Smyrna times. [volume] (Smyrna, Del.) 1854-1987, 1860-09-20
CoRREsP NDENCE.
Written for the Smyrna Times"
The Action Of the Late General Confer
ence of the nj. Il. Church.

SV""tttot " 4AeH0efSHtP- H0 4feO OHups
ter-What should be the Action Of the Dor.
der.
The action of the late General Conference,
in the passage of the New Chapter on Slavery,
has done great injury to, and given just cause
of loud complaint from the Border. Great
agitation prevails in some sections, and where
there is quietness the general sentiment of our
people is strong disapprobaton of these doings
of the General Conference. The New Chap
ter is yariously construed as of Protean form
and chameleon hue. Whether thus intended
to try to suit all sections and all opinions Gas
il is said some political platforms have been
made) we know not. 1.-THE effort was tomake
non-slaveholding condition of membership in
the M. E Church, we think it was an effort TO
do that which there is no authority to do, al
though three-fourths Of the Annual Conference
and two-thirds of the General Conference
should vote for it. We give, in part, the pre-
misses from which we draw this conclusion.---
Conditions, or terms of membership, are GER
tanly among the standards aud doctrines Of
have been fixed so that none can be established
contrary to those of the church in 1908. at
which time the delegated General Con-
ference, under restrictive Rules, was coEstitu.
ted. All these Rules, by a vote of ihfee-
fourths of the Annual Conference, and tw;s-
thirds of the General Conference, may be
changed. ercept the first, Which cannot be thus
changed. That Rule reads thus The Gem
eral Conference shall not revoke, alter or
change our articles of religion, nor establish
any new standards or rules of doctrine con-
trary to our present existing and established
standards of doctrine." Hence on ana subject
on which she had established standard she
cannot now make a contrary one. The Gen.
eral Conference, with this restrictive Rule,
was instituted in 1905, at which time, I, all
that related to slaveholding among private
members was struck out, and the following
substituted: The General Conference au.
thorizes each Annual Conferences to form their
own regulations relative to buying and selling
slaves" (see Emory's History of the Discip.
line, page 276, and the published journal O
the General Conference, page 93) Had the
church then standard and doctrine on slav
cry z We think she undoubtedly had. Slav
cry had been subject of frequent Legislation
in her previous history, but then she s,rucI
out all that related to slaveholding among pri
waite members, while she retained that which
related to official members. thus showing wha
she intended as her standard on this subject
What was the standard and doctrine of lh
church On this subject at that time She for
bid the buying and selling Nth The intention
10 snsIave- There might be buying and sell
Fl ing with other intentions. She received an
acknowledged shareholders as members Of tn
church, and made rules and regulation at diff
ferent times for them as slaUehoiding member
Of the church. One of these Rules was "a
our preachers shall psudently enforce upo
!, our members the necessity of teaching thei
sIaBes to read the Word of God and TO .allor
9, them time to attend upon the public worshi
of God on our regular days of Divine service.
From these facts of her history, we think III
inevitable conclusion il, that the standards an
doctrine of the church in 1900 were, and mu
continue to be, that ssaveholding, per Sc, WI
not, 10 not, and cannot be made test Of men
10 bershiP in the NJ. e. church, but that she bi
~ been, is, and must continue to be, constsiutio,
ally, Blaveholding church; and in this "
: tbink she 10 right, and that no Christian churs
~ can refuse admission 10 Shareholders witho
% departing from apostolic practice and teachin
. These, then, being her standards on this SUI
70 ject ID 1908, viz: that buying and selling Wi
Dc the intention 10 ensIape, was forbidden, 81
% cannot permit the buying and selling with 4
90 santion TO enslape. That Shareholders were !
W gItimate members of the church, she cannot e.
ne clude them from membership. and if any Of b
- ministers and members are not willing TO abb
TO BY these standards, they cannot reverse the
'e, id aad for the ~ e. church, but must ma
or new standards tor new church for Intensely,
le- The church may make raes and regulalio
AZ fer her sIavcholding members as such, but
'er law to exclude them from church membersf
for because they are shareholders. Theme view
he Vie believe, will be affirmed should the issu
ass involved arise and come for decision beic
2 Tie proper authorities. But, IL may be sa
nos tie church has since changed her terms OF me
ey- barship in other matters, and she may in th
in Those changes were sither in accordance W
bat her standards and docsrines, or they we're O.
st. trary. If contrary, If any were found to
We, pose and consestthe mpttar, we think all 81
} ~ chan ss would be declared null and void.
vas tbere 10 provision made for changing the G.
- stal Rules. True but they may not be
viil chang "a - 10 make any standards or docsri
~ coausxy 70 those already Established. - no
solnee reservation can 10 affected BY 9
- een6tiuetion Of power that may be- granted
w n5w examine the New Chspssf oa slave