Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1861-03-29

son Proposition.
Mr. Cornelius moved that the protest pre-.
pared by Rev G. " Israel be road before
action was taken upon the Wilson PROPOSE
ton.
Mr. Cornelius moved that the protest pre-
pared By Rev Il w Israel be read before
action was taken upon the Wilson PROPOSE
ton. This motion having prevailed, the
protest against the action of the General
conference was read, which protested against
the action of the General Conference
1st. Because it violated the FIST restrie-
tive rule.
End. Because it violated the organic law
of its own existence.
3rd. Because it destroyed the unity of
the Church.
18th. Because of its false doctrines upon
the subject of slavery.
9th. Because of its erroneous interpreta-
ton of the General Rule
9th. Because it presented bar to men,
bership and ordination.
Mr. Wilson moved that the vote upon the
protest be taken The Bishop stated that
be would put the question with the distinct
understanding that nothing contained there
in, inconsistent with the ruling idea of pros
test. should be considered as endorsed by
him or the Conference, as Conference
With this understanding, the protest was
voted upon and adopted.
Mr. Wilson moved that the Wilson Pro.
position be taken up and adopted. AS the
Bishop could not put this question, On mo-
ton, Martin took the chair. After va
rious amendments, and after the 3rd. 18th,
9th and 9th resolutions had been stricken
out. the vote upon the LIST resolution was
taken by yeas and nays, which resulted as
follows: Yeas SO, nays 2, declining to vote
43, reserving their votes 3. Several were
absent The remaining portions were adop-
ted by rising votes The following is
THE PROPOSITION AS AMENDED AND ADOPTED
WHEREAS, memorial has been sent tc
this Conference from Convention of Lay.
men, held in the city of Baltimore, Dec
9Th, 1861, representing large majority o.
the Laity of our Church, and like papers
from other sources asking this Conference
to take such action as will give quiet to oul
people, and remove all distractions to the
preaching of the Gospel among them by the
preachers of this Conference.
Aud whereas sirailae memorial from the
Convention of 4aymea representing the
membership of the NJ. E. Church, under q
call of the Presiding Elders, and an equa
number Of Laymen. convened in Staunton,
March Ii, 1851. for the purpose of devi
sing some harmonious plan Of action, to be
pursued by the Ministry and Laity of this
Conference in relation to the offensive
change of the Discipline Of said Methodist
Episcopal Church on the subject of Slavery,
hiss reached the following conclusions and
presented the same for our most favorable
consideration, viz:
WHEREAS, The late General Conference,
which assembled at Buffalo, substituted
without proper authority an entirely New
Chapter on TIE subject of sayeholding, ma
king, in The opinion of many of our people,
"a new rule of doctrine, namely, that slavery
is sin, contrary to the ast restrictive rule,
and therefore virtually making non-slave-
holding test of membership, and utterly
closing all doors Of entrance to the people
against the preachers Of your Conference, il
they endorse or submit to it.
The Baltimore Conference has, by unani-
NOUS vote, again and again assured our pco-
pie, in the mindst of strife engendered by
this agitation, that it disclaimed having the
least sympathy with abolitionists; that, on
the contrary, it was determined not to hold
connexion with any ecclesiastical body that
made non slaveholding condition of menu
bership in the Church, and that it was OPP
posed to any inquisition into the motives
underlying the relation Of master and slave.
The people now demand fulfilment of
these pledges.
No sufficient reason can be given for Che
maintenance OFF, ccnnexion which we are
of opinion is not desired by large MAORI
ty Of our Northern brethren, except upon
terms that would prove our ruin
We would like to accord to the vieas Of
many of our brethren to await The call of an
extra session Of the General Conference in
1862, did we see any hope Of said session
being held or any relief from the action OF
an extra session of the General Conference.
II, however, it would unite all our preach-
ers and people in combined action by waits
ing until December 4th, 1861, to give the
other Conferences an opportunity to declare
the action of the late General Conference
unconstitutional, and to concur with US in
the action proposed we would wait Until said
date.
We do not pretend to conceal that What's
ever course you may take to allay the strife
and excitement amonget US, we will be In
volved in some difficulty. After due de-
liberation; therefore, we have determined to
ask our preachers Of the Baltimore Annual
Conference, that, for the sake of quiet in
our borders-for the sake Of the preaching
of the gospel, that it may find ready en-
trance among us, for the ending Of contro-
versy, and to promote the best interest Of
Methodism and religion, they redeem the
pledges given time after time to our people
and sunder a connexion-now thereby nomi-
Malone which is full of strife and positive
death to al hopes of peace or the advances
ment of Christianity in our midst, III the
manner prescribed in the following resolu
tons
LIST, Resolved, That the Baltimore An
NAL Conference ought at its present session,
to declare that the General Conference Of
the NJ e. Church, held at Buffalo, in May
last, by its unconstitutional action has sun.
dered the ecclesiastical relation which has
hitherto held us together as one Church,
N +