The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-23
DEVILS ENEMY"
''THE
FAMOUS BISHOP TAYLOR GIVES UP
FIGHTING At II.

Most Successful Missionary OF
Modern Times-A Personal Inter-
view With Him.
New York, Jan. 21.-Quietly and unosten-
tatiously an old warrior, who has fought
in battles in all parts of the world. has
returned to the East to spend his declin-
ing years in dreams of the past. He has
neither sword nor musket. He is as I'M
familiar with a six-shooter as a Sioux In
dian with the Quitting of am electric
plant.
All his life he has been fighting against
the devil. and while he admits with a
twinkle in his fine old eye that the devil
is still pretty robust, there are one or two
scars on his horny surface given him by
Bishop Taylor of the Methodist Episcopal
Church. Without question, the bishop is
the most successful missionary of modern
times. He is now n years of age, and was
retired by the last General Conference of
the church from his position as bishop Of
Africa
Before quitting work for good he was
determined to make a final visit to the
missionary stations in the vast extent of
| territory which was his precinct. In 1898,
when he was 70 years of age, he Travelled
$500 miles inland into part of Africa
which twenty years ago had not been
mapped, walking through tropical thickets
| along path wide enough to admit of only
single file, riding astride of oxen and of
donkeys and being borne in litters in an
unhealthy country and in an unhealthy
season of the year.
| Even young men often break down on
such journey. The bishop says that he
has been hardened. He has been in all
climates and exposed himself to all of the
diseases that man is heir to in different
parts of the earth.
| Il began life preaching In Virginia, and
was educated at Brush College, sir" he
| says. with twinkling eyes you know
| Brush College? What! You do not, sir?
| All, you young men haven't the advantages
| of your forefathers. Well, you don't get
much mathematics or much Latin at
Brush College, but you grow up straight
| like young sapling.
You are hardy and strong, and you
learn good deal about simple human ma
| ture. l was a circuit preacher in my
younger days. When 1 had completed my
| circuit had been away so long that my
own children didn't know me. Speaking
| " the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IlauG my lungs
| strong, and tramping over rough roads
made my legs strong, and there is a good
deal of life in me yet, SRA good deal of
life."
The bishops last trip to Africa extended
over fifteen months. He did not go into the
far interior or expose himself to the bad
climate, as he did on his 93 trip He went
to say good-by to his converts and his mis-
| sionaries, and most of his travelling was
done in Pondoland, the TransvaaI and
| Natal.
In order fully to appreciate the bishop S
| work in Africa his method must be ex-
planned. He believes that missions should
| be self-supportlng. In a measure he has
acted independently of the church, and
with such success as to arouse considerable
Jealousy among certain other missionary
| leaders. Since he was made bishop of Ar
RIGA he has established thirty stations, and
the funds which he has extended have
been obtained entirely through his per-
sonal solicitatio
These stations he has now turned over
to the church, which will conduct them
| upon his lines. The old gentleman will not
say that he is satisfied to give up the work
| He will only say that he has passed the
age limit, then change the subject of con-
| versation. Preferably his friends say he
would have died in harness.
The converts at each station are asked to
pay small sums In support of their church
If they are handled diploma tically thew
will do this with pride. The result is that
they do not consider the Christian church
merely as a charity institution, but some
| thing in which they have a personal inter-
est
Unlike the converts which many mis-
sion stations have made by dealing out
rations of soup. these do not backslide. The
| black children of from to years of age
are brought to the station and trained in
Christian manners as far as possible
The biggest event that can take place in
one of these mission stations is the com
ing of the white-bearded bishop, who looks
like sage and prophet. This year he
went to them for the last time. AS usual
the converts came running for miles to
meet him with broad grins on their faces
and showing their rims of ivory teeth A
woolly head which received a pat from
the bishop was considered as good as
sanctified
Parts of the journey were made in the
South African version of a Western
prairie schooner drawn by four pairs of
oxen. When this arrived at a station or
a sub-station, or at a village in the wilder
ness, a platform was arranged in the rear
from which the bishop spoke through a
black interpreter, who grinned with pride
and self-contentment.
After the meeting was over the popuIace
followed the wagon for miles. Often when
bishop from former visits, were told that
he would never come again, they wept and
wrung their hands as if they had lost a
near and dear relative.
Buch Of the bishops African work has
been in British territory
which treats the black man the bet
ter the Transvaal burgher or the English
MANI" he was asked
"Oh, the Englishman, by all means
do you think that Cecil Rhodes is as
black as he is painted by his enemies in
London?"
mo. 1t is true that he is a politician.
but he has been greatly maligned. He has
done a great deal for civilization; he is
public-spirited, and he does everything he
can to help the missionaries. English law
is the most just, the most liberal and the
best to work under. 1t is well that they
should rule Africa"
DO you think that the English ought to
have the Transvaal?"
NO, l would not say that. The Burgh-
ers have the right of pre-emption. Con-
sidering that the burgher has had no op-
portunities of connection with outside civ
ilization, that he has lived an isolated life
on unculuvated land among wild beasts
he has done very well"