OEPHANS’ FRIEND.
W eeliicsday, February 28, 1877.
CENTENOlAF OF METHODISM
IN NORTH CAROLINA.
We liave bought and deliber
ately read tills book, and It is
now our purpose to review (not
puff) it candidly.
A volume of 427 pages, plainly
printed and illustrated with tol
erable pictures of Bishop JIarvin,
Di's. Doub, Craven and Bobbitt,
Presiding Elders Black, Yates
and Wood, Revs. Hudson, Per
kins, Robey and Ronn, and of
Col. Clark. The different speak
ers read their own proof and so
we naturally find some amusing
tricks of the types. Bishop Mar
vin is made to say that Mr. Wes
ley’s system is ^‘perpetrated'' We
know he wrote perpetuated, but
the error is none the less amus
ing. We find “Wajan” for Tra
jan, and “Pins” for Pius; but
these can be corrected in the next
edition, and we learn that the
present edition is far too small to
su])ply a reasonable demand.
The Introduction by the Edi
tor, Dr. Burkhead, is concise and
comprehensive. He claims in
the United States 3,000,000 of
Methodists and 40,000 preachers.
He sa3’s:
“ Tlie Methodists oat-iumiber the
Tiaiitists ill the United States more
tliaii one million. They ont-nnniher
tlie Preshyterians more than two mil
lions, and they out-niimher the Epis
copalians more than ten to one.
The Methodiste have twenty-five
thoiisa'nd two hundred and seventy-
eight organizations, twenty-one thou
sand three hundred and thirty-seven
edifiees, six million five hundred and
twenty-eight thousand two hundred
and nine sittings, and sixty-nine mil
lion eight hundred and fifty-four thou
sand one hundred and twenty-one dol
lars’ worth of church property. Hence
ill 1870, the Methodists had more than
one-third of all the church organiza
tions, one-third of all the church edi
fices, nearly one-third of all the sit
tings, and nearly one-fifth of all the
church property in the United States.
Methodists are also in advance of any
other donominiatioii in the United
States in Sunday scliools, missioiLS,
institutions of learning, the publication
and distribution of religious books,
tracts and newspapers, and in contri
butions of men and money for tiie de
viation and salvation of mankind.”
The Centennial Meeting was
lield at Metropolitan Hall in Ral-
eigli. Col. Walter Clark deliv
ered the Welcome. So modest,
so sensible, so graceful, we could
not suppress a sigh of sorrow
when we came to its close, nor
an inquiry if any other speaker
would perform his part so hand-'
somol}'. A mighty host, swelling
with the highest expectations, felt
tliat an auspicious beginning had
already been made.
The next address was delivered
by Rev. W. M. Robey. Let him
speak for himself. Here is his
introduction;
“ The very first thing that I remem
ber was a Methodist preacher. I al.so
remember that I did not like him. The
third fact in the order of memory, as I
now have it, is, that I heard that that
preacher was dead, ajid I was glad of
it.
Why I did not like him, I do not
distinctly remember; but why I was
. glad to hear of his death was, that 1
did not like him. I remember nothing
of his personal appearance, except tliat
he hail black liair and keen black eyes.
My mother says that lie was a very
holy man.
A year or two later there came along
another iireacher that I did not like—
a tall, lank-looking man with freckled
face, blue eyes, and red hair. The
ground of my dislike in this case 1 re
member distinctly. On one occasion
he imsisted that I should be flogged
for a jiiece of wilfulness which I liad
the temerity to exhibit in his presence.
I did not get the flogging, but it was
not his fault. I learned, however, to
be mS'e discreet, especially in the
presence of preachers, and always af
terward they thought I was a very
liroper boy.
1 believe these are the only Metho
dist preachers that 1 ever saw that I
did not like.”
And here is one of his touching
pictures ;
“ Once he was young. Tlien it was,
in the very spring-time of life—the
time of buds and flowers—that he
laid all on the altar. His young,
manly strength in its vigor and prime;
his fine, promising talents which au
gured nothing but greatness and dis
tinction : all the vast possibilities of
mind and soul he brought, without re
serve, in life’s bright morning, and laid
at the foot of the Cross.
