The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-05-30
THE GREAT METHODIST CASE.
United States Circuit Court.
Hon. Judyes Nelson and Betts presiding.

NAY 2s-THe Methodist Church South rs. the Methodist
CAwcA Nath- the sitting Of the court this morning
Mr. George Wood resumed his argument in behalf Of the
defendants He would deain the court but short time,
and should have finished his observations yesterday but
that he exhausted and because he felt one of too
great importance to the interests Of our country to be
huredy disposed Of He repeated that the General Con-
ference had no power make such division Of the
church This principally to be considered as
Of property These funds not the funds OF the Meho
dist Episcopal Church, 1t has benencai equitable con-
troll over them as the managers the charity the
beneficial equitable control is for the benefit of the OBJ
jects Of the charity VINO are .ne preach
ALLEVIATE lie referred the court to the OF the At
torney General vs. Wilson in Vesey, 6l9 showel 7ol,
7O2 As to the Canada Conference In 1924 he referred
Miller VS. Grebel in I'd DEMO lie said he unprecedented
the Canada has no bearing the present the
court will find that the Southern Conference almost to
voted against their taking any portion Of the pro-
perry The counsel who is to close this case refers to
case in LIST Peters Such decision was made and no
sound urst will attempt TO mpeach it; but what bear
ing has upon the present case! If this Methodist Eps
copa Church had set up new annual conference under
their control and jurisdiction, there would have been
come analogy but that Is very different affair from
division, Of the church constituting body alto
geher and entirely independent Of the Methodist Eps
copal Church Suppose the government Of the United
States should take upon itself divide this country
and ct up an independent power there would be some
analogy But I'll venture to say such will
cur. Hever the country should be dvided-f ever
portion should be separated from the ohert must rest
upon some out the constitution submit that the
conference had such and the only In which
that arrangement be made to divide this
property would be the principle Of compromises and il
these parties had gone fairly and regularly work.
waited till the Annual Conference, in to that
compromise had made the arrangement, the difficulty
would have been obviated Mr.. Wood then referred
Sheford on Mortmain COS, Harper's South Carolina
Rep 2l5 In all these it must be done under the
sanction Of court Of equity and for the simple reason
that the benefciares had not the power Of alienation
lie also called the attention Of the court to sheord
Rep IT. then said Mr. Wood a little more time and a
little more patience had been exercised the compromise
would have been carried out lie could not avoid re-
marking that Is little strange that in religious cases
such hot haste is usually observed As Judge Ewing
said patience forbearance, brothery kindness charity,
midness Of spirit which believed to be the charac
teriscs Of Christians, would, under Providence have
wrought out the wonted harmony of this institution II
they had carried out he might say there
would have been arrangement, not only as to the
ecclesiastical matters but to the property involved
But they did not take this course Any one who would
read the plan Of separation would what 1t contem
plated the Southerns brought to the conclusion that
separation was necessary Now, that step would have
Of the church with whom he (Mr. Wood had pro-
fssional interviews would have been perfectly satisfied
that q compromise should have been made II this suit
out Of the way he felt land he held no gentemans
proxy in making the statement that the whole
would be settled in eighteen months That unfortunate
question Of abotonism which had been agtated in this
country for some years pastthe Pandoras box which
has let out every evilhas doubt given for
the steps taken in this and allowances ought to be
made and in spirit Of kindness they will be made lie
did not to that these men had been led by
session of the mind difficult be dpossessed though
1t is not quite understood; 1t requires chapter in
the science Of philosophy to develope it, sets out
on phanthropic obect-he suffers that idea to
take possession of his mind; he goes filed with be-
nevoence and he meets opposition and that opposition
stimulates him until he gets entirely polemcal-they
don't look upon these subjects in larger scale man
takes il into his head relieve individual ave-that
may be all very WELL but when you undertake to eman-
eipste an entire State, you are doing something more
than Of individual philanthropy There is
where whole slave State has been suddenly freed except
In ofour English brethren who their
slaves In the Indies But this should bea work Of time lie
had made these remarks, because he believed them
be connected with the vital interests the
try The body whom he represented not he repeated
charged with this offence; but that there may be ind
vidua members who adopt these views who have excited
the Southern mind, and have induced them to act with
preciptancy, there be no doubt. lie (Mr. Wood
thought he had said enough to satisfy the Court that
the plaintiffs In law or equity have right to this pro-
pery They ought to have waited for the carrying out
Of these could have been carried
out under cot Of equity in the spirit Of religion and
majority Of such settled by compromise And
men worshipng the same God, protesting the
relgionare they to be an exception to the rule OF
settling by compromise, He trusted not and he
cuded by saying that that Is the only this question
Mr. Wood then begged refer the Court to the Journal
Of Conferences, 1s4s, o. where amicable adjustment
Of this was earnestly invited.
