The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1856-07-04

not among his general rules, and down TO thi.
time the Wesleyan connection has no such rule
That body has number of Missionaries in slave
holding countries and no directions or instruc-
tionS are given them interfering with the rela-
ton of master and slave on the contrary they
are ordered to respect that relation Their in-
strnctions are simply to preach the gospel.
But what of ali this, sir it has no force upon
! us, lhongh much stress has been laid upon the
action Of our fathers at these periods. What
they did, We may not, We cannot do. Aferthe
revolutionary war which separated the STATES
from the mother country, the articles Of confed-
Grafton which bad fteby held them together
during It's continuance proved to be SO feeble
such rope Of sand-that they were superseded
by the conSttuti0G, which formed a more per-
lect gov"rnmert and who would appeal now
ior the Interpretation OF laW Of the land 10
tilets articles OF the confedeTacy? The consti-
tntlon, which subverted them. is the supreme
law OF the country to which all others have to
conform. 80 IN our church government We
cannot 90 back farther than 1903. when our
constitution was established, aud we most BE-
governed by lis provisions ia all our enactmpnls
anG regulations. Now what is thr state of the
case under this constitution! lst For the
first time the general rule in reference 10 sla-
very reads, "fhc buying and selling of men,
1eoaeR and cdiidrea wih an intention 10 en-
staue them" 1t was given this form by the
body that made this General Conference. fixed
its powers, and guarded them hy constitutional
restrictions. In this form it went into the dis
ciPine under new guards. 2d. 70 prove that
II was not intended 10 apply 10 Siare holatng
IN the membership and Fake The opposite
Ot fte.ea e
struck from the discipline all that related 10 ho-
ding slaves by private members Of the church,
enacted iii 1896, (see Emory's History of the
Discipline, page 2I3-answer TO the questions
''What regulations shall be made for the extir-
patton ofthr crying evils Of slavery ~.
This makes it clear that the trainers Of the
Constitution OF the Methodist Episcopal Church,
did not make, did not intend 10 MAKE, non
savehoiding a term 0f membership, else why
strike out these regulations? 1t was done of
set purpose, namely, to conform the Discipline
to the rule. 3d. The chapter, which is mere
statute 10 carry out the provision, 10 the Con-
StlulIon, with respect TO slavery confirms this
view. There is nothing in that chapter touch
ing non-slaveholdiug as term of membership.
1t SIMPLY refers 10 official rrlaion-nothing
more. Under certain circumstances. fully sta
trd, man may not sustain an official position
II he be STAKEHOLDER, but under no circunsfan-
ces does that fact affect his membership in the
church. 4th The efforts which were mads,
just prior TO the meeting OF tbs General Con-
Irrencr, 10y sending round 10 the Annual Con-
irrenc"s resolutions proposing to change the
general rule, 50 as to make Il include sIavrhol-
ding, Is conclusive as 10 the Judgment of the au-
ihorS oi the resolutions of the Conferences who
voted for them-and OF the Church in these
qnarterS-that II does not, in its present form.
contain that feature. And VT, in The MEASURE
before US, the atir!apt is made 10 do substantial
Iy The same thing by mere enactment mifkout
changing The ruie, the effort to DO which sig
naIly latled IN the constitutional process Is it
rigkt, is it lawful, to do that indirecfig ancon-
StHationally, which could not b. done direcfty
9ad consifuiioaaify 9Th. The proceedings
had in relation to the rule, concerning the use
OF spirituous liquors, is corroboratvr of the
ground herein taken. II Was desired to make
It more stringent, and the trial TO do 50 was
commenced in 1886, and proposition to change
or suspend the rule was sent round TO the An
nual Conferences. which failed TO receive the
requisite vote. II was started again at The Cen
eral Conference Of 1910 ard passed round the
Conferences and in 1914 it was found that il
still lacked the required vote n this Confer
ence, however, an attempt was made TO pat the
change into the discipline, Irrespective ofthe
constitution. raised the constitutional obec-
ton myself, which drf-ated it and il was once
more referred to the Annual Conferences, and
IN lS4S, having received the constitutional
vote, II went into the discipline. It was not
attempted to put in chapter containing the de-
sired provision, by mere majority vote, as In
the matter under discussion, having the GEN
eral rule unchanged. The constitution was re-
spected IN this instance, and nothing was done
until IFS provisions We're complied with. The
raseS are paralel-both the rule on spirituous
liquors and the one respecting slavery are in
he same category Of general rules which are
part OF the constitution the action on them
should be alike, save that the latter should be
more carefully and delicately handled than the
ormer, and certainly nothing on the subject to
which it refers should be put in the discipline.
not clearly embraced in its true import and sig
To Offset The constitutional argument il has
'een conended that Baptism and proper con-
eSSion offaith, have been made terms Of NOM
'ershp without the change Of a general rule.
therefore, noa-Siaoehoidiag may be- The in
tances are not analogous. Baptism is an ac-
lnowlrdged sacrament 10 our creed, and we
lavr regular articles of faith, as church. which
~ the first restriction are made part of the
Constitution. Baptism and conformity in faith
o these articles may be made terms of commun-
on without 'ntractlng constitutional provisions
every member of the church should he bapti-
ed-should agree with Us in faith The Cen
raj Conference has right 70 require this; and
he regulations adopted for this purpose simply
AIRY out constitutional principle. Where