The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-11-15

ed to lay that part OF this report, requiring IN
action of the annual conferences, before theI
, as soon as possible, beginning with the Ne'
J York conference.
Tie compliments further allege that the sal
, general conference had full and competent powe
and authority to adopt the resolutions, each an
all of them, and that the same became of bindin
force and validity and that in pursuance of sal
resolutions, such proceedings were afterward
had in the several annual conferences OF tn
Methodist Episcopal Church in the slaveholdin
States, in general convention assembled, b.
delegates elected on the basis of the resolution
Of the general conference of 1874, at Louisville
| Kentucky. On the LIST day of May, lS45, tn
following resolution was adopted, after matur
and deliberate consideration:
BE ii resolved, by the delegates of the severa
annual conferences of the Methodist Episcopa
Church in the slaveholding States, in genera
convention assembled, That it is right, expe
dent, and necessary to erect the annual confer
ences represented in this convention into dis
tinct ecclesiastical connection, separate from thu
| Jurisdiction of the general conference of tn,
Methodist Episcopal Church, as at present con
sttuted; and, accordinglys.We, the delegates O.
said annual conferences, acting under the pro-
visional plan of separation adopted by the gen
eral conference of 1874, do solemnly declare the
jurisdiction hitherto exercised over said annual
conferences, by the general conferences of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, entirely dissolved
and that said annual conference shall be, anc
they hereby are, constituted a separate eccle
siastical connection, under the provisional plan
of separation aforesaid, and based upon the dis
cipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church, com
pretending the doctrines and entire moral, &C.
clesisastical, and economical rules and regula-
tons Of said discipline, except only in so far as
verbal alterations may be necessary to a distinct
organization, and to be known by the style and
title Of the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
Yeas, "a.
And that afterwards, on the second day Of
July, l845, a council Of the bishops of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, met at New York,
(Which council was composed of the Northern
bishops,) and then and there adopted unani-
mously the following resolutions
1. RESOLVED, That the plan reported by the
select committee of nine at the last general con-
ference, and adopted by that body, in regard to
distinct ecclesiastical connection, should such
a course be found necessary by the annual con-
ference in the slaveholding States, is regarded
by us as of binding obligation in the premises,
so far as our administration is concerned.
2. Resolred, That in order to ascertain fairly
dering on the line of division, in regard to their
adherence to the Church, North or South, due
notice should be given of the time, place, and
object of the meeting for the above purpose, at
which a chairman and secretary should be ap-
pointed, and the sense of all the members present
be ascertained and the same be forwarded to
the bishop who may preside at the ensuing an.
nual conferences; or forward to said presiding
bishop written request to be recognized and
have preacher sent them, with the names of the
majority appended thereto
And the complainants allege and insist, that
by, and in virtue of, the foregoing proceedings,
the Methodist Episcopal Church in the United
States, as it had existed before the year 1874,
became and was divided into two Distinct Metho-
dist Episcopal Churches with distinct and indie.
pendent organizations, powers, and authority,
composed of the several annual conferences,
charges, stations, and societies, lying or being
situated north and south of the aforesaid line OF
division.
| And the compliments further allege that, by
force of the foregoing proceedings, the Metho.
dist Episcopal Church, South, became, and was
entitled 10 its proportion Of all the property
real and personal, and Of all funds and effects
real and pere onal, and of all funds and effect:
which up 10 the time Of the separation had be-
longed to the Methodist Episcopal Church; and
that the Church South was, and is so entitled
without any change or alteration Of the sixth
restrictive articlf above mentioned. That be
fore, and on the said 9Th day Of June, 1874, the
Methodist Episcopal Church owned and pos
sessed a large amount of property in various
parts Of the United States, real and personal
which was in the hands Of agents and trustees
and, among others, large interests therein be
longed to the said church what was denominatec
the Book Concern, in the city Of New York, con
sstng Of houses and lots, machinery printing
presses, book -bindery, books, papers, debts cash
&c, amounting to about the sum Of $4,000
the whole Of which property is now in the pos
session Of the defendants, Lane g. Scott, as bool
agents.
And the compliments further allege, that, afte
the division Of the Methodist Episcopal Church
into two distinct Churches, by virtue Of The
resolutions Of the general conference Of 1874
and the action Of the annual conferences Of th'
South, rs hereinbefore set forth, the agents o
the Book Concern, since the year lS45, have ut
terly refused to pay to the annual conferences
South, or 10 the compliments for and in behal
Of them, their said just proportion Of the profit
and income 10 the said Book Concern-and stil
continue to withhold the same. That the saic
genera conference ollne Onufcn SCUM, nOloel
at Petersburg Virginia, in May, ls45, in pursu
ance Of, and in compliance with, the plan o
separation Of lS44, proceeded TO appoint tn
cCmplainants, Bascom and Green, together wit
=. A. Latts, commissioners, 10 meet the commits
sioners appointed by the general conference o
. the Methodist Episcopal Church, Of 1874, and 4
settle and receive from the said commissioner
the just proportion OF the property and effect
, due to the Church South, according 10 the sal,
, plan Of separation; and that the said Bascou
/. Green and Latta afterwafd applied 10 Natha
Bangs, George Peck, and James b. Finly, aT
} pointed by the general conference Of 1914, q
the said book agents, TO meet them for the puI
pose Of a settlement and division Of the said pre-
, perry, and have repeatedly called on them 70
{ that purpose but that the defendants hav
wholly failed and refused TO act in the premises
; nor have they been enabled 70 induce the sal
; book agents, nor commissioners, nor Church i
self, TO pay TO the said Church South its propo
tomato share Of the said property and funds, q
provided in the said plan Of separation.
\ And the complsinants allege that they az
members Of the Methodist Episcopal ChurcI