Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-11
METHODIST UNION.
SPECIAL NOTES FROM THE ECUMENl-
CAL CONFERENCE.
Fen Pictures Of the Most Notable Clerical
aud Lay Observation-Disclosures Of the
Cause Of Woman and Her Work.
Correspondence O, ,sc chmona p,sna,cb. {,

WASHINGTON, ID. G.. October 10.-That
unique body-the only gathering Of tho
KIND ever held in America-the Ecumeni-
cal Methodist Conference, ia now in ses-
sion. and for two weeks the focus of
Methodist eyes the world over will DO the
metropolitan church of this city. an edi-
nee which "a tho immediate scene OF q
conclave so important and memorable will
be regarded in the years TO como rs one Of
the historic landmarks Of Methodi.tio
progress. II Il not st all inappropriate to
cal 'his q world's conference, for geographic
caily 1t represents the world, the dele
| gates coming, not only from every part II
Europe and America. but from China, from
india. from Australia. and one even from
the island Of FIJI. Numerically also may
| 1t lay claim 10 this broad designation; for.
80 ono of the speakers has fully said.
the Methodist faith ia not only stronger
/ than any other on this Western Continent.
but II Is. with a single exception, tho most
numerous Protestant body among people
OF English speech on the face Of the globe.
| In tee opening exercises Of such body
two things are inevitable. Ono is sure to
SEQ on the platform its leading mon, and
! lust az surely. from what is said and done
by these leaders, will a fair prophecy be
afforded OF the results which are likely to
ensuo. from ITS deliberations. When in
tterest on the opening day was at tull tide
| form fash OF light which made
| 1t possible to take an instantaneous
| Photograph Of tho scene. Pending the de-
yolOpment Of that picture, suppose your
| CORRESPONDENT, by few rhetorical flashes,
should offer pencil picture Of tho scene.
| To sketch II adequately IL out OF tho ques-
ton. Those who were present felt that II
| Il
which il would have been almost calami-
ty to have missed.
TEE SENIOR BISHOP.
! The first to noun. the ros,rum is Bishop
| Bowman. to whom. as senior bishop Of the
| Methodist Episcopal Church. tho honor
| falls of having TO call this distinguished
! body to order. This gentleman. from hls
| dlminutive stature. his clean-shavon and
! sDrihie'ie features. his thin. Compressed
lips. and white. lowing locks, is said to
| bear a STRIKING resemblance TO the father
| Of this humorous family, John Wesley.
| nfer the guidance OF those who have
| drafted the programme Bishop Bowman
| begins ut once to summon to their
posts OF honor the other Methodist
| chleftains. The name OF Bishop kecner
| u called, and the gentleman answering TO
it,, who is .he senior episcopate of the
| Church South. is O man ot middle height.
with somewhat of palild countenance,
| which, however. wears an unmistskable
stamp Of refinement and intellectual
strength, anu with forward inclination
OF the head-that stOop, II we may so call
It. which Is often found in those long al
| dicted to study. and which. in a venerable
PR are Of Bishop Keencr's years and
| standing is o. becoming as the long. silkcn
har which seems to fall back. IS With an
inclination If respect. from his Nebste-
Ran forehead.
Others who find places on the platform
are Bishop Carmen. OF the Methodist
! Church of Canada. and Bishop Il. 5. Forster,
| of the Methodist Episcopal Cburch OF the
| United States. The former, ike the Church
he represents, is small and Of rather sell
dcprecstory bearing. He IS more English
| than American IN aDpelTGnce--Vory prlm,
! very polite, and ye. with all bus suaylty,
looking ca though he could both take
his ground and keep it If the occasion
! should demand frmness. and beng. as
those who know him aver. every inch
! bishop. though his people. from an unac-
countable aversion to titles which smack
Of rIelacy. call him only general superIn-
| tendont. Bishop Forster Is en- ideal cpisco-
! pate II all respects. HIS presence is mas
| sive without being in the least gross: his
face strong and yet kindly; ms manner
d'gnihed, though with no suggestion OF
arrogance, and tho ghstening white mar
| which crowns his intellectual looking head
seems as much IN place as the sheen OF
snow on the brow Of towering and mystic
| rious mountain.
BRITISH DIGN1TkRY.
To descend from bishops to common
folk-who, however, arc only common III
their lack Of the episcopal title that
arge-framed man with bald Uranium,
but with beard long enough to quite
make up for the hair he lacks on LIS head,
Is Row. I. h. Stephenson, ID. d., president
Of tho largest Methodist body in Great
Britain. lie is the first real live Wesleyan
president who has ever been allowed 70
leave Great Britain during his term of
Office, and if all who have Gilei this ofice
are az genial and sparkling and able as the
present incumbent. We cannot but think
That the close detent on Of these gentlemen
in their lite island ia an, inju'-
tice 10 Methodism elsewhere wnicn ought
10 be severely condemned. Next TO Dr.
Stephenson sits the idol oithe Methodsic
noart IN both hemispheTes, the sanity,
scholarly. and seraphic William Arthur;
yoluminous and great as an author. and
| once q tamo of the fire III the pulpit, but
| now. in old age. laboring under such weak
| meas OF the throat. that be is compelled 10
| abstain from public address; disability
on bis part which unfortunately puts the
| Conference under the disability OF having 10
!
or second mouth, to speak more properly
| which is never so good as to catch what
is said as the words como steaming not
from the lips Of tho man IN whose brain
and heart they had their origin. =.
| Stll. Dr. stephenson. who read this dis-
course, did quite well with 1t, and If one
was very anxious 10 look at Dr; arthur
| while hearing from him. one had but tn
| glance to the left of the reader and there
he was an understood man IN physique,
Int with An enormous soul: pale, delicate.
and quite feeble-l looking. but intellectually
and spirituallv very Hercules; silent,
and yet. as another spoke his words, snow,
ING such an ailluence OF the oratorlca
temperament. and such deep sympathy
with the theme aud the OCCASION, thas Ai'
| evea snarkled and his frame twitched. al
most a. we should have expected them to
40 Ind the noble and inspiring sentiments
been falling there and then from bis OWL
lips. -
In.erest on this opening-day eliminated
with the addresses of welcome ana the
) responses they brought out, For three
: solid hours. with only tho short breah.
needed TO Introduce the speakers. alu thai
favored audience sit literally spell-bouud
, at the feet Of those great Methodist ora
fora. There were six speeches, each dif
ferent from the others in both matter and
stvle each having some distinctive eA
ccllence, ell being frst-ciass. anC
most Of them appro1imating 70 IN
: grand and even sublime. with year
Ct observation and experience. IL
great church gatherings, we do not re
member an occasion when me low o
!, sneech from SO many different sources
maintained 90 high a level or gave spcL
continuous delight to those so favored a.
70 enjoy Il. Bishop Hurst was so happ!
and vel poised as TO DEFY disturbance bl
even the flash turned upon him for photo
. oranhic purposes. though. for moment
many of the audience felt as though
: tinsn of lightning had struck the platform
= and in very truth there was hgnthihg
The Prornethean kind playing on that ever
.. memorable opening day 81 about tina
platform, and radiating constantly all owe
HAT enraptured and spell-bound audience
And to carry out our siIniie,, wnen tn'
, ornate and scholarly Hurst had hnishe'
hose flashing sentences which made III
hearers see lightning, J. II. Cariisie, o
South Carolina, stately and tall, the PIC
= tnre OF a southern gentleman came 1of
: ward and with his strong. deep voice an
IL