The Jersey City news., 1906-03-05
Bishop John W. Hamilton
Who Will Preside At The
Newark M. Z. Conference
Draws No Color Line
FAvoRs W0MEN's RIGHTS
HE WAS .HE DOCTRINES CHAM
ION AT THE LAST GENERAL
CONFERENCE OF THE NJ. E.
oHURcH-HIs PERIOD AS PAS
TOR.

1t is a coincidence that Bishop John
William Hamilton, Of San Francisco,
who will preside at the annual session
of the Newark Methodist Episcopal Com
ference in Jersey City next month, and
Bishop Joseph f. Berry, arhe presiding
officer last year, were the respective edi-
tors of two of the denomination's leading
and The Epworth Herald-at the time
of their election to the episcopacy While
Bishop Berry, however, has figured as
one of the leaders in young peoples work,
Bishop Hamilton has been noted for his
interest in the negro.
During the period between 1892 and
'96, while corresponding secretary of the
Freedman's Aid and Southern Education
Society, Bishop Hamilton had full OPP
portunity for the study of the negro prob
lem and through his efforts great strides
We're made in extending the Methodist
work among the colored race in the
South. He firmly believes that the per-
picking questions regarding the black
man can be entirely solved by education,
and onl~ in that way.
Another matter in which Bishop Ham
iltnr1 "a oh ;ovead Y,ronn;-,nsnco was his chafn-
pionship Of "woman's rights not at the
polls, but to voice in the affairs Of the
general conference. 1t is worthy of mem
tion that at the gathering in 1900, at
which he was elected bishop, this con-
stitutional amendment, for which he had
fought strenuously, received favorable ac-
tion by the adoption of an article max
ing the lay representation to consist Of
.s1ay members instead OF 'sfaymen,' :
which was afterwad ratified by the an
nual conferences, and two years ago at
Los Angeles women were seated for the
first time as delegates.
Bishop Hamilton is now engaged in ec-
clesiastical duties at Honolulu. Hawaii,
but will start on his return trip in time
to reach here shortly before the Newark
Conference opens. This will be the first
time he has presided over the local body.
From Jersey City he will go to New
Hampshire, and from there to Vermont
to conduct conferences.
The bishop is of unusually striking ap-
pearance He is tall. rather stout and
dignified in bearing. His hair is perfect
" white, and long, and curls just enough
to give it a bushy appearance. He has a
clean-shayen face, blue eyes and dark
complexion, while his voice is deep and
strong.
In his theology the bishop has repu-
taai6n of being orthodox to the letter in
his belief and exposition Of the doctrines
of Methodism, and yet he is not thought
to be at all narrow or bigoted. On the
subject of dancing and card-playing be-
ing in or out of the book of discipline,
he is said to take neutral position.
As pastor Bishop Hamilton made his
mark while filing the pulpit of the Peo-
ple's Methodist Church, Boston. building
the large edifce of that congregation at
heroic sacrifice, Besides his editorial
accomplishments he has been successful
as an author. Some of his books are
Memorial of Jesse Lee and the Old
Fsim,o 'sLives Of the Methodist Bishops"
Peoples Church Pulpit and American
sFraternal Greetings"
DR.. Hamilton is the son of Metho-
dist minister and has a brother who fol-
lows the same calling. He is Rev. J.
Benson Hamilton. Of Brooklyn, who de-
votes his time to the cause of raising
money for wornout Methodist preachers.
The bishop has been twice married. HIS
first wife was Julia Elizabeth Battelle.
of Covington, Ky. and his present wife
was Emma Lydia Battelle, of Buffalo,
N. Y. He has one son, who is studying
in a New England university.
The bishop was member of the gen
eral conference for the five quaddenniaf
gatherings preceding his election to the
bishopric. He was member Of the
Methodist Ecumenical Conference,
Washington, 1891; fraternal delegate
to the churches in Ireland and England
in 1898. From 1892 to 1900 he was a
member of the. executive committee Of
the Methodist Ecumenical Conference
which met in London, England. in 1891.
I He was born in Weston, Va. March is,
ass45. and is i graduate Of Mt. Union
College, Ohio. and Boston University
He was made a doctor Of divinity by the
Baker University, Kansas. and doctor
of laws BY the University Of Southern
California. He was admitted to the
Pittsburg conference in 1868, ordained a
deacon the same year and appointed to
Newport, @. Later he was transferred
To the New England Conference and was
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