New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-05-28
METHODIST CHURCH CONTROVERSY
Us. Circuit Court -HosDAy, May S
and

! in The Court room was densely crowded by spec
taiors large number Of ladies being IN the galleries
Mr. C. sand he regretted having had to avail himself
so long Of the kindness of the bench but hoped he
would &c able TO requite by reasonable breylty.
| The question presented arises out Of transactions
Of singular and sad nterest-one suggestive Of many
| thoughts rs 70 the dismemberment permanently or
pro tempore of the Methodist Church, but Is IN II
self question Of mere property, TO be decided by
| operation Of law. The Court would not be greatly
assisted but would rather be embarrassed by an at
tempt TO trace the causes, speak of the blame or
responsibility to the parties producing IT, siil less
! BY hearing the crlmnatlon and recrlmlnaton as TO
the motives which led to the Sult-al that VIII be
| done better, perhaps, elsewhere History which
keeps a durable record. even when parties shall have
passed away, will display it. desire to conhne my
| self 10 the question before the Court.
Before proceeding any further, would say, IN re-
gard to the immediate defendants that they have the
custody Of the property IN question that they re-
celved II as a trust be applied 10 certain definite
characters. and for the benefit OF certain deScnp-
ton of preacherS, and wives and families and WIDOWS
of remaining members under the direction OF the
General ana Annual Conferences and they nave
never been directed far as they can understand H.
TO draw a farhlng for the purpose claimed by pam
tiff, and must suppose they mold It under the orlgnal
trust As to the Commissioners appointed IN ISL,
they feel that according 10 the very plan OF Separs-
ton on which these parties bring their bill, they are
directed TO pay nothing TO paintlh, but on the nap
pening OF certain contingency III relation 10 the re-
peal of the restrictive rule, contingency when mas
never happened This Is a sufficient excuse out OF
Court ana for defense here Whether the Annual
| Conferences ought or not 10 have acceded to the
matter of the General Conference, Is not Tor defend
ants To say but until they have done so, We hold 1t
on the trusts under which for fifty years has been
administered, and on the faith OF when hundreds ana
thousands have lived and died, 1--we and labor stu
within the bosom OF the Methodist Church' ana
which Il l. the duty of defendants, on recoru' 20
guard TIL the Annual conferences Vi 'u4s 'iAo"i'
Mr. G cherished the hope that the church would
| be reunited He alluded to the suggestion AZ the
| Louisville Conference that something might DC pro-
posed whereby It might be reunlted-that II Hlgnt Oe
| The same old church again and show win something
ike the briliancy of it rising IS hope when nc mas
| not rehnqulred. 80. ,...., r.,
ference from 1886 To S44 as 10 the slave question,
was of a conservative and conclatory knd-that
they had refused 10 make farther enactmentS as 20
that question, and IN consequence OF when refusal
some ministers who were IN favor OF II mad seeded
and gone to other churches
INC dismemberment OF the church for the reasons
given on the day It happened was cauSeesS, need
les and deplorable IN the highest degree the zeal
and energy Of Christians IN one generation might
have kept together and If the thouSandth part OF
the ability which the members OF the church possess
had been exercised, they might nave done so
Mr. &. contended that the whole cause OF dsSatlS-
faction the part OF the Southern members was the
resolution in regard to Bishop Andrews, ana yet that
II 10 himself whether or not he would yet continue
TO perform the duties of his Office and retaining to
HIM his position and emolumentS lie was nom
mated by the South and elected by the General Con
ference on the ground agreeably TO the rules OF dis
cipllne that he did not own slaves when he had be-
come the owner of such. all that was suggeStedt TO
HIM that he would not continue 10 perform the
duties OF his office
The regulation not requiring travelling preacher
TO manumit slaves where the laW prohibited II, dld
not apply to Bishops. There are nine Bishops, OF
- N.,,,fb katsn CIV and
which extends over the whole OF the United states,
and the usefulness of Bishop, while taDorlng IN
States not Saveholdng, would be impaired by &c.
Walton OF the rule, while the preachers are located
by the Annual Conferences and 1t was found neces-
sary that deviation should be made IN regard 10
them. 90,
The majority of the General Conference of 1874,
MI c. sad, in passing the resolutions they dm dld
moi dream of a division Of the Churchill repre-
scented to the Conference by the southern members
that the acton as Bishop a. would render 1t I'M
hs Church south, the resolution was 20 the
effect that II they found a necessity OF division,
mleht be acted upon. When the Southern members
returned, had any number of them, or even one, eN-
creased their energies for continued union OF the
Church. 1t would have been secured, instead OF
which they set to work the Annual Conferences in IA
vor Of division, which led to the Conference at
Louisville.
Mr. C. commended that even allowing the General
Conference to have passed the resolution and II had
been acceded 10 by the Annual Conference, that
General Coterencc had no more power to authorize
and order division OF the Church. than has the Con-
greSs OF the United States the power To do 50 IN re-
gard 10 The nation. The General Conference grew
out Of the animal counsel. and had but the same
powers. and one portion OF whose duty was to take
measures TO strengthen the union OF the Church IN
stead Of TO destroy IT. The Constitution OF the
Church was formed IN 7s4, by body called express
IN for that purpose. IN "a similar way win the Con-
yentions which formed the Constitutions of the
United States aud the several states, and when us
work was done that body separated and has been
seen no more The first principle of that Constit1-
ton Was union, contemplating an extension OF the
Church for usefulness over the whole length ana
breadth OF the land IN which Us superintendent
through the Itlnorancy OF the Church, could success
fully pursue their labOrs IN every part The question
- 10 slavery also a cardinal point OF that Con-
stltutlon. The only power which can divide and
separate the Church - q convention which must be
called expressly for that purpose, similar 10 the con
ycntian which formed H. Any portion OF thdt ChuTch
therefore Withdrawing from It become seceders
agreeably 10 the rules OF the Church, and have no
claims upon H. property.
illusions as to the benefit Of unlOn both rs 10 the
Church and to the Nston-it wants but mutual kinJ
ness ard a consideration of first principles, and he
hoped far would be the day when the Union wouldo be
dissolved
lie gave, during his remarks, some account Of the
history Of the Methodist Church IN tins country II
had us birth, he said and baptism IN 100, IN an upper
chamber, il a building IN New-l ork. 1t was some
What embarrassed by the war of the Revolution, but
m lisa rs hymns were sung m the pine woods anu
dwellings OF seven States, and II numbered between
l4OOO md 1900 members. NOW, we believe, near
IL one and 4 half mlilOns.l
Mr. c. N relation 10 the property, took the ground
that IN the General Conference OF 1874 there was
special agreement which should govern tin case the
resolution was yahdl but the terms Of when nave
not been performed and the secession OF the mem
borS even Il authorized woul3 not entltle them TO
anv portion Of the funds without an express agree
meni to that effect, sanctioned by q court OF compe-
tent Jurisdiction.
Mr. {. spoke with great eloquoace for nearly five
hours
TUESDAY, May q.
The Court room, a. before IN this case, was early
filled by spectators
Mr. Choate appearing stronger than on the day be-
fore was early on the ground. He said If from tins
review OF the history Of the Church the Couhthought
the counsel came into existence as purely admins
traire ihn case Is ended hut Il they thought Il