The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-05-22
The Methedlss Church COMMEMORATIVE
Slavery An = New shape.

Court on the nineteenth instant in this cityJudges
Nelson and Belts presiding. This suit is very
important one; and find for the Southern divi-
sion If the church, the Hon. Reverdy John
son, Mr.. Daniel Lord Of this city, and Mr. John
son. jr., acting counsel. For the Northern divi-
sion, the Hon. Rufus Choate Of Boston, and
Nessrs. George Wood and E. L. Fancher, of this
city, are engaged. The Hon. Mr.. Ewing, also.
is watching the case for the Northern division,
he being counsel in q correlative case pending in
Ohio. From such array OF talent on both sides,
il quite apparent that the is Of great inse
rest TO the parties engaged and brief survey Of it
is necessary for the instruction Of the general
reader, who may not have examined the case.
The Methodist Episcopal Church is q voluntary
association. Up to June, 1874, unineorporated by
any legal enactment, /. numbered seven bishops
and four thousand eight hundred and twenty -eight
preachers. The sum total Of members was esti-
mated to be above one mslson one hundred thousand
persons, organized by General Conference, and .
number Of subordinate annual conferences That
which is popularity called the "Book Concern" Of
this city, and valued at seven hundred and Atty
thousand dollars, is Of the religious educational
engines ofthe body. In is44, however, questions
connected with the holding Of slaves created ami
moeiues in this voluntary institution, and it's unity
was dissolved. II was thereafter known two
bodies. distinguished by the sectional names of
North and South. The Southern members had
done most to enrich the Book Concern; but they
we're denied the one-haf Of it, which, in equity
without any bar to sueh proceeding, they ma
turally would have been entitled TO. This half is
the Of the aco before the Circuit Court,
and involves many questions with respect % church
al xyvl,sl II
cal thoughts with respect to the influence Of such
organizations on the character Of republican instr
tutions-being, they virtually, ecclesiastical
courts, which call to their bar, and have power to
try, convict and disgrace members, as well as to
accumulate large estates in land and other pro-
perty, and to set up troub esone, if not dangerous,
powers.
This extraordinary quarrel Il win be seen is not
about souls alone. On the contrary, what spec
taclo Of wordnes does il present TO Chris. and bis
apostles, and those who hare assembled into Heaven
during the past eighteen hundred years We per
csiyc all the array Of the law, la1yers, and mighty
company Of earthly spectators, 10 the number
Of about ten millions Of Christians, in organized
ehurshes, Interested in this singular strife the
materials which, the combatants profess, are 10 be
used for the Salvation Of sinners and the progress Of
have divisions among themselves Of kindred cha
racser, are deeply interested; and the Baptists
ALEC divided into antagonIstic parties, look with
ea.nestness. The Catholics and the Epscopalans
are those only of the large seots who have not any
al xieties Of the same nature, because they live in
comparative harmony, and have not intenered with
the political construction Of society.
At the frst sight, this great controversy may APP
l.. 49, rnxl
ing dollars and cents This is not so. Il goes far
beyond any technicslites Of the legal profession.
II has sprung out Of political dogmas, necessarily
urged by those who care less for Chri.t's kingdom
than their own personal ambition and love Of empty
distinction. The question is connected with the
political exctenents of the day. II Is branch Of
the fanaticism which has produced the excite
ment recently displayed in South Carolina, and in
the disgracsful scenes Of Syracuse and Of Boston.
Its origin may be traced with mathematical kact-
tude, to the efforts made twerty five years ago, by
Garrison and his little satellites in Boston, and by
Arthur Tsppan and his small myrmidons 10 this
city, 20 establish organized agitating and anti
slavery societies, for destructive purpo-es-snj de-
siruetive purposes alone. The first fruits are now
visibIethe effect is before u. We behold, already,
the division Of three great secs into fragments and
the splitting Of the two political parties Of the
country into factions, without any rational pur-
pose or object. The next result may be the dcs-
tructon q the Union itself
New, these movements. originally made by Gar
rison and his ooadutors, based tao phosophi
cal dogmas Of Nctsire, praetised upon by the Robes
pierre republicans Of Fsao~ which, ser a repose Of
fifty years, have been revived for the pcposc, DOE
mus, believe. d dnbbiinz the world IN the blood Of
another -, Domingo Thomas Paine AID Thomas
Jefferson, imbued With the spirit which. in the
French revolution. made the streets OF Paris run
with blood, like water, sowe3 tho seed Of fanat.
cisn, ~ their famous dogma that "all men are
born free and equal dogma beautiful in sound,
but empty, trsnsoendcutsl, and truthless 10 fact
Al men, on the contrary. IRE born weak and imbe-
cile ard IN fact. slaves. They acquire rights only
by age. education, the exertion Of intellect, by
honesty Of action, BY industry, and by the advancc
Of civilization In society. The dogma 20 often
cited tho basis Of our government, T. hollow
and -enEslcss -ound; ard IL is time that the ideas
thrown among the people ~ Jefferson and PAINE
originating in the philosophy of Yolaire should Ne
Gee, asiie ~ political chsrlatanism of tbs mot
destructive character. While We have been under
u. il has kept as 10 state Of agitation, and ho
hold the happiness Of twenty-five millions perilleJ
70 keep o. nero dclusion. Our political meet.
ing, courts Of justice, churches, odrsa
ticDal system, business operationsin ct. every
avenue of life Is afflicted With the spirit Of this f,sc
AID Ts.tilentin political lio Out II such wret0hed
sorbisns came the horrors 81 the Old French revo.
lutior and tho terrible nassscrcs - - Dom ingo.
Ict Ne te warned IN time, and countcrrgitate the
agitation that has existed for twenty-five years by
making ore veusfal AMI yhss agitation bassd on