. G. G.
McCabe, tue missionary secretary, who
had been selected to deliver the address
of the evening. DR.. McCabe said there
was very little need to argue the necessity
of domestic missions, but he found that
something had to be said In support of
foreign missions. He was thankful that
somebody in the early days of christianity
had realized the Importance of foreign
missions and had carried the gospel to
Britain and outward over the world. Mr..
McCabe sketched the life impression of
Samuel Mill (CongregationalisD which
led 10 the organization of the American
Board of Foreign Missions; the mis-
sionary work of William Carey,
the "consecrated cobbler," (Baptist)
and the pioneers of Methodism in Amer
lea. The missionary society of the Amer
lean Methodist Episcopal church was
started in Marietta, o., the home of the
speakers grandfather, were they had
Giving church" Its first missionary was
colored man named John Stewart, who
started from Marietta, and converted an
Indian woman as the result of his first eff
fort. From this beginning came the miss
sionary society of the church, which now
laid down over ton of solid gold every
year to spread the gospel at home and
abroad.
There is not a race on the face of the
earth, Mr.. McCabe continued, that can
not be converted, and he illustrated this
assertion with number of anecdotes,
showing the difficulties and triumphs of
the early and earnest evangelists. Let's
have mission in Russia" said Mr.. Nc
Cabc, ''let US enter after the war is over
and the war cannot last forever The
efforts of the missionary society had been
restricted by want of means, and mil
lion dollars were wanted for the exten>
sion of the work. He exhibited map,
showing the missionary stations OF
church, which was to be sold at cents a
copy, and his hymn book at 10 cents for
the good of the cause, and then he called
on the Bishop to speak few words.
Bishop Fowler responded, illustrating
the thought, which he found it hard to
realize in his heart, that our Lord cared
as much for the little Hindoo as for his
own boy, whom he would fight to defend
He thought the northwest was good
field for development. and a portion o.
Mr.. McCabe's new fund could be used il
the territories of Montana and Dakoti
with much advantage. And part of thu
fund should 60 to South America, who's,
, physical advantages he set forth briefll
r but in glowing terms. He held that on
; national government had been very short
e sighted in not cultivating more intimat
3 relations with America on the other sid
r of the equator, which he pictured as ricl
e in everything but moral ideas; and h
II hoped through the fundamentally of tht
J. missionary workers that North and S0uti
= America would in time have a commo
II religion, Protestantism-and commo
It flag, the Stars and Stripes. The bishop
1t words provoked burst of applause, afte
is which the choir sang THE Mornin
h Light"
Re Chaplain McCabe, upon request, san
"Your Own" one of his latest hymns, an
also Beautiful H ands" Rev. W. A
e Spencer sang. Helping Just a Little,
g and the evening meeting closed after ben
:. diction by Rev. Hunter
,e Before adjourning committee on pre-
ST gramme and general work was appointed
ri consisting of DR.. Goodwin, of Quinc,
10 chairman, and the Rev. Messrs. Kripper,
ID Curl, Spencer and Miller.
o MORNING SESSION.
p. The convention opened at o'clock til
r morning with religious services for thirt
ID minutes, led by Rev. r. S. Cantine.
J. Bishop Fowler was requested al
n. elected to preside. Rev. W. Frank Pa9
g ton was elected secretary. Rev. W.
ID Spencer, of the business committee, r
ported the following committees;
Committee on Resolutions-Revs.
L. Miller, W. Frank Paxton, W. A. Spel
Ger, J. NJ. Caldwell.
On Finance-Rev. W. r. Goodwin.
90 On Enrollment-Revs. M. d.
Il" White, W. J. Webb.
1t was moved and carried that the pr
IN siding bishop select the order of the pr
w. gramyne. Upon request, the business cor
mittee acted as q cabinet with him In &
NC selection 1t was decided that each SUI
. ject be given an hour for discussion, e
:" says 20 minutes; those leading discu
ns sions 10 minutes, and those participate
'"' minutes. Ministers, presidents, pr
ON fessors and agents of colleges and la
men present were invited to partlcipa
Gu in the discussions.
DO The following brethren were request