The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-11-22

merely formal portions we omit.
The case decided is one Of great interest in a
national, apart from a sectional and denomina-
tion2 point of view Il concludes a long and
bitter controversy bstvssn the divided portions Of
. large, wealthy sad inAaential denomination. 1t
secures 10 the Methodist Church, South, the rights
and interests to which, in equity, it was clearly
entitled. It closes = controversy, in which Sec
tonal feeling, heated and inaamed By sincere
religious zeal, threatened the conAagation Of the
Union, and fed tho spirit of sectional discord in
the hearts Of Thousands Of our fellow. countrymen.
Il rebukes the intolerance in which the contro-
versy originated ; and affords new demonstration
Of the high toned impartiality Of our courts
The controversy was in every way very unfor-
tunate one. We do not speak Of mere denomi
national inteFests or the progress Of the peculiar
sectarian views, though in these respects it was
unfortunate enough to the Methodist Church. 1t
essranged those who had long been most closely
and intimately connected, and separated the
church into two separate divisions with an angry
controversy between them. The controversy was
sectional in aspect, involved the unhappy political
discussions Of the day, and was much more heated
and intolennt than they. tt4
It is in this light we view it. When sectional
ism invaded the sanctuary, and sought to drive
venerable ministers from their duties, difficulties
multiplied in the path to national harmony, and
new shadows gathered upon the destiny of the
Union. Here was large and powerful denomi.
nation spread throughout the Union, suddenly
split asunder upon sectional questions. Here
were men who had worshipped in the same faith
abruptly changed into angry disputants. Here
was one division Of great church, denouncing the
very holding of slaves as sinful, and thereby
nursing the heat and fame Of anti-slayery excite
ment, giving new motives to secessionists and
grossly outraging the feelings of Southern men.
II sinful in preacher, we do not see how it could
be otherwise in layman and so, the movement
of the Methodist Church, North, was, in reality
md in inevitable issue, an abolition movement,
In other WORDS it demanded the surrender of slave
property upon the part Of the professors of Meho.
dsm as matter of conscience. Had it no, have
been promptly and manfuy resisted, this result
would have been secured.
1t was asingular instance of mistaken religi ,us
zeal. There was no thought of the vast and
widely interviewer interests of slavery of the
inevitable necessity by which this generation held
it as an inherited institutional the incapacitv of
the slave for freedom-of the terrible social revou
ton any thing more than the most gradual eman.
cpation would inevitably work-of the horrors
upon horrors which would be created. Blinded
by dogmatic generaities, the Methodist Church,
North, urged the question to extremities, and a
wide and deep gulf now divides her from her
sister church of the South. Such result has
made more ultras than any thing else; and we
attribute than one half of our sectional diff.
:ulties to this most unfortunate controversy and
unhappy division-to the singular resolution by
which the holding Of slaves was declared to soil
he minister too foully to permit his longer con-
inuance Of his ministerial duties Slavery was
made unconscientious in the professor. and if il
rad have been thus undermined, there was an end
If it. The current Of anti-savery feeling would
rave been immensely swollen in volume, and
have swept everything before it.
Slavery is hsdged in by The opposing senti
nent of the world. 1t is an institution which
vas originally forced upon our unwilling fore.
alhers by anti-slavery England, and is thoroughly
md perhaps irretrievably, interviewer with eyerv
hing that is vital in Southern society. No con- |
erence decree could reach it, from citizens of orr
'wn country, in the blaze of sectional excitement
Without crumbling the whole framework of our
ociety into ruins. We honor the manly opposi.
on Of the Methodist Church, South. 1t held our
eace and safety within its control, and main.
lined both.
There ia another feature which made the con.
'oversy we have under notice peculiarly unfor.
mate The Methodist Church is at once re.
for zeal and uncontroversial spirit. lis
minister's, generally, in fact, almost universally
ccupy themselves with urging practical and posi-.
i've religion, without INDUCING in Trades asains,
'her denominations. As plain, quiet, earnest re.
igonists. Methodis,s deservedy command gene raj |
espect' without regard to the truth or falsitv of
heir doctrine-a matter which is not within M,
rovince to discuss. That slavery should enter as
question of discord, bitter issue of separation
ITO this denomination, was calculated to give rise
serious apprehensions concerning the gravity of /
'ctlonal issues, and largely to iname the sectional
prevailing. The injustice of thu |
hurch' North, in grnsping the monopoly of common
roperty, property created to a measurable e.,ent
southern liberality, and forbidding the church.
'outh, any use or profit thereof, aggravated
ne dangerous tendencies of the movement.
'or linen would ask if co.relgioniss thus bill.
cry take issue upon the question of slavery If
or 1t they thus forget the sacred sympa,bes of =,
common faith, sunder its golden links. and h,o,
'ne announcer no longer in the house of God, what |
nay we not expect from men of no religion what |
ver, no religious sYmpathies 10 restrain. mn lima
IGNORED associations to appeal for forbearancs /
The question had an awkward answe, 7,
''o''ea Inc constitution, it darkened the Union |
n the eyes Of the patriot, and involved the funr.
n most perplexing doubts. The courts havs "a.
olved it handsomely. The law has commanded
'eace, order and equity in the church. and nos
lapphy indicated that trust and forbearance
which true religion and genuine patriotism alike
nculcate, and without which human socie,iss |
an only know evil and contention.
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Inc following notice from the Delta, CORES, |