Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-04-25

IHR MCkENDREK CHURCH DIFFICULTIES
Editor Star 1t Is perhaps due to q consider
able number Of your readers that more axac
Of the origin and progress Of the difacultiey 81
Mckendree Church. From the best in forma-
ton we have been able to obtain. it appears
year "The Sunday School Advocate" the
regular child's paper Of the NJ. E. Church,
published at her Book Concern" in New
York, was dropped or excluded from the
Mckendree Sunday School This was done
after the action of the General Conference of
that year on the subject Of slavery, and
upon the assumed grounds that the Editor
OF the Advocate held ultra views on that ones
ton which he would be bound to disseminate,
anc that he had in fact published some articles
IN accordance with these views, in which in.
v1aious distinctions were drawn between
cnlloren In free and sla veholding States.
Apout SIX months since, some Of those origi-
naily concerned in dropping The Advocate, !"
notd c'isens-either because Of a change OF
the great change which had taken place in the
puone mind concerning slavery thought the
paper should be formally restored to the school,
sTsc one q, ehe number made motion to that
director" and 1t was rejected
during the tendency OF this question, anoth-
schooI,-tAe sabbath Schoo, Hvw peR hook % Of the
Chureh having been dispieced by "The
Golden SHOWER" Dlsapprovins. of this, the
Der last Tbe ssslSned IN Decem
ms posiuon in the August previous, during a
somewhat animated discussion between hin
and j. N. Davis, concerning the enforcement or
suspension of one the rules OF order or govern
ment of the school, 1t was left without Super
lntendents. In this condition Of things, the
last Quarterly Conference Of the late ecclesias.
Church it was the duty Of the preacher in
charge, Rev. J. Thrush, to present q written
report OF the state Of the school, which he did
ID brief and truthful words, -referring, among
other matters, to the fact Of the designations
OF the Superintendents. 1t was also the duty
OF W a. Cook, being a member Of the Quarterly
Conference Sabbath School Committee, to make
report, and he did SO, pointing out some de-
1ects IN the organization and operations of the
SCHOOL This report, it would seem, was re-
garded as correct by the majority Of the body
E: F. Ferris, after having referred to some of
the books OF the library as tsreiigious novels"
etc, ofered resolution which looked to the
return OF the resigned Superintendents to their
vacated positions, which was supported by
MIN, MI. Cook and others, and opposed by J.
N. Davis, Il. Jones and others. 1t was lost or
voted down mainly in consequence Of asseve-
rations that such was the infiexibility of J. 9.
HarKness, That under no circumstances would
he resume his official relation to the school.
AT length Mr.. Cook presented a resolution
designed to bring about the correction OF two
defects mentioned in his report, viz: The want
In the constitution of the school Of a connection
with the Sunday School Union of the M. E.
CHURCH, etc., as required by her discipline, and
the refusal to take the "Advocate."
Inc resolution was adopted with little OPP
position, old citizens and net1 citizens voting for it,
After having been enormously communicated
10 the school, in a second communication it was
sent In correctly, whereupon Mr.. Cook offered
Tor It's adoption or rejection an amendment to the
constitution substantially in accordance with
the resolution of the Quarterly Conference;
a motlon being then on the journal Of the
school in reference to "The Advocate"
Dennite action on these motions was post
poned new business was allowed to be taken
N n n ieh Qh hrai mud I
=: darkness and J. N. Davis brought lengthy
address to the Quarterly Conference into the
scnool, In which the reports of the pastor of
the church and of MIR. Cool. and the views of
Mr. Ferris relative to the literature of the
school were assailed, the motives Of one or
more OF them impugned, and the Quarterly
conference invoked to reconsider it's action,
and to let the school alone.
frotracfed debate sprung up. Mr.. Ferris,
r l.. harvey and others proposed measures OF
compromises they were rejected or not accepted
ov Messrs. Hardness and Dav 8, and the ad
dress was adopted by vote made up largely
OF Young and inexperienced persons, and for
while the subject was at rest.
IL was expected that the address would be
presented to the Quarterly Conference at its
late session. but for some unexplained reasons
aho ~ is sa Id by an unauthorized party, 1t was
withheld. The Presiding Elder, however,
onered "a compromise measure" and upon its
ADOPTION, and the rejection OF q scheme intro
duced by Mr.. Hardness, he retired from the
Quarterly Conference, and at an adjourned
session in effect it reaffrmed its previous &C.
ton.
On Saturday night, Immediately following
the regular session, and before the adjourned
session, meeting was held at the house of
Rev. e. w. Mitchell, on Ninth and M streets.
Sunday morning arrived; Mr.. Hardness, Davis,
Langley, Jones and others were absent from
helr places in the Sunday school; number
OF scholars failed to appear: the choir singing
books were locked up; and it was soon ascer-
tanned that an actual secession had taken place,
and that those prominent in it were holding
PRAYER meeting in the Episcopal chapel corner
OF N and Sixth streets, where Sabbath school
has since been established. Not knowing, in
ness would pursue concerning his class, the
preacher IN charge, in perferman &c OF his duty,
attended it, and, after waiting for Mr.. II. until
past the usual hour. proceeded to lead it. But
he did not thus 'stake the class from him.;
as he might have done. Nor did he in any
manner attempt to do so, or intimate that
1t would be done, either as respects him or
others, until he had Intercepted them with
regard to their future purposes, without
receiving any satisfactory response. Besides
the Sunday school, the seceders have established
prayer meetings and class or experience meet
ines at the same hours as the regular meetings
OF Mckendree Church, and, virtually at least
in opposition thereto. Some OF those who have
s'gope OFF, with the dissatisfied party have
asked for certificates of membership, which
have not been granted, because their requests
did not come within the requirements of the
Discipline, and because they have arrayed
themselves against s'the order OF the church"
The regular meetings of McKendree Church.
under the control of the pastor-we believe
devoted man and staunch loyalist, and oppo-
nent of both national and ecclesiastical session
continue well attended and prosperous.
To sum up all, it appears that the difficulties
in this station arose from the fact that 'one
side'' desired the Sunday School to be fully
and strictly conformed to the rules and usages
of the NJ. E. Church, both in letter and practice;
sthe other side" hesitated or were unwilling to
do so, either from personal considerations or
because OF the slavery views of the editor of
"The Sunday School Advocate" or for other
reasons.
With this statement we believe we are done
with this subject ALIQUIs.
SPECIAL NOTICES.