The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-25

leyan hymns, which must nave been sung
at first mostly or faith, but which the fol-
lowers of Wesley can sing to-day with a
fuller realization of what it means, the
first lines being:
See how great a flame aspires,
kindled by a spark of grace,
Jesus love the nations fires,
Sets the kingdoms in a blaze
A DISTINGUISHED GATHERING.
There is no Methodist lord mayor at the
Mansion House to-day. and it is certain
that the delegates to the Ecumenical which
%convenes in Wesley's Church next month
will not be honored by any Mansion House
reception. Next in civic dignity to the lord
mayor of London are the two sheriffs, but
though one of these. Mr.. Horace Marshall.
happens to me a Wesleyan Methodist, he
cannot be relied upon for any social atten-
tons. How could one expect this when he
has not himself been honOred with an APP
pointment as delegate to this body? Sheriff
Marshall is a large publisher. He 1t is who
publishes the Methodist Times. that lively
and really radical journal whose gifted,
plain-spoken editor is Rev. Hugh Price
Hughes. This reminds me how deeply
J regretful II will be to all who know what a
| genius Mr.. Hughes is and what a proml-
nent and popular part he had in the two
~ hbtA tAAat tAC CAAAhh o6tah
ering is likely to miss him on account OF
broken health. And another prominent
minister likely to be absent-quite as much
of a genius as Mr.. Hughes and almost as
we'll known in America-is DR.. w. i. Wat
kinson. In both these cases it is the old.
| sad story of burning the candle at both
ends-to much work, too little play, and at
last the inevitable collapse. from which
| there is hardly ever any recovery.
But there will be no lack of distinguished
and influential men in this gathering.
| Amongst the 100 delegates sent by the NJ.
e. Church will be five bishops-J. F. Hurst,
]. III. Vincent, ID. A. Goodsell. J. w. Ham
ilton and ]. c. Hartzell-while the NJ. f.
Church South. in its delegation of seventy,
will send Bishops O. z. Fitzgerald, J.. c.
CRANBERRY and G.. b. Galloway, the latter
of whom. at 10 a. m. Wednesday, Sept. 4,
will preach the opening sermon. In being
chosen for this honor Bishop Galloway fol-
lows in the wake of two illustrious prede-
cessors. At the first Ecumenical the OPEN
ing discourse was by Bishop Matthew
Simpson. At that first coming together OF
the divided hosts of Methodism the preach
er's theme would naturally be Christian
Unity" and this theme the bishop treated
with his characteristic fervor and eio-
quence. This was a memorable occasion i'm
Bishop Simpsons life. He seemed to plead
for federation and good-fellowship with the
consciousness that his last opportunity had
come. and it had, for his death occurred
two years later. So, too. has the sanity
and seraphic William Arthur gone now to
his long rest, he who. ten years ago, was
the opening preacher of the second Ecu
menical.
ENGLISH DELEGATES.
The list Of delegates from this side con-
tains the names of nearly all the leading
ministers and Of some men who are excep-
tionally prominent in political and social
life. Amongst the latter are two members
of Parliament. the Right Hon. Sir H. H.
Fowler and Mr.. Robert w. Perks. Mr..
Perks is one of the most active and able of
the Methodist laity. 1t is largely through
his zeal that the Wesleyan Church of
Great Britain has made such excellent
progress with its twentieth century fund.
The amount sought was five million dol
lars. In subscriptions there have already
been raised more than four and a half
millions. and at least three millions have
been paid in. Mr.. Perks is a Liberal I'm poll
tics. as is also Sir II. III. Fowler. who in
political life is much the more prominent of
the two. Sir Henry Fowler has served with
distinction more than once i'm the Cabinet
OF a Liberal government. But these two
Methodist NJ. P.'s are alike in one p~articu-
lar, for each has bolted the party whip on
the subject of the South African war. They
opposed the war at the start. but now that
the country is in for it, they are in for it,
like Lord Rosebery, Mr.. Asquith, and many
| other Liberals.
Mindful of what Wesley's Chapel is to
worldwide Methodism. at once its cradle
and its cathedral, with vivid memories Of
the conference held there twenty years ago
and with thought just as lively in regard
TO the coming conference. / sacredly, two
Sundays back, paid a visit TO this City
Road shrine. Within two years this historic
temple has been thoroughly renovated and
beautified. 1t still looks plain almost to
ugliness on the outside, but within one finds
a scene of usefulness and decorative art.
But what would Wesley say, he who al
ways pleaded for a plain house of Worship.
were he permitted to leave his earthly
resting place at the back of this old church
Of his. and come again TO find gilt where
there had been whitewash, beauty where
there had been LONELINESS. and luxury i'm
place OF the old-time evidences of poverty
and inconvenience? This is the question
some visitors will ask. but all the same
there will hardly be one of the 500 dele
gates 10 the coming conference who will not
be glad that the pews in this ancient meet
inb house are not so high nor SO straight
backed as they were twenty years ago.
not to speak OF what they used to be i'm
Wesley's time. and who will not feel a
thrill of UNCONVENTIONAL pride at some of
the other improvements.
COLORED DELEGATES.
Coming events cast their shadows before,
and the approaching Ecumenical. l found.
was casting a shadow of a certain kind.
IL one might call 1t a shadow without of
Tense. over the congregation in John Yves
ley's church that very Sunday morning
when l happened TO be ~worshiping there.
One contracts here after a few months the
English habit of getting TO church i'm good
time. Hence IL was that on this occasion /
had leisure before service began to look
around a little and read the signs. both
printed and human. in the vestibule. One
OF the printed signs informed me that if l
desired 1 could rent a sitting ON the ground
floor of that historic church for as low a
sum as from 81 TO 81 a year. 1t also in