How he is old. They say he has lost
the vigor of his youth. Ah, yes. Hut
he once had it. There was a day when
he was a giant. There was a day
when the strong-holds of sin trembled
under his strokes. Then he was young,
and strong, and mighty. Then he
brought all those great capacities and
gave them to God. Hut now he is old.
The old man has reached the climax
of his sorrows at last. This is the last
and bitterest drop of the cup. It was
once a great trial to take up the Cross.
It is now a greater to lay it down. He
has climbed the rugged mountains,
traversed the desert, encountered the
storms, shivered in the cold, faced ev
ery danger, eudiu'ed evmry trial, car
ried every sorrow; but no rugged
mountain, nor dreary desert, nor (hiv
ing storm, nor shivering blast, nor
threatening danger, nor privation, nor
grief, ever brought sadness so heavy,
or sorrow so deep, or shadow so dark
as this one word, “ laid aside.”
But what think ye ? Hoes he now,
old and neglected, “ laid aside,” as
thej' say, worn out with hard, faithful
service, and iioor; does he now charge
himself with folly? Hoes he regret
that he preached the gospel ? Hoes
he repudiate that Gross he has borne
so many weary years, and which, like
his Master, he must now lay upon an
other? Hot he. He would traverse
the same weary road again, and boar
the same Cross. Hut age aud exhaus
tion have come too soon. Heverthe-
less, his natural zeal is not abated—
his faith is not shaken—his love is not
chilled. He only yields to the stem
mandate of a sovereign I’rovidence,
“ Go get thee up and die.” He gives
place, because he must, to some .Toshua
who shall lead on the conquering host
to final conquest.”
Next comes Prof. W. C. Doub.
His address is scholarlt', histori
cal, and biographical. He calls
the old preachers by name, and
points out their peculiar powers
and virtues. Just such a paper
as ought to be carefully preserved.
Prof. Manguni comes with a
sketch of Methodism in Raleigh.
He tells of all the presiding El
ders, Pastois, and private mem
bers. History is sometimes dry,
biography is sometimes dull,
eulogy is sometimes flat. Not
so with this. The speaker is
lively, interesting, and eloquent
from the beginning to the end.
We were a little annoyed at first,
because Bishops Doggett and
McTyeire would not allow their
speeches to be included in the vol
ume. They wanted to repeat them
in other places. We said Bishops
ought to have enough fertility to
bring something new and fresh
to everji occasion. But when we
read Prof. Mangum’s address, ^e
didn’t care what the Bishops did
with their speeches. Rev. fifT.
Hudson, an estimable man and
very able minister, next follow's
with an address on the influence
of city churches. We read tlie
address with interest, because we
admire the man ; but we do not
concur in some of the view’s pre
sented, though we are anxious to
see a Metropolitan Methodist
Church erected in Raleigh. The
city certainly needs it.
Dr. Jones gives a modest and
lucid history of Greensboro Fe
male College. He is forceful, but
too brief. Tiie people need his
views in full on the dut)' and
utility of female education. We
are sorry the subject assigned
him seemed to limit the range of
discussion.
Dr. Craven’s address con
tains many instructive statements
concerning Trinity College. Here
are some valuable extracts:
“ In January, IS.il, the institution
was recliartered by tlie Legislature,
and was named Hornial College.
By the ehartei' the certificate of the
college was made lawful evidence of
(lualifleation to teach, and no further
e.xaniinaiion was required.
Young men, with a mere elementary
education, with little mental develop
ment or (lisciiiline, and often without
tho.se social influonces that are the
best foundation for elegant culture,
■went forth bearing a Horinal certifi
cate, and authorized to teach any com
mon school in the State.
The e.xclii.sive Horinal feature wa.s
unfortunate, and it required years of
toil and patience to overcome the evil.
The same misfortune still apiilies to
the proiiaratory department in Trinity
and other colleges. Many students
never engage in any but primary stu
dies ; before those are completed, they
either so fail as to justify their discon
tinuance, or are forced by other cir-
ciun.stauces to leave the institution.
?
yet they are sometimes referred to as
samples of Trinity and best culture.
