The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-04-04

MEMORIAL SERVICES
This Mornings Session of
the Methodist Confer
ence in Memory of
the Dead.
THE GREAT AFRICAN PROBLEM
Bishop Hartssll Speaks of
Experiences in the Dark
Continent.

was practically 40 business session of the
Methodist Conference this morning, be-
scause by vote the member decided to
devote the entire morning to the solemn
memorial services for those pastors who
have passed away during the year. To
wind up the business of the Conference
there will be a business meeting this af-
%fernoon and tonight. at which the re-
ports of committees will be handed in.
The auditorium of the church was
crowded at half past eight o'clock when
Bishop Goodsell took his seat this MORN
ing to open this the fifth day. Above
his head and almost covering the organ
front was suspended a huge American
flag at least twenty-five feet long. On
each side of the Bishops chair stood an
enormous jardiniere, containing white
lowers Ferns and palms covered the
organ loft. In the first two lows of seats
from the communion rail sat the be-
reaved families of the dead preachers,
and behind them sat the members of the
Conference and people connected with
the church. When the mornings prayer
service was finished, Bishop Hartsell en-
tered the church and was invited by
Bishop Goodsell to sit beside him. The
pastors all rose and bowed to the visitor,
who acknowledged their salutations with
a smile and a friendly a of the hand.
you would. l am sure" said Bishop
Goodsell, 'be glad to hear a few words
from Bishop Eartseil. who has just re-
turned IRON, a long visit to Africa
Thus invited, the missionary Bishop of
Africa rose and first said he was glad to
look on white faces once mora. He went
out to Africa, he continued. just because
he was sent. and second because he want
ed to see if Methodism had made any
progress. 1t was a new field, a new world,
which was only now being opened to
Christianity. The Bishop said that Amer
leans We're much indebted to England for
the vast amount of information to be OBJ
tanned in London about the dark eonti-
nent. At least twenty periodicals were to
be found in London concerning Africa
and the best men were devoting their at
tention to the development of the dark
races in thai land.
p&Only think of it," said Bishop Hart
sE1. zone college has sent a scientist out
there in Africa to Old Calabar. what do
YOU suppose for? To find a peculiar kind
of hud eel. l met him there and he ask
ed me if I had seen any. l told him that
was not my line of work-(laughter)-but
] saidSthat | was sure mud cells must live
somewhere on the continent for almost
everything could he found there. (Re-
newed laughter.D Since they have taken
ten tons of diamonds from Kimberley
mines and tons of gold from the hills
and streams, surely the place must
abound in mud eels. although some of
you might say that was a non sequitur.
~(Laughter.)
1.-THE great problem in Africa is to get
at these dark races. Mohammedanism is
making fearful strides. Do you know
that right next door to many of our mis-
sions are Mahommedan schools. where
the teacher sits cross-legged among his
pupils, reading from loose sheets of parch-
ment scraps from the Koran, and these
are printed in beautiful Arabic characters.
Don't run away with the idea. brethren,
that all you have to do is to start the ma
tive African on the road to Christianity
and he will do he rest. No.. indeed, we
have to combat a very active body of
Mahommedan priests, who are as shrewd
people as I have ever met, and they are
-just think of it-making every day more
converts to Islam than the Christians are
doing"
II would like to ask the Bishop inter
&nNev. DIR. A. Craig, 'if the work in
Africa ~ieouires the establishment of
schools to tr4n the CONVERSE
1T does" was The emphstic reply. 1--WE
must have schools where we nave a mis-
sion-"
Bishop Goodsell added that in his expert
ence with mission work he had become
T. . 81 --a. Ill - +z--- -
train natives in America. for the mission
airy field. and then send them pack to
their own land. Once here they acquire
ideas and develop traits which separate
them from their own people. The native
workers should be trained in their own
land and among the surroundings of their
birth. That was the only way to spread
the Gospel.
The time having arrived for the mem
orial services, Bishop Goodsell said he
would depart from the usual programme
to hear a report from the Board of
Stewards. The Rev. D.. Halloran, in pre-
senting the report, said that the Board
asked for s12,0S5 for expenses for, the
coming year. Its receipts had been $12,-
1868. He was proceeding to read
mounts to be paid to widows of pas
tors when the Rev. r. Van Horne inter-
rupted by moving that as there were
some complaints about the differences of
the sums apportioned, the report should
be recommitted to the Board to adjust
privately the differences.
The Rev. DR.. Bryan supported the mo-
ton. adding that since one widow re-
ceived $500 while others had only $50 or
5000. it was evident that there was dis
elimination somewhere when he knew
the cases were Identical.
The report was accordingly sent back
and the memorial services were begun.
The memoir of the Rev. John Atkinson
was read by the Rev. H. A. Buttz of
Drew Seminary; the Rev.-M D. Church
read that of the Rev. John Crawford;
the Rev. A. Craig read that of the Rev.
j.. Al. Monroe. Memoir of the Rev. W.
j. Keatley was read by the Rev. c. S..
KembIe; the Rev. t. Fl. Landon read that
of the Rev. Solomon Parsons.
The memoir of Rev. I. N. Morrow was
read by Rev. Henry A. Buttz, who also
read that of Rev. J.. II. Knowles. Rev.
S. D. Jones read the memoir of Rev. /. N.
vassant and Rev. H. A. Buchtel read that
of Rev. M. ]. Cramer, the brother in law
Of General u. s. Grant. Rev. A.. H. Tut
go MEu.E - 49, n q c-;+