New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-04-21
( syoPEErtL SIGN.

nro,pca,s anars t,c various Christian churches Oh
ina land m win te recoected that several Of the
p,ost denominations OF Christians In the
country we're embarrassed with this question many
wears aeealls that tho result was sectional aivi-
s,o, between them the Northern churches protest.
f,o aca;nst slavery and sIayehelding, and the |
southern asserting, very property, thas = was
sc,nsttinu having no connection with ecclesias
s;raI afairs. and ought not to be discussed or ag
tated in any shape form. This separation Of the
churches into Northern and Southern divisions Nh.
uaihuin daplored, just before his DEATH as an Id.
suspicious sign foreshadowing similar rdlititai
separation among the different States of ne con.
federacy.
THE Episcopal and the Catholic churches never
permitted this question to disturb their harmony.
They rightly regarded 1t as something beyond pro
per ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. But the Methodist
church, agains ie earnest protest of its Southern
members, ocMinued TO agitate the question in their
National Conferences, until d division finally en-
sued, which continues to the present day. The
Northern wing was the cause Of it. Theirs was
the policy Of aggression and agitation, while the
South insisted that the subject ought never to be
disturbed, and still less that slavery should be
made test Of church membership.
We are therefore gratified to observe returning
sense Of reason and conservatism in the Northern
division Of the Methodist church. From the teie-
graphic dispatch published in our paper OF yesters
day, it appears that the Annual Conference Of the
State Of New York, by the decisive vote OF one
hundred and twenty against forty-two, has re-
jecfed the resolution which provides for the excln
sion Of shareholders as members in the church.
By this significant act the Confere nee has virtually
H., SO af.nfI
is something over which the church has control,
and that it is matter to be left to the conseiences
alone, of the individual members.
This aeton, we doubt not, will be eagerly hailed
by the Church South-an we see no reason why
1t may not be the initiatory step toward reunion
of the Church, and restoration of its ancient
harmony. The New York Conference has placed
itself precisely upon the ground that the Southern
Church assumed iii the beginning, and has ever
since maintained. The South, from the strength
Of her position, has procured an acknowledgment
Of the propriety of her course. 1t only remains
for the other Northern Conferences to follow the
conservative example of New York. to witness the
reconstruction Of this numerous and powerful de-
| nomination of Christians upon a solid basis Of
nationality and union.
The debates in the Conference, a repert of which
gree Of conservatism and good sense, which, we are
free to say, surprised as much as it gratifed Ms
The Rev. Mr. Kettell made speech which, for such
latitude developed moderation which is as rare
as it ia pleasing In illustration of the spirit which
prevailed there, we suijoin report Of THIS gentle
man's speech, which not only does Justice to the
South and her position, but is an unanswerable
argument in itself. We hail it as an encouraging
sign when such sentiments not only find utterance
4 id Northern lattndes hut are sustained by de-
| cisiye vote. We have italcised some of the most
striking passages in this gentleman 8 remarks
Rev. Mr.. Kettell held with regard to slavery, as
with other institutions, that it was not sinful merely
because there were abuses connected with it. He
referred to matrimony.
He was called to order as discussing the slavery
question instead Of the substitute.
Several members appealing that he should be al
lowed to go on, and he was allowed to do SO.
He was prepared to say that society had a right
to exact service of query man. and To impose labor
6y cOinpsa0n upon such as lDit not labor OF them
selces. me doctrine hat the srorld otres every
man a tuif,g srds fis0nsh.ous Auntbug. The re-
cognition OF the principle Of compelling labor was
found In various forms In all the Northern States
1 and he instanced the cases of minor apprentices
4 and Migrants.
He was not a pro-sIayery man, but the question
4 with him Was whether he had a right to set free
four millions Of paapers Were the Africans really
| Q racer Let the dark regions of Africa answer.
=
4 remains in the same barbarous stage. He had the
testimony Of official reports that one-half at least
\ of the island of Jamaica is to-day in d state Of
bush. The case Of negro voluntarily hiring him
4 self out to plantation labor was never known
| In tue work OF Mr. Biglow, although published
with the intention of avoring the negro facts were
| shown which bear him (the speaker) out. He
could say emphatically that sIauei. had been The
means of eleUdtisag The negro. AS soon as Thea
sce1e set free they redpsed back into bdf5daisTl
The morals OF the slave are better than those of
the freed slave Notwithstanding all that was said
about our slavery, il The ntitlest system under
he san. He knew that John Wesley was often
quoted having said that it was the gest of sys-
tens, and he was surprised that Mr.. Wesley had
said SO, and thought he must have been blinded by
prejudice. 55z4 @
The sceahh Of tlei South came 10 tie NORTH, by
acllch our institutions acre supported [I.aughter
The brethren might laugh, but they should know
| what they We're laughing about. He then went in
70 cotton statistics, and stated that The udlte of the
agricultural products Of the South, aside from cot
Ion srere greater. tdaa those of The ae1aole NORTH
! Four hundred and sizty-two millions in produce
money, etc., came annually from the South to the
North, land ii The South aras poor, it ,cas poo, De-
cause they fsefs acorliag for as Renewed laugh
teri We were actually deriving the greatest ben
| eft from slavery. a9s9 l.9
brought from the South, he was surprised to hear
any man making speech against slavery with to-
bacco in his mouth. Slavery was said to be relic
Of 6arbarism. That was because negroes were
DarbaIlans. In his mind slavery was one of Gods
proyidences for the elevation Of the negro.
FOURTH DISTRICT SCHOOL EXHIBITION.
| The school examinations of the j" Garden Dis
trict having on Wednesday come to close, the
annual exhibition and presentation of diplomas to
| the High School graduates took place yesterday
in the Felicity street Church.
The boys and girls of the High Schools were the
only pupils admitted to seats on the lower floor,