Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-05-19
VIEWS OF THE BISHOPS ON SLAVERY.

NAH"S "a AAAH oAShOAo y OAs OAh IA -
In the address Of the Bishops to the Conference
they referred to their report offered az the Indian
apolis session Of 1885, for the views which they
entertained upon the slavery question Having
obtained copy Of that report, we lay it before
our readers, in order that they may have on ex-
preston Of the Bishops opiuion
10 compliance with the request of the Troy Erie
North Ohio and Wisconsin Conferences, different
reeoihtions asking G change in the General Rule
on slavery, were laid before oil the annuil con
ferences for their concurrence. The result will
be found by Inspection of the Journals but, we
believe, no one of these resolutions received Tho
constitutional majority of the members Of the an
nual conferences In view of this fact, the dues
ton may arise, whether this body has authority to
change the Discipline Upon this subject so us to
affect membership in the Church. We are aware
that it is difficult to separate the consideration Of
the desirableness of any measure from its consti-
nationality, and especially so where deep feelings
on the subject may exist. Yet we think it to be
our duty to express our strong doubts whether, in
view Of the restricted powers Of delegated Gen
eral Conference, any measure equivalent 10 q
change in the General Rules con be constitutional
ly adopted without the concurrence Of tho annual
conferences. As TO the propriety Of any modit
cations not Of such character to conflict with the
constitutional economy of the Church. while opin
ions and views may Le various, we can fully con-
fde in the wisdom of this General Conference as
the supreme council Of the Church.
In administration in the territory where Ella
very exists we have been careful not to transcend
in any instance, or in any respect, what we un-
derstood to be The will and direction of the Gener-
al Conference. That body having retained its iu-
risdiction over conferences previously existing in
such territory, and baving directed the organizs.
ton of additional conferences, it became our duty
to arrange our districts, circuits and stations, and
to superintend them as an integral part Of the
Church. AS the result we have six annual con.
ferences which wholly or in part slave terrific
ry. These conferences have a white church mem
bership, including probatiOners, Of more than one
hundred and forty-three thousand with the attend.
ante upon ministry. making probable popula-
tion Of between FIVE and six hundred thousand.
They have a colored Church membership, in
cluding probationers, of more than twenty weight
thousand. with the attendants upon our ministry
making a probable population of upward Of a.
hundred thousand. portion of this population
are slaves. The others mostly poor. They
are generally strongly attached to the Church OF
their choice, and look to it conidingly for mnise.
rial services religious sym 2athy and all the Offices
of Christian kindness. The white membership in
these confederacies, in respect to intelligence piety
and attachment to Methodist Discipline and econ.
omy, will compare favorable with other portions
Of the Church.
In our cement, the existence of these confer
enees and Churches under their present circum-
stances, does not tend to extend perpetuIte sla
very. They ale known to be organized under a
discipline which oharacterizes slavery as a great
evil; which makes the slave holder ineligibls to
any Official station in the Church where the laws
of the State in which he lives will admit OF oman-
cipation, and permit the liberated slave to enjoy
freedom; which DISTINGUISHES travelling minister
who by any means becomes the owner Of slave
Or slaves, unless he executes if it be practicable,
Il legal emancipation OF such slaves, conforma5ly
to the laws Of The State wherein he lives, which
makes it the duty Of all the ministers to enforce
upon all the members Ihe necessity Of teaching
their slaves to read the word Of God, and allowing
them time to attend upon the public worship Of
God on our regular days Of Divine service; which
prhibits the buying and selling of men, women,
and children with an intention to enslave them,
and inquiries what shall be done for the extirpa-
ton Of slavery.
With this discipline freely circulated among the
people, or certainly within the reach Of any who
desire to examine it, and WITH other Churches ex.
listing in the same territory without these enact
ments these societies and conferences have, either
by elective affinity adhered to, or from pre-
ference associated with, the Methodist Episcopal
Church. In a few instances their Church rela.
tions have exposed them to some PERIL and in nu.
meyous cases to sacrifices. But such have been
their moral worth, and Christian excellence, and
prudent conduct, that generally they have been
permitted to enjoy their religious immunties, and
serve and worship God according to their con-
sciences.