Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-03-15
CON NUNlC ATtD.

Please publish, by request III the -hcmp'rN
Of the Methodist Protestant Church in this
city. the following portion of the proceedings
ofhe .Methodist Protestant Conference, copied
from the Washington Star
When ourr report closed Yesterday the Con-
ference was engaged in debate growing out
of the remarks made by Rev. Henry Sliccr, in
the East Baltimore Conference published IN
thc Baltimore Sun, in which Rev. Mr.. : is
reportrd to have stated. to the effect that the
Methodist Protestant Church was failure
and that its ministers were in the field for
hire.
Rev. Mr.. Bates said that he had read with
surprise and deep pain the announcement
which had been published and sent forth to
the world. He (the speaker was born in
the Quaker church, properly speaking: he
had been baptised in the Methodist Eplsco-
Pal Church. which church he loved and ever
should He held the highest regard for eve
ry Christian church: but he had been mmeas-
urably panied to read this statement while sit
ting in Il Conference composed oineary one
hundred ministers and an equally large num-
/ her of delegates Of the Methodist Protestant
Church The speaker could wish the author
of that speech to know that he was not for
| hire, and he wished he could believe that the
Rev. Henry Sicer did not know better; and
had that gentleman been rs well acquainted
with our ecclesiastical condition as he was
with political trlckery, he would certainly
have known better.
Rev. T.. Y. Reese followed on the same
subject, saying: Mr.. President-Allusion has
L., ,l, In,tS AZ fba
Siccr. mt the East Baltimore Conference of
the NJ f. Church. | read them with sur
prise and modification. was surprised.
sir that it was thought at all necessary by
Rev. Mr.. Slicer to introduce Il sister denoml-
nation before his conference for the purpose
of making disparaglng remarks concerning
it: and | was mortified that in the effort at
disparagcment there was 80 evident dsre-
gard of what we all know to be the facts in
the case | have known Mr.. Slicer for years.
have never heard him suspected Of remark
able ability to discriminate in matters of
courtesy; but did suppose he understood
the import of the ninth commandment. In
the early history of reform, it is said he was
once asked why he no longer visited NJ
stopping place where had been accustomed
To enjoy hospitality. I'm his peculiar swell
ing maunrr he replied. Il would not let my
horse eat at a radical trough But had
hoped time had cooled the ardor OF his de-
nominacal or controversial zeal; that his OPP
position to lay representation itself did no
longer include the honest advocates of it.
In this opinion was mistaken. Whoever
otfends against governmental MethOdism,
let him De. dnathem0. is evidently still an
l.. I,l,, 81
Rev. Mr.. Slicer tells the East Baltimore Con
ference that Methodist Professionalism is a
failure. What his standard of s""ccSS may
be-. cannot tell. BY that standard, it may
he. that everything in the shape of religious
effort is II tdiIurr. unless it goes ont before
the world bearing the insignia Of Methodist
Epi>copacy.
10 say anything is failure, is by no
means a difficult Oratorical achievement, and |
with men of Rev Henry Steers tempera- |
ment and known habits of pompous bluster, |
knomiedye concerning the thing affirmed is
bv no means an important consideration IN
the premises Mr.. Slccr'S simple opinion
is sufficient for Mr.. Siicer, without the truu.
Bile of a tedious examination after truth. He
j. one of those men who boasttully tell us
they say what they think. Their thinkings
are generally about n far from the truth rs
their assertions are from logical relation
The old cry Of failure" is wearing out
It is too late TO oppose Misrepresentation
with that cry any longer. Facts are stub
born things aud over more than thirty an
nual conferences are more than thirty
stubborn facts that Methodist Professionalism
is n success. not failure. This annual con-
ference here is i'll the very cradle Of Method
ism, with its trustees and ay-members rep
rc~cntiug nearly fifty circuits and stations
in or Immediately contiguous to Maryland,
with the exception of one at Charleston, ).
c. this annual Conference is a stubborn
fact, which Mr.. Steers buster can never
set aside. Besides. sir, what is all this ado
about lay-privilege- in the old church to-day
but an evidence of our success, Why is
the subject Of misrepresentation brought in
To the old line OF conference at all? Why?
Sir, the answer Is 80 plain, that he who runs
may read. Our principles are successfully
budding there, despite the effort to crush and
keep them under. Cur success il read in
every article on lay representation which ap-
pears in any Advocate" from Maine to Cal
iiornia. From the far off Oregon comes up
the cry of men who ask for freedom from
an ecclesiastical rule. Their cry is but the
echo of our urn success.
But, Mr.. President, success may be mat
Ter of opinion; and it may be that Mr.. Slicer
is of opinion that Methodist Professionalism is
!, failure. Had he said nothing beyond this,
no reference 10 his speech would have been
made here. But he states, positively, a.
fact, that which is VIGOROUSLY untrue-so far
n the ministerial members Of this body are
concerned And it is difficult for me to I'M
icrstand how he can help knowing it to be
untrue. He says that you are not itinerant
preachers. but that with us, as body, 'itin-
erancy had degenerated into local system"
l. there any ground, whatever, sir, so far as
this Maryland Conference is concerned, for
this assertion? i there single man here
entered ~ an itinerant who is not so emphat-
lcally and truly, with the exception, per
haps. of one or two hOn"red brethren enga-
ged in collegiate enterprises? Was not one
If our most valuable congregations in the ci-
" of Baltimore, sundered from us because
our tinernncy was intiexbly insisted upon?
am ustonishsd ut the recklessness Of this
declaration, and as il IT, untrue, without feel
ng obliged To account for Mr. Slicer's ignor-
,ncc, | simply pronounce it untrue, thor
,ughly and entirely, In lis application to this
Dody-untrue, and | am glad that it is un-
rue. ;
But Mr.. Slicer says our preachers are
~, ,L. rL.t for hi - What dnav