The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-03-26

He proposed the propositions of Revs. :. Registe
:. and j. MeCauey, with various notifications
Rev. W. 7. D. Clemm explained the digest of th
Presoyterlan Church. He presented the Influence
controll:n ng his vote. Two Laymen's Convention
have instructed almost unanimously to seve
Is our present church relations and cannot reius
their request
l. Rev. A. W. Wilson looked at the question of SEP
= araton as one OF right as well as expediency.
passed, at the last annual session, resolution
affirming that We could only maintain our Churc
and Conference existence, by the administration o
the old discipline. The speaker defended the ad
ministratiOn under the discipline prior to 1861.
We have no excuse for delaying separation
from the Northern church. The speaker delivered
strong argument in favor of immediate separa
tion. lie earnestly defended the action of suffern!
, Virginia. As Baltimore preacher he believed
Maryland W, uld stand by her.
r He affirmed that he could obtain more votes IL
favor OF this majority report from Eutaw stree
church alone than there were votes cast in tn
Light street meeting. He would vote for tha
which the laity bad asked, and on the laty mus
rest the responsibility.
; Rev. b. N. Brown desired to enter his protes
, against the propositions offered by the majority
lie did not desire the brethren of the majority Il
class those who vote with the minority among abo
htionists. (Ths Immediately dsclaimed b.
the maiority.)
After some discussion as to the propriety of ia
to ~ O'Clock. STELLA.
SrAUNroN, Va, March %, 18Gl.-The Conferenc,
assembled at o'clock. The usual religious exer
cises were conducted by Rev. W. Prettyman. The
minutes of the last session were read and approved
Rev. j. S. Martin, on motion, was instructed tc
put the motion the Wilson paper. The Bishop
allowed the majority to put in protest and spread
the same on the Conference journals. This able
| document prepared by Rev. George W. Israel.
1t assumes that by its unconstitutional action the
General Conference destroyed its own enactment;
and that we are therefore under no obligation to
recognize or submit to the same. The Bishop put
the motion to pass the protest. with the understand
ing that it is simply protest. and that he put it
with the understanding that it did not commit him
as church olHcer, or the Conference an organ
lied body, said body being unable to DO that
which he could not himself do.
The protest with this understanding adopted.
1t was moved that the Conference adjourn, and
Immediately resolve itself into Convention to pass
the Wilson propositions; said Conference re-assem
bling at IL O'Clock. This motion was offered to ac
commodate, as far as possible the feelings of Bishop
Scott, whom the Conference holds in the highest
esteem. 1t being thought unnecessary, the motion
was lost. Rev. }. S. Martin was instructed to put
the question. The first resolution of the original
paper, as amended, was passed. This inaugurated
immediate separation. The resolution was passed
by the following vote:
THE FIRST RESOLUTION.
IeasrReys Brownwell Israel, Wilson Krebs Carson
Bull. Lpscomb Ward, Clemm, Lnthicum, Roszel Grand
in, Morgan, Williams, Barry, Leech, W. H. Wilson, Cass
day, Coe Rogers Gilbert Dolly, Start Landstreet Cor
neus Tudor, Etchison. Eggeston Brooke, N. Wilson
Baird, Mercer Perry, G. G. Brooke Rchey Gibson Lit
tell Grieth, Wasson, Torreyson, Tongue Eeitch Wheel
er, Hildebrand, Hoffman, Smith, Woolf Cummings, Ke
ley Hetrick, Evan, Beatty, Armstrong, Frampton Reg
ester, Edwards, Engle Speake Jefferson Bear Buhrman
Tebbs Arnold, Stringer, j. N, Cornelius, p. b Smith
Sixcas Lggett Dolly, Nixon, Woofe, Rippetoe Johnson
Butt, Calvert. Brierley, Hedges-S3
10 Haply
A6sent-Revs. Wells H. Smith, Barnes, Trout, Efresh,
White, Cronn, Chapman, Goheen, Collins, Falls Sewa
Lipscomb, J. N. HANK Gibbons, Mcdaniel Morgan, Ry-
land, Parkinson, Young, Sober Bunting Waugh. Cham
Pon, March Wisong Gaver Murphy, Chttim, Largent,
Declining to rote-Revs sewalI Hirst Laney, Clarke
brown, Thrush, Hoover, Hawley. L. F. Morgan, W. B.
Lumsden, Lemon, Sipes, Turner, Reid, Prettymln Da
Wis, B. n Brown, Lanahan Dickson, A. Griffith, Magru
der McNemar Gardiner, McMullin, B. H Smith, Leech
Wingman, S Smith, Dice, Graham, Phelps Hough, Sny-
der, Kramer, Lenz, Moore, Leaf, Swope-4.
Iotal present. ..........:....132
. aDsent....'..'. .,......,......... 80
Oh" declining to vote-....................4 a
yeas.......... .......... S3
- reserving their votes................... 3
The remaining resolutions were passed with |
unanimity and in the very best spirit After the
whole had been adopted, several of the minority |
wheeled into line, while nearly all seemed willing
to go forth as a unit in purpose and action The |
following is the paper adopted:
Preamble and Resolutions adopted by the Baltimore An
nuat Conference Of the ~ E. Church. in relation TO the
action Of the last General Con ference on SLarcrV
Whereas memorial has been sent to this Conference
from Cony ention of Iaymen, held in the city OF Ba
more Dec 5th 1860 representing large majority of the
laty of our Church. and like papers from
asking this Conference to take such action as will give
quiet to our people, and all obstrucons to the
this Conference;
And tcheredS similar memorial from the Convention
OF Laymen representing the membership of the NJ. E.
