New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-06-27
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
ME-. CHURCH ANTI-REPUBLIcAN.


NJ. E. CHURCH ANTI-REPUBLICAN.
7. ne Editor Of 71eK T. Tribune
SIR: In your paper Of to-day you give report Of
the effort of John Q. Adams to show that the Meth
odist Episcopal Church is antrepubncsn. l was
present at the lecture and uDhesitatingy pronounce
many Of his statements false. For instance, in at
tempting to show that the Methodist Church was OPP
posed to the freedom OF the Press be declared that the
Bishops appointed the Editors. Now everybody lex
cept this ignoramus knows that the General Confer
epce elects the Editors by ballot In your report you
represent tie speaker as saying, When d Methodist
breaches has to ceal with refractory member he
has by their law the power to bring him TO tn al
choose bis own Witnesses select bis own jury, and
"wber judgment is rendered, determine the manner
" and extent of punishment
Now let MS for a moment examine this statement.
In The Discipline page as, the following question Is
asked:
Qreon How she'll accused member b brOush to tri,
,.et suHbep Of hem IN lh' sn0p . sh
essos OF h. boSst fe. fse bui tbs
rot be Gone let the best evidence be procured the
Deron be found guilty BY the decision OF majority the
nenbr. beffe whom be Lrousht trial and the creme be
such expressly forbidden by the Word Of God sufficient
nner preacher who has charge Of The ecn, eHPe him
If toe seeus,d person sysde rs ey .esenns hn's sitter
sson afford strong snmpon Of guilt Jet him BE- esteemed =.
Bot n cas-; Of neglect Of duties of any hind imprudsnt
or nil, eating liquor. a. beverage OF dsobes-pc.
order dicpne OF the Chureh-ee part ehv7 CUES
ion sFs let private rrproof gwen BY rea hsr or
lesder If be acknowledgment OF the fsalt and
proper humiliation the person DO borne with On second
fep1 On third oenss e: tho be- brought before the
Society select numbers and here be no sign oil Tes hu
initiation the offender must b. cut ef
Here then there nothing TO detor accused member
from determining whether bis shall be tried by the
whole society or select number If he prefer Sc
lect number and should any person 10 appointed with
whom be could not safely conlde his cause, he may
reject such person from the Committee. When ell tn s,
preniDaes of this ecclesiastical court are satisfac
torily arranged tie complainant proceeds against the
accused calling bis witnesses presenting his testimony
sc. Wien he is through tho accused can either in
person by counsel BOTH proceed TO make his de-
Tense present such testimony he sees best and call
az many witnesses he peases. When the testimony
closed both parties have the privilege OF addressing
the committee. The committee then retire and mako
ont their verdict.
There are two classes of Oenses known in the Meth
odist Discipline viz Immoral and imprudent con-
duct. If tic committee find the accused guilty of i'm
moral conduct il is the duty of the preacher as the
officer of the church TO expel him.
Tie discipline leaves him no choice in the matter
except to appeal it, they find him guilty OF lmpru-
dent conduct and there are signs of real humiliation,
be may reprove him and let him remain IN the church,
But if there be signs Of repentance, &c, ne may
expe him. But If the accused complain that injustice
has been done him lie may appeal to the Quarterly
Conference. This body is usually composed OF Two
or three preachers and from twenty to thirty laymen.
They have power to reverse confirm the decision
of the Committee, and their action If hnal. Ii Is
simply the duty of the preacher to see that the trla
proceed according TO the laws Of TIE church If he
suffer these laws be violated in the trial of mem
Der there are two modes of redress to the oppressed
lie may either prosecute him before civil tribunal,
or prefer charge of maladministraton at the Annual
Conference. If convicted OF maladministraton such
conviction restores the oppressed to membership Such
a Gaze occurred at the last session of the New-fork
Conference.
Now if there is anything ant-Republcan in this
mode of Church trial, we cannot see 1t.
But who is this John Q. Adams who thus nssais the
Methodist Episcopal Church 1t has been supposed
ly some that he Jesuit, Others may have
thought him an infdel, especially as he commenced
bis service the Other evening without prayer am
closed without the benediciion. had supposed hi n
an arostnte from the Methodist Episcopal Church,
who had adopted this mode of wreaking has vengeance
upon her for daring TO ciplino him. Judge then OF
nv surprise TO learn that this of the brethren
was no less parsonage than the pastor OF the Close
Communion Calvanistc Baptist Church IN heyport,
New-Jersey. n
Nec- Y0rk, June y, 1853