The daily morning journal and courier., 1901-10-07
TEE METHODIST CONFERENCE.
How the Late President McKinley's Name and Fame Figured in It-Tri- butes by American and English Min- isters-A Conference Prolific of "Amens" - Methodism's Size and Growth.

l
 Growth.
 London, Sept. 25.
 TO the Editor of the Journal and Courier:
 With the proceedings of the late con-
 ference of worldwide Methodism will be fnterwoven for ever the name and
 virtues of our late president For the
 first three days he was kept promi-
 nently and proudly in view as the
 worlds most distinguished Methodist The American delegates had brought
 him with them as one of their chief de- nominational assets. To be able to proclaim in country where Metho-
 dism is at a social disadvantage that 1 in the United States the very highest
 of all offices was filled by Methodist, meant a great deal for both American
 and English Methodism, and it was
 only natural that this fact should be emphasized. This was not done osten- tatiously The allusions to William
 Mckinley those first three days, ere yet che bullet of the assassin had been 1 fired, could not have been In better taste had the speakers been apprised of what was coming. On the first day the
 old world greated the new, and Bishop
 Hurst of Washington, in responding
 could not do other than convey to old
 world Methodism the good wishes of
 the Methodist occupant of the White
 House. The next day was the occasion
 when the old and new world made their
 respective exhibits of how Methodisn1 stood in the two sections. Such eXhib-
 it's would necessarily embrace not merely the numerical, but the social and political standing of the denomina-
 ton. The American side was present. ed by Dr. Boucher of Baltimore who, without a grateful reference to MT. Mckinley, could not have done justice to his theme Just as inevitable was it, too, that on the day following, when
 International Paace' was the subject, Dr. c. W. Smith, of Pittsburg, should hold up the Methodist president of the United States as the embodiment of peace, laying special stress upon the effort he made to prevent the Spanish American war.
 Then came the shot and shock, and from that time on there was perhaps no spot on either continent where one could better realize how truly the heart of England beat in sympathy with the great, wild, distracted heart of America than in that historic Wes leyan chapel in City Road, London. Nowhere else was there at that time a delegated gathering of representatives of these two countries, and q circum- stance which contributed greatly to the interest of the Ecumanical confer ence in MT Mckinley, during that ever week when he was fighting so bravely for his life, was that in the of the conference there were so many men who for four years past had been familiar with his home life at the White House and who could be regarded as his personal friends. Chief amongst these was the Bishop Hurst, who was so grieved and dazed by what had hap l pened that he could scarcely thereafter take any part in the coference. But | there were also present MT McKinley's | presiding elder, Dr. c W, Baldwin, and | his brilliant pastor, pr. Frank M. Bris- I tol, the latter of whom was at first as | much dazed by the sad tidings IS was | Bishop Hurst. Happily, however. for the conference and England, Dr. Bris- tol did not lose his eloquent voice. and was able several times, though in brok- en accents and with tears, to meet the by utterances which ,ouched and thrilled as no others did Dr. C. w. Smith, of Pittsburg, could elso speak with moving and thrilling N ey's pastor at Canton.
 But the chief movers in all that the did to mark it's interest in he sufferings and death of this distin- ,ushed representative of Methodism md the American people were the lead ng representatives on the British side. The American brethren might sit sor- owfully and silently in their seats turing all that week of alternating lope and fear, not doubting that their rothers of English Methodism would .eep the conference promptly informed f the late presidents condition and would see that it rendered both to him nd to the American nation every con- eivable mark of sympathy and honor. t was during the morning session of friday. while the subject of temper nee was up, that the conference got $ first intimation that the case was opeless These disquieting dispatches ad been secured by Rev Nehemiah editor of the Conference Dali /, and they were at once read. Dr. rook, president of the Methodist Free hurches, was in the chair, and he very appropriately stopped the discussion by a1ling upon Dr. Thomas Allen, ,ex- presi- ent of the British Wesleyan confer | nce to pray After that Dr, Brook lid: We shall certainly continue this :, scussion with very chastened feelings :, nd with very anxious hearts. There is /. ot one individual here, from whatever de of the Atlantic, but feels the in- 1, nsest personal interest as if he be- |, |, nged to us, in this great, good man. ct us all hope and continue praying lat this invaluable life may yet be I, The next dispatch that black Friday | orning was the one saying Death is :. ,urly expected and at this point pr.
 B. Stevenson, of the British Wes- '. van church said: MT. President, on l' ivilege, I feel that the occasion is so Y thetic and there are so many hearts W
 this meeting which are moved to " cir very depths by the situation, that U think we ought again to have Q sea W n of prayer and then adjourn" Four l |. rnest touching, broken prayers were 4, era1 ao6 inc craDa was taarf111 VI