Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1866-03-28
For the Knoxville wing.
That baltimore Conference.

Mr.. EDITOR Certain interested parties in East
Tennessee are making themselves very active in
representing the Baltimore Conference of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church as having withdrawn from
that Church and joined the Methodist Episcopal
Church South. One would suppose, from the conf
dence with which this is told that the parties tell
ing it really believe what they are saying If they
do, they are sadly msinformed of the facts in the
case; if they do not, SO much the worse for their
candor. The object Of such representations is to
make it appear that the Methodist Episcopal Church
is odious to the people Of the South 30 much SO that
even whole Conference of that Church had left its
communion and joined the NJ. Z. Church South
When all the facts of the understood, those
who use these misrepresentation to hinder the
growth of loyal Church in East Tennessee, and to
galvanize into existence Church stained with dis
loyalty and spotted with treason will stand disclosed
in their true characters. In this instance, as in
most where untruth and error are circulated, there
is enough of truth to give color of credibility to
what is published whilethe real designs and tendency
of the publication, are to convey falsehood.
ask space in your columns to ventilate this trick
which, really, has more inspiration of hatred to
loyal Church. than of love for truth and fair deal
ing. That Conference calling itself the Baltimore
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, has
attached itself to the NJ E. Church. South, and that
they invited Bishop Early, well known to loyal
East Tennesseeans to preside over them at their late
session in Alexandria, is probably true; but they
acre not the Baltimore Conference Of the Methodist
Episcopal Church They were pro-slarcry party
| of that Conference, who withdrew from the Meth
odist Episcopal Church in 1861. At the session of
the Conference for that year. held in Staunton, Va
that party endeavored to carry the Conference to
the prosLauery prorebel Methodist E. Church South.
They were a majority of the members of the Con-
ference then present but not majority enrolled on
the journal. The action of that party in 1861, is
thus given by a reliable writer in the Washington
Chronicle of a recent date:
Leading members of this prO-SIarery party were
in correspondence with leading members of the Sc
cesaion Virginia Convention then sitting in Rich
mond. The plan proposed was to withdraw from
the jurisdiction of the General Conference of the NJ
E. Church. When the plan was ready it was pre-
sented for action by the conference but the measure
being revolutionary and SO declared by the presid
ing bishop, he refused on that ground to put the
question to conference and also refused to vacate the
chair, whereupon the secretary called the roll and
those who favored voted for the measure to with
draw from the NJ E. Church. The bishop declared
the action null and uoid because conference could
only act through its properly appointed presiding of
fcer. As the unity of the conference was not in
racted by this act the business finished usual
The party voting themselves withdrawn, neverthe-
less received their appointments from the bishop of
that Church from whose authority they withdrew
This patty has held annual, though informal meet
ings IN Virginia. Their leading members took the
and of Of ha
members died in the traitor army. As this is the
first good chance they have had to unite formally
with Church which has done more to instigate
treason and war than any other in the land and the
opportunity was embraced
The Baltimore Conference Of the NJ E. Church
has held annual sessions under the presidency of the
regular constituted officers since 1861, and held its
last regular session in Baltimore Feb. o. Bishop
Scott presiding"
Comment on the above seems hardly necessary.
Yet allow to add, that while this so-called but
spurious Baltimore Conference of the Methodist
Episcopal Church. was, for the most part within the
rebel lines during the war, it as really commit
ted to the cause of treason and rebellion as ever the
Holston Conference of the NJ. E. Church South was,
and loyal Tennessesans know very well what the
record of that Conference has been. Further let it
be remembered, that while this pro-slavery, rebel
minority of the old Baltimore Conference, which
withdrew from the NJ. E. Church five years ago. to
promote treason and rebellion, have sought and
gained utilization with Church of similar compile
ity with treason thousands and tens of thousands of
true men and women in Kentucky Missouri, Ala
bama and elsewhere, are leaving the Methodist
Episcopal Church South, and joining the Methodist
Episcopal Church, which, by the testimony of the
lamented patriot Mr.. Lincoln, "sent more soldiers
to the field in the war for the Union more nurses to
the hospitals and more prayers to heaven, than any
other Church in the country"
Yours very truly,
THOMAS 81. PEARNH.