Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-08
A WAIF FROM AFRICA
In the Presence of the NJ. E. Con-
ference as an Object Lesson.
THE PROTEGE OF BISHOP TAYLOR,
Who Tells How the Dark Continent Is
Being Christianized.
MISSIONARIES MUST BUY CONVERTS

OMAHA, May 7.-Bishop Fowler, of San
Francisco, presided at the Methodist Con-
ference to-day. DR.. f. NJ Bristol, OF Chicago,
offered a resolution requesting the standing
committee to sit with closed doors, except
ing to members of the General Conference.
The resolution was tabled by a vote of 2O2
to ia. The announcement was greeted by
slight applause.
DR.. Bristol called for the order OF the
day, which was the report of Bishop Tay-
lor, of Africa The Bishop then came for
ward and was greeted with great applause.
He said the evangelization of Africa is a
stupendous work.
A part of the continent of Africa is pov-
erty-stricken by nature, on account of the
unproductiveness of the country in its
present state. The natives are unable to
make use of even the resources within their
reach. They need brain culture and hand
culture. Without hand culture they would
starve on their barren plains. Education
of head and hand must be carried forward
simultaneously in Africa 1t would not do
to wait until the heather had grown up in
ignorance and sin.
Lay the Foundations of a State.
The speaker claimed that heather chill
dren could be brought up in the fear and
when they grew up to maturity and estab-
lished homes, finally found civilized and
Christian State. He recounted the hard
ships and dangers that beset the missionary
work in Africa, and said that the work de-
mands men and women of heroic faith and
courage Some of the women missionaries,
especially the Misses White, he commended
heartily for their zeal in facing dangers in
the Dark Continent.
Bishop TAYLOR then spoke of the necessity
of purchasing or redeeming the young Atri-
can girls before they can be gotten away
from their parents. The girls are marketa-
BILE and the parents will not let the mis-
sionaries have them to educate without first
receiving the market price for them. He
said it is useless to try to Christianize the
young men without Christianizing the
women. They must have Christian pur-
pose for life or the work will fail. He told
of one instance where q naked heather
African carried child nearly 800 miles to
keen her out of the hands Of the slave mer-
chants.
He then gave a report of the membership
of the missions and Sunday schools in
Africa. He said there are over 5000 church
members in the Sunday schools, over 300
teachers and $3.50 scholars
A Waif From the Dark Continent.
The report was indorsed by the Confer
ence in rising vote, every delegate rising to
his feet Some one requested Bishop Tay
lor to present the little colored girl that he
had brought to America with him to the
Conference. The child was brought for
ward and placed upon the presiding officers
desk. The Conference was thrilled with the
picture presented, and burst of applause
filled the house.
Bishop Bowman stepped forward and
took the little waif by the hand. The child
looked at him and smiled. The audience
again broke out in applause.
"What is her name?" called out dele
gate.
"We call her DIANA" said Bishop Taylor.
GLOW old is she?" called another.
''She is about 8 years old" replied the
Bishop, "and nine months ago she was. a
heather child. She has learned to talk
English in short time"
"And she has gotten into General Confer
ence. too," said Bishop Fowler: and the
audience laughed. The diminutive black
looked out in. great wonderment
at Ine sea OF Wllte faces, Wnlle tne ulcuS-
sion of the rules of order was continued.
A Battle Between the Wits.
During the discussion of the rules very
pretty play of repartee took place between
DR.. J. NJ. Buckley and Bishop Fowler.
Dr. Buckley was trying to get the floor to
correct a statement made by another dele
gate. He had some difficulty in securing
recognition from the Chairman, Bishop
Fowler. When he finally secured the floor
be said:
81 am reminded that the scripture has
said: 'Ye shall escape from the snare of
the Fowler"
"And the same scripture also states that
we shall escape from the noise and pesti-
lence," said Bishop Fowler, when the
applause that greeted DR.. Bucklev's sally
had ceased. The effect was electrical. For
five minutes the audience roared and
applauded at DR.. Buckley's expense.
"But 1 am not that pestilence," DR..
Buckley replied, "for the Bible says, we
shall escape from it, and don't believe
this audience can escape from me-"
The Conference adjourned at o'clock to
meet Monday morning. A mass meeting
will be held tomorrow afternoon in the
American University.