The southern press., 1851-05-28
The Great Methodist Case.
UNITED STATES CIRCUIT COURT.
The Hen Judges Nelson and setts presiding.
Highly Important Cass-The Methodist Episcopal
Ch,uch NORTH and STANDARDIZATION and Slavery.

The Hen. Judges Nelson and Eetts preceding.
Highlu important Case The Methodist Episcopa
Camch NORM and STANDARDIZATION and SLAVERY.
SECOND DAy.-[ Continued
THE REPLY TO THE PROTEST..
NJ. Fsucher asked p rmssion for the Rev
DR. Peek 10 read the reply. ] he court as
eented, and the reverend gentleman proceeded
To read the reply TO the protest, from WHICH We
make the following abstracts:
sFrom the first institution of the Episcopecy
The Methodist E is opal church, no Save
holder has been elected TO that dignity, though
in several inst inces, ca diates, Otherwise emf
nenly ted for he station, have failed of snc-
cess solely on account of this impediment
Since the peri.d referred to, nine bishops rave
ben elected. who were natives Of the United
States. Of these, only three have been North
4rn men, while six We're natives Of slavrho ding
States Net one. houev, r. WIS slJvrho'der--
n remarkable fact which shows -ery clearly
] ihat while much more ihan their just clam 8
been conceded TO tie slav. holding port ons OF
The church, II decided and. uniform repngnante
has, from the first, been felt and manifested 10
the occupancy Of that high Office by slave
holder
at is known and acknowledged by all
Southern brethren that Bishop Andrew was
nominated by the delegates from the South
Carolina and Georgia conferences, as South
ern candidate for whom Northern men might
vote, without doing violence to their principles,
as. he was no Shareholder. Bishop Andrew
himself perfectly understood the ground OF his
election, and of en- sid that he was indebted to
his poverty for his promotion. Since the year
1882. the anti-slavery sentiment in the church,
as well as in the whole civilized world, has con-
stantly and rapidly gained ground; and within
the last year or two, it has been reused to a
special ard most earnest opposition to the in
PRODUCTION of Shareholder into the episcopal
office-an event which many were led 10 fear,
bv certain limitations published in the Southern
Christian Advocate, The Richmond Christian
Advocate, and perhaps some other Methodist
periodicals. The opposition produced the pro-
foundest anxiety through most of the non-
sayeholding conferences. The subject was
discussed everywhere, and the dreaded event
universally deprecated as the most fearful ca
lamity that ever threatened the church. Many
conferences instructed their delegates to use all
possible means to avert such an evil. Other
conferences, and many thorsand laynen, sent
up petitions and memorials to the same effect
to the present general conference. Such was
the state of sentiment and of apprehension in
the Northern portion of the church, when the
delegates to the general conference learned, on
reaching this city, that Bishop Andrew had be-
come STAKEHOLDER. The profound grief, the
utter dismay, which was prodrced by this as
founding intelligence, can be fully appreciated
only by those who have participated in the dis
tressing scenes which have since been enacted
in the general conference.
"When the first emotions of surprise and sor-
row had SO far subsidized as to allow of sober
thought and inquiry, it was ascertained that
Bishop Andrew had been Shareholder for sew
eral years. Soon after his election to the Epis-
copacy, lady of Augusta bequeathed him fe-
male slave, on condition that she should be sent
to Liberia at nineteen years of age, if her con-
sent to emigrate could be Observation-Disclosures
she was to be made as free as the laws of Geor-
ga would permit She refused to emigrate, has
since been married, and is now enjoying all the
privileges provided for her in the will of her
former mistress-<he is, and must be, slave
she and her children-and liatle to all that may
befall slaves. Another slave Bishop Andrew
has inherited from the mother OF his former
wife, and BY his recent marriage he has become
the owner Of (it was eaid on the floor of the
general couference) fourteen or fifteen more.
EhcGo b6Io0Qod n Hro. Andrew in her own
~ ~ befoso IA naffinRs That act, according
to The laws Of Georgin, made them the property
Of Bishop Andrew, to keep or dispose of as he
pleased He conveyed them to trustee, for
the Joint nee Of himself and wife, of whom the
survivor is 10 be the sole owner. This convey
ancc was made for the security of Mrs. Andrew.
and withno view either to satisfy or to mislead
the opinions OF the Northern church So much
at least, Bishop Andrew was understood to say
10 the conference. Hisknown integrity forbids
the suspicion that he would attempt to disguise
the real character Of the transaction.
TIE qneefian presented itself, how the case
of Bishop Andrew could b. so disposed of az 10
preserve this hiperant general SUPPLEMENTARY
II the general conference had even been dis
cosed TO evade II, the consideration Of it was
forced upon them by the Episcopal address it
self
IA diversity Of sentiment existed as to the
proper method Of treating the Gaze.
"Some. at least, bcieved--perhaps few
joubtcd---that sufficient ground existed for i'm
penchment on ch,r rye Of improper conduct
Under the express pro-isiors OF the discipline
The opinion WAS certainly entertained, IN several
quarters. thai IL was important for the shep
herd and bishop Of eleven hundred thousand
souls either deliberately or heedlessly 10 place
lin elf In direct and irrpconcilable cor n ct witt
the known and CHI rished moral sentiments Of a
large majority OF his vast a OK. Such, how
ever, was the prevalence Of moderate counstl-
hat no proposal was made either TO impeach
or punish and such the controlling influence Of
forbearance and Kindness, that il is believed not
one ord was uttered during the entire debate
'of nearly aforfnight derogatory to the characr
ter, or justly offensive TO tho feelings of Bishop
Andrew The Transaction which had brought
such distress upon the church, and threatened
such extensive ruin, was dealt with merely as
fact--as practical difficulty--for the removal or
paTiation Of which Il was the duty Of the general
conference to provide. II was In this spirit,
and for such ends, that the following resolution
was passed -
Resolved. that II Is the sense Of the general
Conferences thet he desist from the exercise Of
this office 20 long a. ,this impedmcnt remains
.1he sct on.of the general conference was
neither judicial nor punitive. Itneither achieves
nor intends a deposition, nor so much as
legal suspension. Bishop Andrew is still a
bishop; and should he, against the expressed
sense Of the general conference, proceed in'the
discharge of his functions his official acts would