New-York daily tribune., 1851-05-29
METHODIST CHURCHCONTROVERsY
L. :. Circuit Court WEDNESDAY, MAY q
Before Judges Nelson and BettS

William A. Smith, and others, agt Geo.
Lane, and others.-Mr. George Wood offered re.
marks, citing various authorities IN supper, Of the
argument presented by him yesterday He though.
a little more patience on the part OF plaintiffs would
have led to a satisfactory compromise. The same
hot haste which appears here divided the Society Of
Friends. II they had carried out IN thus conrO-
versy. the forbearance and charity recommended BY
St. Paul course might have been taken by which
they would have continued togethe may venture
to say if this suit out OF the way and the
other side disposed to nee, 1t in spirit OF compro.
mise, the whole matter may be adjusted IN eighteen
months But there is an excuse for the gcntlemenof
the South-the proceedings for the last twenty year,
on the Slavery question which has been a KIND Of
Pandora box, has wrought them up 10 a pitch Of eK-
ctement which Will at least excuse them. When YOU
undertake suddenly to free An entire Slave pOpua.
ton, you undertake something more than phllanhro-
phy. you create evil There is only one precedent
Of that kind our British friend !who have endesvored
TO influence us, and by which the interests OF their
West India possessions have been destroyed. make
these remarks because the body Of my clients not
liable to the charge, but there may be individuals
who act with preclptancy. Tie concluded by con
tending that plaintiffs have no night to the property
He thought II the case were allowed Ia 10 out Of
Court II might be settled Nne-tenthS Of the difficult.
ties of the world settled by compromise, and shall
1t be said that religious men cannot settle those who
lutions of the General Conference to show dsposl.
ton for an amlcable compromise.
Hon Reverdy Johnson. on behalf OF plaintiff then
rose. He proposed 10 arrange under four general
heads. l. The power of General Conference Of
lo44 TO adopt the plan. =. The construction OF the
plan, which he would maintain is that the dl-
vision was made to depend on the decslon OF the
Conferences IN States where Slavery exists, and that
the change OF the sixth article was made to depend
on the decision Of all the Conferences. g. That BY
force of the DIVISION # that should be made, as 1t
was by Conferences IN the slaye-hOding States, the
property is to be divided between the TWO, without
regard 10 any change IN the sixth article. \. Admit
ting Conference OF 1874 had not the power or was
conditional and not carried out, the state OF thngs
that exist entltle plaintiffs 10 rehef on the olll
These inquiries. he SAID were PLAIN and simple,
and required no depth of research. He should APP
proach the argument. If the controversy only TUNED
upon the pecunary amount IN thlS case Important as
il iS-but confess deeper and more absorbing feel
ing-and rise oppressed by It, When | remember
the origin Of the dispute, lose sight OF the dollars
and cents, and for moment forget the interests oil
my constituents There considerations as TO the
property OF this church and the country by the de-
cislon. The heart OF the nation has been paptatns
for years, and so much so that the chords rom whch
thissprng, unless cemented by the good sense ol me
people, that the peace, and happiness and glory Oh
the country will be substituted by dlscord and wretch
ness debility and degradation-civll war-and Is II
too much to say, that dreaded state OF the public In
great be attributed to the very existence
of the controversy you are called on 10 settle am
led hope the Court Will feel the rights fairly
established that with the respect which all give to
this tribunal, VIII tend much To appease the pubic
alarm as TO settle the IL will be my happiness
to endeavor to assist the Court IN relation 10 the
matter
The condition of the Conference IN 1874 was a
body OF men tracing their origin to the Conference
OF l7S4. In the exercise of their privileges cti-
of the United States, they resolved to form
exclusive jurisdiction for the United states. In the
very nature of such association there must exist,
II has been admitted somewhere, power To change.
Ii the General Conference had all the power OF the
Conference of l7S4, the controversy as 10 this
branch of IL, is at end. The Methodist
Church, 1t is known, acknow WEDGES John Wes-
ley, who with n foresight and wisdom, well chal-
lenges admiration resolved II was his duty as sub
ect, Christian and man, to take no steps that
would affect the institutions OF his country. lie es-
tablished no church. His power was developed, and
the church rested on his WILL and repOsed IN his viz
tue. lie controlled 1t In everything, and the mem
beTS were too happy to live under such government.
The tide rolled On-from the few who first met IN the
private room of Wesley, thousands soon seen
coming under his banuer lie asked from time 20 time
such advice would be best for the interests Of the
church At the time OF his death he had 100 preach
ers OF his selection and the church directed here
by these. Civilization having broken down 0ppres-
sion, the Methodist Church for the last 80 years in
England is undera separate organization. There was
difference Between principal and an agent, and
sovereign power who chooses 10 delegate sovereign
power. The Church In this country had frequently
written to Wesley TO organize Church here, but he
declined, TIL circumstances, after the revolution,
made It necessary he should agree TO separate and
distinct organization. John Wesley the original
and exclusive power of the Church, and IN 1874 the
convention claimed alone under his authority as the
author and the founder and the sovereign OF the
Church. II was not called, has been stated, by
the peachers and the lay members II was meeting
convoked only IN reference to preachers. They had
no authority but the letter of Wesley and the author
ity in themselves AZ preachers. IL was not lhe
will Of any supposed constltuency-they DO not
admit Of any constltuency-but the time VIII come,
probably, when they Will admit It, for the good OF the
Church From that time to 1872 there was no other
general Convention OF the Church-but why ing
difficulty and the widespread country over WINCH
these pioneers obliged to travel 10 get togensI
in body. But in 1872 II was deemed adyisaDe W
the travelling preachers bring together anoteer as
semblage Of themselves That is called IN the sAmo
way-the same parties, and called by the same pow
er, limited only by consideration OF Their powers
and it was for them TO say who should follow, anu anu
they determined as the whole could not be bfouehSS
together who thereafter should compose the genera
conferences, and they decided the next should pc
held IN 1896 in the City of Baltimore, There was
nothing to limit the aSsemblage TO call by the COn-
venOn OF 1872. They had all the sovereign author
ity OF the sovereign body by which It was delegated
Nothing lett elsewhere The entire Church,
first By sovereign Of Wesley then conference Of l74
and l792 and went down to the conference Of 1905,
in which was vested the entire sovereignty of she
Church.