The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-24

Ttt ateAt @atnedtst cases
! UNITED TATEs CIRCUIT COURT
,fhs Hn- > s l'oJ od petts prs.'d,2
i1ixliy Lspor u Ce3s- Methodist Epdl1bpal
1hlre& .Ast and South sS(asligion and St9Bry.

N
May S0-71enry b. Bdscom and otaers. es'
George Lane and othxrs. Al tbs sitting OF the
court this morning, Mr.. Lord proceeded to read
from the Book of Proofs, No. u
From Address of the British Conference to
the bishops and members of the General Con
ference of the Methodist Episcopal church 10
the United States Of America
But while we freely indulge in sentiments
such as these, we cannot forget that on one sub
iect especiAtty--the subject OF American slavery
YOU, our beloved brethres are placed in eli
lcumstahces Of painful trial and perplexlty, We
enter, with brotheiy sympathy, into the necg,
liar situation Which YOU are now. called to oc.r
cupy But on this question, we beg to refer
you To what occurs in. our address to you from
the conference of 1886, n proper copy ef'which
will be handed to you by our representative, as
also to the contents of our preceding lptttt Of
1875 TO the principles which'we have afftc.
ftionately' but honestly declared in these two
Documents we still adhere, witha full conviction
of their Christian truth and iustice.,...s ~ NC
"a.The time which has elapsed, and the events
which have taken place, since the preparation Of
the above mentioned papers, serve only to con-
firm us yet more in our views OF the moral evil
of slavery. Far be it from us to advocate vio-
lent and i'll considered measures. We are, how
ever, strongly and uneapivocally of opinion that
it is at this time, the paramount Christian duty
of the ministers of our most merciful Lord in
your county to maintain the principle of OPP
position to slavery with earnest zeal and I'M
| fiinching firmness May we not also be allowed,
with the heartfelt soicitnde of. fraternal love,
to entreat that you will not omit Of qualify the
| noble Testimony which we'hkve extracted, in
note to our address, from your Book OF Disci-
pline, but that you will continue to. insert ii
there in its primitive and qnimpai,ed integrity"
From Address Of the General Conference to
the British Conference.
~" We have considered, with. afYectionate re-
spect and confidence, your brolherly suggestions
concerning slavery, and most cheerfully return
an uareserved answer TO them. And We do so
the rather, brethren, because of the numerous
prejndcial statements which, have been put forth
in certain quarters to the woundng of tie
church. We assure YOU then, brethren, that
we have adopted no new principle or rule of
discipline respecting slavery, since the time OF
our apostolic Asbury; neither do we mean to
adopt any. In our general rules, Called the
| General Rules OF the United Societies., and
which are of constitutional authority in our
church, the buying and selling of men, women
and children, with m intention to enslave them,
is expressly prohibted; and in the same words
substantially, which have been used for the rue
| since 1892. And the extract OF part 2, section
| 10, of our Book of Discipline. which you quote
with appreciation, and denominate a nozzle les-
timony' is still of force TO the same extent that
| it has been for many. years; nor. do We enter
tain any purpose to omit or qualify this section,
or any part thereof For while we should re-
gard-ita sore evil TO divert Methodsm from her
proper work of spreading Scripture holiness
over these lands to questions Of temporal i'm
port, involving the rights Of Cesar, yet are we
not the less minded on that account to promote
and act forward all humane and generous ac-
tons, or to prevent to, the utmost of our power
such as are evil aud unchristian 1t is our first
desire, after piety toward God, Ito be-" merciful
after our power, as we have opportunity, doing
good Of every possible sort, and az far IS possi-
BILE, to all men, to their bodies but especi-
ally, aud above all, to their souls ....
4 s,.aOr these United States, Ito the government
Il and laws of which, according 80 the division
II of pewer made to them BY the Constitution of
f the Union, and the constitutions Of the several
Il States we owe, and delight to render a sincere
and patriotic loyaty,) there are several which
do not allow Of slavery. There are Others in
which it is allowed, and there are slaves; but
the tendency of the laws, and the minds of the
majority of the people, are in favor OF emanc
pqtion. But there ere Others in which slavery
exists so universally, and is so closely interwo-
ven with their civil institutions, that both do the
laws disallow of emancipation, and the great
body of the people Uhe source of laws with us)
hold it to be reasonable to set forth anything.
bv word or deed tending that way, Each one
Of nil these States is Independent of the rest,
and sovereign, with respect to its internal
: governments (as much 80 Us If there exited no
T confederation among them for ends of common
nterest) and therefore it Is impossible TO
frame rule on slavery proper for our people in
ali the States alike But our church Is extern
ded through all the states and as it would be
wrong and unscrptnral to enact rule of dsc-
pline in opposition to the constitution and laws
of the State on this subject, so a'so would it
not be equitable or Scrptural to comfound the
positions Of our ministers and people $50 differ
ent as they are in different States) With respect
to the moral question which slavery involves.
Under the administration of the venerated
DIR. Coke, this plain distinction was once over
looked, and il was ATTEMPTED to urge emancipa
ton in al, the States; but the attempt proved
almost ruirou and was soon abandond by the
doctor himself While, therefore, the church
has encouraged emancipation In those States
where the laws permit il, an tallowed the-free
man to enjoy freedom, we have RETAINED for
conscience sake, from all ntermpddng with
the subject in those other States where the laws
nuke it criminal And such a course we think
agreeable to the Scriptures, and indicated bv
St Pauls inspired institution 10 servants, in
his FIRST Episile to the Corinthians, chap. vii.
yer. 30, 81. For If serv nts were not TO care
for their scrvitude when they might not be free,
though if they might be free they should use
it rather; So neither should masters be con-
demned for not setting them free when they
might not do so, though if they might they
should do so rather. The question of the evil
Of slavery. nbstractedly considered. You will
readily pc receive, brethren, is very different
matter from principle cr rule OF church dis
cpline, to be executed contrary to, and In de-
Hance Of the law Of the land. Methodism has
always been Except, perhaps, IN the single in
stance above) emineniy loyal and promotlve Of
good order, and so we desire it may ever con-
Time to be, both in Europe and America.
With this sentiment we conclude the subject,
adding only tie corroboratnU language of your