The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-11-15
The Methodist Church Case.

We lay before readers the decision OF Judge Nelson
Of the Supreme Court. in the suit which has been some
time pending between the divisions Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. The suit was styled George b
Bascomb ct al George Lane al y and contained all
the matters at issue between the Methodist Church North
and the Methodist Church South.
Our readers doubtless remember the proceedings of the
Methodist general conference in the case OF Bishop An
drews, which were commenced because he was slave
owner The whole church was conyused by the slave.
~ discussion which then set foot and it became
necessary to divide il into two parts 1t would seem,
even without any special agreement, tina, the common
property of the church should have been promptly divided
between the divisions Of the church The chief item
Of property was the Book Concern" in New York, and
the church North refused divide with the church South
This refusal we cannot but attribute that moral blind
ness and oblquity which slavery fanatcsm produces with
such unvaryDg certainty We strengthened in this
view, and convinced that suit was rendered necessary
only by manifest wrong not only by the able decision OF
Judge Nelson, bu, by the unanmi,y with which that de-
cson has been sustained by the press IT is unpeas
an, sigh, 10 dispute and litigation; but il is painful to
every rejecting mind TO those who profess to be the
teachers asd guides OF men seduced by worldly
feelings into wrongful contests for worldly goods. Such
exhibitions injurious in the extreme. The lay should
not be injured by the OF the clergy but when
those take worldly tani, the Of the world
the scofes and the unbeevesare furnished with most
powerful weapons
At former hearing OF the case the Judge most earn
esly advised the parties 10 to some amicabe
rangemen and no, force the court to resort 10 compul
sorry process in order TO enforce justice Ii is matter
much to be regretted that this advice UNDECIDED and
that promincn, members OF one Of the largest, most
active efficient, and respectable religious organizations
in the United States have been blinded by sectional
feeling TO require the controlling power Of chanoery
decree
The division OF the Methodist Church was the result
Of that ami slavery sentiment which has mbtered
the sections OF the Union towards each other tina,
the most sagacious feared that the coniederacy would
be destroyed, and the fmest appalled, by the pcris
which menaced us. The breaking OF the cords which
united the Me,hodis,s OF the North with the Mehods,s
Of the South the first great omlnous fact in the his
tory OF fanaticism and aggression. That fact hap
Pened several years ago and every OF forecast
and reflection was appalled, by it, They saw in
ii the destruction OF one Of the most powerful liga.
nents which bound the various sections OF the Union
together and the mos, formidable sectional organizations
poli,cs-the power Of political resistance to the compro
misses Of the itself in religious
association in manner which gave rise to the darkest
forebodiugs The basis OF our cosfederacy, which IS
the mutual confidence and fraterna feeling. existing be-
tween the dinsren, portions Of the Union, finds its chief
sustaining force in those religious and political organi.
ra,ons which extend their influences the great
lines OF geographical division, and bind together the ag
l.. 49, IT.
uniting Cords spnging from the Methods, organization.
weakened the stability OF the Union. II naturally pro
duced the fear that the same thing would happen in
the other churches and leave US nothing but commercial
connexions and political associations. weakened by re-
Igous aniagonsm to preserve the integrity OF the Union
Major Heiss
I, is announced in the New Orleans papers that Major
HEIRS formerly one Of the prope,o OF this Journal has