The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-11-26
The pI.,hodIst church Case.

which the New York correspondent OF The
Union employed in reference TO the recent lie
gal proceedings between the southern and
northern branches of the Methodist church.
The Union put IN a quasi disavowal of this
portion of its contributors remarks, and as
cribed their insertion to inadvertence. Yes
terday, however, it allows the same writer
to reopen the question, with declaration
that our comment was based upon ''a per-
version Of the meaning" of the words ORR
ginally used. He maintains that his structures
were applicable only to the northern MeIho-
dist church as a corporation, and not to its
members as a class. Now, as the Union has
given its correspondent the benefit OF pretty
liberal endorsement on the score of general
good sense, accurate information, and patriotic
feelings" we think it best to- cite the entire
paragraph as it appeared in that journal on the
18th instant:
"The circuit court of the United States has just
decided the famous Methodist case, involving the
right to the Book Concern, so called, which is val
ued at $75O.Ooo. To the qualification of every
one here, (the northern Methodists excepted,) the
award is in favor of the rights of the southern
branch of this extensive religious association TO
their full share of the joint property. Aside from
the pecuniary interests involved in it, this is
of vast and varied importance. In the first
place, il exhibits religious abotionsm in it's true
light, and holds it up to the world thief and
robber condemned to make restitutionby the high
est legal authority Of the land. A body of Chris
tians, associated for religious purposes, become in
cidentally the possessors of large amount ofpro
perty, the fruit of their common industry and con
rVN.
pne, and agree to separate into two equal or
ly equal divisions. In doing. common equity
would dictate pro rata division of the joint pro-
perty. Men in private life would, as a matter of
course make such division; civil corporations,
partners, Joint tenants and joint proprietors of
every description separate and divide their part
nership funds every day of the week Some
times disputes arise TO the different proportions
which each claims; but we never remember to
have heard of an instance where the one party,
without any pretence of right except that of pos
session, laid claim to and held on to the whole of
the assets belonging to both, until now. 1t was
left for religious abohtionism to set this example
of wholesale fraud and robbery, and it seems as if
it was permitted to do SO by Providence, in order
that its unworthiness might be publicly exposed,
rebuked, and held up as warning to the whole
world of mankind. How natural is the step from
Their to the defraudng, robbing, and stripping him
of his goods? The Methodist church North first
assumed the right of Judging the southern branch
OF the brotherhood for what it chose to coneder the
sin of slaveholding, "a sin, by the way, unknown
in the Old the New Testament dispensaion.)
To condemn the next. and very easy step;
to plumber was the third, and step of course.
The perpetrators of this brutal outrage have been
detected and forced to disgorge. II is true
have no law to punish them any further; but they
are already pilloried in public opinion, and the
cord of their shame will be coeval with that of
their name"
Whatever "hypercriticism" may have been
exhibited in relation to these remarks, we opine
that it is more justly chargeable to those who
profess to discern nothing offensive in them
than to ourselves, who designated them ''the
foulest asperson of the entire Methodist church
of the northern States" The Union and its
correspondent may be as ill-natured as they
please in the matter, but they will fail to divest
the attack of its disgracefui offensveness unless
they can succeed in giving to its terms a series
of definitions different from those adopted by
ordinary photographers. The judicial award
is represented as gratifying to every one, ''the
"northern Methodists" are rated as ''a body of
Christians, associated for religious purposes"
who allow religious abolitonism" to lead
them into the commission of wholesale fraud
and robbery )" and, finally, the same body are
held up as perpetrators of this brutal out
rage" and as having been already "'pilloried
in public opinion" Yet, to escape from his
dilemma, the writer now ventures to affirm
that he chad not the slightest idea of casting
reflection upon the Methodists as sect :" and
no doubt the Union will shortly pronounce the
explanation perfectly satisfactory. 1t may be
that the Union sees further into milestone
than most of its neighbors. For our own part,
we are constrained TO interpret things as we
find them; and on this account are utterly I'M
able to perceive how the Unions correspond
ent, with all his "patriotic feelings" can ac-
cuse a body of Christians of ''wholesale fraud
and robbery" and yet cast no reflection upon
them cas- sect" What meaning is there
in the phrase perpetrators of this brutal out
age" if not applicable to the northern Metho-
dists as denomination?
The truth is, that the explanation published
by the Union only makes the matter worse.
We can respect the "pluck" which prompts a
man to battle through the difficulties that may
befal him; but nothing short of contempt can
meet the deserts of an assailant whose abusive
ness is equalled only by his meanness-who in
flicts wrong, and then. instead of manfully
acknowledging it, seeks to escape the respon-
sibity by deliberate and impudent untruth.
We may quote in this connection the follow
ing paragraphs from the Richmond Examiner,
another rabid Democratic print:
"The northern majority of the Methodist church,
by it's tyrannical ntermeddling with the do.
nestle slavery Of its southern brethren, compelled
them into division of the connection. The north
ern fragment then grabbed every dollar OF the
common property About this arose lawsuit,
which, as the reader knows. has been decided in
the favor Of the southern church by Judge Nelson.
awe allude to these facts because they have
given rice to the strangest symptoms among the