Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1845-05-05
7gIE CHURCH.2 AND sL.4ysRf.
SubsrAror or
REV, DIR WM A. SMITHS REMARKS

Befirt ie recent Session # he Jireiaia Conference l.
IpaeLbve. on Tie motion 10 re',f he sbjtet II n,
dirisina Qtfhs Church. ,eih collateral matters, 10 d
Committee cfeiae 10 consider aud repoi thereon.
bishop Soule Sir avail myself ut this occasion
10 express my views ofthe proceedings OF the late Gen,
eral Conference, In the Of Dish ~ Andrew aud the
Rev +. A. Harding. aad Tie subject Of separs
ton from the jurisdiction u the Gtu,ral Conference
The Methodist Episcopal Church, growing cut Of these
proceedings 10 tits St. with the mafe eheefinness
because many Of the brethren around me- have been
pleased 10 senifY their ish that should do 1t nor
will disguise, that's Of duty 10 myself arising out
81 The ahofed rufis q! The seuor edur al tho Christian
Advocate and journal Ia nisenreseut me 10 hs renders
strongly ncues to this service. According 10 the
bid and granndcss assumption of this edlur am Of
parry who see nu cause Ia lie proceedings OF The late
general cuNfecnc., Why the South should separate bnt
only 1T occasion, growing aut vt he existing troubles
oi tie church, To elect an original mud long cherished
object les sir, he Las schord himsslf to the harden
ed purpose o NaHunly asserting this IN the face at my
published speeches, which shew how houesl, labored
+ 10 avert tins llfeslened calamity. Eur time lie
was pleased 10 syo ullhe leaders oi this party.
How am "eitber the leader tho driver he canuut
aay which know moi why IL is ilat he ehcrisha. sa
rahid purpose at hostility 10 II that the annlhl
la}n Of what little influence exert in the gresl
Vefsy that nov dlsraels the church, would be- AN i'm
p4tut paint gained tumards The submeatnn Of he South
u the iouateai ulslule Of The North nsed hardly
remtnd You thal ny name with all that IA doar 10 Il,
may PASS tom this courugeny, without npressing the
slightest character upon the result is the canse All
ct TIE whole peope. IL IS The rising oihe mass, ID tr
buha lie presumption Oh body ot pecusiaslira, WIN
would heate ouatoua a6d sste legislatures what shall
&c The vii policy 81 he country the subject OF slavery
In such controversy THIS what il The authority Of
my name Why, air. OF aa hide moment as the oaiue
OF the seniur dnr will ptuve 10 he IN LIS childish at
emps 10 dlfide The cupHsts at the SUuIbas unagall-
lag would he his NadtB stay the laws OF The tides
poppao 10 retleH he aetan ul the recent general con,
lefeuee an lhe great questions Now eIoe u.s. mud show
that II involves The ines table Necessity 81 separation
The view which, entertain of he man question /,
gtYod 10 thetluNug propositions, VIZ
- tCs y Tic seperal STATE States, he suhlcei ~
slaretg. ad Nc dtseVAUag ne ~. 4, thuro, wer6
grossly diatgardt3 ~ fapabiy rioeted bg tif pyo'iH
Tic hlte general odattte,, egaIoi sdartioa HtS
Vtdo8i tJllldg 10 The church, aud treason 10 he com
tn, hence teg do aoi rtrcde from their position, aud
gaze ste gtormtes Nat on.s otptt asd eccedidifcot
rjglis igU DC "a future les haze alternative
b3 10 dissCipe connection tUh Tie general confer
ence u Tie ~. h. Church.
must remind yau 10 tho uutse, If two important
pusulates which 6hould mol he lost sight OF aud from
which shall ptogeed 10 elabofo'a an argument which
muk vii folly sustain tic proposition here laid d0wn.
