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

i
relations among their servants, and regard them
: as much and as sacredly as any members of this
Conference can possibly do
! ILL., Having established, as / think, clearly
and beyond dispute, that the report of the ma
Jorly OF the committee on slavery does seek to
make Roa-sinpehoiding term OF membership
~ the Methodist Episcopal Church, shall pro-
eeed to show, in the nert place. that such n
Test, as the discipline now stands and under
the general rule, as it now reads is wholig an
constitutional
ls. 10 understand the constitutional ques-
ton properly it is necessary to refer briefly II
the history Of the church, especially as regards
the organization Of the present general Confer
ence which is not body Of the same ecclrsi-
astlcal powers, as Mat of the same designation,
whic! sal prior to 1903. Anterior to 1903,
the General Conference was composed Of all the
elder-ship, and possessed unlimited powers. il
was under no constitutional provisions, either of
prohibitions or Of grants At the date above
given they phe elders in Conference assem-
bled, organized the delegated General Confer
encr, 10 which they did not transfer all the
powers they posseSspd, bit pLaced 1t under re-
sfricfions. They fixed the limits beyond which
the drlegated body cannot 60, except in the
These restrictive rules secure our articles OF re-
gon-the ratio of representation in the Gene
raj CONFERENCE.-THE Episcopacy, or the plan
Of rinerant, general superinlendrnoy-th gen
eral rules OF the United Socieies-the privi-
lege OF our preachers and members, Of trial,
and appeal and the appropriation of the pro-
cefdS OF the Book Concern all of which en-
ter into and form the constitution of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, under which il has been
acting and bv which il has been controlled
since 1903. We must be confined 10 that peri
cd and since We have no power that was not
then given rs. Our authority is supreme only
within the limits Of the charter We have 10
right 10 do as We please. The general rule on
the Subject Of slavery which is placed under /
the control of the constitution, is sufficiently /
explicit as to the relation that institution sus-
ialns 10 the Methodist Episcopal Church TO the
extent of the sense and meaning of the rule /
the General Conference may 60 in making reg
"laions tor the Church, but no farther The I
acton proposed by the majority Of the com /
WttPe on slavery seeks to accomplish under the /
rule, rs 1t is, what cannot be- done unless it be /
essentially rbaaged to do it, therefore, with |
out the change is unconstitutional
2nd Simple siaUeboidiag perer lcGS teYm 0 f
membership in the .Neihodid Episcopqi Churcl. /
Isl. The measures adopted bv thu Christmas
Conference in 1854, when the Methodist Epis- I
copaI Church IN the United States was organl-
Srd, were cnniessrdlY the most stringent IN our
record and vet, even in them. there is re-
markabie drawback, in the form Of a note
which reads 'these rules nre IN affect The mfm-
bers Of oar Societies no faYthtr than rs they
are consistent arHhHe liars of the Sfates IN
1rhicbMey reside" This took off the stringen-
cy of these rnactmentS from members residing
IN tn" Southern States; in fact they ia
ken from thcir application altogether, and then
1t was added ''ard respecting brethren IN
Virginia that are concerned, and after due con-
sIdrration OF their peculiar circumstances, w
allow them two wears, from the notice gwen,
to consider the cXpedIrnCy OF compliance or
noncompliance with these rules" What
provision And to show that the Conference
at that early day made plain and palpable dis
tinction between siayeboidiag and '.buying or
setting" slaves, the question is asked 'wbat
shall be done with those who bug or sell Slares,
or give them awavl and the answer is per-
emptorr, 'fbey are Immediately 10 be expelled
unless they buy them on purpose to free them"
Mark the distinction! it indicates what has
been called here the ''animus." It is the KEY
to unlock the meaning of the fathers. tSrt
Emory'S history Of the Discipline, page Al
Bot these measures were all suspended in six
months, and why? Dr.. Coke made journey
south, and became convinced that they were
improper, and in 1888 the suspension was per-
frcipd by the Conference because 'they acoUid
do harm" DR.. Coke upon bis own authority
first suspended these rules, and states The fact
and gives the reason for doing so in his Journal
though they were passed by a conference.
douht, sir, if YOU or the bench Of Bishops would
do the Sainr and the transaction displays the
simplicity OF government and the adinlnistra- ,
tion OF the day.
80. In further proof of this point, in 1889 1
the general rule first went into the discipline in
these words, ''lhe buying or selling the bodies
and souls of men, women or children, with an
intention to enslave them" In 1892 the rule
reads ''the buying or selling Of men, women or
with an intention to enSlave them" I
! am glad Of this change of phrastology and |
that esbodirs aud souls left out. Yon can't I
enSlaye the soul of a man --aS that belongs TO S
God The Apostles bad their feet fastened in
the stocks IN the inner dungeon, bat their souls |
were free so of The servant OF whom we have /
heard whose master sought 10 prevent his going {
to church or even serving God. While sick /
and being threatened by his master and charged i
with hypocIlS he turned over IN his bed and |
exc caimed- thank God | free died and $
went to Heaven No, sir, you cannot enSlave .
the soul; bat under the rule OF 1850 and 1892 I
slaves could br held by members OF the church c
bv inheritance or gift without violating il. A (
10 the circumstances of the times will T
FIX It's signifcaton. The slave trade was then 4
rife and the traffic was obviously alluded to- 4
Let IL be remembered that this rule is of Amer t