Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-18
M. E. CONFERENCE.
The Brother in Black is Shak.
ing Hands with Himself.
TO SOLVE THE COLOR QUESTION
Plea for Organic Union-Such a Gathering
of Eloquent Churchmen Was Never
Seen Before-A GALAXY of
Well-Bred Women.

filled the promise of its suspicious opening.
1t is the universal testimony that Metho-
dism, familiar as it is with big meetings,
never saw it on this wise before-never so
much enthusiasm, never such an assembly
of intellectual giants. never such steady
flow of eloquence, never such display OF
theological learning. and. what is better
than all else. never a conference in all the
history of this much-6ivided household
which has taken the practical steps this has
toward harmony and final union. One
thing which has given perennial interest to
the proceedings of this body is the presence
in it of so many celebrities from abroad.
The listener feels all the time that in some
sense the representatives OF two great ma
tionalities are in forensic combat with each
other. It is inevitable, too, that this same
feeling must be shared by the speakers, the
English swayed by laudable ambition to
appear at their best before the Americans,
and Uncle Sam being equally determined to
make as favorable an impression as possible
upon the mind of John Bull
Viewed from the physical standpoint,
these Euglishmen are splendid specimens
of manhood. Most of them have not only
the rubicund faces common to their coun-
trymen, but all the other marks of good
living for which their race is noted. They
are not so tall as the Americans, nor so
broadly framed, but for rotundity of out
line and for that physical quality called
stockiness, they are far ahead of them. In
attire, the majority still affect both the
clerical vest and the white stock; but there
is an obvious revolt from this strait-laced
custom, for some are as far removed in
their makeup from the ideal gentleman of
the cloth as are any Of their brethren in
America. With the gift of speech they are
endowed to an extraordinary degree. To
be sure, many of them have the Gladston-
iau hab pf 5ray ylinfr n SiOpal
monotone, while waiting for the proper
word TO occur to them, but even these say
what they start out to say in the course of
time while those who are free from this
habit speak with an ease and precision
which are really charming, and. for the
most part, their Englishisms, which are
constantly apparent, only add TO this
earn.
OF course, some things in these English
orators are constant source Of diversion
to us. 1t seemed very funny to hear Will
liam Arthur call the chairman's gavel 8
ga-vel, with broad accent on the 4, and
just as much so to hear DR.. Stephenson
make two sentences out OF the word
'ssaved;'' but this is English, we know,
and hence, though it CRATES upon our ears,
we can readily excuse it. We can also for
give the gentleman last named for refining
evil INTO evil, with a very mild sound of
the vii. When, however, he applies mis-
refined rule of speech to Methodism's old
time enemy, and insists upon calling his
satanic majesty the devil, still giving
very soft and long-drawn sound to the last
syllable, as though he might be fearful of
giving offense to the person designated, we
cannot help protesting. Constantly, too,
are we diverted by the English Hear,
hear which is John Bulls why of inform
ing the speaker that he has hit the nail on
the head; for the solemn and emphatic way
in which usually, with no change OF coun-
tenance-eXcepting, perhaps, more intent
stare toward the platform and 4 tighter
compression of the ips-he blurts out
this English form of Endorsement, leaves
the novice uncertain at times whether
he approves or dlSapproves, and makes it
question whether, instead of the proverbial
nail having been hit on the head, Mr.. Bull
himself has not suffered such an expert
ence. Still, it's English, and it's catching,
for to-day we heard the same expression
from prominent delegates on the American
side of the house, and, really, who shall say
that the breaking out among the American
brethren Of mild form of Auglophobia of
this kind may not be another sign that
Methodist union is at hand?
But with all their peculiarities who can
help admiring these sturdy Representatives
of British Methodism, The fact is they
have taken the conference by storm. For
some reason, the Americans have so far,
metaphorically speaking, taken a back seat
in this conference. Not only have they
shown less eagerness than usual to get the
floor, but they have shown less than their
usual ability when the possession OF the
floor has been accorded them. Thus the
English have had the right OF way, and can
dor compels the statement that they have
travelled this way at a rapid and
even startling gait With rare excep-
tions all their speakers have done
well and most of them have sustained
their parts admirably. The leaders on the
British side are Arthur. Stephenson and
Hughes. The first of this gifted trio is re-
garded by the conference with feeling of
absolute veneration. He is kind of father
to the brethren. His words fall on their
ears like the utterances of some sacred
oracle. He speaks at nearly every session;
always, too, by unanimous consent-for no
one else wishes the floor when William Ar
thur rises-and there is always in what he
says the happlest conceivable blending OF
conservatism and progressiveness. An old
man, with one of the youngest of hearts, he
still is never SO weak as to subvert Judg-
ment to feeling, nor so welded to the past
as to stife feeling by the preconceptions OF
long experience On the subject OF Meth
odist union, ne feels and speaks like one
who has evidently looked at all sides of the
question. 1t is quite apparent that he sees
the difficulties in the way, and equally so
that he does not despair of the final re-
moyal of these obstacles. "Take care, take
care,'' he says, s'that in your eagerness
after union you do not sacrifice liberty"
On another occasion he declares, "Au these
Methodist divisions represent deep convic-
tions :" and still again, 1.-THE great enemy
of unity has been the search after uni
formity."
Hugh Price Hughes holds leading place
in the conference by virtue of qualities di-
rectly opposite those for which Mir. Arthur
is distinguished. He is young, dashing,
tremendously aggressive, full of enthus-
iasm. His one wateh-word is reform. He
enters the arena of debate like plumed
knight. If we were sure no one would put
into the comparison more than was IN
tended, we should call him the James q.
Blaine of Methodism. There is something
about him which appeals to the popular
fancy. He is such a spectacular figure
without, perhaps, intending TO be so-that
he dazzles even when he fails to convince
and wins the love of thousands who cannot
fully indorse his methods. 1t is no secret
thas some of his more conservative brethren
across the sea find him quite troublesome.
and few of the oldest of the old fogies OF
Methodism hold him to be really dangerous;
but the younger element rally 10 him in his
grand reform movementS-and indeed the
Methodist hosts generally do-in the
same spirit with which the knights OF
that older crusade rallied to the
Standard of. C9ur de Lion. The
seven great evils Of the time, Mr.. Hughes
tells US, are intemperance, lust, gambling,
illiteracy, pauperism. crime and war, and
he constantly talks and acts as though,
!, 0%1 do ha oil a a