Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-28
A NOTABLE GATHERING.
THE WORLDS CONFERENCE OF
METtiODISM TO BE
In Session in Washington City from Oc-
tober to 81. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
from Two Hemispheres.
To the Gazette.

To the Gazette.
The Ecumenical Methodist confereice,
which meets in Washington, d. c., October
7-2l. will he in some respects the most
notable gathering ever held on the Amerl-
can continent. The delegates will number
500, and of these 200 viii come from abroad,
mostly, of course, from Great Britain,
where Nlethodism was born. These dele
gates will be the picked men of the Meth
odisl forces from two hemispheres. Among
the clerical representatives will be great
church editors, skilled eXegetes,
presidents of colleges and uni
versities, any number of brilliant
pulpit lights, and, literally, bishops and
other ecclesiastical dignitaries by the score.
And equally distinguished. if not more so,
viii be the personnel of the lay contingent.
Great Britain Will sent not few members
Of parliament, and some even, like Ii. II.
Fowler, NJ p. who are among the aoleSt
iieutenants of the great Gladstone. She
has also delegated 10 this assembly some OF
her brightest legal and scientific magnates,
with some others whose names have become
household words in England from their
prominent connection with great social and
phi ilanthropic reforms. This is the sort of
men Great Britain Is sending, and that
these will be matched, and even ecllpsed,
by those representing the various branches
of American MethodiSm, is, OF course, "a
fofegOne certainty.
The American delegates viii represent,
not only evesy branch of Methodism i'll our
land, but every section of the American Re-
public The South viii be there in equal
ratio with the North. and the two sections
may be expected TO vie with each other, rs
they did at the first ecumenicai held III
London ten years ago, not only III sending
their most distinguished men. but IN
friendly competition for oratorlcal honorS,
tgAll q n he. pplN contest for nISt
place in the great modern march of fratern-
ity. The Methodism of the United States
Is peculiarly favored in the large number Of
men it can muster who are prominent III po-
lilical life. Hence, il contributes TO this
gathering. not only judges and governors,
but those who have won fame III the house
OF representatives at Washington, and some
even who VIII appear sbefore their brother
delegates C lothed in senatorial dlSnlties.
And what an immense constituency these
distinguished men will represent! The
.Owest estimate allows the AlethoGIStS OF
the world an aggregate of 1000, 900 MEM
beers, and i population aggre%ating 10000
go. The bulk of these Us Il matter of
course are on this continent the various
Methodist churches in Great Britain repre-
sentiuE only about Onc-iifth Of these totals.
Since the first ecumeuical the aggregate Of
Methodist communicates has been swollen
by number equal 10 the present strength
Of that cause in the land which gave 1t
birth Thus. while Old England enjoys the
dis inction of having been the cradle of this
sect. the sphere of its greatest develop
ment and widest influence has unquestion-
ably been found in the vast territory and
unrivaled social conditions of the United
States. And fancy these McthodiStS roll
ing IN their totals amongst Us at.thc rate of
z million in decade! In these days OF rec
ord making and record breaking, how is
that for record Where this progress
will stop, these marvelously aggressive
people have not told us, and the probable
tiles are il viii not stop at all, but will go
on as ii has been doing, if not more 50.
Next TO the surprise one feels TO learn
how numerous are these MethodiSts, Is the
sense of establishment which is felt upon
learning into how many sectS they are di-
vided In presence of the facts brought TO
light by this world conference. the advo-
Gates of organic unity may well be stag
cered. AT the time these ecumenicals We're
projected. 1t WAS thought they would have
a benelicient effect in helping to bring
these scattered NlethodiStS closer together
and in Fastening the time when they would
be orgauically one. And upon British
Nethodists they unquestionably have had
this effect. both i'll Canada ana IN the
luother-land. When it IS noted, however,
that in the approaching conference the
Methodist forces in the United States alone
viii find themselves divided into sixteen
different camps. and when in connection
with these divisions the fact of their mar
vellouS progress IS borne in mind, who of
US can be quite sure that organic union IS,
after all, thing to be desired?
Still. for better or for worse, such, a
nniUn is certainly coming, If the current Of
events does not wholly miSlcad us. Amongst
the Canadian brethren it has already been
realized. and how significant that the act
which welded these Canadian AlethOdiSts
should have been cuaSummated within two
wears after their friendly contact with one
another in that first worlds conference at
London. Who can tell, moreover, but that
this second ecumeniCal will lead to j SINH
lar result in England! In America we need
not look for such Il blending of forces for
many years. Some think such union Will
never be realized in this country, and some
DO not wish il, believing, with Il plausible
show OF reason. that the cause is stronger
for practical service IS ii is. But IN the
old country it is different. The Methodist
bodies there are relatively much weaker
than they are here. They labor. too, under
peculiarly discouraging conditions That
organic union would be the best thing for a
number of comparatively small sects, who,
IN addition 10 the resistance tney meet from
the world. have also Il powerful state
church 10 contend against, Is proposition
which can hardly be disputed. Ia England
il is hardly disputed. and from the amount
of courting they nave INDUCED for several
YEAR. il would not surprise Us in the least,
il! before very long the British Nethodists,
following the lead of their brethren in
Canada. cot so closely together as to join
hands in eternal weGlock.
The 800 delegates who viii represent
American and Canadian Methodism are APP
portioned amongst the various bodies as
follows: Methodist Episcopal church, 1866
Methodist Episcopal Church, South, ii;
African Methodist Episcopal church, Is;
African Methodist Episcopal, Zion, 10; Col
ored Methodist Episcopal, 9; Union Ameri-
can Methodist Episcopal, 3; African Union
Methodist Protestant, 3; Methodist Protest
ant 9; American Wesleyan, q; Free Meth
odist, 3; Congregational Methodist. 3;
Methodist church, Canada ~: Primitive
Methodist. 3; Independent Methodist. ,;
United Brethren in Christ, :; United
and British Methodist Episcopal, 3.
QThis apportionment of the delegates was
made by joint committee, and its basis
was the numerical strength of the various
churches taking part. with, however, this
pleased in fulflment of the Pauline law, TO
yield 4 portion of their rights to the weaker;
This most iaudable course not only afording
attend, but insuring to them Il prominence
such as they otherwise could not have had
III the deliberations of this august body.
eral apportionment 10 the two sections
according TO the statistics, British Meth
,-l. n,,1t- AF rnsar and