New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-05
A BISHOPS CIRCUIT.
Remarkable Results of american
Methodism in Tropical africa.
London. January "a.

Az CttOutoW tU II fOptCUt N ftCU'
London. January "a.
A Methodist Episcopal bishop. even with per-
manent diocese. be the most tireless Of
ftinerants. He must have American energy.
and good Bishop Hartzell. who Is now halting
for a fortnight in London before sailing for
New-YOrk. does not lack It. For the last thirty
five years he has travelled at the annual rate
of 10000 miles; and during the last twelve
months he has made new record OF 10000
miles. He became interchangeable traveller
years ago in America, when he was chief sec
rotary Of the Southern Educational Society;
and his exhaustive study of the religious side of
the race question equipped him for service as
a missionary bishop in the Dark Continent
Since 1896 he has been up and down the east
and west coasts, and I'm jOurneyings off, in the
heart OF tropical Africa. carrying everywhere
the burden of immense work. Born on an
Illinois prairie. he has helped to carry out the
Wesleyan idea that the world is the real do
cese: and wherever he has labored he has done
his work with shrewdness, orderIiness and
businesslike sagacity, establishing a great in
dustrial and educational plant in territory not
occupied by the English Weseyans supervising
it with efficiency and thoroughness and making
IT so far possible self-supporting. II Method
ism is the most strenuous working force in
Professionalism. the bishop is of it's most
orderly organizers, opening immense field
for missionary activity and clearing the ground
for systematic evangelization. I never have
humiliating a sense that the busiest jour-
nalist is only an idler in serious world
when Bishop Hartzell warns himself by my
English fire. and, without an accent OF either
superior energy or seTf-righteousness. tells me
what he has been doing in the course Of a year
and what he hopes 10 accomplish in the early
future when he has been back TO America and
has raised more money for his work.
This time the bishop has had diplomatic
achievements TO relate. for 1t has been neces-
s5ry for him to consult with ministers in Por-
tugal and TO have audiences with the King in
Lisbon. A good share of the missionary work
undertaken by the American Methodists in At
RIGA is in the Portuguese possessions on the
east and west coasts, with hinterlands stretch
ing far into the interior: and. with the ascend
ancy Of the State church unchallenged eau
tious diplomacy and judicious management
have been requisite for securing religious toll
Grafton and permanent tenure of property. He
speaks with marked respect of the King and
the Ministry, and evidently was most success
full in his negotiations at Lisbon, for he has
been enabled TO enlarge his missionary opera
lions in Portuguese territory. Without alter
ing his manner simple minded missionary
bent on carrying out in orderly. methodicaI
the economic and commercial value of the At
rican possessions of any European sovereign. he
has become an adroit, flexible man OF the world
in his relations with courts and governments
and has learned how to seek the line Of least
resistance and TO adapt himself 10 conditions
as he finds them. Diplomacy has been. how
ever only an episode in year OF strenuous
labor and constant journeying. From Madeira,
where the Methodists are conducting a most
successful work he has gone TO Liberia, where
he looks for large results from the opening of
the interior to foreigners through the recent
legislative concessions to English trading COM
NAMES. and thence 10 Sac Paulo de LOanda,
south of the Congo, where Portuguese rule ex-
tends q long way into the interior and where
there are numerous missionary stations. From
Cane Town he has gone TO Rhodesia and Stanley
Falls in mid Africa, and thence TO Portuguese
East Africa supervising the mission work of
many stations; and after returning 10 Rhodesia,
Kimberley and johannesburg has sailed from
Lorenzo Marquee around the Cape 10 Sac
Paulo de Loanda and revisited the stations
there in Liberia and in Madeira.
The itinerary covering as vast a circuit II
does conveys only meagre idea of these mis-
sonary labors. The voyages are protracted and
there are long reaches Of railway travel by the
Cape TO Cairo line, far as il has been con-
structed with the cross-country spurs 10 the
East Coast: but while great distances are traV-
ersed quickly with modern facilities, time Is
lost and energy wellngh exhausted by Journeys
on horse mule or OK or with carriers in the be-
nighted regions Of Portuguese Africa. Interest
grows in the recital as the bishop, the most mod
est OF showmen, illustrates it by scores Of pho
tographs pausing before each to explain the
nature and extent of the humane work which he
is conducting among the natives. Fetch wor-
ship, native households. sports and weddings
and tribal customs shown in primitive form.
and then comes the practical business of reform
in the establishment OF mission stations the
cruitng of negro evangelists in the schools. the
introduction of mechanical trades and the
ganizaton OF Industries. The converts are seen
telling trees in the tropical wilderness. saving
them up into logs and drawing them 10 the sta
ton. cutting and trimming them into lumber
and building mission houses and schools. Native
printers shown at the or in binderies.
and results are cited in the millions of pages OF
religious literature printed annually at the mis-
sion stations. A mission centre is portrayed as
a business enterprise Of considerable magnitude,
with large landed estate. cluster OF buildings
for religious and educational purposes schools
where scientific agriculture and carpentry can