The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1866-05-02
80. From the New Orleans Times
The Methodist Episcopal General Confer
- ence, South.
ADDRESS OF TIE BISHOPS.


In the Methodist Episcopal General Con-
ference ReY. DIR. Duncan, of the Virginia Con-
ference, read the following address from the,
Bishops. - - -. -.
gedr Brethren We hail with feelings Of
deTopt gratitude the opening of another ses-
sion of the General Conference of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, South. Circumstances
connected with the late unhappy war have
prevented US from an earlier meeting; and,
now tsat we are permitted by Divine Provi-
denee to- assemble, the important interests
that viii engage our attention demand that,
with all sobriety and preparedness, we ad-
dress ourselves to their consideration.
have tosreview the operations OF the
Church TOR eight years embracing a period
daring which important and startling events
nave crowded don each other in rapid succession.
When the last General Conference closed, We
antie pafed an earlier reunion in this city;
but TIE well known condition Of things, at
the time appointed in regular order for our
meeting, precluded our convenlng here. And
eYer since, until within the last few months,
Il has been deemed impractieable to call the
Conference together When it was definitely
decided that the Conference could not meet
at the proper tine and. place, there being no
lar in the Discipline authorizing the Bishops
to convene the General Conference; and the
statesof the country also being such as to rem
der It doubtful whether any considerablcn
sbereof the preachers could be collected togeth-
eF for the purpose, of holding such session if
called, the Bishops, feeling the Importance of
wise counsel in the emergency. published a
card inviting a meeting of The Bishops, Book
Committee and Others to consult together on
divers important subjects connected with the
immediate interests IF the Church. Such a.
meeting was held, frSt:at Atlanta, Ga, after
wards at Macon, Ga.,=aRd then at Montgome-
ry,s Ala. In August last the Bishops alone
metsfor consultation at Columbus, Ga: These
various meetings were seasons Of interest and
profit TO those who attended them, and the
results of our deliberations, as exhibited. in
heresohtions which we published, tended
greatly, as We have reason to believe to.
promote the peace and prosperity of the
Church. = = - r. -. - !
S In order that the character. Of these meet.
;ings may be clearly appreciated, We wouldre-
mind ron that when they were called it was
distinctly stated that all the,act ofsuchraeet-
ings would bcsimply advisory. We disclaiaa-
ed ali auth horiy 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 VIC Judged best7for the Church
In her Straitened circumstances. II the Az
nuai Conferences approved it, then they acted
IN accordance with their own convictions; If
moi, taen they simply took their own course
in sals matters tnatcame before them. without
reference to- our advice. 1t is for the General
Conference to decide whether We tTanscended<
our authority in co2yening such advisory
councils. =. : H.. ... =
Early during the: war the Bishops had to.
confne their episcopal visitation to The terri
tory East ofthe Mississippi River. This We
deeply regretted, but in our circumstances 1t
was uaavoidable. The consequence was that
Etfse Conferences West toftbe Mississippi were
deprived Of episcopaLsupery during near,
" the whole periodof the war, We would
not, however, fail tesmention in this connec:
ton, that Bishop Kayanaugh, residing as he
did within the Federal lines, was ablesto visit
the Missouri, the5St Louis, and the. two Ken
Sacky Conferences, a: d was also able: tos-ex-
tend his yisitaticns to the. California work.
The rest of the Bishops were able stose extend
their labors to various parts of the work with
In the Confederate lines. Notwithstanding
the fact that our episcopal superTisionEof the
work has been necessarily partial, we are
grati6ed to believe that the reachcrs hay"
been faithful generally to the interests OF the
Church Of God. With but very few eXcep-
ticns, the5Annual Conferences have been reg
dlarly held The Presiding Elders and Preach
ers have filled their appointments as of old,
and, with humble gratitude to God, we men
Zion the fact that during the trying years
through which we have passed, gracious revi-
rails Of religion among our people have at
testcd how the Divine presence has been with
as.
z We do not attempt in this brief address to
enter into detained account Of the general
state of the work. Thank God that we have
50 safely passed through most painful and
'Ifcry ordeal; that the Church has preserved,
under His blessing, her integrity; that she
has in no wise, become complicated with pol
itical affairs but keeping in view her own
high mission, has. been satisfied to perform
her legitimate duties. :
Tt is. proper to state to you that we found
it, in our judgment, needful to the interest OF
the work to depart in some respects from the
strict lettersof the Law of,the Church sInszo oar
Episcopal administration. Extraordinary ext
gencieS required us to take this esnonsibilty.z
In the Journals Of the annual conference which
viii come before you, the particular instances
in which we have judged it best to assume
this grave responsibility Will appear. In all
such instances We wish it understood. that we
TO notregard such departure from the law as
establishing precedentS for future guidance,
but only as illustratingzhoW extraordinary ex-
igencies may E1akc it necessary to transcend
the provisions Of even the most wholesome