Bellevue gazette. [volume] (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858, 1858-06-17
slavery ana the Churches.

hS sNhlNNN W 9Ae'N ~ yN"AS Az
the separation, they were in litigation,
respecting Church property 10 the amour,
of nearly one million dollars, which was
decided, abcu, three years since. in favor
Of the Church South. No benefit what.
ever, has resulted from the separation,
bu much evil. II the right kind Of a
separation had taken place, each branch
Of the Church, would have been at peace
among themselves, at least. But as il is,
they have not only been at war against
each other, North and South, in the Courts,
in their Journals, and we fear in their
Hearts but they have been in q state Of
strife. contention, and anarchy, among
themselves, in each Of the two branches.
In the Northern Church. non.slave-
holding was not made a condition of MEM
bership, although they separated from the
South, on that account. Hence, OF the
border. cay Missouri, Kentucky, Mary
land, Virginia, and Delaware, many of
the Shareholders retain their connection
with the Northern branch Of the Church.
The extremists of the Church North, pro-
ties, against the continuance Of these Slave
holders in il; and in all their Annual and
General Conferences, there is much acri-
mony exhibited between them, and their
more conservative brethren, respecting
this matter. The conservatives, with shat
that little Methodist giant, Abel Stevens,
of New York, at their head, contend that
the Church has no constitutional right to
remove these Shareholders and, that TO
remove them constitutionally, the consti-
tuition mus, be altered. Said instrument
has been passed around to oil the Annual
Conferences, by the Bishop, and failed Of
getting a two-third vote, which was nee.
essary in order to its alteration. The re.
suit of this vote, shows the Methodist
Church North, 10 bo u Slaveholding
Chnrch,-consti'utionally so, and the m
nipo,en, majority refusing to alter it, in
that respect. The ultras are getting des-
perate; even daring to wag their tongues
against certain Of the Bishops, as abettors
and defenders Of what they call the sum
of oil riHaiaies. The next General Con-
ference, which meets in Buffalo, in 1860,
will be a stormy time. The ultra men.
will either rule or ruin. If they cannot
pass a law, constitution or no constitution.
TO oust every Shareholder, they will come
out from among them. If they do pass
such a law, The border brethren will set
up for themselves, so in either, or any
event, we shall have another split on this
subject, in the Northern Church.
Ia the Southern branch, they have been
alittle more united, but still the seeds of
discord are 10 the soil, and the noctious
weeds Of angry discussion often appear.
Last week. the General Conference Of
the Church South. the highest and only
law making body they have, expunged q
rule from their Discipline, that has
been there since the days Of Wesley. by a
vote Of lao to 8, f~orbidding "the buying
and selling Of men, women, and children,
with an intent to enslave them"
Quite a discussion sprung up. evidently
showing that there was much opposition
to ~exPunging a rule that had so long OBJ
tanned. The effect will be to ra,se up 4
party of progressives who will contenc
for It's restoration. Thus will the wa
progress, right in the very heart Of Africa
The fact cannot be disguised, that III,
American Churches. as well as many o
the religious Benevolent Societies, are o
this moment, on the verge of anarch,
and ruin. growing out of this subject
Baptists, Methodists, and New Schoc
Presbyterians, have already split in two
and yet their views are more nuInerou
and divergent than ever. 10 Other denomi
nations have to study, TO their wits end
in their Legislative assemblies, to kee
down the ~over-heated fires Of angry dis
cussion. The American Tract Society,
few weeks since, showed two parties
nearly equal in numbers, as belligeren
and hostile a. men could well be. Church
ss all through tbs Northern and Easter
States. are closed, as the result of divers
opinions and bitter feelings, on the subjec
of Slavery. AL through The Northern tie
of Slave States, the condition of things