The Helena independent., 1891-10-09
|AT0 ALL The WORLD.
Methodists Have Gone and Have
Gathered People Around Their
Church Standards.
Never Whipped a Quaker, Burned
q Witch, Nor Banished q
Baptist.

b6QtloC.
In ono Hundred Years tho Membership
Increased From $4,000 to Over
5.OOO,OOO-Its Needs.
WASHINGTON. Oct. SIN the eoumenical
Methodist conference this morning Rev.
DR.. Walter, of London, read paper on the
present status of Methodism in the eastern
section, which comprises Europe and the
British dependencies. He showed that tho
church is making great progress in this ter
ritory. Rev. John Nedicraft, OF Manchos-
ter, representing the English Methodist
new connection, followed DR.. Walter. He
said that Methodism had performed a great
and good work throughout the world out
side Of America. Throughout the vast re-
gions Of Europe, Asia and Australia Meth
odism ID exerting great influence. Rev.
James Donnelly, OF Newry. Ireland, vice
president of the Irish Methodist confer
sncs, said the church was in danger from q
spirit of self f-Rlory. In Ireland Methodism
had mover done much in growing timber.
but 1t had brought forth much fruit. DIR.
Hugh Pryce Hughes, Of the West
London mission, said the church Of
England itself was the minority
In England. A cruel law forced non-con-
formists to send their children to church
schools. Amistaks was made in not taking
DIR. Arthur's advice twenty years ago and
establishing non-seotarian schools. His
own church has inaugurated the movement.
Rev. j. Travis, primitive methodist Of
England. spoke Of the educational institu-
tions of the country and congratulated the
church upon its growth.
At the afternoon session Bishop Fowler,
Of San Francisco, read an essay upon tho
present status of Methodism in the west
ern American section. "Methodism," he
said, "never whipped quaker, nor burned
witch, nor banishsd Baptist. History
tells us that the present statu sof the AM
erioan Methodist il the result of numbered
forces of heart and brain, time and temp
est, climate and temperature, transit and
eclipse through countless ages. A hundred
years of growth of this soil and in this free
state has produced condition of life
dissemiIiar from any other development
among men. A hundred years ago there was
but one Methodist denomination, one an
nual conference, eighty-three travelling
preachers, and 1883 members. To-day
there are fifteen denominations of Metho-
dists. tho one conference has multiplied
into about 800, the eightythree travelling
preachers have multiplied into 81, 765, be-
sides 10000 local preachers, and the Il, 1888
tiplied into over 100000. with 5000, 600
Sunday school children ana following of
over 20, ,OOO, 900 souls in the republic. Meth
odism crossed over into this century lean
ing on solitary star. She will CROSS over
out of this century with more than two
asses, for she has over 5000 churches and
about 1900 parsonages. with church prop
erty worth more than two hundred millions
of dollars.
"The first act of American Methoaism
was to ordaln college to form public
opinion-that is the power back Of bench,
Of pulpit, of ballots and bullets. The great
problem of governing these millions of
America is simply question of forming
public opinion. Methodism having nearly
half the people of this country has only to
be worthy of her inheritance and true to
her God to make this land the land Of
promise for tho ignorant and oppressed,
and the approaching century the golden
ago for the race"
Bishop Fowler spoke of the vigorous work
Of the different branches of the church and
said Methodism is supernatural. ''She is
nothing in the chilling fog of higher criti-
cism, which is higher only in name and as
sumption-all the warmth and win
someness of Christianity is destroyed.
The great centre and secret of Method
ism, the reason OF her existence,
is to bear testimony to movable religion,
to secure and respect the witness of the
holy spirit with our spirit to our present
state Of grace. Our next need is ideas.
We must reach out in all directions; we
ought to capture and utilize every secret
that brings success to any other church;
Methodists need the courage to seize and
utilize all ideas. There must be no power
too great for us to molest. Again, We must
fight for tho centers of population. The
cities are the forts. Whoever holds them
holds the future. The church must thus
other agency to settle it we must give place
to that agency, and seriously reduce oul
usefulness among mon. Another want il
consecrated money. Already all the great
questions of saving this world are reduced
to questions of money" The bishop, III
holds with unabated power over every
branch of the Christian church.
Bishop Fowler was greeted with pro-
longed applause.
Bishop Galloway, of Mississippi, repre-
senting the Methodist Episcopal church
bOutus O0SOtCu AlS lonAAAb AdIkcAy W uI1t
status of Methodism in this country. and
speaking for thu soulh, said it had a rich
Methodist heritage. There has been a
healthy growth in that division. Rev. DIR.
Briggs of Toronto Ont, described the
enormous boundaries of the dominion,
growth of the church in Canada. .etc., say
ing it was the largest in membership OF any
protestant church in Canada, and included
one third of the protestant communicates.
Bishop Arnett, of Ohio. representing the
African Methodist Episcopal church. re-
minded his hearers that there WAS dark as
we'll as a light side to every question. He
recalled that the colored people had parti-
cipated in every step Of the growth of
Methodism. There were peculiar missions
for the African church. 1t had to show tho
negro not only how to wear the golden
slippers over there, but how to get and wear
his shoes on Pennsylvania avenue; that he
should be educsted, should earn and keep
money, for by fat pocketbook would he
find the way to the Anglo Saxon heart.
(Great laughter.)