Church, under call of the Presiding Elders and an
equal number of laymen, convened in Staunton March
10 1861, for the purpose of deyisng harmonious
plan of action to be pursued by the Ministry and Laity
81 th IN relation to the offensive change Of
subject of slavery has reached the following conclusions
and presented the same for our most favorable consdera
tion, viz
Whereas, The late General Conference, which assem-
bed at Buffalo, substituted without authority
entirely chapter the subject saveholding ma.
KING, In the opinion of many of people, rule
lst restrictive rule, and therefore virtually making non
test of membership and utterly closing
all doors Of entrance to the people against the preachers
OF your Conference. ii they endorse 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 dScaimed
having the least sympathy with abotonists that, on
the con trary it was determined not to hold connection
with any ecclesiastical body that made sayehoding
condition of membership in the church. and that it
was opposed to any inquison into the motives under
yng the relation of master and slave. The people
demand fulflment of these pledges.
No sufficient can be given for the maintenance
OF connection which of opinion desired by
brethren,
terms that would prove our ruin.
We would like to accord to the views many of our
brethren to await the call of an extra session of the Gen
erai conference in 1857 did any hope of said
sion being held any relief from the action of an extra
session of the General Conference If however, it would
unite all preachers and people in combined action by
waiting until December 4th 1861 to give the other Con
ferences an opportunity to declare the action the late
General Conference unconstitutional and to concnr
date
We do not pretend to conceal that whatever course vou
and pSritapn
will be involved in some difficulty. After due delib
eration therefore have determined our preach
ers of the Baltimore Annual Conference that for the
sake of quiet in our bordersfor the the preach
ing of the gospel that it may find ready entrance among
or Ae endng OF controversy and to promote the best
interests OF Methodism ard religion, they redeem the
pledges given time after time to people,
strife and positive death to all hopes peace the ad
vancement of Christianity in midst in the manner
prescribed in the following resolutions:
1st. ReSolred That the Baltimore Annual Conference
ought at Its resent session to declare that the General
Conference oNthe NJ E. Church, held at Buffalo in May
last Dy its unconstitutional action has sundered the
ecclesiastical relation which has hitherto us together
Church, and that the Baltimore annua Conference
oes not and cannot longer recognize its connection with
this jurisdiction
I'd, Resolred That Baltimore Annual Conference do
assert that the said General Conference has by said
action violated the lst restrictive rule which declares the
General Conference 81 all not revoke alter change our
Articles of Religion, establish any standard or
rule OF doctrine contrary to present existing and
established standard of doctrine and thereby has sepa
rated the several Annual Conferences represented therein
anu COnCurflnS IN SalQ action from the Baltimore
ohe non concurng conferences and that the Baltimore
and other nonconcurrng Conferences constitute the NJ
E. Church proper, and may exercise all the rights
ana powers appertalnng properly TO their position
such
3d. Resolrsd That nevertheless if in accordance with
the spirit of the foregoing preamble three ourhs of the
several Annual Conferences to be held prior to Decem
Der 4t 1851 seeing the great wrong and injury done to
heBamore and other border Conferences shall unite in
demand that the most thorough and satisfactory re-
dress shall be given and shall instruct their delegates so
to vote in General Conference: First The abrogaon of
the New Chapter. Second By ignoring the whole sub
ect of slavery in the discipline Third That pro-
portion of the periodicals of the church placed under
the charge and direction of said Conferences Then and
not until then will we reunite with them in the bonds of
church fellowship. @
And heredS this Conference is cognzant of the facts
set forth in these memorials that sixteen wears of con
tenton and strife within borders brought about by
the continual agitation of the slavery question has re
tarded the preaching of the Gospel hndered our CO.
the church, and materially checked the growth of Metho
dism in great part Of territory;
And whereaS we the preachers of the Baltimore An
nual Conference, feeling that called preach the
Gospel alone, and that not of strife and contention
but of peace;
and whereas the late General Conference at Buffalo bv
its new chapter slavery has added additional burdens
which we cannot BEAR placed distractions in our wav in
the forms of doctrines and duties which we all know will
ALLEVIATE the hearts of the people from u.s. render US
obnoxious to civil penalty and censure and have wanon
y aspersed the memory of pous dead by represent
ing them as having lived and died in sin;
Therefore,
1s Be ii Resored by the Baltimore Annual Conference.
IN Conference Assembled, That hereby declare that
the General Conference of the NJ Church, held Bua
To- in May 1862 by its unconstitutional action has sun
dered the ecclesiastical relation which hitherto bound
US together one church. far any act of theirs
could do So That we will not longer submit to the jurs-
dction of said General Conference but hereby declare
ourselves separate and Independent of it, still claiming IN
be, notwithstanding, an integral part Of the NJ E. |