Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1866-04-28
Methodist Church Difficulties.
LETTER FROM REV. SAMUEL V
LEIGH.

Editor Shepherds,own Register:
My Dear Friend.-I notice an article
in your issue OF the l4ih inst, concerning
certain church difficulties a, Chsrles'own'
West Va.,-copied from the spirit Of
Jefferson, (which does great injustice
10 Rev. MIR. GLENN the excellent Presl'
ding Elder Of The Winchester District.
My intimate acquaintance with you
prompts me 10 address you a commune
cation in his defence.
am convinced that you are not FULLY
acquainted with the merits of the ques.
lions at issue between the two branches
Of Methodism. struggling together in your
beautiful Valley. The Methodist church.
es that adorn its hills and Wales, were
bull. for the erclusire use Of the clergy
of the NJ. E. Church; and decided 10 that
denomination. have been exclusively &C.
cupied for over half century by its min
isiry.
The Discipline OF this church has al.
ways been strongly anti.slsvery; but has,
during the las, SIX years. been more EN-.
phatic in its hos,ili.y~,o thai institution.
From this cause, many excellent minis.
tiers. and thousands Of as excellen. mem.
bers. in Virginia. have recently with
drawn from lis communion, and formally
united with the "Methodis, Church
South." Being no" supplied for the
FIRE, time wi'h is preachers. they pro-
pose "mane forte" TO accomplish what
cannot be done legally, viz: to carry the
property Of the NJ. E. Church. located
among them, into the possession Of the
new denomination with which they have
just united.
Those who know how stubbornly our
Valley membership have for 20 years,
contested the aggressons Of Southern
Meihodism. ale well aware. Ihs, ihess
church ed6rps could not lave been cree
ted, if contributors had dreamed that these
buildings would ever pass INTO The posses
sion Of denomination, that has steadily
and relenllessly persec' ted through two
Jrcades ou, Virginia ministry and mem
hersbip; even if lhs large pecunisry AID
secured in Maryland towards Their cree
ZION, las in The case Of tie beautiful
church in your town. could have been
CHAINED on such hypothesis. Many OF
our members in the Vslley Of Virginia.
will not associate themselves with the
Southern Church, aud most earnestly are
these protesting against any transfer TO
another communion. of ,he temple OF
praise they assisted to erecl,ahd in which
they and their families have long and
quietly worshipped God. ln illustration
of this statement our Conference has a
houtisl,iug society a, Winchester. whose
pulp, i, supplied By Rev. ". F. Ward
my late colleague. Ole Of the puresl and
sbles, ministers Of American Me,hOGistr.
MIR. Glenn, has c. clesiaslicsl suihun
" over The Melhndist churches. within
iba hounds Of The Winchester disuic, Of
The NJ. E. chufch. The President OF
The United States has author zed tie use
OF these churches by our Conference as
afcrelime. until lhe courts Of Vlrgir,s
shall decide in the premises. The la'e
Southern Methodist Conference. admitted
,he jusire Of tie claims OF The NJ. L
Chuich. 10 It's properly, wherever l"'s
Ted. by declaring in sLeir "Past"ral Adj
Dress" that in casting IN their lot with
the Nj. E. church South, they surrender
ed "eurryihmg bat honor" The NJ,
E. church bias recently stationed a num'
Der Of us preachers. throughout It's for
mer territory in Virginia. and from vsri'
Gus part. Of "'he old Dominion" the cry
still comes, "come over and help US. y
Fl ad not Rev. Air. GLENN right 10 de-
IN and, for tue NJ. E. Church, the keys or
its property ?
Truly Yours.
SAMUEL V. LEECH.
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