Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1851-05-31
The rreat Methodist Church case came up

The great Methodist Church case came up
for ADJUDICATION II the u. s. circuit cOurs at
New York last Monday This case is con-
troyersy between The Northern and Southern
divisions Of the Methodist Churcb, growing
out Of slavery and inyolyesthe question of
right to a large amount of property. Inde
pendently of the importance of fthe issue invOl-
we'd, the brilliant array Of legal talent enlisted
in the case makes il one of surprising interest
with the community at large. Hon Daniel
Webster and Hon Rufus Choate, of Mass,
Hon Thomas Corwin, Of Ohio and Geo. Wood
Esq, of'New YORK, are retained for defence.
The prosecution. have employed Hon Reverdy
johnson, of Nd, and Daniel Lord, OF New
York. The Express says:
This suit is instituted by the Southern Gen
eral Methodist Conference, (by commissioners
and bene6caries) against Geo Lane, Levi
Scott. Geo. Peck and Nathaniel Bangs, trus-
tees of the Methodist book concern in New
York. Mr.. Lord, in opening the case, stated
that the stringent measures operating in the
Methodist church in this country, whereby its
members were prohibited from owning slaves,
led in 1914, to the proposition for division.
which was acceded to, and, consequently, a
separate and distinct Episcopal Church South;
that the Methodist Book concern in this city,
worth about $750.0o0, was established with
asViewto furnish books to ministers of the
church,, who sold them to members and others
and the proceeds after defraying the expenses
the maintenance of travelling and superanuat-
ed ministers, widows and orphans, DC; that
the said church South was declared to be
composed Of the Methodist churches in the
slave holding States; that it was fully under
stood that the annual conference at New York
in 1874, agreed to the measure, but il was
subsequently urged by the church North that
the measure of division was unconstitutional,
and that the churches al the Sonth were Sc
Eceders, and not entitled to a participation in
| the profits of said establishment, and have re-
| fused to allows division of said establishment
or to pay to the church South its appropriate
share agreeably toIlhe division. The present
suit. in consequence. is instituted, as if the
Church South are declared 10 be seceders,
they lose title to all the Methodist churches
and other property at the South. ais ~
Theacomplaint states that the church is a
voluntary institution and unincorporated. Il
consists of seven Bishops, 4s2S preachers, and
in bishops, ministers and members under the
organization in the United States, l,l9e,660.
OF these about 639, 900 belong to the North,
and 100000 to the chufch South ~
Itwas stated by Mr.. Lord. in opening, that
the stringent measures prohibiting ministers
or members of the Methodist church in oues-
ton to slaves, preventing the action ofthe
church in slave holding States. and a separa-
ton became necessary. Previous to this it
was shown that exceptions had been taken TO
a minister named Harding at Baltimore, and
to Bishop Andrews Of Geo. who had become
by marriage or,deseent owners of slaves, and
who could not by the laws maintain them. =
One of them held BY Bishop Andrews had
been devised with directions that she should
be sent TO Liberia, but she would not 60, and
the Bishop although nominally her owner ex-
ercised noacts of ownership over her. and she
went where she pleased. Mr. L. made re-
marks in relation to the facts.
The answer denies that there was any ne
cessity for division in 1914, and that said
separation was unconstitutional and void
agreeably to the paramount rules of the
church, and made without authority of the
general conference in 1874. 3
= The testimony is all documentary, the poini
of which, being the law of the matter, to be
decided by the Judges. Mr.. L. read state
ments as to the origin, government, and rule.
of the Church, DC s.. fa.a 3