The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-20
BISHOP TAYLOR is DEAD
FAMOUS METHODIST WHO HAD AZ
RIGA FOR A DIOCESE.
He Was n Missionary in All Parts of
the world During His Long Ca
reer in the Church.

SAN FRANCISCO. May 1s.-Bishop Will
liam Taylor. perhaps one Of the greatest
missionary bishops OF the Methodist
church. IS dead at Palo Alto, after a long
Illness, at the age OF eighty-one. Fifty years
ago he began the career Of evangelist, which
carried him TO all quarters OF the globe.
He served as bishop OF Africa until 1888,
when he was retired for age
William Taylor. for many years mission
airy bishop for Africa. was born on May
q. 1921, at Rockbridge, Va. At the age Of
twenty he was converted and united with
the Methodist Church. and two years later
was received into the Baltimore Confer
ence. having already travelled one year un-
der the presiding elder. In 1S49 he went
as missionary to California, organizing the
first Methodist Church in San Francisco.
In 1856 he entered upon evangelistic work
In the Eastern States and Canada, in which
he spent five years. In 1852 he went to
Australia by the way OF England. Ireland
and Palestine. reaching his destination in
June, 1863. For two years and eight months
he labored in Australia. Tasmania and
Ceylon. the result of which was remark
able work in the conversion of sinners and
large additions to the church. From there
this Pauline itinerant went TO South At
Natal gathering great numbers of converts
into the church from both colonists and
natives. Next he went to England, spend
ing almost a year laboring in London chap
els. In 1870 he began his great and sue
cessful work in India, year later inau-
gurating a separate, self-supporting work,
the foundation OF the South India Confer
ence, whose ministers are sustained by
their respective fields. After another visit
10 the United States, to report progress and
arouse interest in India, about 1878 he went
to South America. founding there a num-
Der of self-supporting missionary stations
He returned from South America i'm 1884
where ne established missions i'm the Congo
and far into the interior. He was ap-
the general conference in 1884, and con-
tinued in that relation until his retirement
for age. He was voluminous writer, his
Street Preaching in San Francisco" Cali
fornia Life Illustrated" The Model
Preacher" Infancy and Manhood of
Christian Life, Christian Adventures in
South Africa -Four Years Campaign in
India" Pauline Methods of Missionary
Work" The Flaming Torch in Darkest
Africa" STORY OF My Life" and many
pamphlets and papers relating to his life
work.
After his retirement he went first to
New York and lived there with his son,
the Rev. Ross Taylor. Though he was re-
tired for age he was still relatively robust
and as his advice was very largely sought
on matters appertaining TO missionary
work. his correspondence was large, and
he still kept close in touch with the varied
interests OF his church Before quitting
work for good he determined to make a
final visit to the missionary stations in the
vasL extent OF territory which was his pre-
cinCt. In 1893, when he was seventy-three
years of age, he Travelled 1.500 miles inland
into a part of Africa which twenty years
ago had not been mapped, walking through
tropical thickets along a path wide enough
10 admit of only single file, riding astride Of
oxen and of donkeys and being borne in
filters, in an unhealthy country and I'm an
unhealthy season OF the year. Even young
men often break down on such a journey.
The bishop said he had been hardened He
had been in all climates and exposed him
self 10 all OF the diseases that man is heir
20 in different parts of the earth.
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 SO trip. lie
went to say goodbye to his converts and
his missionaries. and most of his travelling
was done in Pondoland. the TransvaaI and
Natal.
In order to fully appreciate the bishops