The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-10-09
SPREAD OF CHURCHES
Proceedings of the Methodist
Ecumenical Council.
THE PRESBYTERIAN sYNops.
A Bigamous Pastor Disgraced in Aus
trsIis Gets . Church in Oregon
Bishops Expelled.

WASHINGTON CRY, Oct Sat the Methodist
conference this morning Rev. DR.. Walter, of
London, read paper on the present status OF
Methodism in the eastern section, which COM
prises Europe and the British dependencies
He showed that the church was making great
progress in this territory. Rev. John Medcraft,
OF Manchester, representing the English Meth
odist New Connection, followed Dr. Walter. he
said that Methodism was performing great ana
good work in the whole world outside OF Amer
lea. Throughout the vast regions of Europe.
Asia and Australia Methodism was exerting
great influence. Rev. James Donnelly, OF
Newry, Ireland, vice president OF the
Irish Methodist conference, said the
church was in danger from spirit OF seli-glory.
In Ireland Methodism had never done mucn In
growing timber, but II had brought forth much
fruit DR.. Hugh PryceHughes, OF West Lon
don mission, said the Church of England itself
was in the minority in England A cruel law
forced non-conformists to send children to the
church schools. mistake had been made In
not taking DR.. Arthurs advice twenty years ago
and establishing non-sectarian schools. His
own church has inaugurated the movement.
Rev. ]. Travis, Primitive Methodist OF Eng
land, spoke of the educational institutions OF
the country and congratulated the church upon
its growth.
At the afternoon session Bishop Fowler, of
San Francisco, read an essay upon the present
status of Methodism in the Western American
section. Methodism, he said, had never whipped
Quaker, nor burned a witch, nor banished a
Baptist. History tells as that the present status
OF the American Methodist 10 the result OF the
unnumbered forces OF the heart and brain, time
and tempest, transit and eclipse through count
less ages A hundred years of growth in this
soil and In this free state has produced a condi-
ton of life dissimilar from any other develop
ment among men. A hundred years ago there
was but one Methodist denomination, one an
nual conference. eighty-three travelling preach
ers and 1883 members. Today there are fifteen
denominations OF Methodists. The one confer
ence has multiplied into about 300. The eighty
three travelling preachers have multiplied into
3l,765, besides $4,000 local preachers, and the
14,9SS members, actual commandments have
multiplied into over 100000, with 100000
sunday-sehool children and following of
100000 souls in the republic. Methodism
crossed into this century leaning on q
solitary staff. She will cross over and out of
this century with more than two bands, besides
herds, camels, focks and asses. for she has over
5000 churches and about $4,000 parsonages
with church property worth more than 800, 000,-
0O0 The first act of American Methodism was
to ordain college of public opinion, that is the
power back of the bench, of the pulpit, of the
ballots and the bullets. The great problem of
governing these millions OF America is the
simple question of forming public opinion.
Methodism having nearly half the people OF
=
heritanoe and true to her God, to make this q
land OF promise for the ignorant and oppressed,
and the approaching century golden age for
the race. Bishop Fowler spoke of the vigor-
Gus work Of the different branches of
the church, and said Methodism ID
supernatural She is nothing in the chilling
fog of higher criticism, which 10 higher only in
name and assumption, in which all the warmth
and winsomeness of Christianity 10 destroyed.
The great center and secret of Methodism, the
reason OF her existence. is to bear testimony to
movable religion; to secure and repeat the
witness OF the Holy Spirit with our spirit to our
present state of grace. Our next need 10 ideas.
We must reach ont in all directions We ought
to capture and utilize every secret that brings
success to any other church. Methodism needs
the courage to seize and utilize all ideas. There
must be no power too great for us to master.
Again, we must fight for centers of population.
The cities are the forts. Whoever holds them
holds the future. The church must settle
the labor difficulty. II we allow any
other agency to settle it we must
give place to that agency and reduce our useful.
ness among men. Another want is consecratcd
money. Already all the great questions of saw
ing this world are reduced to questions of
money. The bishop, in closing, said unity is
strength, and that law holds with undated
power over every branch of the Christian
church. At the conclusion of his address,
Bishop Fowler was greeted with cheers
Bishop Galloway, of Mississippi, representing
the Methodist Episcopal Church South, devoted
his remarks largely to the subject, "Status of
Methodism in This Country" and, speaking for
the South, said it had rich Methodist heritage.
There has been healthy growth in that divi-
sion.
Rev. Dr. Briggs, OF Toronto, Ont, described
the enormous boundaries of the Dominion, the
growth of the church in Canada, ETC., saying il
was the largestin membership of any Protestant
church in Canada and included one-third OF the
Protestant communicates.
Bishop Annett, of Ohio, representing the
African NJ. E. church, reminded his hearers
there was dark, as well as light side to every
question. He recalled the fact that the colored
people had participated in every step OF the
growth of Methodism. There were peculiar
missions for the African church. II had to show
the negro not only how to wear the golden
slippers over there, but how to get in and wear
his shoes on Pennsylvania avenue; that he
should be educated: should earn and keep
money, for by fat pocketbook would he find
way to the Anglo-Saxon heart. [Great laughterl
DR.. Leonard, OF New York, described the work
of the missionary society in detail Among
other things he said that every two years the
Methodist church building as many
churches as the Roman Catholics had in all the
land. Rev. DR.. Smons described the growth of
Methodism in California and the territories In
early days and the difficulties encountered. Ad-
iourned,