The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-05-26

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proceedings complained of--toRethef with hnn4
dreds Of petitions from the East, North. and
Wes demanding that slavery, In all it, possibIe
forms, be separated from the ehurch these, and
similar demonstrations, have convinced the ui-
dersgned, that they cannot remain silent or in
active without hazard and injustice to the df.
ferent portions Of the church they represent.
They have, therefore, thought proper to in
woke the attention of the church in the South TO
a state of things they are compelled 10 regard as
worthy the immediate notice and action of thu
church throughout all the slavehoding State.
and territories. The subject Of slavery and
abolition, notwithstanding the plain law Of tho
dscipline on the subject, was agitated and de-
bated in the late general conference for five suc-
cessive weeks and even at the very close of the
session, the aspect OF things was less satIsfac-
tory and more threatening 10 the South than -
any former period; and under such circuu-
star ces of mutual distrust and disagreement
the general conference adjourned
Some time before the adjournment, however.
upon declaration made by the Southern dele.
CATIONS, setting forth the impossibity of en-
during such state Of things much longer the
general conference, by very large and decided
majority, agreed to plan of formal and pacific
separation, by which the Southern conferences
are to have distinct and independent organiza-
ton OF their own, in no way subject to Northern
jurisdiction. II affords Us pleasure to state that
there werethose found among the majority no
met this proposition with every manifestation
of justice and iberaity. And should similar
spirit be exhibited by the annual confe rences in
the North, when submitted TO them, rs provided
for in the plan itself, there will remain no lecal
impeachment to its peaceful contamination.
This plan is approved by the undersigned
as the best, and, indeed, all that can be done at
present, in remedy of the great evil under which
we labor. Provision is made for a peaceable
and constitutional division Of church property Of
every kind. The plan does not decide that divi.
sion shall take place; but simply, and il is
thought securely, provides that it may, If il be
found necessary. OF this necessity, you are to
be the judges, after careful survey and COM
parison of all the reasons for and against it.
''As the undersigned have had opportunity
and advantages which those at distance could
not possess, to form correct judgment in the
premises, and it may be expected Of them that
they express their views fully on the subject,
they 90 not hesitate to say, that they regard
separation at no distant day as inevitable and
furthrr, that the plan of separation agreed upon
is as eligible as the Southern conferences have
any right to expect at any time We most re-
spectfully, therefore, and with no common soil
citude, beseech our brethren of the ministry and
membership in the slaveholdinQ Sta ca, to ex.
anime this matter carefully, and weighing il well
in all its bearings, try to reach the conclusion
most proper under the circumstances. Shall
that which, in all moral likelihood must take
place soon, be attempted now, or are there rea-
sons why it should be postponed!
"We deprecate all excitement; we ask you to
be calm and collected, and to approach and dis
pose of the subject with all the ca, dor and for
bearances the occasion demands. The separa-
ton proposed is not secession. Its Suite or
family, separating into two different States or
families, by mutual consent. AS the Methodist
Episcopal church. will be found North Of the
dividing line, so the Methodist Episcopal church
will be fonnd South of the same line.
'The undersigned have chung to the cherished
unity of the church with firmness of purpose
and force offeeling which nothing but invincible
necessity could subdue II, however, nominal
unity must co-exist with unceasing strife and
alienated feeling what is likely to be gained by
its perpetuation? Every minister end member
of the church in saveholding States must per-
ceve Mt once, that the stant not to say inter-
minable, agitation of the slavery and abolition
question in the councils Of the church, and else
where, must terminate in incalculabe injury to
all the Southern conferences Our access to
slave and master is to great extent cut Off
The legislation of the church in conflict with
that of the State-church policy attempting to
control public opinion and social order must
generate an amount of hostility to the church
impossible to be overcome, and slowly but GER
tainly diminish both the means and the hope of
usefulness and extention on the part of the
church.
Disposed, however, TO defer to the judgment
IF the church, we leave this subject with YOU.
Our first and most direct object has been to
bring it fully before you, and, giving you an op.
portunity to judge and determine for yourselves,
await your decision. The minority from the
South, in the late general conference, were most
anxious to adjourn the decision in the case Of
Bishop Andrew, with all its attendant results, to
the annual conferences and to the church at
large, to consider and decide upon during the
next four years-as no charge was presented
against the bishop, and especially as this measure
was urgently recommended by the whole bench
quently withdrew his name. The proposition,
however, to refer the whole subj ct to the
church, was promptly rejected by the majority,
and immediate action demanded and hnd But
as all the facts connected with the equivocal
suspension Of Bishop Andrew will come before
you in other forms, it is unnecessary to detail
them in this brief address, the main object Of
which is to place before you, in summary way,
the principal facts and reasons connected with
the proposed separation of the Southern con-
ferences into distinct organization.
Adopted at meeting of the Southern dele
cations, held in New York, at the close of tie
general conference, June 18th, 1914, and or
dered to be published
assigned on behalf Of the Kentucky, ME-
souri,, Holston, Tennessee, North Carolina,
Memphis Arkansas, Virginia, Mississippi Texas,
Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina annual
conferences.
Counsel then, with view to abrdpe the
reading, referred the court to the reports Of the
several committees on division, the reports Of
the Holston conference on separation, and also
those of the conferences from Tennessee. Mem
phis, Mississippi, Arkansas, Virgins, North
Carolina, and he should refer to one paragraph
in the report of North Carolina, which said