Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-09
ME- THODIST GROWTH
The State of the Church in
Both It's Eastern and
Western Sections
GIVEN BY THE DELEGATES,
Who Represent Great Britain and
English Speaking America.
NON-SECTARIAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
The Object Toward Which English Method
ism Is Now Aiming.
GIVEN BY THE DELEGATES,
NON-SECTARIAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
A REMARKABLE RECORD IN AMERICA

WASHINGTON, Oct. Sat the beginning
of the session of the Methodist Ecunemical
Council to-day, the attendance seemed to be
smaller than yesterday, but before the pro-
ceedings had far advanced the available
church was well filled with the delegates
and interested spectators.
The presiding officers chair was filled by
the Rev DR.. T B. Stephenson, of London,
President of the Wesleyan Conference.
The session was opened with devotional ex-
ercises, prayer being offered by Rev. Grif-
fin W. Wilson, of England. who has
achieved notable reputation as a mission
arv among the Feejee Islanders.
The Business Committee named Bishop
Merrill of Chicago, and Rev. DR.. Arthur,
of London, to preside over the Conference
during the second session of the third day
and the first session of the fourth day, re-
spectivelv. Preliminary to the addresses of
The day Bishop Hurst, of Washington, in a
few appropriate remarks, called attention
to the fact that the chair, made from two
beams of the City Road Chapel, the corner
stone of which was laid by John Wesley,
was now occupied by the presiding officer,
and the original Epworth Bible lay upon the
stand.
THE STATUS OF METHODISM.
The subject assigned in the programme
for consideration during the morning ses
sion was 1.-The Present Status of Methodism
in the Eastern Section" and the essay was
delivered by Rev. DR.. Waller, of London,
Secretary of the Wesleyan Conference.
DR. Waller, in speaking of the status of
Methodism in Great Britain and ireland,
said il was important to bear in mind the
sphere in which it had to move; the ec-
clesiastical atmosphere it had to breathe,
and the influences with which it has
John Wesley sent DR.. Coke to
established the Methodist Episcopal Church
in the United States, he said: 'In America
there are no biships, neither any parish
ministers-so that for hundreds of miles to-
gether there is no one either to baptize or
administer the Lords Supper" 1t is diff
cult, the speaker said, to exaggerate the
social political and ecclesiastical forces
with which Methodism has had to contend.
Victories have been achieved in the pres
ence of almost insuperable obstacles In
Ireland the work has had to be carried for
ward against an intolerant Romanism, a
power with which the Americans will yet
have TO reckon.
ZEAL IN THE MISSIONARY CAUSE.
'sThe status of Methodism," continued
DR. Waller is determined bv its mission
ary zeal Recently there has been re-
markable revival of home missionary enter
prise. The way in which Methodism is en-
deavoring TO solve the problems of city life,
and the manner in which she is striving to
l II. i
tion of the masses of mankind from the
bondage of poverty, degradation and sin, is
attracting the attention and admiration of
all classes of the community
Rev. John Medicraft, of Manchester, rep
resenting the English Methodist New Con-
rection, followed Dr. Walker. He held
that Methodism was beloved of God, and all
were glad that He had done great things for
them.
Methodism in the Eastern section was
performing great and good work in the
whole world outside of America. Through
out the vast regions of Europe Asia and
Australia, Methodism was exerting a great
influence. Among barbarous peoples, whose
teeming millions were bound to supersti-
tion. in the great cities where the spirit of
Christianity was not known all, Methodism
was working It's way.
THE ROASTING SPIRIT REBUKED.
Rev. James Donnelly, of Newry, Ire
land, Vice President of the Irish Methodist
Conference, was the next speaker. He said
that the church was in danger from spirit
of self-Clorv Sometimes he felt reason to
regret the parade, and boasts that Metho-
dism was the largest Protestant church in
the world.
The Methodist church in Europe was
gathering up the little waits from the
streets It was looking to public morals,
whether it was gambling in high OF low life.
Applause. In old ireland, as has been
said, Methodism had never done much in
growing timber, but it had brought much
freight.
Dr. Hugh Pryce Hughes, of the West
London mission, said that DR.. Walters
statistics showed that the Church of Ireland
itself was in the minority in England. A
cruel law forced the non-conformists to send
their children to church schools 4 mistake
had been made in not taking Dr. Arthur's
advice 20 years ago, and establishing nom
Sectarian schools. Now his own church
had inaugurated the movement, and their
ambition was to free the children from the
sectarian schools of the Church of England.
LIKE THE AMERICAN SYSTEM.
They hoped to establish in England some
thing ike the magnificent system of nom
seetarian schools which were the glory of
the country on this side of the Atlantic
Loud applause. In Manchester. in Leeds
and in other places Methodists had nothing
do fear from the Church of England if they
It'd their duty
Rev. T. T. Travis, Primitive Methodist
Of England, spoke of the educational insti-
tutions of the country and congratulated
the Church upon its growth. He sympa-
thized with DR.. Hughes remarks about the
Church of England. But Methodism was
growing there. Let it go on with its duty.
Let Methodists live as Methodists, and
thev had nothing to fear from the Church
of England. Applause
The Secretary announced the receipt of
memorial from the General Assembly of
the Presbyterian Church concerning the
settlement of international differences bv
arbitration.
In the afternoon Rev. Bishop Charles H.
Fowler, of San Francisco, read an essay on
the present status of Methodism in the
Western (American) section. Method
ism, " he said, ''never whipped Quaker or
burned witch, nor banished Baptist
METHoDIsM IN AMERICA
History tells US that the present status
of American Methodism is the resultant of
a number of forces of heart and brain, tide
and tempest, climate and temperature, of
transit and eclipse, through countless ages
4 hundred years of growth on this soil and
in this free state has produced a condition of
life dissimilar from any other development
among men.
''What a picture greets US of that day.
1t can be shown on a small canvass. Sixty
preachers out of a total in the connection
of SO, representing only Il, ,9SS members in
America. With Coke and Asbury at their