Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-09-27
THE METHODISTS.
THE COMING MEETING OF THE ECU
MeNlCAt CONFERENCE.
Dslsgates Clsrioal and Law % ne Present
fron Two Hsmisphsrss-Ths varioas
Breaches to Ne Represented.


LEXINGTON. Ky. September 25.--Ths
Ecumenicai Methodist Conference. which
mssts in Washington, ID. g.. October
7th-2lst. will b in somc respects
the most notable gathering ever
held on the American Continent.
The delegates will number 800,
nnd, sof these, 200 will come from .abroad.
mostly. of course. from Great Britain.
where Mcthodism was born. These dele
gates viii be the picked men of the Meth
odist forces from two hemi'phcres;;
AMONG the clerical REPRESENTATIVE VIII
he great church editors. esilled exc
getes, presidents Of colleges and uni'crsi-
fies. any number OF brilliant pulpit lights,
and literally. bishops and other cccicsias-
ticAl dignitarles by the score. Ana clua,N
distinguished. If not more 40. will be tho
personnel of tho Law contingent. drea,
Britain will send not n few members OF
Parliament. and some even. IKE H. n.
Fowler. NJ. p. who arc among the
ablest hcutensnts or the great tinaetohe.
She has also delegated tu this assembly
some Of her brightest legal and scientific
magnates, with some others whoss names
have become household words IN England
from their prominent connection Wild grew
social and philanthrOpic reforms. his ~
the sort of men Great Britain 10 sending
and that these will he Raicsed. ana even
eclipsed. by those repressntinGt The various
branches of American Metnodism H. Oh
course. . forrgope certainty.
The American delegate. will represent
not only overy branch OF M"thod..m IN
our land. but every section Of the hnlefl-
can republic The South will be ;hsFe IN
equal ratio with the North. and tho two
sections nav be expected to vie with each
other. as they did at the first hcumehi-
cal held in London ten years ago;
distinguished men. but in a friendly
conpetition for oratoricsl honor. a.
well "a in tho nor. holy contest
for FIRST place in the great modern maicn
ot .r.,ernItv. The Methodist OF no
United States is peculiarly favored III 'no
largo number Of men Il can muster WHO
are prominent IN political ne. He"oc, ~
contributes 70 this gathering hot oliN
;ndec. and Governors, but those VINO
have won fame in tho House OF felrc-
s.ntatlves at Washington. and mo even
who will appear before their brother dele
Gates clothed in senatorial disnitiss.
rryr MILL ION SrSrrss
And what An immense constituency
these distinguished men Will represent.
me west estimate allow. tho Methodis's
of the world an aggregate OF o,WV'VoV
rns,nb.rs and q population agcregatug
n 0on 900. Tho bulk of these, A. matter
Of course. are on this continent, hovarlons
Methodist churches IN Great britain repre-
.ants,r oniy abeut Oh fifth Of these totals.
Since the sts. LcumeIical THO neSfcsate
10 Nsthojst conmuuicants has been
swollsn by number equal TO the present
strength Of that cause IN me !hnu
wnich gave II birth. Thus. while old
England eniors the q stincton or having
been tho cradle Of this sect Re sphere OF
i.s greatest development ana wicest IN
fu.nce has uncresilo.ablS been fcu "a IN
Tho vast terri,cry snd unrvalled ociai
cond,t,ors of - United States. And
.ency these Nethodis.s rolling up their
totals amongst US al tho rate OF million
in n decade. In these days OF record
making and record-hreaking how IS that
for record? Where this progress Will
stop these msrvellously aggressive people
have not told Us. and the probabilities are
Il will not stop q, all, but will 60 on as It
has been dong, II not moro %.
AMERICAN DrLIaATIs.
