The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-10-15
OF the Methodist Ecumeni-
cal Conference.
No Distinction on Account of Color
Bishop Hood Presides.
Reception of the Delegates by Presi-
dent Harrison.

the African Methodist Episcopal Zion
Church, of Fayetteville, N. c., in the
chair.
Bishop Gaines, of the African Meth
odist Episcopal Church, delivered |
prayer, and Rev. DR.. G. II. Phillips, of
the African Methodist Episcopal
Church, of Washington, read the
Scriptures, so that the opening ser-I
vices OF the great council were con- |
Quoted by three colored men.
The Business Committee through |
Secretary King, reported receipt OF
the following memorial from the
Worlds Women's Christian Temper
ance Union containing an address to
the governments Of the world for the
suppression of the liquor traffic; a pa
perrelating to the death of Rev. DR.. Jas.
Leighton; a memorial concerning the
competition between Methodists in
small places and a memorial concern
ing an ecumenical hymn book,
The topic for the morning session
was "The Church and Her Agencies"
Bishop R. S. Foster, of Massachusetts,
proceeded to address the council on
"The Responsibility and Qualifications
of the Preachers
When the fall of the gavel cut Bish-
op Foster short, Rev. John Bond, of
the Wesleyan Methodist Church, Lon
don, followed upon the same subject;
also, Rev. VIM. Howard Day, of the
African Zion Church, Harrisburg, Pa.
Bishop Foss, of Philadelphia; Rev.
Frank Ballard, Rev. j. S. Cook, OF
London; Rev. G. w. Clinton, of Pitts
burg, and Rev. DR.. VIM Arthur,
Rev. DR.. Leonard, of New York, the
missionary secretary, closed the morn
ing session in few remarks condem-
natory of preachers who invited doubt
by delivering sermons on Darwinism
and Huxley.
A recess was then taken.
During the recess the delegates were
received at the White House by Presi-
dent Harrison. Bishop Hurst acted
as master of ceremonies and introduced
individually to the President each of
the delegates, nearly all OF whom were
accompanied by members of their fami-
lies. The President was assisted in re-
ceiving the visitors by Mrs, Harrison,
Mrs. Parker and Mrs. Dimmick. The
reception lasted more than an hour.
The marine band, under Prof. Souse,
was present and enlivened the occasion
with program Of music, including
the following pieces: Excerpts from
the Oratorio of ST. Paul, "The Pilgrims
Chorus" from Tannhauser, paraphrase
on Nearer Ny God to Thee" Sulliyan's
Golden Legend" Gounod's There's a
Great Hill Far Away" a collection of
hymn tunes by Bennett and the ma
tional airs.
When the council reassembled Rev.
M. T. Myers, of the United Methodist
Church, Rochdale, England, took the
chair. The topic for discussion was
"The Religious Press and the Religious
Uses Of the Secular Press" Rev.
Hugh Price Hughes, Of London, de-
livered the essay.
The discussion of this subject evolved
a good deal of heat and sharp talk.
DR.. Hughes and most of the speakers
held that the church had not yet
formed sufficiently high estimate of
the influence of the religious press and
had not used it to its full capacity for
good.
Rev E. e. Hoss, Of Nashville, Tenn,
dealt with the religious newspaper to
which, he said, Methodism had never
been deaf, and he named a number OF
distinguished Methodists who bad
been connected with the religious
newspapers within his own expert
ence. The religious newspapers had
not kept pace with the secular press in
development, though the improve
ment had been great The religious
newspapers should be under the con
troll Of the church, and every argu.
ment brought forward to show that
the church should put its hand upon
the pulpit would apply with equal
force to show that it should put its
hand upon the press. Religious pa
pers should have an expert corps OF
assistants to the chief editor, and at
tention should be given to the adver
Using columns. There had been much
SHINING, but there was not so much
now, although he did see an adver-
tisement OF quack medicine, con
sumption cure, opposite an unctuous