Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-06-17

lrronl,.ss x..hvlII. Pre-. and rIas..l

lFromftae Nashville Pres and Timss.l
sEAsHvuLs, TBSx., June 3. 1865
The Holston Conference Of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church has been organ
lied under promising auspices, Bishop
Clark presiding. A large audience was
present at The opening and succeeding
sessions The exercises were opened
With the usual religious services, con-
Quoted By the Rev. Bishop, and also Rev.
Jas. Cummings and Rev. DR.. Poe, Of
Cincinnati The Bishop then proceeded
to remark upon the sOlsmnlty and the
responsibilities Of the occasion that had
summoned US together. he continued;
q find that the Holston Conference
was organized in 1924, with a member
ship Of IA 934, and forty-one ministers.
From that time forth there was gradu-
al increase of members until, in 1874.
there was a membership of 40,063, and
ministry of seventy-three. Twenty
years ago, the last entry in the minutes
Of the Methodist Episcopal Church, Of
the Hoiston Conference, vas made. But
since that time what scenes have trans
pired-ihe division of the Church, or
rather the separation from its commu-
nj ON Of q large number of its members.
Strange condolences, or rather proyi-
| dences, sometimes occur. l see that
J twenty years ago, according TO those
/ minutes, the Holston Conference was to
have Assem- bled in this place. Before
the time arrived the separation had oc-
Cured But here, in the very place
where it disappeared, we meet to re-or-
ganize it. | do not know whether il
was designed or not, a voice, " 1t was,
but the coincidence is marked. re.
| member well with what reluctance the
old Holston Conference went ont of the
old Methodist Episcopal Church-hoW
tenacious Quarterly Conference were
for adhering. Aud in connection with
this let me say, that not only the whole
Methodist Church, but the whole country
has its eye on East Tennessee. Your
love of country was well in harmony
with your love for the old Church, AnC
II No fbig uccPTy stauu= ~ -~aa not in th,
power of the Government to afforu you
ihe protection you needed, and that yoJ
suffered so deeply from your devotion
Bat, thanks be to God, oeliveraDce cam,
10 the nation, and | trust deliversnce viii
come also TO the Church, and, as yoI
have taken your places under the star
, aud stripes, that you will also take you
places under the old banners of tn,
Methodist Episcopal Church. A voice
ave will
"Why am here at this hour2 Las
year, after our General Conference wa
held, convention largely representing
, your laity and ministry, was held a
/ Knoxville, and there an then ;ou an
nounced the purpose to unite with tn,
81 f.. Church, and invoked our aid. Du
ing the last year we have done what WI
could to aid you in your work, and an
here to organize your Conference.
touch upon a point which | had not in
! tended to name; but il seems proper
. from facts which have come to m
knowledge with regard to this organiza
ton. The question has been asked, VIII
lreorganize2 The plan that has beef
suggested is, that il would be better 4
leave the Southern Church territory IN
!. disturbed. Let Us leave this ground un
touched, and hold General Confer
ence of both churches, and reunite th'
entire Church South, by a single act, Il
the y L Church. do not say thi
, proposition has been made in forma
manner, for no conferences have beer
held n the Southern Church to make it
but 10 has been made by prominent mem
bersJ nd ministers Of the NJ T. Churcl
] South, with singular concurrence AnC
/ ananimiiY. | cite one reason why
: think this proposition that we shoult
stay out of the South cannot be enter
. tanned IL we refuse TO respond to thi
! call from East Tennessee and elsewher
! (for the calls from different parts of III
South, the effect would be to leave t,
I the men who have not been with th
b Government of the United States in il
| fearful struggle against rebellion, tn
2 work of reorganization of the Church
} Now, If there is any class Of men in th
Y South who shoald take part in the re
: building of the Church aud the State,
] is the loyal portion. / do not feel tha
3 we should subject them to this depEiva
I don
1 The division of the Methodist Epii
oopsl- Church had one single grouut
o and that was slavery. You cannot fin
: any other. No man under heaven ca
!, find any other We preach the sam
I Gospel, have the same Organization {
It conferences and districts and circaitl
= and the same sllosn ents of labor; an
: man on the face OF the earth can taste
Y upon any other fact than slavery, an
: that is being taken out Of the way Wha
II reason, then, is there for keeping apar,
s There is none can conceive of othe
y than pride of position, pride of place G
r power-the maintaining of power
o hands that have welded it, other tha
d for the peace and Perpetuity of ii
d Government
"Why, again, am / here to orgauia
g the Holston Conference2 At our Ia
s General Conference, held in May, 1856
s- provision Was made especially for th
d reception of ministers aud members
i the Church South with the N. ( Churc
l. IL was provided that they should be r
n ceived on the same Conditions as thoi
ir on which we receive them from Il
b British and Canadian Wesleyan Confe
!, ences, with the pEoViso that they shou
b, give assurances of their loyalty TO d
re United States, and of their agreeme
ID with US on the subject Of slavery.
o. The Methodist Episcopal Church b
e. been all through this struggle loyal
0, the United States All her infueue
u have been uumistsksbly in this dire
ID tiou. Conferences, ministers and met
bers, almost without exception, have |
cast their influence on the side of G
re Government, and It was The purpossth
re in the reorganization aud extension
Z = ~ 4 Il L . :