Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-20
Methodist EspiscOpal General
Conference.
ADDRESS OF THE BISHOPS.

DEAR BRETHREN: We hail with feelings Of
devout gratitude the opening of another
session of the General Conference of the
Methodist Episcopal Church South. Circum-
stances connected with the late unhappy war
have prevented us from an earlier meeting
and now that we are permitted by Divine
Providence to assemble, the important inter-
ests that will engage our attention demand
that, with all sobriety and prayerfulness, we
address ourselves TO their consideration.
We have to review the operations Of the
Church for eight years-embracing period
during which important and startling events
have crowded on each other in rapid sue
cession. When the last General Conference
closed, we anticipated an earlier reunion in
this city; btn the well-known condition Of
things, at the time appointed in regular order
for our meeting, precluded our conyening
here. And ever SINCE until within the last
few months, it has been impractcabe to call
the Conference together. When it was def
initely decided that the Conference could not
meet at the proper time and place, there
being no law in the Discipline authorizing
the Bishops to convene the General Confer
ence, and the state of the country also being
such as TO render it doubtful whether any
considerable number of the preachers could
be collected together for the purpose of hold
ing such a session If called. the Bishops,
feeling the importance Of wise counsel in the
emergency, published card inviting meet
ing of the Bishops, Book Committee and
others, to consult together on divers impor-
tan: subjects connected with the immediate
interests of the Church. Such a meeting
was held first at Atlanta, Ga; afterwards at
Macon, Ca; and then at Montgomery, Ala.
In August last the Bishops alone met for
consultation at Columbus, Ga. These vari-
Gus meetings were seasons of interest and
profit to those who attended them, and the
results of our deliberations as exhibited in
the resolutions which we published, tended
greatly, as we have reason to believe, to pro-
mote the peace and prosperity of the church.
| In order that the character of those meet
ings may be clearly appreciated, we would
remind you that when they were called II
was distinctly stated that all the acts of such
meetings would be simply advisory. We
disclaimed all authority TO take any action
that should be binding on the church, only
as it might be approved as wise and godly.
We gave such advice as we judged best for
the church in her straitened circumstances.
If the Annual Conferences approved il, then
they accorded with their own convictions
if not then they simply took their own
course in all matters that came before them,
without reference to cur advice. II is for
the General Conference to decide whether we
Iranscended onr authority in conyening
such advisory councils
Early during the war the Bishops had to
confine their episcopal visitations 10 the ter
ritory east Of the Mississippi river. This we
deeply regretted, but In our circumstances II
was unavoidable. The consequence was that
the Conferences west Of the Mississippi
were deprived of episcopal supervision during
nearly the whole period of the war. We
would not, however, fail to mention Bishop
Kavanaugb, residing as he did within the
Federal lines, was able 10 visit the Missouri,
the st. Louis and tire two Kentucky Confer
ences, and was also able TO extend his WIS.,
itations 10 the California work. The rest OF
the Bishops were able 10 extend their labors
to various parts Of the work within the Con-
federate lines. Notwil hstanding the fact
that our episcopal supervision of the work
has been necessarily partial, we are gratified
to believe that the preachers have been faith
full generally to the interest Of the church OF
God. With but very few exceptions, the
Annual Conferences have been regularly
held. The Presiding Elders and preachers
have filed their appointments as of OLD
and, with humble gratitude to God, we men.
ton the fact that during the trying year;
through which we have passed gracious re-
vivsls Of religion among oar people hav,
attested how the Divine presence has bcer
with u.s.