New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-05-12
THE ,zETHODIsTs AND SLAVERY.

The element which enters into the discussion OF
every vital question in the political, social, or
religious life of America, is Negro Slavery The
Methodist Church. once severed by it, is now
strongly agitated in its Northern wing through the
same cause. In order to present clear idea of
the manner in which this question is now brought
up in the General Conference in session at Buffalo,
it will be necessary only to refer to certain we'll
known points in the history of the Church.
When the Methodist Episcopal Church was
organized, a rule was adopted forbidding the buy
ing and selling of men, women, and children with
an intention to enslaye them. This rule slumbered
inactive for many years, then caused discussion,
discussion, and, at last, division of the Church
nto the Methodist Church North and the Meth
odist Church South The Northern wing includes
some border Slave States; in them more than
thousand preachers and at least a hundred thou
sand members. Hence the continuance of the con-
test on the Slavery question, which has now come
to head. The Church North is to-day divided
INTO two general parties on this subject-the Con-
seryatives and the Progressiyes The former desire
the rule to remain rs it is; the latter wish it so
extended or interpreted as to include the holding
of slaves making the fact of holding pri'na acie
proof of an intent TO enslave. The bar to
the making of new rule is clearly seen
to be insurmountable; for by the laws
of the Church, no change in its rules can be made,
except on the recommendation of the Annual Con-
ferences and the action of the General Conference
or on the action of the General Conference in the
first instance, and the subsequent Endorsement by
the Annual Conferences. In either ease two
thirds of the votes in the General Conference and
three fourths of the votes in the Annual Confer
ences would be required, and this it would be i'm
possible TO get on the Slavery question, while some
of the Annual Conferences are controlled by slave
holders. But though the rule may not be changed,
it can be authOritatiyey defined, so as to include
the holding of slaves as well the buying and
selling with intent to enslaye, and this policy is
that most likely to be adopted.
At the General Conference in 1856, three propo-
sitions were submitted to the Annual Conference
in order to obtain full expression Of opinion from
them. These propositions are substantially as
follows: The Erie proposition asks for change Of
the rule so as to forbid saveholding or for any in
depreciation which shall produce the same result.
The Providence proposition declares the buying
and selling of men, women, and children, with the
intention TO enslaye them, inconsistent with
Christianity. The Cincinnati proposition asks for
a change in favor of non-slayehodng, but not ex-
Guiding shareholders from the rights of member
ship. The votes of the Annual Conferences show
that twenty-nine of the forty-seven are strongly
opposed to the rule in It's present form. Fourteen
they consider it sufficiently slavery if proper
ly enforced.
great mass of petitions on the subject have
been presented to the Buffalo Conference. Twenty
thousand names in opposition to Slavery, and
about four thousand in favor, are upon these pa
pers. An address from the British WESLEYAN
Methodists, in which the hope is expressed that
this Conference will use all possible means to drive
Slavery "from the Church and the land" was
read and ordered to be printed; thus was shown
different state of feeling from that prevailing in
1856 when So much of the address of the British
brethren as related to Slavery was cut out in the
printing, and now lies dead in the records of the
General Conference.
The whole subject-pettions, propositions, rules,
new and old-has been referred to u Committee.
whose report is daily expected, and upon which an
exciting debate must surely arise.
Though one Of the editors Of The Express was n
prominent member of the Convention which nomi