Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-18

what ne wants ana always THINKS ne Knows
how best to get it. On the question of
affirmative. and when he told the conference
that he had presented this subject on a thou
sand platforms in England, and that it had
been greeted everywhere with deafening
applause, you may be sure that from the
hundreds in the galleries, who always stand
up and crane their necks when this gifted
son of 5Britain rises to speak. as well as
from a large section of the delegates. his
mastery and thrilling presentment of this
subject met the same reception there and
then that his English audiences had given
it.
In the person of Thomas Bowman Steph-
anSon, who is here IS president of the
British Wesleyan conference, the brethren
of America feel more and more every day,
as they sun themselves in his catholic
spirit, and sit under the spell of his
smoothly flowing eioquence, that they have
amongst them, by 4 special diSpenSatlon OF
Providence, not only one OF the choicest
men British Methodism has produced, but
precisely the man for the present emer-
gency. His competitor for this exalted Office
was DR.. James II. Rigg, venerable and
worthy gentleman, who, however, like
so many venerable and worthy men on that
side, is considerably fossilized-living in
the past more than in the present, and
seeming to care at times quite as much for
Tue VI NltkIlOilSG OIICliliSlu rs lOC
either the gospel or the souls Of men. With
DIR. Rigg at the head of the British forces
instead of Dr. Stephenson, how likely is it
that this incipient movement for Method
ist union would have been nipped in the
bud for did we not hear that gentleman
declare at the first ecumenical that he
did not favor organic unity, and
that in his opinion it was impossible? Since
then the worthy doctor may have modified
somewhat. This is not. probable, how
ever, though it may be possible for En-
glish = ethodists of the old school do not
change very fast, not very much. Hence,
it would seem to be, as we have said, pc
culiarly gracious dispensation OF prov
idence, which, in this second ecumen-
zeal pear, ordained Dr. Rigs to the
seclusion of private life, and sent over as
the leader OF the British Wesleyans, DR..
Stephenson, who when he is challenged by
the leading men of the smaller sects to en-
ter into conference with them upon this
question of closer utilization and final union
as he was the other day-manfuliy takes
up the gauntlet, and proclaims to the
Methodist hosts of the two hemispheres
that such conference shall be held.
The union sentiment on the American
side is, unfortunately, not so pronounced.
From the Methodist Episcopal church,
South, there has come, thus far, not one
word distinctly favorable to organic unity,
anu IL LIZ. IlOSS, lilt DIlllidlG SuilOl VI
leading organ of that church, correctly rep
resents the feeling of his constituents, such
a union, to use his own words, ''if not i'm
possible, is matter of tremendous
difficulty" Before union can be expected,
the churches, he said, must quit maneu-
vering against each other, and ne had no
heSitancy in adding that where one branch
of Methodists was established in a small
town, and another came along and tried to
get foothold, the devil did not need to be
personally present in that town" Such was
the tenor of the only speech from the South
erners which has treated directly of or
ganic union: and with one notable exception
no utterance distinctly favorable to such
project has come thus far from the breth-
rem of the North DR.. Leonard, like
DR.. Hoss, could see only the
difficulties in the way and DR.. Hartzen
could only offer for the Cancellation of
Southern feeling the work Of the Methodist
Episcopal church amongst the Southern ne
groes. Happily, though, one trumpet gave
out silvery tone which could not be mis-
taken. This was when, crowned with the
glory of tfty-siX years of ministerial SER
vice, his frame trem bling with emotion, his
eyes glistening with tears and his voice
more than usually pathetic from the deep
feelings which almost choked 1t, the veneer
ated Bishop Foster arose and addressed the
conference.
cally for organic union, nor could any list
ener have the slightest doubt that what was
said came through one of the clearest and
strongest intellects, from one of the pureSt
and sincerest Of hearts. That the confer
ence should be deeply moved by such an ap-
peal was as inevitable as that the leaves of
the forest should be loosed from their hold
by the autumn wind. Tears flowed in copi-
Gus effusion, and, as if in further
token of coming union, there was such
a blending Of English Hears, hears" with
American "Amens," as was perhaps never
heard in any assembly before. If only, just
at that moment, when Bishop Foster
ceased to speak. some grand hero of the
church, South, had followed in the same
strain. who can help believing that in the
hot atmosphere of such scene many of the
barriers of separation would have been
burned away, or that the applause evoked
by such denounment would have found
its echo in Methodist hearts all over this
great nationl
While the white delegates are hating
betwixt two opinions upon this question,
the brother in black is shaking hands with
himself in regard to tin other words, he
is comforting with his other dark-skinned
brethren to see if the time has not come for
a united African Methodism on this conti-
nent. And really, if the white MethodlstS
of America will not show the negro the way
to union, what could be more fitting thanhe
should show them the way to this goala
Perhaps, indeed, as this race was
the cause Of the greatest of the
Methodist divisions, this initiation amongst
them of plan for healing these divisions
is precisely the thing we might naturally
have expected. This union of the colored
forces, should it be reached, would take
large contingent of colored members from
the roster of the NJ. L. church, and the
aggregated Africans, gathered into one
fold, would at once present themselves to
the gaze of mankind as the second largest
of all the Methodist bodies in the world.
1t is pity to introduce the better half
last, but the fact is, many of the English
delegates have brought their wives and
daughters with them, and it was our de-
lightful privilege yesterday to hear several
OF these speak. Their special theme was
the work they are doing amongst the out
cast and the poor in London. Mrs. Hugh
Price Hughes wore the garb of a Sister of
the People, an order which she formed and
has since governed. Her dress and bonnet
were black, the former being relieved
BIZ conspicuous white cuffs, and an ample
turn-down collar. From the back of tine
bonnet dropped gray veil, and the strings,
which were of the same color and material,
were tied under the chin in large bow.
She is of the same why, nervous tempera-
ment as her husband, and, though not so
fluent, is evidently quite as in
tense as he, ami, of course, be-
ing woman, is, if anything, even more
interesting. Mrs. Bamford Slack ap-
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