Hon. RcverJy johnson then rose 10 sum up the argu
ment on behalf Of the paintins lie said-May 1t pleas
the Court propose TO consider the question in this
under four different heads The first the power Of the
General Conference Of 1874 TO adopt the plan Of division
Of the sth Of June Of that year The second Is the
the division Of the Church was made to depend cxcu
svey the General Conference Of the State In which
they existed and upon no other Conference; and that
the change in the sixth article In the constitution Of tire
General Conference made to depend exclusively
all the Annual Conferences considering the Church at
that time body Thrd-that by force Of the division
Of the Church. IL that division made by the Annual
Conferences Of the States In which they exist the pro-
pcry Of the Church Il 70 be divided upon equitable pn
cples between the two fragments into which the Church
has been divided And, fourth and lastly that admit
ting the Conference Of 1874 had authority to adopt
.lap ~
the state Of things which still exists entitie the
plainants TO relief upon the present bill If that plan
had never been proposed and adopted These inquiries
all Of them plain and simple; to be fully compre-
hcndcd they require no great extent Of legal lcarning
and they demand no extraordinary depth Of particular
research particular ability TO enforce them should
approach the argument, " the controversy turned
upon these points alone with no other solicituie,
Is involved, than that which admittedly AMI pro-
pery belongs to the relation n counsel But, confess
. deeper and more absorbing consideration, and 1
therefore rice oppressed with the responsibility which
feel II imposes on me. When remember the origin u
this suit lose sight Of the dollars and cents which IL
cuar intcr sts Of my clients There reflect con-
nected with the origin direct and vitality important
the usefulness Of that institution berctore harmonious
and prosperous material 20 the quiet Of this public
mind and possibly TO the very existence Of the Of
government under which We i've that feel trembling
lest the adjudication Of this court may not be assisted
by the manner in which shall discharge my duty The
heart Of the entire nation has been fcverhy papi.at
ing for the last few In painthe very chords from
which this springs will break unless the good and
patriotism Of the people. and all the authorities State
well national will iptrv.ne-the trumphs the
lustre and the gorics which heretofore surrounded us
and made the glory and envy Of the world will be
sttutcd by discord aud wrrtchedncss. debility aud de-
graduation, civil and boodshed. And u II too much
say that that divided state Of the public mind is In
10 be attributed TO the very existence. Of
the controversy which your honors called upon
70 settle. have an abiding hope that the manner Ia
which will be settled IL the principles Of Law which
firmly essbhe that with all the respect which
thi court commands will tend much 30 appcas- the
public alarm well 70 settle the particular dispute
IL will be my part, far m-y b. able 10 assist The
court In the deliberations which trust will tsnl
this happy result First then bad the conference OF
1874 the power 90 adopt the plan 81 thlt year
My learned brothers the other side deny thas
power. Mr. johnson proceeded to contend that they
had that aud that Il delegated 20 them by tn
venerable John Wesley. elder aud an ornament OF
the English Church And then % the early labors
Of the preachers of the Methodist Episcopal Church
said the light ~ Christian charity had been carried by
abe servants Of God TO the rcmoteSt confines Of tn,
stsee; the darkest wilderness had been entered Chris
tan charity faith and hope had been carried everywhere