Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1893-11-24

II never thought of that before,'' he an
swered as if to him If, but it may be
true" Then in a quiet, serious way he
told me of his many journeys around the
world, one of which involved Is years. alb
sence from his family here in Alameda,
Cal. He came to us here in lS49, preach
ing from one end of the state to the other,
often in the streets, always among the poor
or %depraved, always alone and on foot, al
ways poor and without pay, remaining only
long enough in one place to found a mis-.
sion or church and then passing on to q
place among strangers. He was always
known among us as Father Taylor" and
though he has long been Bishop Taylor,
still we old boys of the old days speak of
him reverently, and often with uncovered
heads, as Father Taylor.
Here is a paragraph given me by one Of
his sons which may throw some light on
the early life Of this most beloved of all
living men:
William Taylor was born May 9, 1921,
in Rockbridge county, Va. He was first a
junior preacher to Franklin circuit in the
Baltimore conference. He was reported to
the preacher in charge as follows: He is
tall and slender, active and strong, wears a
blue coat, with brass buttons. His legs ex-
tc:!l three or four inches lower than his
pants. and he wears the broadcast toed boots
that have ever been seen in these parts. He
has but little experience in preaching, but
he is desperately in earnest and has the
stuff in him to make a preacher, aud he
can sing just as loud as he likes. In Octo-
Der, 1S49, he was sent with his family as q
missionary to California, arriving in San
Francisco. the city of tents, in September,
lS49, after a Eve months voyage round the
Horn.'
II has been 81 years in service. Says he
was put up to Keep in all climates'-
counts on Is years longer to labor in Africa,
He was % years old last May l. In Africa
be walks everywhere, sleeping under the
stars"
This remarkable man has been called the
Napoleon of missions because of his great
good sense, his discipline and capacity to
bring order out of chaos and found mis-
sion churches, that pay their own way,
even where the most patient and sincere
Catholic priests have failed. For example
be has a self sustaining seminary in one of
the South American capitals-nearly 500
girls, all eager to learn, in his Methodist
seminary! And all around the globe he
has done and is still doing something of
this sort. He has lifted up the name and
vocation of the missionary from out of the
rut and slough into which it was sinking
and made it respected even in the heart of
Africa. danger? There is no more dan
ger in even the I.eart of Africa than here in
Alameda. never was armed in nv life,
nor had an escort of armed men. Stanley
was wrong in this. Surely Stanley could
have gone in peace and unharmedswhere
Livingstone had gone before him"
And then the good bishop went ON to tell
me about his recent visits to "a remote
African city. He had two young men with
him. Tn last day it rained necessarily,
and they reached the city wet to the skin.
Ihey were SEM at once to the house for
strangers. an institution familiar to all
these remote heather centers. The queen.
head wife OF the king, received them at the
door. She did not know them or their
business; she only knew they were strang-
gers and homeless and hungry. She built
a great wood fire with her own hands, and
while they dried their clothes and took
heart at such kindly welcome she cooked a
sumptuous dinner of chickens, cornbread.
baked yams and fried bananas. This she
spread on Il mat before the fire and then
sat back in silence while they ate, and it
was only after they had eaten and rested
their fill that a single question was asked.
well, well, bishop" said l in surprise.
what need can such people have for Chris
tianityi"
very steadily the venerable evangelist
looked at me for Il long time, and then he
sald solemnly, 'They need the salvation of
our Lord Jesus Christ" 1t is this earnest
ness OF Bishop Taylor that has made him
so beloved and such a power over the wide
world. The portrait here shows his theory
and his proclivity. He begins with the
children-babes in arms. May he still have
many years. JOAQUIN MILLER.