Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1856-05-29
.11NnRI.rY REPORT.

=
not be improper to state. that the COMMITTEES
stood 10 to II. Seventeen of the members uni
tel in the majority report, and fifteen agreed to
the foiiOwiug.l
! Rspors Of he Minority 81 tie Committee on
! tSI,lrery made to The Gessr1k Conference Of
the Ie.hodist Episcopal C6urrA, Hay s2d,
1886.
/ The undersigned, constituting the minority Of
/ the committee on Slavery, notbeingabie to agree
tTith the majority in the conclusions to which
they have come, contained IN their report to the
{ Conference, beg leave 10 submit the reasons for
their dissent as follows:
/. The chapter proposed by the majority in
lien of the one now in the Discipline on Slavery,
is uaniE.stly in conflict with the constitution OF
our church. In the tirstanswer to the question
I s'yYhat shall be done for the cxtirPation OF the
evil Of Sa-ervs" It is provided that no slayehol-
der shall be eligible to membership orr church
hereafter, where emancipation can be effected
without injury to the slave ;" which creates
I condition OF membership unknown to the DisCl-
Mine. and which cannot be enacted under the
General Rule, as it now stands IN relation to
slavery. This feature Is intended to bear upon
applicants for admission into our societies The
second answer reaches members now in our
church. who, ssby any means, may become the
lowners of Slaves, and also those who are at pre-
Sept shareholders If they should come into pos
session of more In either of these cases, the
party is to be brought before committee TO
/ itleterminc the time in which the slaves shall
kbe freed 'alltl in the event of ''rsfusaT or meg
lIec5,Sto co:aply with tile decision of the COM
mittee nc i; to be ".lealt with as in case of I'M
I morality" t;lns clearly making emancipation,
and in effect. Notwithstanding, term of COM
munion or church fellowship with us. Before
this provision can be- cngTaftcd upon the DIsci-
pline constitutionaIlv, the General Rule with re-
9 = la .,lfnr.I
which can only be done by compliance with the
ipToyiSo to the sixth restriction, which says
+! !tProvilel, nevertheless that upon the concur
rent Recommendation of thrae-fnurtls Of all the
members of the several Annuai Conferences who
shall he present andvots on such recommended
ton, then q majority of tXo-tliFds of the Gene
raj Conference succeeding shall suffice to alter
any OF the above restrictions excepting the first
article; and also, whenever such alteration OF al
terations shall have been first recommended by
itwo-t!irds of the General Conference. so soon as
threc-fourths of the members of all the Annual
Conferences shall have cOncurred as aforesaid.
such alteration or alterations shall take effect
1t is not proposed 10 the report of tic majority
OF the committee to submit their action TO the
operation of this constitutional method, but to
carry it by a mere majority Of this General Con-
ference leaving the General Rule as it is, which,
If successful, and the proposed chapter he placed
in tie Discipline, will De palpable violation of
the constitution.
.. Because our Discipline as we understand
it, is probably now as strongly opposed to Slave
Try e; the state and circumstances Of the case
will allow.
2. Because we are clearly understood to be,
and are accepted and treated Church OPP
posed tn Slavery, yet having due regard to the
authority OF the State
/. Because our practice under the Discipline
is faithful and fruitful of cool, restraining the
traffic, and working the cheerful and voluntary
icinancsation of many slaves.
.. Because we RE deeply convinced that any
Increased stringeucy Of the Discipline on the
subject of Slavery will greatly weaken, if not
destroy our church ii the s!ave-holding States,
and along the border.
6. Brca;lsc this reduction of our influence as
la Church, instead of promoting what the MAORI
Is desire, viii very much retIFd the cause OF
d individual and ultimate emancipation, and much
endanger and di,niaiSh the welfare of the slaves,
for as regards the slave, we are the only Church
which exercises any permanent ministry and
lwatch-caFe over the colored population within
those conferences which arcto be affected by the
proposed measures of the majority. We have
many and pcpulnui churches among the cplOred
people, and our access to them depends upon
the good will of theiF masters. BY the adoption
of the measure proposed, we shalt be 10 great
extent forbidden to preach to the slaves
4. The reasons alleged above are founded on
the universal teStimany without any variation
of our brethren who labor in the border work,
and it Is in accordance with current information;
and we respectfully submit that such testimony
ought to be admitted and be conclusive in the
absence of all rebutting testimony. And We be-
Iieve il the Church generally were rightly infOr-
med as to the true state of the case, she would
not only be satisfied, but would approve of let
ting the Discipline remain as it is. And VIC suc;-
geSt that the best way 10 inform the Church, Is
to publish the alleged facts under the authority
of this General Conference. We are happy to
perceive that the report of the majority agrees
with the position herein assumed.
s. We respectfully suggest also, that in 1918
we repudated the ''pian of separation" to cna-
bic us to go to our brethren in the border work,
and they received us expressly on the ground
of the Discipline as it is, and because they were
opposed to the policy ofthc Methodist T. Church,
South, ON the subject of slavery And it does
not seem to us eXpedent, or indeed just, now to
force upon them further measures, which, in
their Judgment, viii very seriously cripple, il
not extinguish the work among them
.. Because we understand that our brethren
of the majority report do not expect that the
measures they propose will aid in orr border
work, or assist US in ameliOrnting the condition
of our slave population; but we judge that they
must feel convinced from the testimony in com
mittec, that their proposed measures will enbar-
rass it much. We cheeTfn.ly do them the JUS
tice to say they sincerely believe the measures
they propose are right and that therefore the
border work ought to bear the cmbarrasSInents
that may follow. II is for the General Confer
cnce to judge and pronounce in the case.
10. Because we believe that all right-minded
men who have have favorable opportunities to
lobscrve, or to become responsible pastors in
our border work, have come to the conclu-
sions expressed above; and hence, we respect
fully submit that our brethren who sympathize
with the majority report should accept such tes-
timony.
ii. Because, finally, we are of opinion that
the course indicated above, is the proper way to
ieYercise heaithful aud legitimate influence on
the question of slavery, and Indeed, is the only
way in which it can BE- done. BY taking this
course, we do not repudiate or assault the au-
thority of the State, but institute course OF
moral discipline, which, acting with the lcgiti-
mnte inllnnnca of the GoSneI. will confer tho