New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-06-25
TIE AMERICAN CHURCHES a
TEE NATIONAL QUESTION.


iority of the religious assemblies OF the United
States have deemed it proper to embrace
within the scope of their transactions the duty
Of their members to support the Govern
ment Of the country. The religious denomins'
tions of our CONTEMPLATING the term in ita
widest sense, and embracing in it all conin1u-
mites which are proiessedly organized Tor re.
lieious ends--represent very largo proportion
Of our aggregate population, and they probably
WELD here larger influence than in any other
country Of the world AT criris, therefore,
when our whole future is at stake, it is both
interesting and important to observe the tide
of public opinion in the religious organizations
md TO point out its probable bearing upon the
issne Of our struggle agninst tho Slave Power
The most numerous OF oil the religious bodies
in tho Loyal States is the Methodist denomina-
ton. II Is split into no less than ten differ
eDt branches, the largest oi which, toe Getho-
dist Episcopal Church, numbers alone 40 less
than $40, 600 members, nearly all In tho Loyal
State., representing population OF OF oaf
two millions Two Of the Methodist bodies
consist entirely Of Africans. OF the eight
others four. the Wesleyan Connection, the
Evangelical Association, the Free Methodist
and the Independent Methodist Churches are
Abolition Churches, making non slaveholdng
test of membership. Like the Abolition
Churches in general, they are unit III
The support OF the Government Tor
the suppression Of the Rebellion, md
all their meetings. since the beginning
of the war, have passed UNANIMOUS resolu-
tons, expressive Of their hope that the
Rebellion and Slavery may bo oycrthrown
together. The Methodist Episcopal Church
has not held any Of lie quadrenaial General
Conferences since the beginning oil tho war;
but the Annual Conferences into which Tho
Church is divided. have passed at each OF their
meetings strong loyal and Antl-Snvcry reNou'
tone. There Was formerly in the Church q
Progrcuiys and q Conservative party, the
latter of which opposed ut the late General
Conference tho Introduction Of n new provision
for tie entire abolition OF Slavery IN ~"
Church; but IN the resolutions posed ty The
Conferences On the state II TIE cprn'Fi during
thc pas. two years The party iinrs have almost
disappeared In nearly all toe Conference Inc
conservatives have been gDan.uols IN Indoors
iug the Emancipation Proclamation OF TIE
Pre.ident. In Missouri alG We-i Virginia the
Methodi.t Church has sboue lorIh Tor IT'S 10y
al,y and been largely instrumental 10 the pres.
crvatlon of these States Ia ise Uoiou, aid IN
prorotiug the Emancipation movement ~aleh
IN both has been 80 eminentiy slcces'ful. One
solitary Conference, that of Baltimore makes
4 sad exception, having even NJ its last maet-
ing. a lew weeks Az. refused 10 pass loyal
resolutions. A nuuber II preachers and
members have formally seeded from the
Church. and it Is likely ihat o,hcrs viii follow
to the grca, advantage. undoubtedly, OF The
cause of freedom, for it may tbcn be expected
that the influence OF the Church, which, since
the late General Conference, IL almost purely
Anti- Slavery Church, NAV DE ~ effective on
her Numerous membership in Maryl,ud rs 1t
mas proved ~ DO in Missouri and Wes.
Virginia.
The Northern Conferences Of the Methodist
Protestant Church are also uunnimOus ~ tho
support of the Government and IN dcnonncing
Slavery. They have been Joined by the Con
ference of West Virginia, where the whole
influence of the denomination ms been cast IN
favor OF Emancipation.
| The ony disloyHl Methodist body is the
Methods! Episcopal Church South, which had
a numerous membership in Kentucky and Ms.
soari, and WAS also, though mor5 fooJy. rep.
resented IN California. Oregon and Kansas.
/ Ii ID gratifying 10 know that the disny ally Of
tue leading members Of tais body mas disor.
/ gnnizrd the Church, so far ne II exists in The
| loyal States. In the Pacific States il seems t.
/ be- threatened with outire extraction, md M
Missouri large number. Of It are joining the
/ Northern branch Oi the Church.
/ Mex, in number to the Methodist. are the
Baptls.s. The main body oi them, the Regu-
lar Baphsts, are among the stanchest sup
poricrs oil the Naioual Government, and ut It's
great ANNIVERSARIES III ilay, which are the bond
OF union bctweeO the coner, /, itlous If the
Northern Statos, loyal aIa ADh-,SlayerJ ieso-
lutons were passed without dissenting vote
! In the Border States, honeyrr-aud ia par.
tcular IN Missouri Kentucky aud Maryland,
the Baptist churches general! synpAthi1e viii
the South. Only In Missouri an Improvement
has been noticed since the beginning OF The
war. The smaller Baptist bodies, IA the
f'rsc-Will Baptists, toe sevsnth-Day I|aPti'ts.
thu Mrnnonl,rs and the QOakcrs. are ueert
ali Abolition churches. liut the Discip'os.
commonly callod Complexities have large