The first Is, that every member OF The ehufcl holds
his privileges and bad duty. under tho cfaty Do
fined rules o The church, duties he required VI
him. aor hs privileges be suspended but upon tho
thony Of these rules This position rusls uon tlUse
prudential rules Of discipline aud that sltutooA pro.
vision, by which both membership and It's privileges
secured 10 the humbost member OF the church; hat
he cannot he dYosted Of eitier without due iafni Of III
al with the rglG OF appeal The second =, these lava
of the church mus always be subUdualo, or at least
iuufiensve 10 the civil constitution and laws o The
Try, unr.s las constitution aud ia, aWs are found To-
oonrlycne tic plainly exposed proyisiuns VI Cad 9
word. lhls poaan resls urun the I'D article Of cur
religion. which provides iha IS TIC dug Of christians,
and especially Of christian Rnsstffs, 10 DO sulJf, to HE
supreme authority Of the county weIc hty may resi- e
/ 10
powers that be VIZ, The authority aud Officers OF ely il
governments Upon Ihe'e iHo positions, - cuma,un
bass, rest The Propositions have lad down. | bold
them to he Fundamental am iaeafe that they have
been dl.pnt,d. II any should successfully cuntroserl
them, aow that my whole argument VIII fall because
the foundation UPON which II rest. is unsettled.
|. proceed 10 enquire into the first pint assumed IN
ihe proposition Ifha. Is Tie position q Tie Stare
Ste,, a, tcy are Gated, foa III: subject y 4jricm
Slavery
ihe several States Of ou national confederation are
independent soyenenties, in regard 10 all matters IN
which lheir original aIthUft5 mol eeded 10 lhe gen
oral guYornneni African slavery x sled IN many OF
the States Of the Onion at the time Of the adoption of
the federal constitution. No part of tie sovereign pow
Of these States the subject Of slavery eeded
by this instrument 10 the general government These
were therefore elt IA the uudisputod control Of
this subject In The exercise oi this sovereign power,
several IT these Stale. proeended II esfT period TO
abolish African slavery, civil institution Though
il must be conf sscd that They Lave faded 10 cgsae
the African free man. / pa thing itself is iupos-
sble in the existing state al American society. In sew
era other States. slavery sill remains hcftuf1re,
cirI institution The constitution and laws Of these
States provide iot us government as aclyl ihsIuun
They characterize the government pure ariSloclacy
/ in regard to their African subecls The Aliean is a
domestc slave and the while Is his social Ina,ler
and his civil rner. When the African FIST came 10
this country be came pagan, aud the laws bring
Idapted 10 his paoan character were necessarily extreme
" srnPeni-B But az his character cfangedby his
tact with christian pnlps, and The habits Of civilized
life these laws have relaxed IN severity, aud now
comparslis1,J mia in the Southern to what ihoy orig
nally were in the .N6rihern Stdies. And hE, II Is
thought the African character and the ci, condition
of the Will continue 70 progress, until they snfe
at the point of emancpa patton. But WI! his a~oela -
have nothing to do Al present. Ny business IS with
tho fact that the African is domestic slave, and TIC
white man his social master and civil ruler. They are
50 by the constitution and laws Of the several Slave
So in the judgment Of The people OF these States Fol-
the constitution and laws If these States must be 10
earded a fair exponent OF what they consider 10 b'
right. Now according 10 the postulae have laid down
the church, acting in her ecclesiastical capacity, canho
take ground against this institution without violating
her own principles-lhe sacred authority which limit
her for these require her, not only 10 hs Sub.
ect the civil authority. bat all laudable mean
to join obedience thereto
II. now proceed The second enquiry ra.ed by tn
proposition laid down viz. hot Is he Di,eipiHs Q
TIC NJ Il. Church hr subject q sapesy9 Il my speec
iii Bishop Andrews case, Showed that although unde
the influence Of DIR. Coke the church originally too
the pure abolition ground, that slavery In all cir
cumsances i, sinful, aud should therefore be uncund
tonally abanduned-s she ultimately feeeded from hi
ground as wholly lpdeensibe, and in 1916 coinpete