The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-22


for shall agree upon.
And tbs complainauts further alegs, that IT.
forwards. viz on the second day Of July, Ammo
Domipi, l845, council Of t1e bishop1 Of ne
Methodist Episcopal church at New fssks
(Which council WIS compos'd OF the Northern
bishops alnue) and then and there unanrnousiy
adopted the following resolutions
Resolred, That the plan reported by the select
committee of nine, ut the last general confer
ence, and adopted by that body, In regard to
distinct ecclesiastical connection, should such
course DO found necessary by the annual con-
ferences in The slavehoding States, 10 regarded
by US Ms of binding obligation in the premises.
so far as our administration is concerned.
Rssolued, That, in order to ascertain fairly the
desire and purpose of those societies bordering
on the line of division, in regard to their adher-
ence to the church, North or South, due notice
should be given of the time, place, and object Of
the meeting for the above purpose at which
chairman and secretary should be appointed, and
the sense Of all the members present DO nscer-
tanned, and the same be forwarded to the bishop
who may preside at the ensuing annual confer
ences; or forward to said presiding bishop
written request to be recognized, and have a
preacher sent them, with the names Of the ma
jority appended there to.
hflu tllo COulpluili oiiCSC, VIM ~ e'sA III
virtue of the foregoing proceedings, the Metho-
pst Episcopal church in the United States as it
had existed before the year 1914, became and
was divided into two distinct Methodist Episco-
pal churches, with distinct and independent
powers and authority, composed of the several
annual conferences, charges, stations, and socie-
ties, living or being situated north and south Of
the afore-described line of division, And the
complainants further allege, that by force Of
the foregoing proceedings, the Methodist Episco-
pal Church South became, and was entitled to
its proportion Of all the property, real and per-
sonaI, and all funds and effects, (said property
and funds of the Methodist Episcopal church
had been obtained and collected by voluntary
contribution, in which contribution the members
Of the church South contributed the largest
portion of the same,) which, up to the time of
the separation, had belonged to the Methodist
Episcopal church 10 the United States, and that
the Methodist Episcopal church South was and
is so entitled without any change or alteration
of the sixth restrictive article above mentioned.
And the compliments further say, that before
and on the said 9th day of June, 1874, the Me
thopist Episcopal church in the United States,
owned and possessed large amounts Of property
in various parts Of the United States in addition
to the meeting houses, parsonages, and other
estates of that description, and that said proper
ty, real and personal, was in the hands OF the
agents and trustees. being in some instances
corporations, but more frequently in private and
unincorporated Individuals; that among other
descriptions and claims Of property, there be-
lonced to the said church what was denominated
the sBook concern" in the city of New York.
consisting of houses, lots, machinery, printing
presses, book bndery, books, paper, debts cash.
and other articles of property, amounting in all
to about The sum Of seven hundred thousand
dollars, the whole Of which lands and goods, pro-
perry and effects, 80 situated, are now in the
possession of the defendants, Lane and Scott,
denominated as book agents.
The complaint goes on to state other facts
according to the plan of stipulation, and prays
that the property and funds be divided between
the church North and South. The answer to
the complaint was then read. in which, amongst
other defences, it is stated with respect to such
differences and disgreements, that during, and
subsequent to, the session of the general con-
ference of 1914, those differences and disgree-
ments principally grew out of the voluntary
connection of bishop with slavery, and out
of the proceedings of that body in reference
thereto hereafter referred to that the rules of the
book of discipline, and the uniform action Of the
general conference, have always been adverse to
the system of human slavery, it being regarded as
great evil; and, prior to the session OF the
general conference in 1874, the whole church,
by common consent, united in proper effort for
the mitigation and final removal of the evil;
that the ministers have never been allowed to
hold slaves except in instances under the laws Of
the slaveholding States deemed to be cases of
necessity that the church never made, nor has
its book of discipline ever contained, any law
respecting the holding of slaves by bishop of
the church that the general conference have
always refused to elect Shareholder to that
Office that, at the session of the general con-
ference in 1874, held in the city of New York,
il became known that the Rev. James 0. Andrew,
one of the bishops of the Methodist Epis-
copa church, had, since his election to that
office, become an owner Of slaves,-of one, by
beouest; of another, by inheritance; and Of
others, by his intermarriage with a lady in the
State of Georgia, who held n number of slaves
in her own right, which, by the laws OF the
State became the property Of her husband
that such proceedings we're had by that general
conference, upon the admitted facts contained
in a statement in writing made by Bishop
Andrew, and which was in due form brought
before the conference by one of its standing
committees called the Committee on the Eps-
copacv," whose duty it was to inquire into the
conduct and administration of the bishops, and
to make report to the conference,--as that the
following preamble and resolution were duly
legally adopted by that conference, to wit
Whereas, the discipline of our church forbids
the doing anything calculated TO destroy our
itinerant general superintendency and whereas
Bishop Andrew has become connected with
slavery by marriage and otherwise; and this act
having drawn after it circumstances which, in
the estimation of the general conference, will
greatly emba-rass the exercise of bis office as
an jtinerant general superintendent, if not in
some places entirely prevent it; therefore.
Rcsolred, That it is the sense of this general
conference, that he desist from the exercise Of
his office so long r. this mpediment remains.
And these defendants, upon their information
and belief, further say, that the adoption Of this
resolution gave offence to minority of the men,
bers Of that general conference, and who were
delegates from annual conferences in the slave
holding States and principally, if not wholly,
induced those delegates to present a formal
protest against such action of the general con-
ference, which was admitted TO record on its