The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-04-19
Methodist Episcopal General Conference.
ADDRESS OF THE BISHOPS.

connected
have prevented from an earlier meenng; ana INV
that we are permitted by Divine Providence TO
the important interests that VIII engage our
demand that with all sobrety and prayer1ulness' We
address ourselves to their consideration: ,, T..
We have to review the operations OF the Cnurcn iot
eight years-embracnz period during which
and startling events have crowded ONE osael IN
rapid SUGGESTION When the last general Conference
closed, we anticipated earlier reun tnis city;
but the well condition Of thi2gs the time ap
pointed In regular order for our mevng precluGeo our
convening here And ever since uni wisnn @ nne as1
ferance together When 1t was definitely decided that
the Conference could not meet atthe proper me ana
nlaee there being no Law in the Discipline authorizing
the Bishops to convene the General Conference and
the state OF the country also being such as 70 renaer
s.chers could be collected together for the purpose of
Holding such session if Called the Bishops, feeng the
Importance Of wise counsel IN me &
tee and Others to consult together on divers impo
subjects connected with the immediate interests OF the
Church. Such meeting wos held hrst az Atianta da.
sftarwarjs at Macon Ca; aud then at Montgomery,
Ala In Angus. last the Bishops alone met for consua
tion at Columbus, Ca These various meeungs were
them and the results of deliberations as exhoited
in the resolutions which we published tenaed Greatly
rs have TO believe 70 p1onoIe le peAee "iu
that the cha, acter Of those meetings may be
clearly appreciated, we would reino !Su III as .
of such meetings would be simply advisory we a.
claimed all authority to take any action that should Dc
binding on the Church. only as It might oe approved as
wise and gody We gave such advice We judged best
for the church in her straitened circumstance
5 ae ,;th thar own convictions: If not then they
S, th ho;r own course In ali matters that came
before them without reference to our ADVICE or
the General IT, decide & sdysSry connes
Early during the the Bshops had TO connne thelr
episcopal 10 reoretted but in our cir
cumetances II was unavoidable. The consequences was
that the conferences wess ~ dnrnc neary the whole
pryee OF ep,scopA @ would not however fail to men.
penou oi ,ne wai; aUoh resldnp as he did within
ton that Bisnop Aavanauen, is;t the he ST
the fede a. I'M 3, was $500 ue ctterences ano was also
LOUIS ana ne 'm w. is;tatiop ? to tho California work
able 70 exteno nls t,siSS$ ~ a,tend theira f,ors
aess .. .ne n. 81 .ho worSuhin the Confederate
lines Sotwitnsandns tae as asu' nocesssy nasl we
perv1sion OF tue "UlA nas ra.chers have been
are grained 70 oeuse @ ts.t Of the Church OF God
faithful gereray 70 Iue aOnHa, Gov
WIN put VerJ lew SiS Tha presidino Elders and
nave oeen res9G nG .he;r he as Of old; and
preachers nave nueo .ner & @ t;on the fact that
with humble grautuae 70 1Uu, h;ch we have nassed
99ing Cue ~ rso;on among our people have at
sssataJ how ths Divine uresencef&s been with u.s.
w sos t - - ,ha osnerol atate of the work
oetahSa .ht M - hev @ a. ssfv passed through
Inhnk 9oo thas we nsss oH thst tbs church harnre
nost pa,n a i,; ba. ntegrtv. TINT sbe has In
set sea % uhaoe = @ nice ta5 with noitcal affairs: but
,no N vsw her own hich mission has been satisfied
at'epiue ~ tio" ,i.,a. nea C"A - a.. ~
!" Pesiosna nef ~. rr Chat 1Sesfonnd it in our
~ 40 ptopo. 20 az tsro"t ~ tha work 10 depart
JuognenS 49, " % 49, sict latter NJ the law of tho
~ a.. ~ Il ad dn;r,stration Extraordinary
cnuron IN ou. ep.ssTpA W az t.sa This respcnsiby In
exigences required US 70 taKs .ns pi iii coroe
tne Journns oa sae aio ;tancsS IN which wa have
before you tne pattlcular ons;h,,;tv - viiI
Juoged oes, 70 1oss .o &c v;sS IL understood
appear. IN ~ "a h from the Inv as
saaS we %o nUs sor fntSre 9nidance but only as
go, oord,narv exioencIes NAV make X
ustralng aom ens % az v,.ono oS even the nost
-S.Seoa1y W h. ~ -saIat,ane From thIs exnerience
,r. tha GenarsJ GonSsrence NAV Aud suggestions
~. - cfda a. IN nrovidino as far "A prac-
sIsc sI,1 a. 90 80. ~, ~ ~ So ,n tha t,t,re
er n m o,d IL h Ssn 1rst,svinr In us ~ we had been
hi ~ ha.r tb. eIna1aa ~ mora extensive travel |
49, ro.i MI u he n,noverIshed state of the
Wy a, II, =; A. ah.ence Of nnv nrovison
~ 49, s,,,nors n, tho p,ehono thia was
ior mosS A h; at Te hone viii hs snoeeetiye 10
- hnS1 -
ivy.. ,..t ,ve ened Il prudent TO Issue "Pas-
,o-.1 sSdre,s to fhe Preachers and Members OF the
Chnrch - rsm,ndino them of their duty as Christian
;Hzns and Giving snch advice as seemed to us appro
rata - tha nacnIjar cIrcnmstances of the times As
xh.t .ddrsss hss hear ertensvev published we deem
a.. sns s, sao,,on to von sitb his standardization
nnnecssaarv and will only ask YOUR attention to such
o-te NJ n s We NAV And IL proper to recaptuate on
Tnartjcnlar no,nts nt thia time
The nrb;shing ineresta of the church suffered great
To IN conseonence Of the war The book concern will
REQUIRE your careful consideration and important
chanoes In vonr nan of operatjons may be needul f:r
as fniura ecencv. of his however YOU will be better
10 indre when Won have heard the report of
ths aoant with Measure we have welcomed the revival
- or nSh ', ara and whils we rcSsrd them AZ In
hph egree creditabe 10 the Church. we would respect
Tv snSmt whether Il wonl mot be hast 10 unite con.
Serences An the nnncaton OF fewer number in order
,hat nav a hetter annnorted and sti further i'm
moved ' ~
0nr rniss,onarv work once the GLORY OF our church
hoo haan wan njgb rnped The chin. rniss,on stiii |
iiyeo and needs vonr care Although the fnan
a condition OF the country at present orbids It's ex
pecation OF large collections yet we may make pros.
ac Va for doing preat work In that ex-
ala