Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1859-12-15
The Church Preparing tho Way foi
Disunion.

The fact cannot be disguised, that the folly
Of the General Conference Of the Methodist
Rplscopa Church In dissolving the union Of
the Church North and South, at the memorable
session in Baltimore, In 1874, has had much to
do in weakening the ffaternal ties which bind
the North and South together 10 common
brotherhood. That "fatal step" was the enter
ing wodge to tho unhappy discussions which
have since followed In Church aud State, and
has done more than all other influences beside
IN we may except the Presbyterian Church
schism,) to prepare the public mind for disso'
luton Of the Union. The membership Of the
church had little or nothing to do with that un
fortunate move. ths onus Of the act lies A the
door Of The miaisirE, vhefln o. se..ie N
dom and religiopi opentd p
stflfs add seville jpapfj !ou.
We fct Afal latf had he lti,y Of the
shodh faiea she delibernsions aud
scls o. the General cOnieiencoat bAtumcfe on
the occasion referred TO- the ARTICLES Of separa-
tion" would never have passed that body We
are the more confident Of this from the fact that
change in the "slavery clause" in the Gems
erAi Rules Of the Church was not n mooted
question smong the membership; little or
nothing was said about 1t in the free States. -
A few "wild men" in the ministry, here aud
there, were 'Ihorus in the side" Of Zion, and
managed to counteract all the good they might
otherwise have accomplished. by eternally
harping about negroes. In the South there
was no discussion about the General Rules
Long established usage in society and the
Church had taught the Southern membership
10 believe that the Methodist Church did not
seek to create disturbance among them by
interfering with the best state Of things pos
sibe under the circumstances As slavery
was ,moug them, and likely to remain, they
could only make the best Of IL, serve God, and
try to get to heaven when they died,
No charge was made by the ministry in the
North that the Southern membership were
cruel to their slaves, or that they did not try to
teach them gospel truths; on the contrary, it
was acknowledged on all hands that the slaves
were humsnely treated, and the "Annual min
utss" showed that large number Of them
wero members Of the Church, and living pious
lives but in the face Of this, series Of per>
Hocutions were instituted against them, and
their domestic relations were interfsred with.
The Church South Of the Mason aud Dixon
line was sought TO be degraded, and after they
had submitted for years to petty Nnnoyances
in the shape Of snufllng resolutions denuncia.
tory Of them and Of a system they could not
change, but which they endeavored in the fear
Of the Lord TO ameliorate, the matter eliminated
al Baltimore, and the separation ensued
If the Churoh--which has the care Of Gods
-"~'b haro--rannot compromise mere differences
nd its membership cannot bear and
,ne another, what can be expected
What can be expected of Con
qress2 1t was not declared that the emancipa-
ton Of their slaves was essential TO the final
salvation Of Southern Methodists; the Church
North simply demanded Of the Church South
that she must so conduct herself, with regard
to slavery, as 10 crafty the ultra abolition Phar'
isees who held that stakeholder would be
damned. And on this simple, wicked issue.
they separated--the North and South of Meth.
odism; separated in angerj separated on diff
ference Of opinion which, had tue spirit Of
Christ been permitted to bear upon their coun-
sells, would have been reconciled in half an
hour
General Conference Of the NJ. e. Church been
composed Of about equal proportion of lay
meu and clergy, no separation Of the North aud
South sections Of the Church would have oc
curedl The laity had no bitter feeling in tho
matter; no desire to do injustice to their
Southern brethren; no distinguished positions
to sustain; no regulations for oratory to make;
no notoriety to establish; nothing but the good
Of the Church and the glory Of God to sub.
serve and they would have boen a successful
check upon the gentlemen who initiated the
present condition of things in this Government.
Congressman now propose TO do for the
General Government what the Baltimore Con.
ference did for the Church several years ago -
The deplorable folly Of the Conference may
not be amended, but its pernicious example
may be avoided by Congress, Where we exr
pected to find "most heaven we have found
most earth" may we not hope that in the mat.
ter Of love for the Union the lrOTd will be an
example to the Church!