Since 1851, not one-tenth of those
matriculated have graduated, yet all
are called Trinity students, the failures
equally with the successes. The only
fair estimate is to compare Trinity
students grade for grade with others,
and on this basis Trinity will have
high position.
In 1850, the trustees again made
liropositions to the Conference, which
were accepted. By tins arrangeineut,
the property was transferred to the
Ooiifercnce,;ind tlic Conference, through
trustees of its own election, has full
control. The transfer was not fully
effected until 1858, and in 185;), by an
act of the Legislature, the college avus
fully and linally vested in the Confer
ence Avith all the rights and priAileges
usual in such cases. By the same leg-
islatiA'O act, the name Avas changed tb
Trinity.
The AA'hole number of graduates is
one hundred and ninety-eight j of these
scA'eiity-eight haA’e received A. M. •,
thirty-four are lawyers; physicians,
thirteen j preachers, tAventy-eight 5
teachers and professors in colleges,
tAA'cnty-flA'c. Of the AA'hole number
tAA'enty-three have died, thirteen of
Avliom AA'ere killed in the Avar. Fifteen
of the graduates are members of the
ISTorth Carolina Conference, and thirty-
six, being oA'er one-fiftli of the AA'hole
Conference, Avere educated in AAdiole or
in part at Trinity.
Rev. W. M. Robey follows witl)
a history of Davenport Female
College, which has since been
burned. The papers say it “is
to be rebuilt;” but up to this
time, the prospect of raising suf
ficient funds is very gloomy. It
Avould be wiser to concentrate on
Greensboro Female College and
pay all claims against it.
P. S.—A private letter from
President Robeys received since
the??foregoing was put in type,
sa^ : “ We are determined to re
build and Avork has already be
gun.”
Well, we hope tlie people Avili
help those who are struggling to
help themselves.
(CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.)
SCALE TISEM DOWIV.
A moA'einent is on foot in Xcav York
City for the readjustment of Southern
State debts. And it is a question AA'hich
concerns alike those ayIio oavc and those
Avho are OAA'cd. A compromise must be
effected and the sooner the better. To
attempt a payment in full is impossible
and each month the interest increases
Avlth less ability to pay. Heretofore
there, has been a deadlock between
creditor aud debtor and the alleet has
been to destroy nil vitality, all hoiie of
iiui)rov(Hiiout. Edeet a cojiqu’a.iiise
and an impetus Avill be gi\'en to busi
ness. The aAvfuI jiressure once re
moved the South AA'ill rally and again
be a prosperous section.
A fatal February to old people.
Many aged oftieers of the U. S. Favy
liaA'e died. In our State Hoii. Cah'iu
CraA'es, highly esteemed as aniquiglit
politician and a good and gifted man.
In Oxford Mr. Jonathan Osborn, an
exemplary man, and father of three
generations of useful citizens.
A STOKV OF liEAKS.
(From the FreRcli.)
I remember fhat, seven or
eiglit -^-ears ago, I had gone to
Claj’e distant a few leagues from
Paris, and was returning on foot.
I had set out rather late in the
morning, and about noon the fine
trees of the forest of Boudy en
ticing me to tlie riglit wliere tlie
road makes a sudden bend, I sat
down, mv back against an oak,
on a grass}' slojie, my feet dang
ling in a ditch, and began writing
in my green book.
As I was finishing my fourth
line, I casually looked ujj, and
saw on the opposite side of the
ditch, on the road side before me,
a few steps distant, a bear that
was steadily gazing at me. In
the broad day light, one is not
subject to nightmare ; ttiere is no
probability of being deceived as
to the form of an object, its ap
peari’.nce, wlietlier a shapeless
rock or the distorted trunk of a
tree. At noon, by a Mav-day
sunlight, one is not given to
hallucination. It was really a
bear, a living, a veritable bear,
and withal truh' hideous. He
was gravely seated on his rump,
exhibiting to my iuspeotiou his
dusty hinder paws, every claw of
which I plainly saw, his fore
|)aws quieth’ folded on his breast.
