Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-05-26
THE METHODIST CHURCH CASE.
FOURTH DAY.

UNITED STATES CIRCUIT CouRT.-Before Judges Mel
son and Betts-Henry B. Bascom and others VS.
George Lane and others
Mr. Lord resumed his argument, by reading portion
OF the defendants answer 10 show that .hey admitted
the right of the plaintiff, but took the ground that
had been forfeited by breach of condition.
He then reviewed the position which the Meth ODDS
Church had assumed on the subject OF slavery, eve
since the Conference OF 1884, when DR.. Coke, intro
duced his rules prohibiting the members Of The Churcl
from buying or holding slaves.
A clause was adopted providing that these rule
should not be enforced when the laws OF the state
fcted with them: and yet with that modification the.
were found to be so practcabet tn they were repealed
in less than year aiterward. In 1856 this matte
referred to the yearly conferences. In 1901 dis
uct submission OF the subject to the local law made
10 1901 masters in communion with the Methods
Church. were required instruct their servants to obey
their masters. In 1903 and again in 1912 the subec
OF slavery referred entirely to the local law. IL
1915 the Genera Conference resolved that no slave.
holder should hold official station in the Church
when the laws oil the state IN which he resided permit
ted emancipation. In 1924 all the preachers were in
structea TO enforce upon their members the duty Of
teaching Their slaves to read the Word OF God, and
giving them time 10 attend public worship. In 1910
the agitation became, and the extreme state OF opinion
existing in the Church became reconcllable 10 show
this Mr. Lord referred to the Journal OF the proceedings
of the General Conference OF 1910 for May 3D. Sth 18Th
and other dates.
Nothing proves more clearly the gravity OF the diff
Guilty at that time than The adrotness with which the
General Conference eyaded reversing The proceedings
OF The Westmoreland Conference. They said that it
they were founded the holding ofslayes in state
where manumssion was forbidden they were wrong,
but this did not apaear the minutes, and they could
not therefore ascertain the reason OF the decision, and
must presume 1t to be right They iell the danger OF
the question, and hoped to make peace BY giving cake
to each dog tLaughter.)
In 1874 the agitation was fiercely renewed. Bishop
Andrew was requested TO desSt from the exercise OF
his episcopal functions, and he disqualified with
q O an ire
had been done in the Of Rev. Mr.. Harding, and it
therefore became impossible tor The bishops and minis
tiers in the South, connected with slavery they
cessarllY are, to 90 on IN Their counexlon with the
Northern conferences under such sentences of dlsqua
fcation.
The plan Of separation, reported by the committee Of
nine in the General Conference adopted, and fully
authorized the Southern Conferences to form sepa-
organization if they should in their judgment be-
lieye it to be requisite. There is nothing that plan
which makes 1t IN any part conditional except as to the
sixth restrictive rule. And even as to the change OF
that, majority OF the Northern annual conferences CT
lS4S voted for it. There ll64 in the allir
NATIVE, and 1867 in the negative but two-thrds vote
was required, and therefore it was not sanctioned. In
the Southern conferences the vote 97l Tor and only
three against the modification OF the rule.
He submitted finally that even if the complainants
were TO be considered seceders they entitled to be
held beneticiaries OF the Book Concern The Gepeal
Conference OF 1874 gave such esiops the
defendants from setting upa forfeiture, if there
could be forfeiture under the circumstance Of This
case.
MIR. Lord concluded his argument by reading the
DIT cision OF the Kentucky Court OF Appeals in the case
OF Armstrong vs. Gibson, in which this very question
OF the Legality ofte separation in the Methodist Church
was fully discussed and determined This decision has
been published in phamplet form, and MIR. Ewing said
he believed it was reported in the 9th volume OF Ben.
Monroes Reports
Reverdy Johnson, Esq, for the compliments. then
said 10 the Court that in his argument the pow er OF
the General Conference to authorize separation he
should rely upon the OF the American Insurance
Company vs. Gamer, Peters $40, in which Chief JUS
lice Marshall made decision 10 the powers of the
Federal Government the territories under Art w.
Sec of the constitution of the United States which
was analogous the powers OF the General Conference
under It's constitution.
Mr.. E. l.. Fancher, solicitor for the defendants then
commenced the reading OF their documentary evidence
which consists chiefly in the extracts from The official
report OF the Proceedings OF The General Conference Of
1874, the Book OF Discipline and other publications
with which readers are generally acquainted
MI Choate was not present to-day but will probably
open the the part oilhe defendants tomorrow.
NJ Co,n