Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-02-13
Knoxville, Saturday, Feb, I3, 1864.
Methodist Conference Report.

Methodist Conference Report.
We lay before our readers Meth odiSt
Conference Report. for October, 1852, held
in Athens, in lower East Tennessee, and
presided over by that exceedingly vain old
licli-spittlc of jeff Davis, Bishop EarIy,-
, This mixture Of truth and ialschood, of
patriotism and treason, and Of Scripture
and Secession, will be pcruscd with interest,
notwithstanding it dates back tor more than
Il year. The conference had under its con
troll more than one hundred men, and not
exceeding 20 Of them were loyal to the
Union In October last, it held another
session at WythcviIlc, where the more de-
PRAYED and reckless portion Of them met,
and expcllsd the Union members but their
proceedings we have not obtained. As fast
rs our authorities can lay hands upon the
members we hope they will imprison them,
as a set of outlaws and traitors After copy
ing this report, We have ono word of com
j mcnt to add
report OF INC tOHnNlftcf on cc|td S'fJe1Ftu fW
their investigation.
"Tho Committee to whom was referred FOR suit
ablo investigation certain mplans against the fol-
i lowing named brethren: W. II. Rogers, w. II, Dug
ran, VIM. c. Daily jesse a. lIydcn, Patrick II,
\ Reed, Jno. Spears, JAS. Cumming Tho II. Russell,
\ and Thos. p. Rutherford beg leave to present th'
following report
/ Socmny impressed with the duty and response
btv dav0lving on this Conference touching the
cecdimgly delicate and momcntous Issues involved
in any action which Il may take in reference TO It's
ssTPFa apa now shng the 5andons Of
II Church and State, your Committee feel constrained
| to preface their specific report on the Of lie
II brethren above mentioned, with declaration Of
iow general facts essential in their judgement to
the proper exhibition before the public mind of the
causes and of such recommendation action
the part of the Conference hereafter set forth
The jurisdiction of the General Conference Of the
u Methodist Episcopal Church having been entirely
dissolved over the Conferences Of the saveholdng
States, in May lsii by Convention of Delegates
formally appointed in pursuance Of Plan OF Sep
arson adopted by General Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church in 1874, tho Church in
the savcholding States in her primary assemblies,
|, the Quarterly and Annual Conferences with Il una-
nimty unparalleled in ecclesiastical history, approx
ed the course of the delegates and declared her cor
victon TINT separate and independent jurisdiction
necessary 10 her existence and prosperity. In
the judgement Of the wisc.t and best through
out the South and Southwest Mt that time IN convc-
ton since attcscd by tho most overwhelming proofs
the continued agitation Of the subject of slavery,
and its actual and practical abolition in some por-
tions Of the South not on rendered necessary but
absolutely demanded separation from the Northern
portion of the Church, in order to the successful
preaching of the Gospel in the South and the estab-
lishmcnt of Christs Kingdom IN the hearts of both
master and slave.
The history of the Methodist Episcopal Church
South since its formal organization in 1915 has fur
nished, and still furnishes multiplied evidences of
the wisdom and far reaching sagucty Of the fathers
and chief masters of southern Aethodism at that
time, in having divorced themselves and focks from
the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of those who came
nmongst them as wolves in sleeps clothing openly
and covcrtly undermining the foundations of our
social system, stirring up internal commotou, aid
ing and counsong the scdition and instruction of
our slaves, by alternating them from their masters
and disaiiccting them towards their proydcntia al.
lotmcnt.
1t is with profound regret that it remains to be
written, the sequel of this nholy and anti-scrip
tural crusade Of abolition finaticism and highcr-aw
infdcltv against the Southern Institutions general
div. that it has eventually eliminated in the pcrma-
nent and rreyocable dsSJuton of the Federal
Government, and has forced upon the sovereign pco
pie of the Southern States Cus the of the South
fern Methodists in Az the neradcable conviction
that the only alternative left them in the Providence
1of God, is to appeal to the Sovereign of the Uni
his blessing and guidance organize for themselves
W Government founded upon the great principles of
tustce snd equity, for mutual protection and for the
better security of all those rights Of religion and
1Cood society guaranteed 10 and all other people
div the God of heaven. ii cannot now be gainsaycd
with all the light before US that to the people of
tthe Confederate States has been committed, in
tscnse true of no other people on the face OF the
.globe, the guardianship and moral and intellectual
iculture of the African race, and that the Methodist
Episcopal Church South is to great extent charged
IN the Providence of God with the religious destiny
IF the colored race.
Peculiarly and intimately related to the institution
f domestic slavery in the Confederate States the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South, has ever been
hnd deeply involved she is in the future veal of
hat people It is gratifying to be able to state that
htill ever she holds it to be her religious duty
lhrow the whole weight Of her influence ministerial
nd lay, into the scale against the cncroachmcnts of
regious fanaticism and nfdcy.
1t unnatural result therefore, that tho min
tstry and membership of the Methodist Episcopal
hurch, South, alike because of her historical ante
tederts and her doctrinal peculiaritics, touching
s,'thern institutions generally and this Institution
pecally, should be found arrayed side by side with
he great masses OF the Southern people in religious
Iv concndng in part for tho same rights-political
kivil and rclgous-for the security of which they
were compelled. in 1874, to adopt measures for a
Fcparate and independent ecclesiastical orl,an zqtion
And now that the .fboiitoHisfs and Biack Rct,,J-
,ce1is Of TIE North, and ont Of Northern churches.
arc inaHgratsd 'ritfou just ProrocatoH cal,clcss-
and mickciiV terrible anil relentless rqrf4re Of
r-1sion pivader and ighoicsJic confs -atop against
n our rights of person. property and conscience by
utter and base prostitH.iOn Of all the sacred sane
ons of constitutional libarty with the repeatedly
vowed object of subiugation or determination ths
ylc called Southern Methodist. could not 50 far
"a