New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-09-17
METUODISM AND SLAVERY.

To TIE Editor Of The ". T. Tribune
SIR: Half a million of Methoiists will thank you
for your article upon the above subject in TaE Tab
usr of Monday last The picture drawn by you is
eninenty lust and truthful, both as respects the
original position and preeent attitude of the NJ. f..
Church as regards Slavery. We are deeply corrupted
by that moral gaDTene all along Southern border
and are now called upon by the Slave Power either 10
remain quiet, and let Slavery become " national" in
the Church, by running riot even among our class
leaders and stewards, and local and travelling preach
ers on the border in open yolson of the discipline Of
the Church, or suffer terrible consequences. The
Shareholders and their sympathiZers will secede, and
we shall have to break up housekeeping They will
take all the furniture, bedrooms and churches with
them, and take them from
But there is slight in the calculation Of the
writer in TUNERS " tekly 10 whom you allude. IL IL
not true that =" most of the Methodist Episcopal
churches in the North at present morgsgei Tor
"large sums of money 1t may be the case in this
Slavery ridden city, but ia by means the case "a
general thing, away from the sesboard. From very
srge acquaintance with our church ataIro in the in
terror of this State, AN prepared to affirm that not
one church in ten is under any mortgage at all And
such believe 10 be equally true OF the rural districts
of New. Eng lard and the West. They will not be
kelly therefore, to be sold on foreclosure, much as
he threatened seceders might desire IL.
Neither is it true thst, out OF Newly Ork and Pha-
dephia, "the bulk Of the persons who bear the chief
peCuniary burdens OF the Church are opposed TO d
new rule excluding all Shareholders. Ia the Free
States the number Of such is 20 small that if they
too should flare up" with the shareholders, and
fuse TO help pay interest We have friends enough out
eide the Churcf-Ie readers Of THE TRIBUNE" sinners"
who have too high Of justice and right 20 toll
crate sIaveholdng Methodsu--who would promptly
supply all such lack of service. We ready any
day to part with all such degenerate Of the Wes-
leys as had rather leave the NJ T.. Church than leave
Slavery. And We shall be rich in moral character
and purity the day they leave.
And even if Church here and there should be sold
out under foreclosure, our border masters threaten,
who would buy II Do they suppose our charches
are 10 fall into the hands Of Slavery by this process
Never 4 be very idea is preposter)us. Az well
nj Sht the dairymen Of Northern New.lork TAX Of
selling out the sugar mills OF Mississippi. Slavery has
10 for Methodist Churches the shores of Erie
or Ontario nor in Iowa or Massachusetts,. And she
could get hold OF them II she had. Recent de-
csoDs have settled il as the law Of this State
thst the legal voters Of any congregation the real
corp0rstos, and can control the Of Methodist
Churches in pite of preachers and Conferences
and sganst any claims set up by an oigarchy of
elsvehodipg seceders.
And, back of all thai the voice of the Church is
out with the rotten Of Slavery and il costs
US our mammoth boOk-rooms and few border church
es, let them 60. We can live without them, or build
others trust there is too much OF the Spirit Of God
yet eft in the NJ. T.. Church for her to faer in the
approaching cIss, for fear Of pecunary disaiy
ges. IL would be too much Ike renting houses for
shops and btothes, because they would yield lees
revenue if used for honorable purposes .