The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-07-27
Er,s ANIMAL Conference.


Pennsylvania, Bishop SIMPSON presiding.
One hundred and twenty FIVE members an.
swe' ed TO their names on the FIRST roll CALI
O Rev. L. D. Williams of Meadvile was ap
pointed secretars. and Reverends j. D Nor
ton, G. W. Chesbrough and J. r Lyon assist
ant secretaries. s--=ya
Rev E. j. L. B =ker introduced the following
resolution:
Resolued, That we most respectfully. and
yet urgentlv. request the Bishop to reduce the
number Of Districts within our bounds.
Mr. Baker disavewed any idea of wishingi
to bring disrespect npon the position of Pre-
siding Elder. OF any one occupying it. but was
firmly convinced that too much time was oc-l
cunied in that direction at present. and init |
mated that portion OF it would be much bet.
fer employed elsewhere, The resolution was
adopted bv decided vote. 3-s ISL 1s i'a
i The following resolutions adopted bv the
Oregon Conference August. 1858 we're intro
duced and referred to tine committee on
Chnrch Usages: s 7sissl.r-
3 ResoiUed. That this Conference request the
General Conference at it, next session. to pro-
vide in the Discipline for Law representation
in the Animal and General Conferences, on all
the financial, educational and benevolent mat
tiers usually receiving conference action. and
also to provide that the laitv shall never have
a vote in the Animal or General Conference
W hich shall either modify or abregate the iiin-
|erancv. "a ,--5za,sia IA 7eea.
ResoIred,-21. That the Bishop be respect
fHlly requested to bring the action of this
Conference on the subject of lav delegation as
contained in the foregoing resolution. before
the several ANIMAL Conferences, requesting
their concurrence therein.
The Bishop reappointed Rev B. o. PIimp
ton Agent Of the American Colonization
ISociety.rz.-- -z-, ,. ez-ee.-4.-g 8l.,z..a.
On motion of Mr. Hill the Bishop was re-
qnested to reappoint Rev d. Prosser Chap
lain ofthe Bethel Church at Cleveland
| DIR W. n. Reno was reappointed to the
charge of the college at Poland. Ohio.
A resolution requesting the Bishop TO re
dnce the number of Presiding Elders in the
Conference TO seven was laid on tie table ~
Rev G. Kingshurv, from the committee on
Slavery, made the following report which was
unanimously adopted: .f,-
Former reports of the Erie Annual Confer
ence have so we'll defined our position. and so
| fully set forth our opposition to American
Slavery, that your committee do not deem it
necessary to present any extended declaration
at this time further than to reaffirm, all that
we have ever uttered in opposition to sys
yu1ioh f,nH toIlr at,
posed to both the spirit and letter OF the
Gospel of the Son of God. +-azf sszl
!, The time for action has now arrived and
our earnest desire and prayer is, that our &C
tion may be characterized by that benevo
lence, wisdom andfrmness Incoming Christian
men. acting for the Church. Opposition to
slavery is TO new thing in the M. f. Church
1t is coevai with our being church organ
ization. From the first day of our existence
to this day. there has b en- no moment when
we have not proclaimed our firm and unater
able opposition to human oppression The
best method for the "extirpa'ion" of slavery
is a constantly recurring question in our disci
pline. Or general rule from the beginning
has prohibited s'the buying and selling of men.
| women and children with the in ention TO en-
slave them But within few years a differ
te,ce of opinion has sprung up as to the bear
ing the general rule has on The subject of slave
holding. One interpretation, and as we be-
lieve the correct one is, that as the holding
and using of slaves is at the foundation of the
| traffic, and the only motive for the traffic
amony the uphoIders of the system, the gener
al rule, in the language of the Bishops address
to the General Conference of 1910 is condem-
natory "both Of slavery and the slave trade" :"
and that by fair implication it con demns all
III. i.o11
cunlst ances the immediate surtendering of the
/ legal relation might bp a greater injury TO the
Iensiaved, than its temporary continuance. ,ss
The other interpret at on is thafthe general
rule nv specially forbidding the traffic and not
specifically ferbi1,ling the holding, does here
hy conslitufionalize slaveholding by the men,
bership Without stopping now to examine
this po-iion, it appears to us that this differ
erence of interpretation honeslv entertained
by men equally intelligent, is a sufficient reason
for using other and less Ambiguous language.
There are two propositions bef ire thee ureh.
looking to al aitercation 10 The general rule;
lone coming from the Cincinnati Conference in
these werdsi: The buying or selling of men,
women, or childen. or holding them, with anin
tertion to use them as slaves its5
1 The other proposed rule comes sanctioned
by the Providence Conference in the words
following - Saveholdng. The buying or
selling of men, women or children with an in.
r tention to eDslave them -7-9 t-T' $50
The length oftime during which these prop
ositions have been before the church. sfferds
Fus hetter opportunity than has heen afforded
to- any previous con erence TO judge of their
general areeptability And while each has
merits which in our judgement entities it to
/ consideration, as an improvement of onr ex-
listiug rule. yet we think we may say without
iegotism that each. in the light of the criti-
lcisns which have been elected has it's defects
which better wording may remedy.
While it was evidently the design of the
ICincinati Conference, TO put the buying, SELL
ling, and holding of slaves upon the foot
ing it has been questioned among able critics
whether the proposed change does not make
one rule for buying and selling. and another
for holding Men whose opinions are entitled
to consideration, have contended that the lat
ter clause of the rule, with the intention to
use them as slaves can be construed only with
b the phrase Immediately preceding, namely
1 holding fhem.' Another objection has been
8 made to the plural form, men. women or chill
tdren;' and the usages in some quarters have
tended to strengthen this objection. Again
g if as we think was evidently the case, it wat
the design of the Cincinnati COME renee that
each of the phrases 1.-The buying the holding.
the selling was to be construed with the las,
clause of the rule. then the language is faulty
: for we can hardly speak with propriety of sell
ing person with an intention to use him as 6
q slave inasmuch az the act of selling puts it be
2 yond our powerto use him at ALL Finally the
Z last clause, namely, with the intention TO use
them as slaves, is thought by many to involve
an unnecessary ambiguity The Provdenct
e resolution is still more objectionable Thaf
"A does without donbt. make one rule for slave