Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1838-10-03
MIS- LIAM ECU S.
From the Emancipator.
ECCLESIASTICAL TYRANNY.--MINIS.
TERJAL SUBSERVIENCY.

The writer of the subjoined letter was
last year stationed in the Methodist Church
in John Street, in this city. He was es-
teemed a warm hearted, Jealous Christian
by those who knew him well, and as
preacher in the denomination with which
he was connected, he was efficient and
useful. He did not regard as dead let
ter the question that is 10 be found in the
Methodist Book of Discipline in relation
to the 'extirpatioL' of the scrying evil of
slavery. He went to work as an honest
laborer in the cause Of the oppressed. He
prayed-he preached for their enlarge
ment and endeavored, on all proper occa-
sions, to lead his people to sympathise with
the poor heather of our own land and of
our own making. That all his influence
might be given TO this cause, he associated
with the friends of the slave, by signing
the Constitution of the American Anti
Slavery Society.
He was SO faithful, and at the same time
so discreet. that the Executive Comm tee
offered him the commission of Local
Agent. This he declined accepting, on
the ground that he could better advance
the cause without such agency than with
it.
1t was in this state of things, and for
the offence of pleading for the ensaved in
this manner, and meeting in Convention
with his ministerial brethren and others Of
the same church who sympathised with
the poor as he did, that Mr.. True was ar
raigned before the New York Conference,
at It's late session, on the charge OF insub-
ordination, contumacv, &c. in not con-
forming to an Ecclesiastical mandate put
forth by the said Conference year or two
before, admonishing him aoAOuy TO refrain
from the agitating subject. He was con-
vlcted, OF course,-for no set of men, es-
peclally those who profess to follow Yves
/ ley, would have had the boldness 10 ar.
ralgn one on such charge, if they were
not sure beforehand of convicting him
He was deposed from the ministry, (and
this IN a METHODIST church y for his
activity in the cause of the most oppressed
people under the sun, and EIGHTY THoUs
AND or more Of these same people his owr
brethren and sisters. by membership IN til,
cery church IN achich he as minister.
Did Mr.. True acquiesce in his deposi
tlon from ministry from whose sacred
mlnlstrations the cause of humanity wa:
| to be excuded2 No: he suffered himsej
again TO be invested with office-bindino
himself to complete subservience to ar
lmperlous Ukase, enacted to secure the in
tegrity of The church, at the expense o
the poorest and most forlorn of the race
among US; and this too almost immediate
iy after saying 10 friend whom he me
on the way as he was going to the Con
terence to hear the decision that he look.
ed on himself as the representative of ali
the ministers in the Methodist Church who
were pleading for the dumb; that he coulc
not yield; and that he hoped he should b,
enabled to stand firmly against the storm
that was beating on him. Unhappy step
unfortunate man! How will he griey,
over this mighty-error of his life!
We publish his letter, not only for tn,
purpose OF accommodating him, in Iettin.