The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-05-21
General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church for 1855.
TwELFTH pAY-MoRNING SESSION.


WEDNESDAY, May II.
Conference met at the usual hour. Rev. j.
B. Finley conducted the opening exercises
Yesterdays journals read. Bishop James pre-
siding.
Reports from Standing aud Select Commit
tees called for. H. Bangs, from the committee
on temporal economy reported on several me-
MORALS. n. Wilson, from the committee on
the itinerancy, reported on petitions asking
for the extension of the time that preacher
might remain in one station. The committee
reported against any change in the discipline
on this point. DR.. Kennedy hoped the report
would be recommitted; it was unfair in argu-
ment, and attributed it's statements te haste IN
preparation. DR. Perry thought the Commit
tee would not report in haste on so important
a subject Mr.. Wilson made explanations and
gave the history of the action in committee.
He said the whole matter given to the commit
tee had been fully, freely and candidly con-
sidered.
The rest of the morning was spent in dis
cussing this question, when they adjourned to
hear preaching at the Chapel in the afternoon.
In the proceedings of yesterday we stopped
our report where the Conference closed its
doors on the appeal case of L. n McAfee. At
ter reversing the decision Of tine Pittsburgh
Conference in his case, and reinstating him in
his former standing, Mr.. Dana offered the fol-
lowing:
ResolUed by the delegates of the several An
nual Conferences in General Conference assem-
bled, That as the highest judicial authority
of the Church. we do hereby declare that the
true meaning of the item in the General Rules
4ha Inv or,1 t,alli of
women and children is to prohibit not only the
trade in slaves in numbers together, as some
interpret it, but the buying or selling of any
individuals
Res0lvel That the following note be append
ed in the margin of the page to the said item
in the General Rules, viz:
The intent and purpose of this rule is fully
to forbid the purchase or sale of any slave, or
slaves, except it be for immediate liberation;
and whatsoever buys or sells any slaves ex-
cept for this purpose, violates the rule.
1t was referred to the proper committee.
A motion was made to 60 into an election
yesterday for General Conference officers, Ed
tors. Book Agents, &C., but objections were
raised. Mr.. Colliqs said he was not prepared
to vote for any officer until the question of
slavery was settled. Other members OBJ
jected, and the resolution was laid on the
table.
THIRTEENTH DAY-MoRNING SESSION.
THURSDAY, May Is.
Conference met at the usual hour Bishop
Baker in the chair.
The journals Of last evening read, it being
the recorded inmates of the Conference ses-
sion, held for the purpose of listening to the
sermon of Rev. j. T. Jobson, delegate from
Great Britain.
A resolution was offered that 10 delegate be
sent out to preach on the Sabbath day to such
distance that will prevent his return in time
for the session on Monday morning. Did not
prevail.
On motion, the appeal case of J. M. Snow,
of Wisconsin, was ordered to be taken up this
morning.
Petitions and memorials called for. Sla-
very, temporal economy, itinerancy, bounda-
ries, &C., were the subjects to which the mem-
orials referred One petition from Michigan
prayed that the General Rules might be SO
amended as to prevent, in future any slave
holder from becoming member of the church.
| A resolution was offered and adopted, pro-
viding for the change in the discipline of the
words "Holy Catholic Church, to some phrase
| not requiring note of explanation.
NJ Snow from the decision of the Wisconsin
Conference. Prevailed.
The grounds of appeal were stated, and the
charges preferred against the appellant read.
The case was remanded to the Wisconsin
| Conference for new trial. 1t was curious
affair. The appellant was charged with all
grades of crime from the highest imprudence
to the yilest immortality, and yet he had simp-
| ly been unfrOcked-deprived of his license to
preach-but permitted to retain his member
ship in the church as a layman.
! The discussions incident to this case prompt
ed member to whisper in our ear the prayer
of an old Methodist minister =" Oh Lord we
know that thou wilt take care of the ark, but
who shall drive these oxen?"
It was moved that the Report of the Com
mittee on Itinerancy in reference to the extern
sion of the time that minister may remain
in one station be re-committed.
Considerable discussion followed OR the
question of extension of time.
The amendment offered in the resolution
was adopted-whereupon the resolution as
amended, to recommit the report with instruc-
ton to the Committee to report in favor ofex-
tending the time to not more than three years
was lost upon call for the ayes and nays.
The report of the COMMITTEES, adverse to ex-
tending the time of ministerial labor, was
adopted, with some slight amendments.
The Conference adjourned until to- morrow
morning-the afternoon being allotted to the
work Of committees State jour.
OIH.r Mr.. Hall, editor of the Evansville En-
quirer, says the Republican platform endorses
the prohibitory liquor law, fully; " therefore,
the people will not endorse the PLATFORM