The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-11-15

lnci Methodist Episcopal Churches with distinct and
independent organizations powers, and authority,
posed OF the several annual conferences charges, sta
hons and societies, lying or being situated North and
South OF the aforesaid line oil division.
And The complananls further sllege that. by force OF
me foregoing proceedings. the Methodist Episcopal
OF all The property, real and PERSONAL and Of all funds
and effects which, up 10 the time OF the separation, had
belonged to The Methodist Episcopal Church. and that
the church South was and is entitled, with )ut any
change or alteration OF the sixth restrictive article
above mentioned. That before and on the said
eighth day Of june, iS4a, the Methodist Episco,
pal Church owned and possessed large amount OF
property in various parts OF the United States, real
and PERSONAL which in the hands OF agents and
trustees; and among oherA-lalge interests therein be.
longing 10 the said churchwhat was denominaied the
Book Concern in the city OF New York, consisting OF
houses and lots. machinery printing presses, book bind.
cry books papers, debts. cash, &C., amounting 10 about
the sum Of SIS OOo-the whole OF which property
in possession OF the defendants, Lane and Scott, as
book agents.
And The compliments further alrge that, after the d.
vision OF the Methodist Episcopal Church into two dis,
nc churches by virtue OF The resolutions OF the general
conference OF s44 and the action of the annual confer
OF the South herenbetors set FORTH the agents
OF the Book Concern since the year 1S45. have utterly
refused to pay the annual conferences South or TO the
compliments Tor and on behalf oil them Their sad Just
proportion of the profits and income TO the said Book Con.
cern and still continue to withhold the same. Iha the
said general conference OF the church South, holden at
Petersburg. Virginia, in May, is45, in pursuance Oh and
in compliance WITH the plan OF separation OF 1874, pro-
ceeded 10 appoint the compainants, Bascom and Green,
together with s. A. Latta commissioners, to meet the
appointed by the general conference OF the
Methodist Episcopal Church of Is44 and settle and
ceve from the said commissioners the just proportion OF
The property and effects due 10 the church South accord
ing to the said plan OF separation and that the said Bas
com. Green, and latta afterwards applied to Nathan
Bangs, George Peck, and James B. Finley, appointed by
the general conference OF 1874 as the said book agents. 10
meet them for the purpose Of settlement and division OF
the said property and have repeatedly called them for
that purpose; but that the defendants have wholly failed
aud refused TO act in the premises: have they been
hnpir
church ITSELF 10 pay 10 the said church South its
poporona,e share OF the said property and funds pro-
vided in the said Ian OF separation
And the compliments allege that they members OF
the Methodist Episcopal Church South that Kelly and
Allen are supenumerary preachers, and Tevis super
animated preachers and tina, they belong to the travelling
connexon of the said church and as such, have per-
sonal interest in the estate real and personally holden
by the Methodist Episcopal Church by the defendants,
agents and trustees appointed BY the general conferences
that there about fifteen hundred preachers belonging
to the travelling conneXion of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South, each of whom has the personal
interest in the said property as the conplanans and that
the great number OF persons thus interested the re-
covey sought BY said bill makes 1t nconvenent, il not
impossible, bring them all before the court as com
State Of New York and that their interests exceed the
sum of So 900; that the defendants (ane and Scott)
have the custody and control by law, and by virtue OF
their appointment as agents of the Book Concern of all
the property and effects OF the said Concern as above de-
scribed'
The complainanis further aege that the entire mem.
about four hundred and sixty thousand five hundred and
fifty three; and that the entire membership of the church
Moth is about six hundred and thirty mine thousand and
sixty and that II is, therefore, impossible bring
all the parties in interest before the court in this bill,
either as compliments or defendants
The defendants admit the adoption of the resolutions
OF the general conference of the eighth of June 1884, by
majority of over three ourths OF the entire body; but
allege that the said resolutions were in respect 10 their
operation and effect provisional and contingent. and
intended 10 meet future emergency, that it sup
posed might arise IN the church between the northern
and southern members and further that the said resou
tons, called The plan OF separation, not duly e-
gay passed and that the general conference had
competent power or authority 10 pass adopt the same
except that portion risng the recommendation 10 the
annual conferences TO change the sixth restrictive rule
and that the last named resolutions, when adopted, were
null and void and without any binding foce except
matter Of recommendation.
The defendants further insist that, even had the
called plan Of separation been constitutional and valid II
merely provided for prospective plan, which, without
the happening OF certain future conditions, the fail
uTe OF which condiuons or either OF them, could not by
its express terms, nor was ever intended to- have any
force validity and is null and void and that the
ratified by the annual conferences named there
in and that the southern annual conferences have in all
respects, to the church South, acted on their own re-
sponsib,y. without any authority from the general con-
ference OF 1874
The defendants admit that the resolutions set forth
the complainants bill were adopted by the convention Of
delegates from the annual conferences in the slavehcd-
ing States. assembled at Louisville, Kentucky, on the LIST
OF May 1885, but they deny that the delegates comprising
said convention elected on the basis or according 10
the authority OF the provisional plan OF the separation OF
ls44 And they insist that the Methodist Episcopal
Church South exists separate ecclesiastical comnu-
nion by the actions and dongs oil the individual bishops
minister's and members attached to such church. proceed
ing in the premises their responsibility; and that
such bishops, ministers, and members have voluntarily
withdrawn themselves from the Methodist Episcopal
Church, and have renounced all their rights and pryi-
eges in the communion and under her government
The defendants further admit that the council OF bish-
ops Of The Methodist Episcopal Church. called the north
ern bishops ID ompainants' bill, and adopted the
solutions therein stated. They deny that this church,
il existed before the year 1sa4, at any lime exist
ed lawfully divided into two distinct Methodist
Episcopal Churches Is slieged in the said bill but that
the separation and withdrawal from the church of por.
uon oil the bishops, ministers, and MEMBERS
authorized separation
The defendants admit that before and on the eighth
day of June 1884, the Methodist Episcopal Church owned
and possessed large amounts of properly various parts
of the United States, and that the property consisting
the Book Concern, with all houses lots, machinery,
printing presses, &c, is now and always has been. the
property OF the preachers belonging 10 the travelling con
mex OF abe Methodist Episcopal Church. and their fam
es but that If such preachers do not during life, con-
subject .he governm OF the said church, they
forfeit Tor themss and their families all therAown-
ershp in, and all claims upon, sad Book Concern and
the produce thereof ~, !. n -, 4
They admit that all lands. property, and effects per
tanning the said Book Concern, in the possesson
of the defendants Lane and Scott agents duly appointed
by The general conference. % .t+1s 4ft,fr s.,ru
They admit, also, that the said Book Concern was
orig Inay' commenced by travelling ministers of the
Methodist Episcopal Church. on their own capital. with
the design, in the first place, OF circulating religious
knowledge. and by whom II was surrendered TO The
ownership OF all the travelling preachers in foil eonnex
ou and ha4e subject to the control OF the travelling