Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-07-23
The n1othodist church and slave

| The Methodist Church and Slavery.
| There is every reason to fear that the
course of the late general conference OF
the Methodist Episcopal church at Buffalo
will result in serious disruption of the
MARYLAND conference Circuit conventions
have already been held in various parts of
Maryland and Virginia to consult as to the
proper course to pursue, and there has
been a state of feeling exhibited that nei-
thcr promises harmony nor concession on
the point at issue. A circuit convention
has been called at the Goshen church, in
Montgomery county, Md, to take the sub
ject into consideration, and we find in the
Richmond Wig the proceedings of a meet
| ing in Fincastle circuit, ut which the Rev.
Alfred Buhrman presided. The chair sta
ted the object of the meeting, whcrcunon
the following were appointed committee
to draft n preamble and resolutions eX-
pressivc of the sense of the meeting, viz:
Henry |. Stevens, Jcre Stair and Andrew
l.. Pitzer, who, after retiring for delibcrN-
ton, reported the following, which, on
motion, were adopted unanimously:
Whereas, The late general conference of
the Methodist Episcopal church, at its late
session in Buffalo, resolved by Il very large
majority to insert chapter in the
discipline on the subject of slavery; and
whereas, said chapter declares the buying,
selling and holding of human beings as
chattels, to be sinful, and admonishes
preachers ddd people to use all lawful and
christian means for its eXtirpNtion; and
whereas, said declaration and admOnition
is an inquisitiOn into the motives under
lying the relation between master and
slave. subversive of our interests, and the
enforcement of which, by our preachers,
would make them vioators of and amena-
bic to the laws of our state and whereas,
we regard the declaration false in theory,
and the admonition impossible in practice;
and whereas, we believe that VIC cannot
any longer retain our connection with the
northern conferences, and maintain our
i self-rcspect and accomplish our work us
change of chapter on slavery, has not
the form OF positive statute, it does in our
. Judgment make slavehOlding indiscrimi-
nately sinful, and in fact constitutes q new
term of membership. Thel eEore, we SOL
EMMY, and in the fear of God, repudiate
the action of the general conference, and
! declare our fixed and unalterable purpose,
never to submit to this WMrightco4s legis7a-
ton.
2. That we still have the fullest conf
dence in the fidelity of the preachers of
the Baltimore conference to our interest.
and believe Mey erH stand by us to the last
extremity.
,. That as the Virginia portion of the
Baltimore conference has made sacrifices
OF peace and influence for the sake of
+ union with the Baltimore and Maryland
portion of said conference, those portions
should now stand by us in united and
untiinching purpose to se"cr the ties of
ecclesiastical connection with all those
who approve the action of the last general
conference.
4. That we hereby call upon our breth-
rem preachers and lnYmen) of Maryland,
the District of Columbia, East Baltimore,
Philadelphia, New Jersey, Delaware, Wes-
tern Virginia, dU other Conferences TO unite
with us in movement of opposition to
the unconstitutional and arbitrary action
OF the last general conference.
g. That we urge our people everywhere
to remain calm and quiet till the next scs-
sion of the Baltimore conference at Staun-
ton.
6 That we heartily approve of DR..
Bonds defence of the border conferences,
and his views of the change of "chapter
on slavery" as found in his editorial of
June 9th, Baltimore 4dvocate, and hereby
tender to him our hearty thanks for his
fidelity to our interests.
Z. That we suggest that one layman
elected by the quarterly conferenccs) to
each preacher, be sent from every circuit
and station to Staunton, next March, to
confer with our preachers as to our present
and future church relation.
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