The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1851-05-29
The Great Methodist church Case.

L.
This case was opened on Monday morning
in the United States District Cont, at New
York, before Judges Nelson and Belts. The
court room was crowded, and several Meth
odist clergymen werspresent. The follow
ing is an accurate, though brief statement Of
the case :
The Rev. Francis Harding, a STAKEHOLDER
Of The Stste of Virginia, was suspended by
the Baltimore Conference, which was held
about a year previous 10 the General Confer
nee Of 1914, for his connection with slavery
The action of this body was afterwards
confirmed BY the General Conference, viii oh
also suspended Bishop Andrew from the
performance, Of his official duties, because
of his holding slaves whom he had obtain
ed possession of by marriage, and of his re-
fusal to liberate them.
In consequence of the course taken by
the General Conference, the southern dele-
gates declared that a continued agitation Of
this subject would compel them either 10
abandon the slave States or separate from
the north.
The southern delegates afterwards agreed
upon what was called a plan of separation,
and a southern cow e%ntion, held on their re-
turn home, resolved to establish a separate
organization but the northern conference,
which had possession of the funds, refused
10 give any share Of them 10 that division oi
the church, which now became known as
the South Methodist Church.
After this refusal, southern commissioner
were appointed by the General Conference
(Soutn) 10 institute this suit for The recovery
of their proportion of between seven and
eight hundred thousand dollars, claimed by
them as part owners Of the general fund
previous TO the separation, and which is at
present invested in the Methodist book estab-
lishments of Ohio, New York, and the char
table fund of Philadelphia.
The c~ounsels employed on the part OF the
plaintiffs are MIR. D.. Lord and Reverdy John
son, and for the defendant Messrs. George
Wood and Rufus Choat e. MIR. Thomas
Ewing has also been retained as counsel Tor
,hs defendants in a similar suit against the
branch methodist Concern OF Cincinnati
The Hon. Daniei Webster is engaged Tor the
plaintiffs, but was hot present.
MIR. Lord op ened the case recapl'ula'ihg
all the facts bearing on the state Of lhe case
and, in re f%erring 10 the slaves owned ny r.e',
Mr.. Harding and Bishop Andrews, remarked
that they could no, by the laws of Maryland
and Georgia, in which they respectively liv-
ed. manumit them. The Express says:
One of them held by Bishop Andrews had
been devised with directions that she should
be sent 10 Liberia, but she would not go, and
the bishop, although nomin ally her owner,
exercised no acts of ownership over her, and
she went where she pleased. Mr.. L. made
remarks in relation 10 the facts.
Mr.. Johnson, "a son of the Hon. Reverdy
Johnson, we b~elieve,) read a portion of the
answer, and MIR. Z. L. Fanchcr, concluded
the reading of the same. The reading OF
the application was dispensed with.
Mr.. Lord here stated that Bishop Bascom
having died since the bringing of the suit,
he had obtained a consent from ths deien-
danls to substitute the name of the Rev.
VIM Smith as one of the plaintiffs, and
on order Of the Court making such subsiitu.
ton was accordingly made.
Mr.. Lord commenced his argument, and
had not finished reading the authorities up
on which his argument is to be founded
when we left.
The New York Express says of the COM
plant and answer in this case above referred
to:
The complaint states that the church is q
voluntary institution and unincorporated. 1t
consists of 7 bishops, 1898 preachers-and
in bishops, ministers and members, under
the organization in the United States, /, $780,
900. OF these about $4,000 belong TO the
North and 465, 1000 to the Church South.
The answer denies that there was any me-
cessity for division in 1914, ard that said
separation was unconstitutional and void,
asreeably TO the paramount rules of the
church, and made without authority of the
general conference in 1874.