The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-10-21
BISHOP WILLIAM TAYLOR.
An Interesting Sunday Talk by the
Venerable Missionary.

Providence people, or those of them
who so desired, were given an opportuni-
ty yesterday to see and hear a remarkable
man--Rev. William Taylor, the Methodist
miss ,onary bishop, who has devoted a
great deal OF his life to missionary work
in Africa.
Bishop Taylor, ii is said, has preached
to almost every nation on the globe,
and he has spent 53 years IN the Methodist
ministry, for which service he says he
has no apology to offer.
He spoke twice in this vicinity yester-
day. in the Chestnut Street NJ. +. Church
| in the forenoon and in the Tabernacle in
| Olneyville last evening, large congrega-
| tions being present on both occasions.
THE NEWS reporter went to the evening
meeting and was well repaid. On the
| platform, with the bishop, were Rev. Il.
| j. Docking, the pastor, and Rev. w. II.
| Nutting, chaplain OF the State institu
| tions.
Bishop Taylor made q fervent yet sim
| pie opening prayer and the congregst ION
| Joined jn singing one of his favorite
hymns, 20, Happy Day" In presenting
great opportunity the occasion presented
and of the great privilege he deemed
| himself grateful for in introducing the
missionary.
Bishop Taylor simply gave talk, about
himself principally, it having been stated
! that he was TO tell the story OF his life
| That, he said, would fill q book of Hmm
| dreds OF pages, but he would give few
salient points. He briefly referred TO his
| parentage and then came to himself,
saving that he was brought up in a coun-
/ try where they don't make speciality OF
| growing men-West Virginia. he said
| he is "a years of age. He did not dwell
| a,, bia oor1lar work IN this cOuntry auO
Canada, which EN- braced evangelical ana
| missionary labors from East TO West and
| North 10 South.
| In 1852 he went to Australia, taking in
| Palestine en- route. After four years in
| Australian countries he began siege in
South Africa, where he went to prepare q
field and he laid grand foundation. In
| less than one year the missionaries con-
yerted over 1000 Kaffirs. Then came a
course in the West Indies, Ceylon, En-
gland, Scotland, etc.
1t had been the universal practice OF
missionaries to debate, with the heathen
| and try to "show up". their idols. This
only resulted in making them angry.
| They thought Bishop Clark, though, in
troduced new thing. He did not try
! to argue with them, but just told them
about the Goodman. =" He organized q
great many self-supporting churches
| wherever he went. His plan was to &c
wait for them to come to him. He saw
the necessity ot education as help and
he introduced Industries as an essential
part of education. The missionaries hav,
established stations where little children
are adopted before they become heathens.
The first child they took up was about
five years old. He Is a good scholar,
singer, musician, teacher, interpreter and
.hymnist He composes hymns fol
their services and 13 of them are now In
regular.use. They take the children wher
quite young and get them saved before
they are six years old. after which they
exert great deal OF influence for good
There are 90 foreign and white workers
training hundreds of young people. The
natives along the Congo are for the most
| part X nd TO the missionaries, but gen
| orally unkind to each other. Heroes ano
beroines are required for the work and
those who cannot stand IL, or do not like
| il had better get out. The country con-
tsins no horses and journeys have to b
made afoot through the jungles. Bishop
| Taylor walked 400 miles just beoire lcav
| ing for America. His niece, DR. Jennie
/ Taylor, who went to Africa TO attend &c
| the missionaries teeth, walked hundred:
| OF miles in the pursuance OF her duty.
Bishop Taylor asked for the prayers of
the people FOR the work and said thai
| anything they could spare in the way o
! subscriptions would be acceptable. liz
sang some African songs and the pastor
! announced that the Methodist book pub
fishing concern is about to publish
book entitled "The Story of My Life, il
being Sishop Taylor's history.