Democratic Sentinel, Volume 15, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 October 1891 — METHODISTIC MEETING. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

METHODISTIC MEETING.

A CONFERENCE OF DELEGATES FROM ALL THE WORLD. Ov« Fitly Ufntons of People Represented at Washington—The Large Number of Methodist Sects In the Count. jr-Statie-tics Coiu-ernlnp Methodism. Follo-wer* of Wesley. The ecumenical conference of Methodists recently heftl In the Metropolitan M. E. Chure* at Washington was

th®greatest religious gathering the world .has ever seen. Near* fly live hundred prominent Methodist* from every part at the earth were there, .and ttteee five hundred men represented at Mat fifty millions of- believers In

the Methodist faith. The national, capital ffer once in its history found its- politician* and office seekers considerably outnumbered' by tiler Bishops, eminent divines,- and' distinguished laymen who temporarily sojourned within th» shadow of tb©

Goddess of Liberty on the dome of the ■ Capitol of the greatest republic in the world. Seventy-five Bishops from every civilized country... ap d representing one of the greatest religious denominations, were seen

together on one platform. Methodism is as broad as the world Itself. Lt is divided into a number ©t sects, all having Wesleyism in. common. They mot together 4nth Is great council to discuss questions pertaining to the spiritual, educational and temporal progress of the aJWed chueetoes and their host of flfty-millicn* ©f human beings. At the first ecumenital conference, held in London ten years ago, the delegates from the old world .outnuaa* berod those from the new. Now, however, the star of empire Is seen to be moving westward In Methodism, as In most of the other activities ©f civilization. There arc a large number of Methodist sects in this country, hut the Methodist Episcopal Church is the largest organization, as was shown by the 128 delegates it had In this conference. The Methodist Episcopal Ohuroh

South hod 64 delegates; African Methodist Episcopal, 18, African Methodist Cbyrch,oft Zipn, 15; Colored Methodist, 9; United African Methodist Episcopal, 3; African Union Methodist Protestant, 3; -Methodist Protestant, 9; American Wesleyan, 0; Free Methodist, 5; Congregational Methodist, 3; Methodist Church. of Canada, 24, Primitive Methodist, 3; Independent Methodist, 2; United Brethren in Christ, 7; United Brethren in Christ (old Constitution),. 2, and British Methodist Episcopal). 3. The 200 delegates from the eld - world were divided among - the*- Wesleyan Methodist- Church, the Irish Methodist Church, the Methodist New Connexion, the Primitive Methodist Church, the Bible Christian Church, the Union Methodist Frew Church, the Free MethodlstChurdMfta Australian Methodist Church, the Indian Methodist Church, the Wesleyan Reform Union, the South African Methodist Church, and the North Indian Method Ist. Church. It Is a fact of great interest that although historians usually date the beginning of Methodism from* 1738, when John Wesley organised the “United Societies* and entered! regularly upon preaching in the open air, it was not till >79l—the yeac ®f Wesley’s death—that an exact Methodist census was completed—at Least any now considered perfectly accurate. At that timo Methodism had been established in all the British islands, In France, the United States, West Indies, Nova. Scotia and Newfoundland, and included 283 circuits, 540 traveling preachers and 134,599 members in good standings What a marvelous growth In the subsequent 100 years! The Cal vtaiatkj Mothufttets rose fro* a diversity, oft views, between Wesley and Whiteflald, and have their chief' strength In, Wales. The Protestant Methodistnbegan in opposition to,an esclheively episcopal system oft govr ernment. Other branches in. like manner were formed on varioua grounds, aadl their practical union made this an occasion of great, interest. The' Rsv. Dr. Moriey, of the. Committee'o* Met hod ht Statistics, made a report, some of the details.ofrwhifch were as follows: Ministers, 4..481; members, 915,284; adherents, 4,209,606.. Asia, ministers, 533;. members, 34,334; adherents; 114,968.. Africa, ministers, 294; members, T1*147; adherents, 283,376. Australia and Polynesia, ministers, 786; members, 1 93,140; adherents, 488,1831, Totals for Eastern section; Ministers, 6,094; members, L,113,905; adherents,s,o96,128. section; Ministers, 36,601; members, 6,380,494; adherents, 20,281,970. Grand totals; Ministers, 43,69 a; member;399;

BISHOP VINCENT.

BESHOP FOSTER.

METROPOLITAN M.E. CHURCH.