The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-11-05
WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
DEATH REMOVES A REMARKABLE AND
WELL KNOWN MAN.
LIE Dean, The Ststesman's Special Core
spondent, Gives Some Pleasing Pen Pic
lures of the Last Days of the Ecu
menlcal Methodist Conference.

! the death of the venerable Return
Jonathan Meigs, clerk of the supreme
court of the district, Washington has
lost one of it's oldest and most respected
citizens, and the tributes paid to his
memory by the officers Of the court
gave evidence of the high esteem in
which he was held. Mr.. Meigs had
filled the position of clerk to the court
for thirty years, and at the ripe age of
90 was found still at his post, where
daily he was busy in writing up the
minutes. On Saturday, not feeling
well, he was induced to remain at
home, and in few hours thereafter
be had passed within the veil, sink
ing as calmly TO rest as babe on it's
mothers bosom. His legal talent was
of high order, and his ability thor
oughly recognized by President John
son, by whom he was rendered seat
court, but declined the honor because
one of his friends was an applicant
for the position, and he would not
stand in the way of his advancement.
Such was the honor of this noble man,
and such the loyalty of his friendship.
His name is striking combination
and, of course, has history. The
original bearer of the name was Col.
Return Jonathan Meigs, of the Con-
tinontal army, one of the four officers
who led the storming Of Stony
Point, and performed many deeds
of valor in those troublous
times. This young colonel was
the grandson of Junna Meigs of East
Guillord, Conn.,, who, in the sweet
maytime of 1893, went wooing the
pretty Puritan damsel, Hannah Will
lard. She was coy and said to him
may" but as he sprang upon his
charger and turned to ride away she
changed her mind $50 woman-like)
and called aloud, "Return. Junna re-
turnW So he did, and before the
May-blossoms faded sweet Hannah
Willard became Mrs. Meigs. SO the
name was handed down to the fourth
generation, "Return, JonathanW
ECHOES Ole THE COUNCIL.
The great Ecumenical convention is
a thing of the past, and yet its mighty
influence will be felt far into the tu-
ture. Its presence here was an inspira-
ton, grand uplifting in the realm of
intellectual and spiritual life and also
q demonstration of the fact that
christians, true, earnest and
thoroughly consecrated, may ever find
common ground, no difference how
widely apart they may stand as tC
form and church government. Tn,
pastoral letter of the council to the
Methodists of the whole world is re-
markable document, dealing as il
does with the questions of the day
and pointing out the danger to be
anticipated from the social evils that
mark the times, with courage and
earnestness that cannot be mistaken.
One sentence as to the resources OF
the church seems to be strong straw
in the current of ecclesiastical
opinion: "Among the wasted treas
ures of the church are the delicate
sensibillties, the tact, the ten
derness and the persuasive power OF
the holy women. We are all agreed
That the needs of the world require,
land that the conditions of the age
allow that such women should take a
more prominent place in the work OF
the church."
BY those desiring for women all the
power and publicity granted to men
in the churcn this may be regarded as
d hopeful sentence Ill This letUec which
Is worldwide i'll its mission.
In the discussion OF 1.-The Attitude
| OF the Church toward Amusements,n
much liberal thought was expressed,
and Il disposition ON the part OF the
foreign brethren to grant large license
in that particular. Mr.. }. r.. Balmer
of Manchester, England, said: 1.-The
church should go in to purify the
theater, and to do it church members
would have to go there. He had
stroiled once into theLyceum theater,
ana found 50 many preachers GnaU lie
thought for the Ulme he was in All
ecumenical council;n while the Rev.
j. W. Haney Of Illinois, said, "tnel,
could be no better line OF demarkation
than singing no songs and aking no
recreation That could not be used in
the name of our Lord Jesus.n He had
evidently not outgroWn the spirit and
teachings OF Wesley, or higher yet,
the instructions of the Divine Master,
who said, "It any man will come after
me, let him deny himself, and take up
his cross daily, and follow me-"
One room in the basement of the
Metropolitan was set apart for the dis
play Of mementoes of the past century
having special significance for Meth
odists, and the religious world at
large. Here was the diary OF John
Wesley, in shorthand; on the yellow
leaflets the curious strokes and curves
stood out in bold relief, and holding
even to the motto "multum in parvo,"
he abbreviated in his letters, making
the page contain his clear sentences
without the trouble of writing out the
full word. In the case was the prayer
book OF his wife, presented by himself
and also the Bible of his grandfather,
Samuel Armsley. A curious little
silver watch, with deep curvjng edge