Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-10-09

real antisavery principles; that their continuance with
us would be but an annoyance to us and themselves,
and that therefore thorough secession would be desr
able, and should be encouraged though if any choose
not to CO. they should be protected by the church, but
at the time distinctly understand that its consti
tutional action on slavery must 90 on This class in
cludes many of our earliest and most decided aboli
tonists.
According to our best Judgment, we venture to say
that these two classes comprehend generally the Meth
odists of New England. The former, we think, in
cudes the mass; the latter comprises however, some
of our best and strongest men, but the difference be-
tween them is not considered of sufficient importance
to be worthy of controversy. We may not have given
perfect description either but it is sufficiently cor
rect for the purposes of this article
We repeat, that generally the Methodists of New
England are in these classes, and that their positions
are so practically similar that though they stand in
ranks they are in the same column. Their movements
on the question would be uniform. And yet we are
sure that the whole Methodist community out of New
England has been taught a different opinion by por-
tons of the press The idea has been necessarily held
forth that third class existed among us, and that it
comprehended the mass of the peopea class to which
the above mentioned were but small and still dwindmg
exceptions one which, though it could not admit of the
practcaby of retreat from the position of the last
General Conference, yet wished to conciliae all who
were willing to be concilated in the SOUTH without ref
erence to their views slavery, by abandonment of
all further anti slavery efforts, for the sake merely of
peace and unty;-that is, in substance, that are
willing to return to precisely the position of the church
prior to the anti slavery contest keeping the Episcopa
cy clear of slavery, as it then was and keeping the
rules on slavery, though dead letter, as they then
We're; this the one hand, and the other, all anti
slavery action will cease, it not only in some
points but in all points ultra affair, and has "bown
over" We have entirely Inexperienced the state
ments of some of official papers, if this is not the
substance Of their late representations and do be-
ieye the interests Of both sections of the church
quire an undisguised reference to them.
We deliberately, and, so far as we can Judge, in the
name Of New England generally, if not universally,
pronounce these representations erroneous There is no
such class among individuals of such views there
doubtless are and most worthy ones, but they not
numerous enough to be called class, and their force
is too small to be apprecable in the controversy In
any public movement of the church on the question,
they would be lost sight of amid the multitude. Let
not be misunderstood. We do not deny that there
is class among who have not been identified with
the abolition agitation or who have condemned its ul-
taisms; but they have condemned only its utaisms;
they have still believed in the great movement of the
age against slavery they have believed that the church
should share in this movement yea prudently lead in
it, and we know not one such who would be willing
that the dead letter of the Discipline the Indifferent
position of the church twelve or fifteen years ago,
should be all the agency of our large and responsible
body in this glorious movement. There may be many,
but we know not who would be willing to concil-
late any portion of the south on such degenerate terms.
Let us explain farther. We THAT is the class first
mentoned have often expressed well the papers
referred to, the hope that churches would abide with
us all over the SOUTH and territorial unity be thus
maintained; but we have always done so on the ex-
pressed assumption that they should consist not OF those
chO Desired merely the unity Of the church, but first Of
those OhO opposed to 8!dUGb and especially to
pro Slavay church, and second, those ,chO acre a0ing
to abide by The constitutional course of maortieS IN The
General Conference The subject, and thus let the Scnfi-
mentS Of the age hare their far But the papers
referred to propose no such conditions Their object
seems to be to break up the southern movement to de-
tach portions from wherever it is possible, by the as
surance that abotonism is dead, and they shall nc
more have trouble respecting slavery This is the
difference between us, and it is as great as the differ
enCe between life and death-between aboltonisn
and the old ndifferentism under which slavery grew
and coiled itself around church and state until it has
nearly crushed both in its anaconda embrace.
Brethren of the South New England wishes church
es among you to remain with the general body but on
ly on the two conditions above mentioned. She has
no ecclesiastical strategy by which she would nveglc
you She has been summoned, in the providence O
God as she believes, to terrible duty towards yol
In the discharge of it she has fallen into many errors
and painful suferings-the invariabe attendants O
every great movement. She is amending her faults
but her principles remain as firm as her hills Though
you cannot abide them yet she cannot abandon. them
If you cannot concede to them so far as the above two
conditions require, she firmly believes it best oD YOU
to be united among yourselves, In this hour of disas
ter when the oldest ties Oour brotherhood are break
ing, she wishes you to bear away with you the convc
ton OF her conscientious honesty whatever YOU ma,
think of her errors. She reserves nothing, whatoye
reservations others may make in her name. She ha.
no sympathy with efforts to produce. dsafeGlon anon!
yourselves merely to crafty resenHens or defeat you
organization, and scatter you to the Winds If Their
are any among you who will remain with us for TIT
sake of the slave as well as the unity of the church, sh
will bless God and shake hands with them across al
the scathed plantations between us. But if not Their
are no terms of treaty. Your connection with us vii
only continue our agations, while it will embarras
the local organization of your brethren. We believe
if New England could speak with one voice. she woul
tell you frankly that these are her sentiments. =
! Conclusion nert ,ceek.