The Indianapolis journal., 1901-09-29
English and Canadian Membor
Joined with Americans i'm Earn
est Tribate to the Dead.
A SCENE OF BR0THERLINEss
PREVIOUS SESSION HAD. BY CHANCE
BROUGHT PRAISE FOR M'KINLEy.
The Subject of War and Peace Co
I'D for Lively observation-disclosures
leans Called Fighters.
correspondence Of the Indianapolis journal

correspondence OF the indianapolis
LONDON, Sept. 1S.-It is a striking and
sad coincidence that at the time twenty
years ago. when the first conference of
worldwide Methodism was held i'm this
city, the news came that President Gar
field had passed away, the result being
that one of the sessions was converted into
q memorial service. 1t was such a service
rs those of US who were present are not
likely TO ever forget. England and America
sat as mourners in the same building, and
the voices OF the two nations blended in an
eloquent tribute Of grief and apprecia ton
Side by side too, sat the representatives OF
both Northern and Southern Methodisrn.
and though at that time only sixteen years
had elapsed since the civil war, the voice of
the South was as true and tender. and its
tears as much in evidence. as were any
expressions from the more Republican
church Of the North And now, with even
added impressiveness, all this has just
happened again Americans at home have
had TO take England's sympathy at sec
ord hand: we have been eyewitnesses Of
it. and no less have we been privileged be-
yOnd others in getting near view as in
the former case. of the warm, loyal heart Of
the reconstructed South
It was happy circumstance that the
twenty years of intermission between two
conferences. marking the exact time be-
tween Garfield's death and the attempt to
assassinate William Mckinley, had brought
into a closer union, not only the two sec
ti6ns Of our own land. but the peoples of
the two countries. No American can be
long in England without feeling in his
bones and in every fiber of his life that
English sentiment toward the American
Republic has changed Of late. very great
" for the better. This it was which gave
such peculiar impressiveness to what was
said on the English side when the con-
ference, upon hearing the sad news from
Buffalo, transformed itself at once into a
lodge of sorrow. For a cordial apprecia-
tion of our stricken President, the con-
ference had been prepared somewhat by
the debates of the day before. The subject
was international Peace" but when the
discussion ended it was everybody's Opin-
ion that what had been really considered
was, not peace, but war; in particular,
EngIand's war in South Africa and wheth-
er from a Methodist point of view it
5ustifiable.
EXCHANGE OF COMPLIMENTS.
This discussion of war and peace was
marked by two features. 1t brought from
the American side a strong expression of
hope that England would soon complete
her South African conquests and would
proceed then to govern these new colonies
in her usual spirit of justice tempered by
mercy, and it also brought out into clear
view. in unwitting anticipation of the serv-
ice of the following day, the noble, peace
able character of President Mckinley.
Whether the English expected such things
or not they Rave certainly had in this
conference no end of compliments from
speakers on the American side The stars
and stripes have been pressed for the pres
ent into new kind of service. that of dip
ping to the union jack, and one of the ef-
fects of these American obesences has been
To heighten the English feeling of good
will toward US.
Safely may it be said that on that morn
ing when the English section of the con-
ference was called suddenly to express its
sympathy with our nation, and TO pay
tribute 10 our President. it approached this
nlournful and brOtherly duty with a sense
of brotherliness that was altogether un-
usual This had been rendered inevitable
by what took place in the debate on the
war Certain is it. too, that the British
contingent of the conference had been pre-
pared by what took place in that same
debate. as they could scarcely have been
in any other way, TO put proper estimate
Kinley. -,,-, Dr,cr
The openfng address was by DR.. c. w.
Smith. of Pittsburg who said that Meth
odism was not a political power and could
not employ political agencies in further
ance Of either or peace she coulo
only influence national policy by her teach
ing and by the character of her adherents.
President Mckinley, he said. was one of
the products Of the Methodist Church' ana
although there had been war during MS
administration. he himself was man or
neace He was always hopeful that the
rrouble with Spain might be settled by
dinlomacv. In the preliminary stages oA
that trouble he held back the dogs OF war;
as represented in Congress and popular
cIarnor. until he could do II no longer
When the Maine was blown up Il was 100
much 10 expect that even PresluehI MI
r-f,,,a,- sbo,,Id be for peace. This was how
our stricken President was held up at the
o,,orins of that debate, and in the closing
- 10 v-as still in view and still kept be-
tore ms as a lover and promoter OF peace
= - ,.,,z at this point that DR.. j. NJ. King,
&c r,l,ilodeInhis got the floor and proceeded
- raad from a morning paper Mckinney
s,,.cb of the previous day at Buffalo IN
Witch ne deprecated commercial antagoh-
;sr,s and p1eaded for reciprocity and inter-
national good will
But appreciative reference to the Amer-
lean President. frequent though they Weie
4, tbat debate. didn't monopolize IL Ihere
- o.ber features, notably, as L nave
said the many references to the war IN
south Africa. the efforts made to justify
w. ana the general. though not unanimous
opinion. finding expression IN various w.
that when ones own country q ~
o,,,t, - s,ipport her. right OF wrong Dr.
K,rr eaia. when my country is at war
I feel il TO be my duty as Christian man man
o. pray for the success OF our a. ms -,
elected cries of dissent NO 10,
IL stentorian tones from re" on ~ 80
Hsh side. But these disturbers mus "
bee, sorrv afterwards that they said any
thing. for Dr. Kings reply was seOrensr .saSa,
1T is pretty generally felt" ne ss.iu, e.
those who do not pray in time OF "ai