The weekly Anglo-African., 1860-05-19
THE CONFERENCES.

PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE A.
N. f. ZION CHURCH.
This body assembled in the Wesleyan
Church, Harrisburg, on Saturday, the 28th
of April, and continued in session until
the 4th inst. There were seventeen cler-
gymen in attendance Superintendants
Bishop and Clinton presided alternately.
The opening address was made by Super
intendent Bishop. After the transaction
of some unimportant business, letter was
read from Rev. VIM. Young, stating his in
ability to attend.
After lengthy discussion on the pro-
priety of passing on brothers character
in his absence, his ministerial and moral
reputation was sustained Rev. A Bishop
being absent, his character came up for
consideration. Mr.. Blackstone, pastor of
Marietta, and several other places in the
vicinity, brought charge against Brother
Bishop to the effect that he had come on
his circuit and claimed to have been APP
pointed by the Superintendent. He did
not see his authority, but was informed
that he possessed it; and as he had not
been released by the superintendent, he
felt himself responsible to this Conference.
Hereupon spirited discussion arose as to
who was the minister in charge, Mr. Black
stone, who was appointed by the Confer
ence, or Mr.. Bishop, who was sent there
by the Superintendent, at the instance of
Mr.. Blackstone that he was not able to do
justice to so large circuit. 1t was decid-
cd hxTa fbof NO atc
appointment had not been revoked, he
alone was in charge and responsible.
In this case, the conduct of Mr.. Bishop
to take charge, as stated by Mr. Black
stone, was reprehensible. He had open
cd one of the churches by force, and
made several threats as to what he would
do if any one opposed him. AS Mr.. Bish-
op is young man, there was much sym.
pathy tor him in the Conference, as his
zeal was regarded as the result of inexpe-
rience rather than bad intentions The
charges also came in such an informal and
vague manner that the Conference could
not act upon Mr.. Bishops case definitely,
and, after refusing to allow his character
to pass, appointed committee of three to
examine his moral and ministerial charac-
ter at their earliest convenience, and report
at the Quadrennial Conference, which
meets in Philadelphia in June.
A letter was received from Mr. Coleman
Dorsey, of Peach Bottom township, York
county, stating that Mr.. G. Ell. Wallace had
married him, but as the conference does
not empower any of its members under a
deacon to unite persons in matrimony, he
was imposed upon, and prayed that the
Conference would legalize his marriage.
Mr.. Wallace declared that he did not mar
ry Mr.. Dorsey, but that he met them at a
certain house, and was requested to unite
them, and during the conversation he re-
marked that marriage was of the heart, and
said that those whom God joins together
let no man put asunder. From these words
Mr.. Dorsey concluded he was married to
the lady who was with him. Mr.. Wallace
was severely cross-examined by Assistant
Superintendent Clinton, Messrs. Jones,
Anderson, and others, as to his conduct on
that occasion. Mr.. Golden animadverted
severely on the action of Mr.. Wallace, and
gave it as his opinion that Mr.. w. went
to the house to marry Mr.. Dorsey, where
company of persons had assembled.
A question was raised that the inforna-
ton on which Mr.. Wallace was arraigned
was informal-that he is responsible to his
Elder for his acts and not to the Annual
Conference, and that the Conference had
gone beyond its jurisdiction in proceeding
SO far as they did. Rev. s. t. Jones, Of
Philadelphia, contended that it was unfair
to Mr.. Wallace to drop his case without
doing him justice; he has been dirtied all
over by this letter, for doing an act in vio-
lation of the church and the discipline; we
have scandalized him, MANNED him, and
disgraced him, and are now called upon to
leave him in his pitiable plight, with
brand upon him, without healing the
wounds or concluding the case; no brother
would like to be in such position; he is
literally disgraced, and it is the duty of
this Conference to wipe out the stain
which it placed on brother Wallace's char
acter. Rev. John Anderson, in very
lucid and logical manner, showed that the