The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1860-06-09

y.
The quadrennial Conference of the NJ. f..
Church, which met on the lst day Of May,
last, adjourned on Monday the 18th inst, to
meet in PHILADELPHIA four years hence. As
many Of our readers are no doubt DESTROYS to
know how the different, and important mat
tcrs, that were brought before that body,
were disposed Of, We subjoin the following
extract from the last OF a series of letters from
Rev. Penncll Coombe, of the Philadelphia
Annual Conference, to the Philadelphia Daitj
News
AS resume of the action Of the Conf ference
the letter sayS:-
FIRST, and greatest Of all, there is the qnes
ton Of slavery. l. We have now no Lu,v on
this subject, except the General Rule. which
reads as formerly. "The buying and selling
of men, women and children. with an intcn.
ton to enslave them" 2. We have struck
out of the Discipline the law prohibiting off
cial members and preachers from holding
slaves. and also mat 70, bidding the ordination
of local preachers for that cause. 8. We
have declaration Of sentiment, not so strong
as that of,he Old School Presbyterian Church
i'll Slavehoding States. 1t reads thus:
We believe that the buying, selling or
h0hlme OF human beings to he used as chat
ties is contrary to the laws of God and Nature
inconsistent with the Golden Rule, and with
that rule in our discipline which requires al
who desire to remain among us to "do no
harm and to avoid evil of every kind We,
therefore, ailrctionately admoniSh all our
preachers and people to keep themselves pure
from this great evil and to seek its eXllrpa.
tiun by all law full and Christian means"
IhlS is now our position as Church on
the subject of slavery. We hare less ldr but
more sentiment. Many of our people will be
at loss to understand why the northern men
after having made such terrible cutlery as to
what they would do with this subject, Should
have the discipline less anti slavery leeuilvi
than they found it. ! will, therefore, state
~" reason they give and let the public Judge
for itself Of their consistency. The enemies
of the Church at the North pronounced our
discipline pro-slavcIy because it prohibited
only ministers and official members by special
statute from holding slaves. Now, the mai.
orty contend that no distinction is made and
the Sp'rh of the law is against all slavcholding
Tor mcrcen@y purposes, and they are free from
all charge of pro-slaveryism. | confess to
they are satisfied, we on the border should be,
and the matter should rest here and the
Church have peace. AS the question Of Lay
Delegation wilnow be submitted to the votes
Of the male members, !hc mind of the Church
Will be diverted from this vcxcd question,
both at the Moth and in the South.
The second great question is that of LAY
DELEGATION. This stands thus IL. The
Gsnrlal Conference consents to it in that body.
mot IN the annual Contcrenccs,) provided
the male members and ministers desire it
=. TO ascertain this, the male members. both
white and colorcG are to vote by ballot for or
against it. 3. The Bishops are to report the
result to the next General Conference, and
If majority of these two parties desire it.
there is reason to believe it Will be introduced
by the next session.
The third question which was expected to
excite great interest, if not action, was the
Presiding EMefShip. No action was had,
because a vast majority Of the Quarterly Con-
ference, which had acted, as we'll as the petit
tons sent, were against any chance whatever
while a very few of each desired any modih.
cation, and they differed widely to what they
ask ed for
Extension Of Time, received but little notice
from any quarter, and the petitions on the
subject were very generally against any
change. The time Of holding the General
Conference is unchanged think, principally
because We did not adjourn this morning
though there would not have been large
majority in its favor.
Our book of Discipline has been reconstruct
ted, and much better arranged, as well as
altered in number Of material points, which
having mentioned before, shall not notice
here. | think quite as little harm has been
done as could have been expected. What
good has been accomplished time must deter
mine.