Des Arc citizen., 1866-04-21
METHODIST GENERAL CONFERENCE.
Proposed Cidnge of Nanee--Intcrcstiag
 Comnsittee Reports.

towing important report to the NdtiOudi Nen- eral Conference, now sitting in New Orleans
 The Committee on Changes of Economy beg leave to offer Report No. 1, as follows
 The subject ofa change in the style and title of the Methodist Episcopal Church. South, Has been brought before the committee by a me- morial from several preachers ofthe Kansas Conference, and by a paper presented by Dr. A. l.. P. Green, first to the Tennessee Confer enee, and afterward presented to the Georgia, Montgomery and Mobile Conferences, and by them all referred to this body. Both memo rials ask for Q change in the name of our church. The latter paper argues for it on the ground .sthat there is no longer any constitu- tional or conventional difficulty in the way of the M E. Church South forming churches wherever an opening may be found in anypart of the United States:" and that the word ''South' is lot appropriate to a church, whose field is the world. s9A
 The committee has given the memorial careful consideration, and with very general unaninlisy agree that the prayer of the me- morialists should De granted
 When the Church was divided it was e1- pected that because of the peaceful separation of the original Methodist Episcopal Church, one portion should represent Methodism in the Northern statea--the other part represent it in the Southern, States. In this view the Dis cipline recites (partI., chap. H., sec. 2, pp. IA and 15) thaC our organization was estab- lishea for the ssSouth and Southwest and in another paragraph for the s'slayeholding States" The word ssSouth' was appended 10 the name of our Church to distinguish us from the other branch of Methodism as indi eating what the Plan of Separation provided for, that we should be the Church of Q section. So the Northern Church, which did not change it's name, was just as truly the Church of a section. But the Plan of Separation no longer confines us to the ssSonth and South west.u Hence term sfSouth,' 2 that indicated that we were localized as being the Church of 2 section, is no longer appropriate to our Church.
 Yet the word has not lost it's geographical Significance, whenever applied to < portion of the States of this Union. What was the South in lS45 is the South yet ;randia church in 8 Northern State connected with our organiza- ton would not be happily designated by 9 term which seems to identify it with the Southern States alone as it was designed that theword "South" should do for our church, when itMas organized.
 Besides this, we are assured by brethren who are in circumstances to know the facts, that beyond our border great and efficient door is opening to us, but that the werd 'sSouth'' remains 6 source of embarrassment and 3 positive hindrance to our progress Those who stretch forth their hands to us tell us; that 10 unite us unless we will adopt . name that indicates that we are holding church relations 10 the nation, rai her than to a part of it--- and that part outside the limits twill place them in relations to others that will greatly increase their difficulties. We believe, thatr4or their sakes, we should, like St. Paul, ..be made all things to all men, that we may. by all means, save some, where no principle is involved in such 8 agcourse of ac- tion. None, we believe, pretend that princi- pie forbids 8 change of name, Some prefer the chance, but oppose it now; thinking it would be better to defer it for few years. The change itself is not opposed because it is wrong. Aence, St.. PauFs rule applies here, Ought we not, however, at once to eliminate Q term which makes us seem a sectional church, hedged in by real or implied geographical | limitations, if by doing so we can carry the Gospel to mud iudcs whom we could not oth- erwsc leaohg
 I-aYour committee are eully aware that a many faithful and jealous members of the church, there is a natural repugnance 10 any change of name. Many have suffered grievously for their adh efence to our communion, and the title has been the occasion of their suffering. They had been found faithiul atthe risk of the loss of all things. The name isnow hallow- ed name to them. We deeply sympathize with these noble bsethren, and would go as far toward conciliatng theh as is possible, and yet remain true to tlle interests of Christ's Kingdom i'll all sections and for all time, We beg them to study our position before they 1 judge us hastily, Let them reflect, that if they are aggrieved by a change-others, perhaps 1 thousands will be kept f om our communion if we change not. lfthe Gospel is due to them, is it no also due to those others? Would 1 1oo1, f1,ot cannot carry to those as king it the bread of life? We think too well of them to suppose that they will feel aggrioyed with this Con ference for making change now, which they would prefer postponed because we keep in view for the whele country, and for years to l come, the interests of that church for which they have suffered so much. .it We arefully persuaded that if their repre- sentatives here will tell them howt this Confer enee honors them for their sacrifices and loves
 them for their constancy, and yet withall has felt compelled, for the sake of the work which l the Master has committed to it., to do wha1 they would not have preferred, these brethren can convince them that this body is actuatet
 by the purest motives-that is tie advance
 ment of the kingdom of Christ.
 If any suppose that the Conference has beer l inpelled to q nasty act by circumstances tha have recently grown up around us, they may
 be thy tho taetthat as early as 1854, anc again in, rlS5S. the subject or change O name was brought before the General Confer I ence There is nov lying upon the table, un
 der the rule, a resolation offered toward tn,
 close of the session of 1858, (Journal D. 514,
 proposing to change the title to that of "Th( II Methodist Church" In the press of business
 it was not reached. Had it been, it is highly probablethat the Conference would have don, i; then what itis proposed to do now; and thi!
 Committee believes that the resolution should be called up and acted upon at this session ol this Conferenee Weotfer, therefore. the fol.
 lowing resolution for adoption:
 Rssolred, By the General Conference ofthS
 Methodist Episcopal Church South, in Confer. enoe assembled; that we change the style and \ title ofot T Church.
 Ne further recommend that this body cal
 up and act upon the resolution last offered in
 this General Conference in lS56 viz: That the style and title of the Methodist EpiseOpa1