Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-03
CENTENARY OF wesLeWs DEATH.
General Observance of the Day by Metho
dis,s Everywhere.

Yesterday was the Tooth anniversary OF
the death Of John Wesley. tue INDUSTRIOUS
founder of MethodIsm: and 1t was
observed by Methodists throughout the
world, says the New York IrtO'tne, pus
more especially by the Methodists or oreat
britain. Ordinarily the death OF great
man is not made the occasion OF cele-
bration more or less joyous in its charac-
Tor But as Nethodists look back over
the hundred wears Of their history TO the
death of their great founder. they see
notbing 10 make them feel sad. wesley
died after a long and noble life. HIS wofk
was done and his deatbbed was.a glorious
triumph from the point OF view on .ho
Christian believer. Besides OIL tnls ~ ~
Lnndre5 vears that have elapsed since ms
death have effected for him canonlzaIlon
so Glorious that his death IS swalioweu up
i'm victory. In sense he Is not dead out
q living. vital force IN the wonderful OF
Conizafion evolved by his consecrateu
genius. o,o,o
II ia unite unnecessary 10 speah az any
length of Methodsm. Even ~ us ioyu,
sons did not do that. as they wiil iuIit any
effectively. it would speak Tor llseI. ~
has been and is one OF tho gIea1eSV 80
aaroos recorded in history. And OF ITS
fonnder n ia not too much to say thaI ne
,vos one Of the greatest religious Leaders
m''' Ill has evcr seen Professor Huxley,
who will certainly not he accused
of env undue partially for Chistianl1
Nv. not long ago snid OF hlui ID
believe there wasnO man t0Wnoll Ehsia
is so rnuch indebted for this great moran
reform from the deadness OF the eisn-
teantb century, as 10 John Wesley; As we
NV him now he stands among his asso-
ciote-Whitefeld, Fletcher. Venn, Der
ridge. Romaine-as Washington dld among
ms Generals and Napoleon among hls mar
sbais-fgcile princepS." Roman CatholcS
and Protestants. Jews and Gentlies' oe-
levers and unbelievers, have oil united IN
uovine tribute TO Wesley's self-consecra-
tons. holiness, zeal, and genius Tor re-
ligious organization.
scANT RECOGNITION.
During his lifetime Wesley received only
scant recognition or even justice from the
Church of England, Of which he was
rninister md to which he remained loyal
oil his life. II cannot, Therefore, out ne
source of qualification 70 Methodlsts that
tbrouoh the large-hearted charity of the
late Dean Stanley monument to the two
W.sleys-John and CbaTles-standS III
Westminster Abbey. And it will doubtless
be recalled by many that when the Dean
was in this country in 1878 the MethodIsts
of this city gave him a reception III recog-
milton of his gracious courtesy. In speech
on that occasion the Dean gave this expla-
nation of how these monuments came to
be erected:
1T was some eight or ten years ago that
the then President of the Wesleyan Con
ference asked, with that courtesy and
modestv Which is characteristic of HIM,
that | would allow the erection OF a
monument in Westminster Abbey, in PO-
cts Corner, TO Charles Wesley, as the
sweet psalmist Of our English Israeli L
yentured 70 answer: If we are to have
monument TO Charles, why not to John?
To John Wesley accordingly. to-
eetber with his brother Charies-not
as excluding Charles, but rs the
greater genius, as the greater spirit
of the two that monument has been
erected. John Wesleys monument, with
the likeness also of his brother Charles.
has been erected in Westminster Abbey
close to q monument which was erected
in the last century-and mention II only
as showing that in welcoming this recognl-
tion of your illustrious founder, have
been but following the precedents already
established in Westminster Abbey and III
the Church of England-the monument TO
John Wesley was erected side by side with
the monument which in the last century
was erected to the memory OF the great
Conversational divine and poet, Isaac
Watts"
PORTRAIT IN NEW YORK.
It is not perhaps generally known that
there is an interesting and faithful portrait
of John Wesley hanging IN the Methodist
Episcopal Mission-Rooms in this city. 1t
WAS presented by the Rev. DR.. .. ii. Tii-
any. This picture" he says. is copy
of the portrait of John Wesley which is in
the possession of the Wesleyan Missionary
Society and hangs in their rooms in
London. The picture represents Mr..
Wesley at his best. and with great fidelity
In ls47 nv father. Mr.. Comfort Tiff
any, then citizen of Baltimore. OBJ
tanned permission to have copy made for
removal to the United States. A copy was
allowed TO be made by MIR. Gush. the con-
ference artist, which was pronounced by
every one who saw il TO be entirely salts
factory. Ny father lived until March Is,
1873. and in his will left the portrait to me.
his eldest son. In 1889, the Missionary So
ciety having built and prepared "A suitable
and permanent building. | presented the
picture to it, together with portraits of the
Rev. Jabez Bunting, taken from life by
MIR. Gush; the Rev. John Newton, taken
by Wattles, in Baltimore, when Or. New
ton was in this country asa delegate TO our
General Conference. So far as | know
there are no other copies of this picture IN