Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1861-03-19
FOURTH DAY-MoRNINa SESSION.

were conducted by Rev. Mr.. WestwOod. Mr..
dannt withdrew his substitute. Mrs. Ridgeley
his amendment for the purpose OF Of
[erlng another, which he presented and read
Mr.. darkness also ofeIed an amendment. Pend
ing the discussion, a motion was made by Bro.
Gannt to refer the substitute of Mr.. darkness and
the amendment of Mr.. Ridgeley, together with
the majority and minority reports, to the COM
m'ttee on business, for the purpose of securing
union and harmony, and the committee be re-
CURED to report within an hour. The motion
prevailed. The Convention then took recess
of an hour.
The Convention re-assembled at II O'clock A
message was received from the business commit
tee that report could not be made till o'clock,
P. NJ, whereupon the Convention adjourned to
that hour.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The Convention met at o'clock. The open.
ing exercises were conducted by Rev. Mr.. Nc
Oauley. On motion, the Presiding Elder of the
Rockingham District and preacher in charge of
the Stanton Station, were invited to present the
claims of the Church in said Station. Addresses
were delivered by Rev. Mr.. Veitch and r. S.
Matthews, after which collection for the said
church was taken up, and a committee of three
appointed to obtain subscriptions for the same
referred the majority and minority reports, to-
gether with all substitutes and amendments there
to, submitted their report which was read. Col.
Ridgeley moved the adoption of the report. Mr..
Hardness offered as a substitute the paper before
by him. The report of the committee
was signed by the following gentlemen &c J
Baker, Brown, D M Woods, h Black, F
Howard, A Mutton, L b Taylor, E G Moorman,
J Mohler, Joel Mcpherson and VIM Smith.
The report was also signed by Jas L Ridgeley,
after the following note appended thereto:
"Dissenting from the theory of the law as
sumed by the committee, | append my name
nevertheless, as the nearest approach to my views
which the committee with their views can con-
sistently yield, and under all the circumstances,
recommend its adoption as the only possible
hope OF uniting the Convention" -
On motion, Mr.. Smith was permitted to with
draw his name as one Of the signers of said re-
port. The report of the committee and substi-
tute of Mr.. Hardness were then discussed at
length. On motion the Convention proceeded to
vote upon the Report and substitute.
The Chair decided that each circuit and sta
ton would be entitled to one vote for each
regularly appointed delegate, and that 10 the alb
sence of one or more delegates, the member pre-
sent Of such delegation would be entitled to cast
the vote of his colleagues, and that members
holding proxies would be entitled to vote as au.
thorized by them.
On motion, Jefferson's Manual was adopted as
the rules of this Convention.
The ayes and nays were then called upon the
substitute offered by Mr.. Hardness, and it was
rejected by ayes 81, nays "a.
The question then required upon the adoption
of the majority report, and it was agreed to by
ayes 81, nays 80. fil
The following is the report as adopted ~
TO THE BALTIMORE ANNUAL CONFER
ENCE, AT STAUNTON ASSEMBLED.
Fathers & BRETHREN: s
The Convention of Laymen representing the
membership OF the NJ. E. Church within the
bounds Of the Baltimore Conference, convened in
Staunton under call of the Presiding Elders
and an equal number of Laymen, on the 18th of
March, 1861, for the purpose of devising some
harmonious plan of action to be pursued by the
Ministry and Laity of said Conference in relation
to the offensive change of the Discipline of the
M. E.. Church on the subject of slavery, has
reached the following conclusions and present
the same for your most favorable consideration
WHEREAS, The late General Conference, which
assembled at Buffalo, substituted without proper
authority an entirely New Chapter on the sub
ject of slaveholding, making, in the opinion of
many of our people, new rule of doctrine,
restrictive rule, and therefore virtually making
non slaveholding test of membership, and ut
terly closing all doors of entrance to the people
against the preachers of your Conference, if they
endorse or submit to it.
The Baltimore Conference has, by unanimous
vote, again and again assured our people, in the
midst of strife engendered by this agitation that
it disclaimed having the least sympathy with alb
olitionists; that, on the contrary, it was deter
mined not to hold connection with any ecclesias-
teal body that made nOn-Slaveholding a condi-
ton of membership in the Church, and that it
was opposed to any inquisition into the motives
underlying the relation of master and slave
The people now demand a fulflment of these
pledges.
No sufficient reason can be given for the main
tenance of a connection which We are of opinion
is not desired by large majority of our North
ern brethren, except upon terms that would
prove our ruin.
We would like to accord to the views of many
of our brethren to await the call of an extra ses-
sion 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. If, however, it would u
mite all our preachers and people in combined
action by waiting until December 4th, 1861, to
give the other Conferences an opportunity to de-
clare 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 whatever
course you may take to allay the strife and ex-
citement amongst us, we will be involved in
some difficulty. After due deliberation, there
FORE 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
entrance among us, for the ending of controver-
sy and to promote the best interests of Method
ism and religion, they redeem the pledges given
time after time to our people and sunder a con-
nexion-now merely nominal-one which is full
of strife and positive death to all hopes of peace
or the advancement of Christianity in eur midst,
in the manner prescribed in the following reso-
lutions:
lst. RESOLVED, That the Baltimore Annual
Conference ought at its present session. to declare that
the General Conference Of the M. f. Church, held at
Buffalo, in May last by its unconstitutional action
has sundered the ecclesiastical relation which has
hitherto held together Church, and that the
Baltimore Annual Conference does not and cannot
longer recognize its connection with this Jurisdiction
Z I'd, RESOLVED, That the Baltimore Annual
Conference do assert that the said General Conferen
has, by its said action, violated the lst restrictive rule
which declares the General Conference shall not re-
vcke alter or change Articles of Religion
tabish any new standard rule OF doctrine. contrary
to our present existing and established standard of
doctrines and thereby has separated the several Annu
al Conferences represented therein ana IN
said action from the Baltimore and other concur
ring Conferences and that the Baltimore and other
non -concurring Conferences. constitute the M. II.
Church proper, and may exercise all the rights, du-
ties and powers appertanng properly TO tneir posi-
ton as such.
Sd, RESOLVED, That nevertheless, if in accor-
dance with the spirit of the foregoing preamble three
ourhs of the several Annual Conferences TO De ned
prior to December 4th, 1861 seeing the great wrong
and injury done to the Baltimore and other border