The 800 delegates who will represent
American and Canadian Mcthodism ara
apportioned amongs, the vsrious BODIES az
follows. Methods Lp.scOpAi CnuIcA, 10 {;
Methodist Episcopal Church, South, g. Z;
African Methods, Eplcopsl Church. -;
African Methodist Episcopal, Zion. is;
Colsred Methodist Episcopal, 9: mon
American Methodist Episcopal, 3; African
Unicn Methodist protsstant,S; Methodlsts
PROTESTANT. 8: American Wesleyan. O. Free
Methodist 8 Congregations Methodist, !:
Methodist Church. Canada. "a; Primitive
Methodist. s: Independent Methodist. J:
Tnited Brethren III Christ, I; tnlted
brethren ia Christ old constitution, 2;
And British Methodist Episcopal. ..
This epportiop OF tho delegates
vas made by Joint committee, and US
basls was the numerical strength Of the
churches taking pa.t. with, however. TIN;
rnodihcatlon-thst the stronger were
pleased in fulhlment Of the fauilnc law
70 Weld a portion of their rights 10 the
weaker: this most laudshle course not
only adbrding the weaker bodies An extra
fnducenent to attend, but insurlng
TO them prOrlnencs sucn as
thew otherwise could not have
had In the deliberations az tbs august
BODY. And similar curse vestasen IN tie
general apper;ionment totho two sections
The western and tho eastern. f.r while
according - tho statistics, Bu.,sh Nctho.
disrn furnishes euly enc NTH OF tho grand
total OF Methodist mem oers. tho 300 dele
Gates chs is allowed to send TO this World :
2pnfefprce will give fsr representation
In tia, body which will he IA ths ratio OF
two lfths-thAt IL, 200 against America :
500.
MtTBoDIpT rrIscoPArL
The Church sending the largest number
Of delegates IL tins conference Is thai
known as the Methodist Episcopal Church
whose representation = nearly twice tna'
az the next largest. end. with this except
ed. mere than equal 10 that 81 all the other
American churches tegsiker. And. OF
course, this larger representation =
due 10 it's suser"r strength nl
mericaly. Late reports Put the mcm
bers spi proportioncrs III this TOD
al 2.G3.lsi; travelling preacaers' 49,
,2: bishops, Is annual conferGnc -
laa In i1ql-lust q hundred wears ago
TIN. Church had but $50 travelling preach
.rs and oply % les meuihsrs. ind, OF
course. TO est ma;s fully what the gar
has heea N tais frst century, We must
add to tse present membership OF tho
Cnurch in question that Of al the othel
branches Of American Me,hod.sm, In.
GLIDING the large lubcrs folded withlr
The Methodist Epl. pal Church, South
Tis separation Of these two great
bodies 10 80 recent and ha. beer
so much discussed thar tic fsct'
conceralr. L are vel known. The
dividing calse was slavery, whict
happily !, row dea! issue. 1h'
formal organ .-s,ion IT the Methodist
Epi, opal ChLi b, South. took place IL
NAV, 1870. IL uau, Oh course, CplHlieIb
lie membership at the star. and vet hov
wonderful has been It's growth, eud how
great the changes web time has wrong J.
when today II str-t Lss ont its hand O
frAterr to he srasped 10y the equal.
frAte.la y II the larger Bodybuilding
init SOL. s..c' w -icb show that II Ia. nov
s.s5. Illnt,srs. With COMMITMENTS mum
berlng liza. IS, and that the increase II
!ts membership dUrln. tie last eccIe.ia,t II
cal year was "a. l6s
Trs CoLORrD CHvhC-y..
The separate colorcd churches haviD
representation ia 'aIs coaiorcl"s mum
.cr five Ia oil, anC send al a--,esgt
c..e.atirn of fOrts-cisht; AL. .esiOr
these there WI he cons. -rabi
spriuknng of cOlored men among n
oeicgates from the Methodist r. ,cou.
Church. Thus on, brother ~ t'hch
will be quite conspicuous IL tlat d.
t.ngu.shed body, making a. leGs,
tenth part Of It, aud 4 one ne
iud.e from what occurred o. u
Other Ecumemcal Conference, hc
likely TO run his white urot4er prett
close tilt In debate and may e5cn. som
Of his cratOfical tlTnts. carry eser7thin
before hin. TIE ialgc.t o. the colorc
churches Il the till an Methodist Epi.cC
lsi Church. winch mas = membership {
cOl. 5s2 Nest TO this comes tho Afrlca
Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, wit