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

UHeii tACu, Will VIC lCuutS I'LL VuCul ia WV
bonds of Church fellowship.
And whereas this Conference is cognizant
Of the facts set forth in these mem orlals,
that sixteen years of contention and strife
within our Borders, brought about by the
continual agitation of the slavery question,
has retarded the preaching of the Gospel,
-hindered our co operation in the great
missionary and other enterprises of the
church, and materially checked the growth
OF Methodism ina great part Of our terrific
~.
And whereas We. the Preachers of the
Baltimore Annual Conference, feeling tn at
we are called to preach the Gospel alone,
and that not Of strife and contention, but of
peace.
And whereas the late General Confer
ence at Buffalo, by its New Chapter on
Slavery, had added additional burdens
which we cannot bear, placed distractions
in our way, in the forms of doctrines, nd
duties which we all know will ALLEVIATE the
hearts of the people from us, and render US
obnoxious to civil penalty and censure, and
have wontonly aspersed the memory of our
pious dead, by representing them as having
lived and died in sin.
Therefore,
LIST. Be it Resolved BY the Baltimore
Annual Conference, in Conference Assem-
bled, That we hereby declare that the Gen
eral Conference of the NJ +. Church, held
at Buffalo, in May, 1860, by its unconsti-
tutional action has sundered the ecclesiasti-
cal relation which has hitherto bouad us to-
gether as one Church, so far as any act Of
theirs could do So That we will not lon
ger submit to the jurisdiction of said 'Gener-
al Conference. but hereby declare ourselves
separate and independent of it. still claim
ing to be, notwithstanding, an integral part
of the NJ E. Church.
3D. Resolved, That nevertheless, if in
accordance with the spirit Of the foregoing
preamble, three fourths of the several an
nual Conferences. to De held prior to tie
next session Of the Annual Conference, see
ing the great wrong and injury done to the
Baltimore and other Border Conferences
shall disavow the act of their delegates and
the action of the late General Conference on
the subject Of slavery, and shall unite in a
demand, that the most thorough and satisA
factory redress shall be given and shall in
struct their delegates SO to vote in any Con-
vention that may be called for the purpose
of more perfect union
First, by abrogathg the New Chapter.
Second, by transferring the subject of
Slavery to the exclusive jurisdiction of the
Annual Conferences, where it exists.
Third, that fair proportion Of the peri
odicals of the Church be placed under the
charge and direction of said Conferences. -
Then, and not until then, will We re- unite
with them in the organization Of another
General Conference.
3rd. Resolved, That this Conference las
taken the action expressed in the above res
outions, after much long suffering and re-
proach, to give freedom to our Preachers,
in the discharge of heir duties in our terri
tory, and cannot refrain from expressing
the hope that the day may speedily come
when agitation and strife shall have ceased
among US, and the great Methodist family,
East, West, North and South, be again uni
ted in the common effort which engaged the
hearts and lives of our fathers-that of
spreading Scripturai Holiness all over the
land.
-4th, That Committee of seven, consist
ing of S Register, j S Martin, S S Roszel
L r Veitch, w G EggIeston. N Wilson and
T H W Monroe, be appointed to prepare a
Pastoral Letter for our people, setting forth
the grounds and aims of the action.
When the Bishop resumed the chair, he
said, in substance. that the whole action
just taken upon what is known as the evil
son Proposition" was, in his judgment, in
violation of the order and discipline Of the
M. t. Church, and was, therefore, null
and void
On motion, the Secretary was requested
to furnish the Bishops Of each Annual Con-
ference with copy of the protest by G..
W. Israel. to be presented to the Annual
Conferences.
The following resolution, offered by W
S. Edwards sndJ j. S. Martin, was read and
adopted:
Resolved, That it was not intended, in
any remarks made by brethren fayoring in
mediate separation from the General Con
florence, to ilnpugn the motives of brethren
differing from them, or to stiginatise them
as having the least sympathy with aboli-
tiouists
On motion, G. G. Calvert was located.
The following were put upon the list of
superannuated preachers: Messrs. Myers,
Green, Chew, Collins, Leber, Hank, and
Bunting
The ConferenGe adjourned to half past
seven o'clock, P NJ.
NIGHT SESSION.
Conference met at half-past seven o'clock.
After the opening exercises. the Chair ask
ed if the minority were ready to present
their protect against the action Of the ma
jority Mr.. Ianahan responded that they
were not. The Bishop then called Mr..
Thomas to the Chair, and retired with the
Presiding Elders to attend to business con-
nected with the appointments. j,
On motion, it was resolved, that when
the Conference adjourn to night, it adjourn
10 meet at o'clock on Monday morning
4 resolution WIS offered BY S. S. Rcszel
and e.. w. Israel that Committee be APP
pointed to inform the other n-concurring
Conferences of the action Of this Conference
10 relation to the action Of the General Con-
ference upon the subject Of slavery.
A cordial vote of thanks was rendered
Bishop Scott for the ability,. impartiality
and kindness with which he had presided
o,,n, tho d,l; hor. fiops IF tho confa+aIte dft