New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-09-24
THE CONTROVERSY IN THE METHOD
IST CHURCH,

r. - EIas, Of m N. r. Tv,ssse
SIR: The re ason Of my bringing into the couna'a
a secular paper a passage Of controversy somewhat
dencmina,ionh is briefly this This discussion Of the
adoption of new constitutional rule by the MetssA.
ist Episcopal Church a: its Qusdrennisl Geaerd
Conference, to be held at Buffalo next May is aow
before the mind of our denomnstionsl public. sad &C.
cupying the columns OF our religious press. DIR.
Stevens. the editor of our Nee- York Christias A.
rocaie has, for some weeks past, been publishing.
and is still continuing, series OF editorials part d
of which he has embodied in pamphlet against tho
aa.Slavery side of the question. Our two New
York Annual Conferences have voted in favor OF such
a rule. An article, containing views somewhat d.
verse from his own, offered by me to W. Stsvsas
but declined without examination, on grounds pro
GLIDING the admission Of any statement from the OPP
pos;te SIDE The audience Of The Aifocate dsI
Journal including the two Conferences named. 70
compelled 10 hear what DR.. Stevens 10 pleased ossy
without the privilege Of an answer. The anti Slavery
side s obliged to feel itself misepreasnted aud m,s'
construed without the rght(ul means Of stating It's
own case. From a regime 30 oonsonant with tbs
spirit of oppression, appeal to your columns, regis
teripg my thanks to Almighty God that We havs
within cur midst so free and fearless an advocate d
the cause Of human right:
HAKMLESsNEss or NEw RULE pNcLUDiNG SLAVkRf
FROM The CHURCH.
DIR. Steveps-In regard to the adoption OF new rule
10 our Disciple making ssveholding constitutional
disqualification FOX membership, offer tho following
rem aIks:
Our Church now. 80 far a. things are developed.
see ms to be divided into three sections conserva,re
middle with tco dnJions extremes.
The middle comprehends those who stand upon ths
platform of constitutional change OF the general rus,
to record the true position CT the Church nregsfd
to Slavery They prefer the slow but securely con-
sttuopal process Of the twothird rue because they
believe tb at ndOctrinaton should precede legidstss.
They wi.h through the periodical and other organs &
our Church, to convert the main body, that egA-
lation may be laid upon moral basis in tbs minds q
the prepared people. Even thoue We, many Of %,
believe change Of the statutory chapter, by bare
msoSity, TO be- constitutional We bslisvs that course
Of indoctrnston, and slow, firm legislation 10 morally
wsest, and to that end we are pressing with sesiy
| and cool aim.
The extremists on one side are those who sustas the
s1patory clause in the statutory chapter to be passed
y mere majority. They seem to think that arbitrary
legislation, on ever so small capital will purify the
Church from Slavery When told that litigation would
ensue, ard general break up Of material estsb-
neIts with disorder and cisaster generally, they seem
to express Willingness to undergo or submit TO thess
results Those who sympathize more or less fully with
thete views very numerous through tho Church.
Ard what is worse, they threaten large recession
during the coming four years unless at least clear.
strong gain made for the Of righteousness the
next General Conference.
prehends those who oppose all change and threaten the
cst desperate measures if any change or any change
rot merely verbal, made Their usual language he:
been, The discipline as it is not an shall be dotted
| or a be crossed" This Medic law they generally
| enforce with threats that they will secede in q
body; they will split the Church through the cel-
I they will bring before S the Sqps ns Ssy
whole system 1t is, indeed, not right to bring the
whole olass under responsibility for all these extroms
sayings. Yet when in our own city we ind 1t boldly
al LII atxko t. IL
will bring our embarrassed Church property TO the
auction block, if their own views are not obeyed, It
NUS be admitted, if threats are made with the slight
eet purpose Of execution, the spirit corporate OF tsis
class s Of the most Indignantly destructive type.
Nothing from the other extreme, so far as know ap
prOaches the utter unsorupuousness apparent 10 tho
occasional msDestOes the organic operations, Of
these rash and thoughtless brethren.
Between the utrsisns OF these two extremes,
| there IS this marked difference: The former
| mspfests a bold willingness TO suffer, and the
latter to bfict The former is ready to under
| go the less Of all things If needs be- the other
IL prepared to destroy all things If it cannot have its
way The former il ready 10 sacrifice sef for prn.
ciple the latter ready to sacrifice everything
20 itself The former is the enthusiasm that will
cure the flame; the latter resembles somewhat the ia
natioism that could apply tue torch. The former Of
the two, think, ia unrequired at the present time;
ard the latter the Church should firmly aud steadily
ignore. The Quarterly, with all our other periodi-
Gals, except perhaps the ole under your caro-.
| has cbaste ned both extremes. We have mslni
tanned loyalty TO the Church. We have opposed seces
| zion from either side. Firmly through this narrow
| channel between opposite whnipools would we ssfeIy
navigate the roble ship. Our annual Conferences, BY
annual vigorous resolutions against Slavery have taken
the 1.-THE ohirds vote caa
be attained at mex, General tho struggle
IS over and peace retorns II fail, the end u not
yet. NesLall man our posts with true, loyal, con.
serya'iye Anti Slavery men, and We shall succeed ct
coming day, when the moral preparation 10 made,
| ard the normal healthfnl process can be conserve
lively completed
Upon this middle platform until within few weeks
past | fordy hoped you stood, and hal said in nv
heart that you would cone out right. You voted o.
the last General Conference for the Wisconsin Rvle
| making the holding human being a. property" q
oifqus.hcst.o for membership. But q Re mouths
since you declared that the editors espousipg the Cen
era Rue platform had come to your grounds. then
said you was night. Bot slas vitain few past weeks,
under kIos no; what influence, you have Joined the
most vol. mt Of the two extremes and We with whom
you 70 % four years ago aud upon whose ground yoa
stood four moths ago fod ourselves now sssslsd by
you "a destructive extremists.
But having joined ts e1tremsts with all the xsal of
anew recruit. you are their hearty ally and their loud
| est organ No Urion-saver wac ever 90 psrical in
describing the ruin to ensue if the Church does ux
PROSTATE herself at the feet of the small ultra Pro-
Savery tsoon existing in sone Of our Border Confer
etces ihe change OF our general rules IT, forsooth,
terrible deed, which may be perpetraed I'm less thsl
| atwelyeuonth'-s deed w6ic6 may involve its su.
! ttors IN "a lifelong remorse.' 1t will result in
| dvlsicp; nay, IN division which {" will no. be
| Local, but vii strike through our whole central
macs. Ihs factotistA in the Border lin Distinction
ncm our Border Anti Slavery mep) thus
aged 20 lnsurectisn. They are chsered up with the
false assurance that bold presnsion and fierce bravsie
wa lave ample support all through the church, and
tbH they have only TO push dsunion to its utmost 70
Gtaa uu success " tho work Of ruin in order 10 gvle