Plymouth weekly banner. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1856, 1856-05-15
The Methodist General Confer
ence aud Slavery.

ence aud Slavery.
The discipline of the Methodist Epis.
copal Church. on the subject Of Slavery.
has undergone no change for a long time
perhaps for fifty years, or more. 1t
does not make nonslavehoIding test OF
membership. Shareholders are received
as members. and some who are not slave.
holders when received, become slavehold.
ers after joining tho church. The dici-
pline provides that no Shareholder shall
be appointed to any office in the church,
in States in which the Laws permit,
emaHciPa: ion. and also allow the eman-
cipated slave TO enjcJ freedom in the
State.
II has always been the usage of the
General Conference to elect as Bishoos
only those gentlemen who were not en-.
barrassed BY any personal connection with
Shareholders. even though the candidate
might reside in State where emsncipa
zion is impossible.
In 1914 it was sscertsined that Bishop
James o. Andrew. of Georgia. who had
been Bishop for many years. had mar.
sied Tor his second wife lady who own
ed several slaves. This connection of the
Bishop with slavery was judged, by
majority Of the General Conference. TO
be such an impeachment. in the way of his
usefulness as Bishop. as to render him
unacceptable, especially in the Northern
States. They. therefore. passed resolu-
ton requiring him. on the ground Of ex-
pediency. to refrain from exercising the
office OF Bishop. until he could free him.
self from the embarrassment. in which
his marriage had involved him. The
Southern Annual Conferences protested
against this resolution, aud arrangements
were made for peaceabls separation.-
In the process Of effecting separation
difficulties arose. lawsuit was prosecu-
ted. and anything but peace was the re-
suit.
In the separation some few societies
and ministers in the North adhered to the
church South. and many societies and
hundreds Of preachers. residing in Slave
States. adhered to the old orgarization in
the North.
During the las. four years the question
OF Slavery has agitated the church most
sorely In some sections OF the country.
and attempts will be made at this Gene
raj Conference, SO 10 change the discipline,
as to admit no slsveholder. under any
circumstances. and TO exclude such slave
holders as happen now to be members.
State Sentinel.
We present below that portion OF the
Quadrennial Address Of the Bishops, re.
lating to this question:
In compliance with the request of the
Troy, Erie. North Ohio, and Wisconsin
Conferences. different resolutions asking
change in the General Rule on slavery
were laid before all the Annual Confer.
ences for their concurrence. The result,
will be found BY inspection Of the jour-
mails, but We believe, no one Of these re-.
solutions received the constitutional ma.
joriiy of the members Of the annual con.
ferences. In view Of this fact the ques-
ton may arise whether this body has au-
tbority to change the Discipline upon
this subject so as to affect membership in
the church. We are aware that it is diff.
fieult to separate the consideration of The
desirableness Of any measure from It's con-
situtionaiity. and especially so. where
deep feeling on the subject may exist
Yet We think IL to be our duty TO express
our strong doubts whether in view of the
restricted powers Of a delegated general
conference. any measure equivalent to a
change in The general rules can be con-
,s,ilutionalIy adopted without the occur
renee of the annual conferences. As to
the propriety Of any notifications not OF
such character as to conflict with the
constitutional economy OF the church,
while opinions and views may be various,
we can fully con6de in the wisdom OF
THE General Conference as the suprem me
council of the church..
In our administration in the territory
where slavery exists. we have been csse-
full not TO transcend 10 any instance, OF
in any respect. what we understood To
be the will and direction Of the General