The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1845-05-29
METHODIST CONVENTION.

will constitute the MetnOulSt EplScopal
Church North, and the Slave States the
Church South. The decree has gone forth,
and is unalterable. May the consequences
of this act result in no evil to the country,
bat we fear the bonds which hold US togetEl-
err as a nation can be in no way strengthen
ed by this movement. From the Cincinnati
Gazette, we copy the following well written
article which will recommend itself to our
readers. Ii is true, and "pity Ills, It's true:
"Men disposed to avoid fanalicism on Ell
ther side--;o stand on common sense ground
independent and decided, may regret the
geographical cause of separation, and fear
the consequences 10 the country. But il
will avail nothing. Regrets are useless and
all fears idle. The difficulty is upon US, and
we have TO meet ito meet it, as regards
the union, as if it could and must be over
come.
We are not over apt to look backward for
instruction, or forward with wisdom, either
in our private or public capacity. Were we,
these church divisions, might have been a
voided. They are unquestionably, the re-
suit mainly Of political action. And for the
first time in our history the churches, North
and South have been made, in part, whether
willing ornot, the instrument OF political par
ties-and the use of their PotOer on one side
or the other, has centered as calculatingly
into the schemes Of politicians as any other
common means.
- III T.. 1904 a. -.
peace within. No discord broke It's harmo.
ny. No internal, geographical cause threat
ened it with division. Slavery was talked of
ali over the South and North calmly; it was
discussed fearlessly and fully in the border
States; and in 1882 both Virginia and Ken
lucky prepared to take steps for lis gradual
emancipation. Ultra Southern men, want
ing topics of excitement, and alarmed at the
home movement on the subject, determined
TO agitate it. For this end, they took advan-
tage of the ultra movements OF a small band
of as ultra fanatics at the North as ever lived.
The principle ofcountemining was adopted.
If this handful of Northern men were in ex-
tremes, leading Southern men became more
so, on the Other side. Notification in States
violent State laws-gag laws in Congress
-an insulting tone there anda spirits al once
rude and harsh and tyrannical towards the la
Dor, character and policy Of the Free States
these were the means used. They had
their desired immediate effect. The public
mind at the North was agitated and excited
at the South alarmed and inflamed; and both
sides grew stronger and stronger, until al
lie myth they were measurably set in array a
gainst each other. There was only this dit
ference. In the Slave States, from cause:
apparent TO all, there was unity of action anC
feeling. In the Free States, from the alb
sence of these causes, there has been NJ
such unity of action or feeling.
Now if the Churches had possessed tina
moral courage-that christian wisdOm-whicl
would have enabled them TO stem public op
inion, and TO do what was right, in the prem
Uses, independent of it, we should have hat
no divisions-no separations. They posses
sed neither. They have fallen, therefore,
prey to this outward pressure; to the effec
of This political action concocled and gottel
up TO sustain parties, to put ambitious mel
into station, TO CRAFTY a selfish lust of power
Does a Northern man in Conference or Sy
nod refer 10 slavery? He looks at the stat
of the public mind within his district, AM
seeks to meet its demands. Is a Southern
minister called upon 10 act in Convention O
Assembly on the subject? He simply re
; CARDS the home decree of bis W peopl
and resolves 10 ratify it. And uho create,
this public mind-who wrote out this HON
decree? Not the Churches--not the chris
y tian spirit Of the Churcbes-for never hav
2 any set Of men labored harder, in the first IN
$ stance, 10 avoid any such position, to stay
i off the slavery issue on both sides, 10 kee
their Societies free from its bitter and peri
Il GUS excitement. They were driven into i
They acted because they knew not how /
meet and overcome the apparently strong
undivided, fierce decision of the primary a:
7 semblies of the people. The w the.
: master possessed TO say No! when the might
voice of the multitude, like oceans roar. d,
handed another response, was not give
Ie them, and they fell.
The great question, then, is--for the ev
> of these difficulties is upon us, and cam
be done away with -hop shall we avoid al
le bad consequences likely to result from the.
n Church divisions, TO the country? That t
~ may temporarily weaken the ties which biz
together the Union, all of us dread. TIL,
u will add strength to The Southern movemer
OF they will increase, for a time, at least, Il
th pro-slavery power. This fact, of course, W
he in itself give new vigor and concentration
Northern action, and the contest will orr
'a' sharper ard sharper, until the force of be
og IS spent, or the country settled down up
by some safe line of policy. Now can any d.
mdnent n injury be prevented? We hone
can. we believe it will. And we rest O
hope and b~elief--frst, on the reu knoi
m fact, that the voters of the Free States, wi,