Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-06
Bishop Newman in Omaha.

Bishop Newman in Omaha.
The residence of Bishop and Mrs New
man in Omaha lasted nearly eight years
Upon his election a bishop in 1883 and
under the regulations OF the general confer
ence he was required to choose between
Omaha and Houston Tex He elected to
come to Omaha and remained in the city ursu
/ til 1896, being then removed by the board
OF bishops to San Francisco. While he did
not remain in the city constantly he be-
came closely identified with its interests
and attached, through numerous warm per-
| sonal friendships, to its citizens. After the
removal of his home from Omaha he fire.
quently visited the city and always upon
such occasions occupied the pulpit of one
| OF the churches, the larger ones being
| usually chosen for him, to accommodate
the large number of persons always eager to
| hear him.
Bishop Newman was largely instrumental
! in bringing to Omaha the international con-
ference of the Methodist church in 1892,
| which lasted thirty days and was attended
| by the prominent members of the Methodist
clergy not only of this country but of all
parts of the civilized world Owing to his
success in this undertaking he was enabled
to secure the necessary funds for the COM
pletion of the First Methodist church build
ing, the finest house of worship of it's de-
nomination in Nebraska Bishop Newman
was never furnished with an episcopal resi-
| dence in Omaha and this fact has always
been source of the greatest regret to his
friends here. 1t is thought this was one
OF the main reasons for his removal to
San Francisco by the board of bishops
! Tribute from DR.. Shank.
| Probably not one of the many prominent
| Methodlsts in Omaha was more closely ac-
quainted with the late Bishop Newman and
his work than the Rev. DR.. j. w. Shank.
editor of the Omaha Christian Advocate
/ DR.. Shank knew the bishop when he was a
young man in the ministry and it was
| through his influence that Omaha's Meth
odist editor became converted To Dr.
Shank as well as the many other friends
OF the bishop in this city the news of his
death came as severe blow, for they had
hoped against hope that his life might be
spared that he should be able to continue in
| his work. In conversation DR.. Shank said:
| when Mr.. Newman was elected to the
! highest office within the reach of a Meth
odlst preacher and came from Metropolitan
church, Washington, to Nebraska an effort
was made to have him settle in University
Place, at Lincoln. ! had some correspond
! ence with him and insisted that metropoIi-
tan bishop should reside in the metropolis
| Bishop Newman did not desire an epis-
copal residence erected for him. He did not
! wish to keep house, as there were only
himself and wife and they preferred to re-
| side at hotel. Instead of wishing that an
episcopal residence be provided for in Omaha
Bishop Newman preferred that every effort
, be expended toward the building of First
| church, and that magnificent structure
stands today as monument to him and
| the work he accomplished in Omaha He
did great deal OF the supervising and
| planning for the edifce and raised much
OF the money. He has been the fast friend
Of the First church from its origination and
contributed largely from his own pocket
When Bishop Newman first arrived in
Omaha he was at once recognized as a great
man by all people. He obtained hold on
all classes. Having been the chaplain of
the senate, the close friend OF General
Grant, intimately connected with the public
affairs of the nation and personally ac-
quainted with the statesmen of the country
| he was accorded an immediate place in the
hearts of the public men of this city.
He perhaps impressed his individuality
more in the building of the First church
than in anything else unless 1t was the
securing of the general conference of 1892
for Omaha. IL Is true that the general
conference OF 1888 voted that its next quad
| otsSlou De uelu tnlS city, but
there were certain conditions which first
had TO be complied with, and | doubt very
much whether these would have been met
had 1t not been for Bishop Newman"
DR.. Shank expressed the opinion that a
memorial service, TO be participated in by
all OF the Methodist churches in the city
and others OF the friends and admirers of
the dead bishop, would be held Sunday al
though no definite arrangements have as
yet been completed.
Bishop John Philip Newman, D. D., L. L.
D., was born in New York City September /,
1926. At the age OF l6 he became a member
of the Methodist Episcopal church. His
academic education was seCaned at Cazenoyia
seminary, New York In 1S4S, at the age of
%, he entered upon the active work of the
ministry as a travelling preacher His first
work was in connection with the Oneida
conference. Seven years later he was trans
ferred to the Troy conference. After filling
several pulpits with success in that confer
ence DR.. Newman was assigned to Bedford
Street Methodist Episcopal church, New
York City. In the spring OF 1853 he went
abroad and spent a year travelling through
Europe Italy and Palestine He wrote let
ters 10 the Methodist which attracted gem