Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1864-07-23


cutcs. Il may possibly bo rejected by the
West Virginia aud Kentucky Conferences
and a few votes may be cast against Il il
the Philadelphia and Baltimore Conferences
but all the others will pass it with nonrl,
entire unanimty This vote will DO taken
during the present year, aud when takon
70 will be found that tho Methodist Epsco
pal Church stands al tho head of tho anti.
, slavery churches in the Unitod Statcs -
. The preachers and people, therefore Of TIC
Ioatou Annual Conference, who elect &
become part and parcel Of tho Methodist
EpiacOpa. Church in the United States
should do so Understandings Your com,
mittee have looked the ground over, con
sidorng the step they take, and SO elect
The General Conference Of tho Methodist
/ Episcopal Church, it will ho said, consists
only Of clerical delegates, This is true, bu,
the Ialty are by no means behind the cler.
gy on this question At a general conyen.
ton OF Iaymcn from all parts Of tho couu.
/ try, which met in Philadelphia this last
spring to memoralize the General Confer.
cnce for the introduction Of lay delegations
into the church assemblies, resolutions were
introduced in favor Of the abolition Of
slavery in Church and State, and they
passed without u dissenting voice. although
many members Of the convention were
known heretofore to be in opposition TO any
disturbance Of the institution where it cX-
istod. Such is the change in public senti-
mcnt upon this great question. Your COM
mtttcc feel th0t 1t is worse than madness TO
attempt to hold on 10 an institution that
undcrlics oN our troubles, and that has &C
tually been destroyed in the house Of its
friends
And, now that tho most numerous of tho
American churches has placed Itself at the
head OF the anti slavery movements Of tho
country, we may expect that othor churches
viii follow. Hitherto only n number of tie
smaller denominations Of the country had
taken thj, position Thusamong the Meth
odlsts only q branch known as the Wesley
ans, with Il membership of q 900, and, !
may add the Free Motholi5ts and the In
dependent Ncthodsta two small organ2a-
tjops Of recent origin had excluded slave
holders from their communion while the
Methodist Episcopal Church, extending
through all the States and IcrritOre es, with
the rise of 900 GOO members, ouly prohibit.
ed the "buving and selling of slaves. The
Methodist Protestant Church, q branch that
left the Methodist Episcopal Church thirty
five years ago, and numbers about 10000
members, had no general law on tho subject
OF anVehoIding. Among the Presbvterars.
the United fya7hvter'aN5 uumbcr,nEGI l.U
mrmg rs the Reformed Iresbyterans
numbering L. 0Q0 penhals and The Flc.
Hrtsu. teraas numbering AUUO monlDrts,
did not allow sia}yAO,dIug, But no such
prohibition was enforced among the Old
School ProshyterIars, numbering 100000
mcmbcl6; the NyW school Pre,byJorans
numbering 10000 members, or ylc Cum
berand Presbytcrans numbering 100000
mcmlors Among tho other denominations
the United Brethren" numbering about
100, 600 members, and the Friends, com
monty called Q4akeTS, adhere to q slavery
prohibiting policy; while the Protestant
Episcopal Church, the Roman Catholics,
the Luther0ns, the German Reformed, and
the Unitarian, with their large membership,
have all studious!y refraine1 from lcgisla-
ton ou the subject
!. EeSg,ycd, That tho rebel,io" Of the
Southern States agains; the Government
Of the United States was without any
just and sufficient cause, and therefore what
has followed is without any foundation in
right Justice. or the laws Of the land, or in
the wants and necessities Of the people in
this or any other country.
2 EoSjlci Iht all who willingly en-
gagod ia this rebellion have in the eyes Of
The srpreme law of the lind, in the judg-
mcnt Of all enlightened nations, and espc-
ciallv IN the feelings Of every loyal heart
OF this vast continent, have forfeited all the
rights, privileges and immunities OF the
Government Of the United States.
3 Rc,olrc8, That the loyal members and
ministers of the Holston Annual Conference
are entitled in law to all property belonging
10 said ecclesiastical organization, and with
Divine blessing We intend to claim and hold
the same, aud rebuild tho waste places Of
Zion
T. RceolUei, That the loyal people and
preachers OF the Methodist Ep' opal Church
South. within the bounds Of the HUloiOn
Conference, constitute said church, and this
convention, acting for said church and peo-
ple. hereby propose ut the earliest day
practicable to transfer the same to the
Methodist Episcopal Church in the United
States, and that a committee be appointed
to complete the negotiations, subject 10 the
approval Of those transferred.
3. Rcso'ued, That ministers having charge
of circuits stations and missions, and all
who may have in the future. be instructed
to propose to the churches in their respec-
tive charges to change their church rsla-