, 1860-04-27
METHODIST GENERAL CONFER
ESCE.

ESCE.
THO general Conference Of tho Methodist
Episcopal Church will commence its re gu1ar
quadrennial session, in Buffalo, on Tuesday next,
the lst Of May. This body is composed oi
delegates from nll Of the annual Conferences,
and is presided over by eaet Of the Bishops
OF the Church, in turn. 1t is the law making
power Of tho church, ns well rs tho Court ol
final resort III all matters Of church judicature.
The approaching 1t ssion Of this body is cx-
citing not little interest in view Of tue I'M
portant questions which arc expected to come
before it. Foremost among these is tho SUBJ
jcct Of slavery in its bearing upon Church
membership.
In the earlier history Of Methodism in this
country, the entire moral and administrative
influence Of tho Church was brought to bear
against the institution. The clergy spoke eve
rywhcro against it, and the official action Of
tue Church was judciously ret uniformly and
firmly repressive. slavcholding, on the part
Of the membership. was discountenanced,
even when attended by circumstances
which seemed to rescue it from the
grosser traces Of moral turpitude, while
in all ordinary cases it was made cub
joct Of prompt disciplinary action. subse-
quently, however; tho Methodist Church par
took Of the general dcclcnsion in moral senti-
ment on this subject, the tone Of its clergy was
sensibly lowered, while the administration Of
discipline with reference to it was almost en-.
tirely neglected. Not only was slaveholding
By the laity tolerated, but it became quite
common. in slaveholding States, among the
official members Of tho Church. Now and
then q minister became involved in it, aud
finally it invaded the ranks Of the Episcoracy
In January, 1914, James o. Andrew, one Of
the Bishops fthe Methodist Episcopal Church,
married lady who was the owner Of slaves,
aud which lie subsequently, secured to her by
deed Of trust This brought tue matter to q
crisia. What had been tolerated in the 1sisy
and, in some instances in The clergy also
could not be tolerated in the Episcopacy, uu-
less, inde d, tho Church was prepared to re-
verse ita original policy, and throw its entire
influence in favor Of slavery.
Tie subject was brought up in the General
Conference Of 1874. Bishop Andrew admitted
the tae,s as charged, and after pro,racted
and heated discussion, the Conference, by u
vote Of ITO to Gs, resolved that he (Blahop ~
should desist from the exercise Of his olll,e.
The adoption Of this resolution led to tho ia.
nous secession, by which nearly all of the
slaveholdiuG conferences withdrew from their
connection, and organized themselves into at,
Independent body, under the style Of the Meth.
odist Episcopal Church South. The following
conferences. embracing slave territory, how
ever, did not secede, viz: Baltimore, East
Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Western Virginia !;
and the following have since been organized,
viz: Kentucky, Missouri, and Arkansas-thc
Inter including Texas,
From this date Qsi4) until the last session
Of the General Conference held at Ind;anapo-
lis, in May, 1856, that body Inns not been Sc
rlously disturbed by the slavery question:
But in the interim both the laity and the clsr-
gy had been gradually aprrcximating the sen.
timont entertained on this subject by the found
ers Of Methodlsm. In the General Conference
OF 1856 proposition to make non-slayellold.
ing Il test Of membership, was warmly advo.
Gated, and carried by a decided majority, but
not by tro-thirds vote By the Constitution
Of the Church n change in its rules can only be
made upon the recommendation Of three
fourths Of all the members Of the Annual Con-
fercuces present and voting aud tho subse-
quent Endorsement Iy vote Of two.thirds Of
the General Conference, or rice ee,su. Under
this provision the measure failed; but the
friends Of tho proposition have since been dil.
igent in its advocacy among tile churches,
and tho effort will be renewed at the next
session, in May, 1860.
The present status Of the NJ T. Church on
Slavery is this: u, The General Rule torbids
"buying and selling men, women and childrcr
with an intention to enslaye them" e., Thu
Chapter defines Slavery to be a great era ant
asks, what shall be done to e1firpate it? 1
forbids any travelling minister from holdin,
slaves, requiring their emancipation if practi
cable; debars shareholders from official sta
ton in the church where State laws permi
emancipation; and requires that slaves b
taught to read the Word Of God and allowet
time for attending religious services withou
reference to State laws.
At present the church is divided on thi
subject into the following classes, each Of wllcl
will be strongly represented On the floor Of tn
General Conference:
L Those who say 1.-THE Discipline as it is.
This class embraces tic border Conferences
the Unlon-sayers Of New York, and some 9th
ers who contend that under the General Rul
ard Chapter all slaveholding mny he satieGat
tonly dealt with.
H. Tho party headed by Dr.. Stevens, edito
Of the Adrocate and Journal, who contend tha
tomake non.slaveholdiug test Of membership
unless by the change Of the General Rule rc
| quiring two-thirds Of tho General Confcrcnc
and throe-fourths Of the members Of each {
the Annual Conferences present and voting
(which Of course is not TO be cxpected,) woul
be unconstitutional.
III. Those who disclaim entirely the Steven
view, but who, believing that Our present Dire
Scott Supreme Court would decide the ques
ton in conformity to it, hold that 1olicu ind
indicates that the Rule should bo changed
With this view correspond the expressed sen
timents Of almost the entire church press-th
-Ad'oedte and Journal excepted.
II. Those who believe that the true polio
is to defne, outloritaticely, the present Genera
Rule as designed to prohibit the intention
enslave, whether buying sellin:, or holding
This it is thought, will obviate the consti,u
tiond difficulty, and Jet givo the church 1
clear and unmistakable record on tho question
The action Of the New York, New York East
and other conservative annual Conferences
indicates that this policy is the one most likely
# any, to be adopted There will he deci
ded majority in the General Conference unde
strong progressive -Anti.Slavey Instructions
but no one proposition is verr likely to receive
the constitutional majority Of two-thirds.
Two other questions will come before tht
Conference, which are exciting considerable