Rev. Francis Burns, Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Africa [pp. 129-132]

REV. FRANCIS BURNS.
1833, at Poughkeepsie, we took him down to have has the Board been favored with more lucid, cornan interview with Bishop Hedding, that the prehensive, and business-like reports from any
Bishop might, by personal interview and conver- superintendent who presided over the mission.
sation, the better know the young man, and the Thus by slow degrees, through a long and devoted
propriety of having him go to Liberia when an constancy for nearly a quarter of a century, did
opening should occur." Mr. Burns continue to rise till he had acquired
When, in 1834, the Rev. John Seys arrived the respect and confidence of not only the Misfrom the West Indies, preparatory to his depart- sion Board, but of the whole Church.
nre for the Liberia mission, it was soon arranged At the General conference of 1856 provision
that Burns should accompany him as a mission- was made for the election and ordination of a
ary teacher to that work. This at once opened missionary bishop for the African work. In Janup to his mind as "the field" for which he had uary, 1858, the Liberia annual conference, which
been so long looking and praying, They sailed had been empowered to make the election, made
in September of that year; and now commences choice of Mr. Burns as their first bishop. Subhis real missionary life. That was a dark day sequent to his election Mr. Burns returned again
in the history of the Liberia mission. Death's to this country for ordination. His ordination
doings had appalled every heart and begotten in took place at the last session of the Genesee conmany the most serious disquietude about its ference-the services being conducted by Bishops
ultimate success. All these perils were braved Janes and Baker. The editor of the Buffalo
in calm reliance upon the God of missions- Christian Advocate, who witnessed the ceremony,
that God who had in his own word pointed so un- says: "We have seldom witnessed an occasion
mistakably to Africa's redemption. of more interest, or one which more deeply im For two years Mr. Burns suffered much from pressed the very large auditory of ministers and
that dreaded fever which has laid so many emi- people. It was deemed by all an important
grants in the dust. But never once did he falter event, the first of the character which had ever
in his purpose. He soon became connected with transpired in this country. The reverend genthe itinerant work as a missionary, and his name tleman who was ordained, had preached and
appears upon the earliest record of the Liberia spoken on several occasions. Though of ebony
Mission conference. In due course he was complexion, he had gained wonderfully on the
elected to deacon's and elder's office; and ten affections and respect of all who had made his
years from the time of his first sailing for Liberia acquaintance, and especially of those privileged
he returned to New York and was ordained dea- with an intimate association with him. His mancon and elder by Bishop Janes. ner is exceedingly pleasant, and his spirit as
Mr. Burns occupied some of the hardest and sweet, and kind, and good, as ever beamed from
most perilous fields in the missionary work. He human heart or disposition. He seems to be
repeatedly occupied the post of teacher in the lacking in none of the qualifications of the genMonrovia Seminary, and also edited, with marked tleman and Christian minister. He possesses,
ability, "Africa's Luminary"-a paper sustained also, an intelligent and cultivated mind, speaks
mainly by the mission. When, in 1849, the work readily and fluently, and even eloquently, and is,
was divided into districts for its better supervi- in all respects, a model African. He was born
sion and adjustment, Mr. Burns was appointed to and educated in this state, and has been a misthe Cape Palmas district, and also to the Cape sionary near a quarter of a century. Such is
Palmas station-thus being subjected to double the man whom the Liberia conference has selabor and responsibility. Thenceforward he was lected for a bishop, and such a one the highest aucontinued in the office of presiding elder from thorities of one American Church have set apart
year to year-connecting also, for the most, the for the sacred and responsible position. The fact
additional labor of the pastoral relation. The of such an event occurring in this country, and
Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church have in one of its leading and great denominations, is
thought proper to appoint him president of his of more commanding and instructive character
conference six years of the ten since his appoint- than will at first be fully admitted. The African
ment as presiding elder. This has drawn after it, mind, being, soul, and responsibility, is thereby
in his case, a degree of anxiety annually, in first admitted. The negro is a man, minister, and
providing for, and subsequently looking after the bishop. One of the oppressed of earth, an outstate and wants of the mission generally, that cast in the light of the law of civilized and enjustly pertains to the superintendency of the lightened America, has been ordained a ruler in
whole work alone. While superintendent of the Israel, exalted to the highest office and dignity
mission, its interests were well and ably repre-i in the Church, and called to exercise authority
sented before the Board in New York. Rarely and delegate power to others, which has hitherto
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