Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-07-23
From the Evening Post.
THE METHODIST CHURCH AND
SLAVERY.
AN APPEAL.

AN APPEAL.
TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE GREAT METHODIST FAM
TLU ArFILIATiNG WITH THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL
CHURCH, THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
Beloved Brethren in Christ:
The undersigned, ministers OF the Methodist
Episcopal Church in the United States Of America,
would respectfully represent:
That, at IN early day 10 our history as a Church,
Shareholders were tolerated among us as members
that the practice had become so common that, in
1874. one of our bishops was found to be o slave
holder-that a resolution requesting him not to
%oficiate az a bishop till that impediment was re-
moved, caused q division of the original Methodist
Episcopal Church in 1845: and that, notwithstand.
ing tina. division, the Methodist Episcopal Church
that is. the Northern Division of the original
church,, is still deeply involved in the sin and
shame of slaveholdiDg. We have thousands Of
shareholders yet IN the Characteristics, stewards
leaders, and local preachers, and even travelling
preachers have become Shareholders in several in.
stances, and are such still, with but little disappro-
baton, as a general thing, on the part of the Con-
ference TO which they belong, Such is our pres-
ent connection with this terrible crime against hui
manity.
The undersigned, and tens Of thousands in the
private membership of our Church, feel that these
things are wrong in the sight of Coda disgrace
to Methcdism and our common Christianity, and
a stumbling block to unbelievers. We, therefore,
feel that it is our bounden duty to secure, il pos
!, sible, at the next session of our General Confer
r ence, which takes place at Buffalo N. Y, ~. ST.
I May LIST, 1860, a disciplinary rule, by which oil
shareholders shall be declared ineligible to Mem.
q bership in the Methodist Episcopal Church. Sla-
q very is deeply cursing our nation, and its malign
. influence is not less deadly upon the Church OF
God and we feel it to be Cur duty, Us much as
in US lieth, to remove this curse, and to wipe
away this reproach from the otherwise pure es-
, cutcheons of our common Methodism.
But we have learned by experience that the
slave power is a formidable power. Slaves bring
. high prices, and some of our members raise, and
!, own, and sell them, as do others, to their grea
pecuniary profit. And a portion os the ministry
& especially in the Slave States, are strongly op
posed to any ecclesiastical action that will exclude
6 Shareholders from the Church or even condemn
, the practice of slaveholding.
6 In this state of things, while we are determin
. ed to do all in our power to secure the exclusion
= of slaveholding from the Methodist Episcopa
4 Church, we feel the need of all the moral infu
ence we can command, in order to q successful
!, termination of our labors. We stand en- the orig
inal An.i-Slavery platform of Wesley and Watso
, and Clark, and of Coke and Asbury, the founde
of our Church in this country AID we have n
other object in view but to purify our America
Zion from this terrible domination.
To you, therefore. we appeal, sons and daugf
tiers of the Wesleys, under God, in all lands
Will you not cast the weight of your influence il
y, TO the scale of humanity and justice in the az
preaching contest You can exert a powerful il
;, Huence for good upon the next General Conferenc
:, of the M. E. Church in these United States. An
is there not a moral ~propriety in your so doing
" Every Methodist on the globe is d~isgraced by tn
v slaveholding now tolerated in the NJ. E. Churcl
y and you have all a right to speak, and, if nee
= be, to remonstrate, in earnest and unequivocal lar
guage, in behalf Of our common Methodism an
Christianity.
~ We appeal to you, therefore. in this fearful, an
we hope final struggle against slavery in the n
E.. Church, to help US, BY sending memorials
- populations to the General Conference of 1856
=: And we entreat those honored bodies in Englan
aud in Canada, who have heretofore favored
" with Populations at our quadrennisl session,
need be, to instruct their future delegates to Civ
~ while among us, On unequivocal voice for Ere
" dom, and against oppression in the Church of OF
he Lord Jesus Christ,
We To all regular bodies of Methodists in Englar
30 and Australia and Canada, and the " est Indie
OIL who may not send delegates to our approaohir
10 General G, inference, we say Men of Israel, bel
'n- May we not hear your voices, with ours, in t!
run form of memorials to the next General Conferenc
oi' They would greatly strengthen the hands Of ii
az enemies of Slavery in this land. and could n
70 fail to hasten the day of the Church's puri6c
ne ton from this great sin. In such a strugg
ni- against Slavery, ought not every Methodist on q
'e, globe to speaki So we think, and so we hope
az will be. This is the only land in which MethO
In ists raise, and own. and buy and sci! slaves. al
ID. we are struggling to wipe away this reproac
ire O, brethreni Sons of the Wesleys OF eve
IRE cline Will yon not come to our aid, by your d
Is egates or memorials. in this, the grandest mol
'se conflict of the age. that victory may be the mo
'as certain, and the blessing Of many a liberal bon
man, and of q regeneratsd Church, may COZ
I'D r,on Won,
Memorials should be addressed. General Ga
The ference of the NJ. E. Church. to be held at But
10, N. Y. May. 1860. Care Of the Rev. H. Nj
on d,op, Nsw-York, U. b. A."