CHAPTER XXIX METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH Old-Time Revival in New Possessions-A Church ISHOP THOBURN of India, in his report to the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1900, made the following reference to his visit to Manila, and his ordaining the first Protestant Filipino preacher. He said: "Our most noted advance during the quadrennium just closed has been in the new American possessions in the Far East. By the action of the last General Conference these rich and beautiful islands had been included in the Malaysia Conference, and accordingly, as soon as they had been formally ceded to the United States, Bishop Andrews and Dr. Leonard, acting in behalf of the Missionary Society, cabled me a request to proceed to Manila and carefully examine the situation. For more than a dozen years God had been turning my thoughts in that direction, and it was with a thankful heart that I set out upon that voyage. My stay in Manila was brief; but I secured a theatre and began preaching, and before leaving made arrangements for permanent religious services. I also THE FIRST FILIPINO PREACHER 299 took steps to open a place both of religious meetings and for public resort for our soldiers. “During the year this provisional arrangement, although attended with many difficulties, received God's blessing, and when I returned two months ago, I found not only a good work among the soldiers, but over eighty Filipino probationers in our Church, with four or five well-attended preaching places among the natives of the city and suburbs. Owing to ill-health, I had brought Dr. F. W. Warne with me from Calcutta, not only to do the preaching, but to take my place in everything except my purely official duties. God blessed this good brother's labors, a revival began, and, although a delegate to the General Conference, he cheerfully remained behind to carry on the work for a few weeks, while I proceeded on my way. A recent letter from Brother Warne states that we now have an American Church in Manila with fifty members, a Filipino Church with two hundred members, and weekly services attended by about six hundred Filipino adherents. Four ladies represent the Women's Foreign Missionary Society, and active work has been commenced among the Filipino women. We have also a small but hopeful band of Chinese Christians, and in the early future hope to have a vigorous Chinese work among the large Chinese populations of Manila. A few hours before leaving Manila I had the pleasure of ordaining the first Protestant Filipino preacher ever admitted to the Christian ministry. In order to provide for this extraordinary emergency I cabled to Bishop Vincent, through Dr. Leonard, to have the brother admitted on trial by the South Kansas Conference, elected to deacon's orders under the Missionary Rule, and transferred to the Malaysia Mission Conference. A prompt response enabled me to place an intelligent pastor over the Filipino converts, and thereby greatly strengthen the brave company of those who had come out from the house of priestly bondage. In that hour of need I felt devoutly thankful that I served a Church which had a flexible economy." The work of the Methodist Church has been carried on so far entirely on the Island of Luzon. Bishop Thoburn went there early in the days of American occupation and placed the work under the care of a presiding elder whose district was a part of the Malaysia Annual Conference, of which Singapore and Penang are the chief cities. The force of the denomination in 1903 consisted of ten ordained Americans, eight of whom were married, and two ordained natives, the more prominent of whom, Nicholas Zamora, was one of the earliest converts to Protestantism. The presiding elder of the District, who is also the pastor of the American Methodist Church in Manila, the Rev. Homer C. Stuntz, D.D., is the president of the executive committee of the Evangelical Union, and is therefore closely in touch with the work of other denominations throughout the islands. By an understanding when the religious work was begun in Manila, the Methodists, in addition to their work in Manila, have entire charge of the island north of Manila, except the three Ilocano provinces, and centers have been established at Malahon, a suburb of Manila, and at Malolos, Baliuag, San Fernando and Dagupan, along the line of railroad, with sub-stations extending east and west from the railway line. These central stations are fixed according to the |