Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1843-01-11
For the Vermont Telegraph.
A WITHDRAWAL FROM THE NJ. f.



and as have been nearly three years in
making up my mind on this point. think
that have not been reckless in coming 10
This conclusion. wish TO state my reasons
Cor so doing, that the members Of this church !
mays know where stand in relation to this
matter. My first reasons are the following:
| charge this church with unfolding and
defending her members in the abominable
business Of holding their fellow men and
women in hopeless bondage. That part of
the discipline which relates 10 slavery, is !
known 10 be dead letter at the South, and I
also at the North. She has requested The |
Trustees of the Methodist Chapels to close
her pulpits against anti-slavery lectures
Some Of her preachers have labored TO prove
that the present relation Of master and slavei
is right. She has refused to hear the petit
lions Of hundreds of her members against
slavery, in some Of her Annual Conferences;
and has refused to publish in her official
papers two or three addresses from the Brit
ish Wesleyan Conference, for the simple
reason that they alluded to slavery In the
! Nj. E. Church 10 this country. She has con-
demned some of her ministers for attending
an anti-slavery meeting The Georgia Con
ference, if lam not mistaken, has passed a
resolution that slavery as it exists in the
| United States, is not moral evil; while
other Conferences have been denied the
! privilege Of giving their views, or expressing
the opposite sentiment in the same way, In
! consequence Of the aristocracy of the Bish-
( op in refusing to put vote 10 that effect
| One of the Bishops Of this church has la
bored 10 prove that slavery is in accordance
with the Golden Rule; and This has been
same time refused 10 publish anything that
went to show the siniuIness Of slavery. She
has prohibited her ministers from patroniz-
| ing anti-slaVery papers. Look at the reso-
luton of the last General Conference that
refuses TO accept Of the testimony of co!ored
1 persons, in an ecclesiastical trial ia those
| States where the so called civil law did not
admit them as evidence. They have taken
tlhe law of those States to be paramount 10
the law Of God. Instead of going to God
for guidance, they have gone 10 the wicked
one. s. .-. ..#*=. .......*.
/ Who will deny that this churchis one Of
the main supporters of slavery in this coun.
try? Can it be expected that this church
will ever reform, so long as slavery exists
in these United States2 And can WGcon-
tinue in fellowship with Church, with
thousands Of members who are, according TO
MIR. w esley, exactly on level with men
stealers2 Surely, aorSe-stea!ers are not as
bad as-man-stealers, and no person would
be willing 10 continue in Christian fellow
ship with horse-thieves. Can we CO. operate
with man-siealers in reforming the world
feel that II is my duty to come out from
her, aud have no fellowship with the IN
fruitful works OF darkness. We talk Of the
denominations Of Popery; but show me a
worse crime sanctioned by. the Pope of
Rome t1an has been sanctioned by the law
making body of the M. E. Church, Ct alude
to the resolution passed by the Georgia
Conference, thar Imenlioned above.) The
last general Conference refused to take ex
cepuons 10 that resolution, thereby endors
ing their doctrine, for it is the duty of The
general Conference to fake exceptions to
, wrong acts Of the annual Conference The
, Pope OF Rome has prohibited his subjects
from holding property 10 man, but modern
Melhodsm labors to prove the rightfulness
of the abominable system. " .:.:..s-
RI Secondly-my reasons are, am opposed
: TO the government Of the Methodist EMS
copal Church. The Episcopal form OF
government | believe to be CONTRARY to
: the doctrine of Christ and his apostles. The
: Bishops exercise their authority over the
! consclences of both preachers and Iaymen-
! or have the power so to do. And the preach
J. ers nave the right to the same authority over
D the laymen. The Bishops have the power
: 10 transfer preachers 10 any part of the u.
States, TO Africa, or TO Texas-and that too
against their will. Thus, for insrance-for
the crime of being an abolitionist, preach
. er may be semitic one of the slave States
where he is sure to lose his head if his
u principles were known; and if ne should
:. refuse 10 so he would lose his standing in
: the church. These Bishops are elected fol
e life. If they lose their judgmen. In conse
e quence Of old age, they are Bishops still
h and have the same power that they ever had
4 The preachers have the power 10 exclud,
), almost any member they may wish 10 ge
rid OF. True, they have right 10 tria
: before the church, or select number 0