Arkansas democratic banner., 1851-06-10
The Great Methodist church Case.

Tas cave was opened oi Monday morning the !tta alt, in the United States District Court. at New York, before Judges Nelson and Betts. The c1aft room was cFowlel, and several Methodist .srvmsu wers present. The following is an ac- -lfae, though brief statement of the case:
 The Rev FTaacis Harding, shareholder of the state of Nifgia,a, was suspended by the Baltimore Conference which was held about year previous 3 the General Conference of lSl4, for his con ae.t.9a with slavery. The acton of this body eas afterwards confirmed by the General Confer aaae, wAteh also suspended Bishop Andrew from ae performance Of hls official duties, because of
 s holding slaves, whom he had obtained posses sou 0f by mafrage, and of his refusal to liberate t4sm.
 In consequence of the course taken by the General Conference, the southern delegates de- e.l-ei that continued agitation of this subject W1I.d compel them either to abandon the slave states Of separate from the north.
 FAe southern delegates afterwerds agreed upon g4at was called plan of separations and south Ea convention, held on them return home, re- wed to establish separate organization; but northern conference, which had possession of s flndS, refused b glve any share of them io a, d.sison of Inc church, which now became .aswn as the South Methodist Church. Atef thls Tefual, southern commissioners were 7pa.aed by the General Conference South to
 satalr this suit for the recovery of their pEopor on oi between seven and elght hundred thou aud dollars, claimed by them as part owners of ile general fund previous to the separation, and waca al present invested m the Methodist book establishment of Ohio, New York, and the ehari- tlb,e fund 0f Philadelphia.
 The counsel employed on the part of the plain I K are Nr D. Lord and Revertly Johnson, and trt t.a lafandaNt MaSSFS D,,f, Caose, Mr. Thomas Ewing has also been retain el as counsel tov the defendants in a similar suit asalSi the branch Methodist Book Concern of z CDi analI. The Hon. Daniel Webster IS engaged z : lae plaintiffs but was not present. Af. Lofi opened the case reeapstuiating all the ie'S bearing on the state of the osse, and, in re- teung to the slaves owned by Rev. Mr Harding .nd Bishop Andrews, remarked that they could a'i by 'ae avs oi Maryland and Georgia. in which h
 FeSpse'yeiy lived, manumit them. The Ex-
 ,-ss says;
 pae of them held by Bishop Andrews had been evsed with directions that she should be sent to ioena but she would not go, and the bishop. al 1oagh nomlnal.y her owner, exercised no acts Of
 "nHrshlp oytr her, and she went where she
 eased. Mf. L. made remarks in relation to the taais
 T Af Johnson, a son of the Hon. Reverdy John T a. we oeieye, read a portion Of the answer, i4 dt b. l., Fanoher, concluded by reading of
 r sam. The leading of the application was
 felsed With
 Ai L'rd here stated that Bishop Bascom having
 ca slce the bringing of the suit, he had obtain Nlasent rom the defendants to substitute the ame ol the Rev. Wm 4. smith as one of the
 4A.lEs and an order of the Court making such oSa'ullon was accordingly made.
 VI Lpri commenced hIs argument and had not
 A1SArd Tcatang the authorities upon which his
 Z4nant IS to he founded when we lefl.
 ne New York Express says of the complaint
 h answer ln thrs case above referred to: I ta' complaint states thai the church is vol l'afy institution and unincorporated 1t con
 sa A bishops; 1928 pEeachers-and in bishops,
 4s'efs and members, under the organization in r aitet States, i,i90,95o. or these about '' As belonging Q he North and i6S ,000 to the
 a4fch South.
 ae answer denIes that the>e was any necessity '' oi' Alon n lsA 4, and that sad separation was
 --'aS-'uuonai and void, agFeeably te the para
 -a1 fnies oi the church. and made w,thon; i.Aoil'} of the general conference in lsIi.