His mouth -was agape; one of
his ears torn and bloody, was^
hanging at half-mast; his under
lip half torn off revealed his teeth
the gums torn awa\’ ; one of his
ej'es was put out, while with the
other he was surveying me with
a serious air.
There was not a stick to be
seen, and the little I could see of
the road from where I was, not a
soul in sight.
I was not free from uneasiness.
A person can, at times, extricate
himself from a difliculty -witli a
dog, by calling him Solomon or
Azor; but what could I say to a
bear? AVhence came this bear?
AVhat meant this bear in the for
est of Bond} on the highway
from Paris to Claye ? AVilh what
rhymed this new species of
stroller ? It was very strange,
very ridiculous, very sill}-, and
besiiles ajl, not very agreeable. I
confess I was sorely perplexed.
All this time I moved not a mus
cle, and I ought to add that the
bear on his part did not budge
either; he even seemed to me, to
a certain extent, well disposed.
He looked at me as tenderly as
a bear, blind of an eye, is ca
pable ot looking. All at once he
opened Ids mouth; but he did so
as a person opens his mouth ; it
was not a wide-open gape, it was
a yawn ; it was not savage, it was
almost litei-ary. This hear had
a singularly honest look, devout
complacent, sleepy; and I have
since noticed this same expres
sion in the old frequenters of
theatres while listening to traire.
dies. To sum up all, his counte
nance was so good, that I resolved
on my part, to put on a good face
I recognized the bear as my
spectator, and continued what I
had begun. '
AVhilst I was writing, a great ■
flv lit on tlie bloody ear of my
spectator. He gently raised hb
right i)aw, passing it over his ear
with the movement of a cat, and
the insect flew away. He fol-
lowed it with his eye, till it had
disappeared, then seized his two
hind paws with his fore ones, and
as if satirfiod with this classic
pose, he set himself again to give
me attention. I declare that 1
followed his every movement
with interest.
I was becoming accustomed to
this interview, when a diversion
occurred. A sound of rapid steps
on the road was heard, and '
suddenly I saw, coming around
the turn in the road, another bear,
a huge black bear ; the first was
tawny. This bear came up at a
quick trot, and seeing the tawny
bear, came and rolled on the
ground in a friendly manner
before him. The tawny bear did
not coudespend to notice the
black bear, aud the latter paid no
attention to me.
I own that, at this new arriva',
which doubled my perplexities,
my hand trembled. Two bears!
This was too much ! AVhat did
it mean I What chance would
come of it! If I judged by the
direction from which the black
bear came out, both came from
Paris, a locality in which there
are generally lew beasts, espec
ially wild ones.
I remained as one petrified.
The tawnv bear had, at la^,
joined in the gambols of the otlim,
and from wallowing in the du.sf,
both were tui'iied to grev. lii tl o
meanwhile 1 had succeeded in
rising, aud was debating tie
question whether I should pirk
up III}'cane which had rolled ti
my feet in the ditch, wiu-n a
t'lird bear ari'ived, a reddish,
little, deformed bear, more lacer
ated and bloody than the first;
then a fourth, n fifth, and a sixth,
the last two trotting up side by
side. These last four crossed the
road as stage-dancers traverse the
boards of a theatre, seeing noth
ing, paying no attention to any
thing, almost in a I'ace, and as if
they were pursued. The sitiuitioii
became too wonderful for me to
imagine any explanation. I heard
barkings and sbouts; ten or
twelve bull dogs and seven or
eight men armed with ii’on-pointj
ed sticks aud muzzles in hand,
made their appearance on the
road closely pursuing the fugitive
bears. One of the men halted,
and while the otliei’s were collec
ting the muzzled beasts, he gave
me the explanation of the singu
lar puzzle.
The circus-master of the ring
took advantage of the Easter
holidays to send his beai'S and
dogs for an exhibition at Meaux.
The entire menagerie traveled on
foot. At the last halt, the beasts
had been unmuzzled, that they
might feed: and while the keepers
were regaling themselres at a
neighboring inn, the bears availed
themselves of this moment of
liberty, to make, at their ease,
happy and alone, the rest of their
journey.
These were bears on furlough.
UscLi; Al.
pmm