Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-12

restless spirit hidden in the Alpine mists.
Here again. too. does our figure of speech
agree strikingly with the facts in the case,
for those rolling sentences from the lips OF
DIR. Carlisle were literally charming away
the great Methodistdemon of division. Com
ing from distinguished representa-
tive OF the Methodist Episcopal church,
South. what else could be the intent Or the
effect of his appeal to US to talk more here
after of our concords than of our discords
and to quit our envyings and vexings that
we might throw ourselves unitedly upon
the common foe2
This reminds US that all the speakers re-
ferred to the topic of Methodist union, and
doubtless these eloquent gentlemen. in the
fervent wishes they uttered for closer
federation of the Methodist forces, not only
voiced the sentiment of the conference, but
afforded fairly reliable prophecy of the ac-
ton it will take upon this subject.
Bishop Hurst spoke of the Canadian
delegates n being worthy of spe-
cial welcome, because of the skill
and zeal they had shown in weaving the
Methodist families of Canada into one
household. Mr.. Green, layman from
England, closed his lively speech by ex-
pressing the hope that as the result Of this
ecumenical gathering the dividing lines be-
tween the Methodist bodies would at least
be worn down a little, if they were not en-
tirely worn away. Even DR.. Stephenson.
who represents the most conservative Of
the English bodies, could not help touch
ing the keynote of union. Re-
ferring to the first ecumenical he
observed that, rs a result Of the meeting
the Metho1ists had buried many of their
differences, and please Cod he added,
1--WE will have some more funerals as a con-
sequence of this second ecumenical'' the,
body, by loud and long continued applause.
seeming TO iudorse this grave and dead y
purpose.
After the magnificent efforts of Bishop
Hurst and DR.. Carlisle, it seemed almost in
evitable that the tide of interest at the
opening service, from having flowed so
high, must begin TO ebb But this was
quite mistake, for the old man eloquent of
the Dominion of Canada had yet to be
heard y wonderful man is Dr. George
Douglass AS he sits in his chair blind,
and with his hands falling down helpless
in front of him from paralysis, he
looks half dead: and that really has been
his condition for years. Yet, when he rises
and that marvellous voice, with its rich
Scotch brogue aud deer, organ-like fullness,
rolls out sentence after sentence, faultlessly
modelled after the best antique style of elo-
quence, you feel at once that however dead
may be his other parts, brain and heart are
not only fully alive, but are sloriously on
hire with his theme. To listen 10 this
most eloquent of Canada's ministers at his
hest-aS the conference did to-day-has au
effect similar to that produced when one
looks at some masterpiece of one Of the
great painters. or walks entrancrd through
baronial halls redOlent with memories of
the glorious past. or listens in the glow of
cventide 10 the pealing of a chime of cathe-
dral bells.
To make our picture of the opening scene
:. 4 IL. IL
black was conspicuous figure in it; for in
the person of Bishop Wayman, very black
and looking very happy, he was on the plat
form with the other notableS. and had the
central position there with Bishop Bowman
ou one side, Dr. Stephenson on the other and
Bishop keener of the Church South Offering
Il ferveut prayer in front. Woman, lovely
woman. was also in the scene even as we
had expected, notwithstanding her rigid
exclusion from place among the delegates.
Bishop Hurst, in speaking of the first
Methodist meeting on this continent in 1866,
said. with peculiar gesture and emphasis:
Anu there was n woman there -
which seemed 10 mean that it was
Il rcproach there should be no woman
in this body, and appeared to ar
ray the bishop on woman's side in
the great fight being made to admit her to
the general conference of the Methodist
Episcopal church Another speaker who
seemed to champion woman'S cause was
layman of the Primitive Methodist church
of Great Britain. VINO said that his church
admitted women to the ministry. The an
nouncement fell like a boom in certain quar-
tefs, but when the brother, in continuation
of his address. remarked that they
had lust buried 4 woman preacher
with great honor" there was an evident
feeling of relief The conference roared at
the suggestion it seemed 10 find in this re-
mark. and Drs Buckley and Lanahan, who
both feel that it would be more honorable for
any woman TO be buried than to be ad-
mitted to either general conference or pulpit
dignities, laughed together till their sides
fairly shook.
Woman, however, is by no means buried
so far as this conference is concerned. We
may expect her to beam upon US smilingly
for our amusement and edification, at every
session, and when Benjamin st. James Fry
of st. Louis, q warm advocate
of woman's highest aspirations shall
finally read his paper on "Woman's
Work i'll the Church." which. of
course, viii be followed by general
discussion of her status enthusiastically, We
shall learn. it may be presumed, not only
how she stands in the church, but with
what favor she is looked upon by the dele
gates TO this ecumenical confsrence.
I