The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-06-07
Methodist Church Case In New York.
NINTH DAY.

NINTH DAY.
Mr. Johnson, who had been compelled by illness
to discontinue his argument shortly after we left
yesterday, resumed this morning,
He said that if he had been successful in his
reasoning yesterday, he must have satisfied the
court that the General Conference of the M F.
CHURCH was invested with sovereign power, and
clothed with all the authority Of a constituent
body. ... - -
The proceedings of the Conference of 1874 were
quasi trial of Bishop Andrew on a supposed OF.
fence They exercise the power of general con-
troll over the public and private conduct of their
members. IL was, aid by the Southern gentlemen
that it was the law of the church that preachers
and bishops might hold slaves not only in these
States where slavery was tolerated, but where
emancipation was actually prohibited. But the
majority, who were determined upon Bishop An
drew's degradation, maintained the sovereign au.
thority of the Conference be absolute over every
thing not protected by one of the six restrictive
articles. Among all the leading men in that Con-
ference, mea Of eminent learning and ability, from
the North aa1 South, men TO whom the Constiiu
ton of that Conference was as familiar as the
Bible of their God, not even doubt was whis-
pered Of the power of the General Conference to
authorize division of the church into two organ
izaiions.
The counsel for the defendants had confounded
the idea of unity of government with unity of the
church. The Meihodists all the world over are
one church, but their form of government is made
contormable to times, and circumstances, and
countries.
He took up the assertion of Mr.. Choate, that the
Canada Conference was connected with that of the
United States by a merely temporary league, and
contended that it was erroneous. The Canadian
Methodlss did in fact constitute constituent por-
ton OF the NJ. E. Church of the United States,
Just as much as any one of the States forms an in
tegral part of the Union. The Canada case was
identical with the case at the bar.
II these Northern gentlemen are conscientious in
their belief that the Southern Methodsts are se-
cesslonis's and .sch'smatics why do they content
| themselves with keeping back the money which
happens to be in their possession-,he miserable
| ptance which they formerly doled out 10 the poor
worn out, snperannuated preachers and their wives
and children! Why do they not go into the courts
of the United States and clam all the meeting
houses and cemeteries, and other Methodist Church
property of vast value in the South? If they are
right IN their views, these properties all belong tC
them. But they do not do it, because they are i'm
pressed with the conviction that every legal tribu
nal in the country would decide against them
The attempt was made by Mr.. Armstrong and his
| associates in the MaysvilIe case, but the Kentucky
Court of Appeals. than which there is no court
more respectable for learning and ability, decided
against them.
He quoted the 18th and 18th verses of the 2sth
chapter of Matthew, and said that the language OF
God himself, speaking through the inspired pen.
man, commanded them to preach the Gospel to all
nations. 1t was their duty TO conform TO the law
of the land, and not war with the domestic ns,i-
u.
The Gospel should be preached to the master and
the slave, as well as to freemen.
The agitation of slavery in the quarterly, the
annual and the general conferences, the judgments
| in the case of Mr.. Harding, and in the case OF
| Bishop Andrew, led to a general conviction, in
| each of the Southern conferences, that a separa
ton was absolutely necessary the existence OF
| the church in their section of the country. They
felt that it was necessary divide, in order to save
These agitatiOns had riveted the chains of the
slave. The convention which had recently revised
| the organic law of Maryland had been driven tt
the necessity of making it part of the consti,u
tional law of that State, that slavery should be
perpetual. Emancipa ion is forever prohibited
Aud he mentioned, as an extraordinary fact, tha
| the Rev. Mr. Grffin, who had taken such con
| spicuous part in the conference of 1874, in the
agitation of slavery, had minisered as cha plain II
this body of shareholders during the whole of the
session. . nd.
| Mr.. Johnson was evidently unwell this morning
| and did not speak with such rapidly and energy
as he did yesterday. The field covered by tht
points he has taken is SO vast and CON prehe
that it is exceedingly doubtful whether he will bt
able to conclude his argument 10 day. When we
left. he had been speaking about three hours
| my. Com. Adv. 29h. g