Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-10-01
The Ohio Conference Of the M. II.
Church.
FOURTH DAY.


opened with the customary religious exer-
cises, conducted by Rev. DIR. MERRIcK.
The minutes of Friday were read and ap-
proved. A Paper from MOSES SMITH was
read and referred to the Committee on
Temperance. The semi-centeninal sermon,
to be preached by Rev. Mr.. STEWART, was
made the special order for l01a o'clock on
Monday, October 1st. Rev. DIR. TRMBLE
and Rev. Mr.. PORTER were appointed a
Committee to superintend the erection of a
monument to the memory OF Rev. DR.. Con-
NELL who died some time ago. Rev. Mr.
MARTINDALE, Agent OF the American Bible
Society, was introduced, when he made
some remarks as to the Bible cause. Rev.
DR.. DONALDSON, President Of the o. w.
Female College at Delaware, was heard on
behalf OF that Institution. Quite number
of local preachers were voted effective, and
elected to Deacons' orders. Ironton, Lon
don, and Marietta were named; and each
of the places was lauded and commended
as THE place for the Conference to meet at
next year. Ironton was elected as the
place, The COMMITTEES on Education sub
mitted their Report, which was read and
adopted. Rev. DIR. MERRIcK was elected
President Of Ohio Wesleyan University at
Delaware; and Rev, DIR. HOWARD, Presi-
dent of Ohio University at Athens.
Rev. GEORGE w. BRUSH, from the Com
mittee on the State of the Country, report
ed long paper, containing WHEREAsEs'
and RESOLUTIONS of the genuine torch-and
turpentine sort. They are buta rehash of
parts of Jacobin speeches and newspaper
articles, with which the members of the
Committee seem to have ''crahimed" them
selves, in order to be prepared for their
work. They 20 the Negro Suffrage and
Negro Equality doctrines in all their often
sive length and breadth. The Preamble
and Resolutions were adopted, with no one,
we believe, voting against them. They are
as follows: 'ta
We, the members of Ohio Annual
Conference of NJ. E.Church, representinga a
membership of $1,000 and five-told more, at
least, who form our congregations, do de-
clare in their behalf, aud our own, our
gratitude to Almighty God who gave us a
place among the nations of the earth, and
has enabled us to nObly maintain 1t despite
remote and recent efforts aimed at its de-
structiOn. Our Fathers, in their peril and
perplexity, ivoked the gracious favor of
God, and we would ever emulate their eX-
ample, and especially now, while we are
passing through periods of conflict and
transition that most closely resemble |
theirs. r.t-t,'
2. We gratefully now avow our convic-
tion that the prevalence of christian senti-
me- { among our people averted the war at
an earlier date, aud when it did befall us
this both shortened its duration and as
suaged its cruelties and strife. 1t prompt
ed counsels of coneiiation and forbearance
that prevented any appeal to force during
years of agitation and controversy, and de-
TERED the outbreak of war by branding
those who would levy it as traitors and Sc
ditious disturbers of the commonwealth.
When war came that remanded all dis
putes to the last arbitrament OF the sword,
the christian sentiment of this land We'd
with it, in noble and humane rivalry, to
allay its unholy hatred and to soothe its
privation and pain. While one tasked in
genuity to devise new anddeadlier weap-
ons of destruction, the other sent its Sani- |
and to save. We are persuaded, too, that 1t
nerved the soldier in the field to more man
ly valor, and also preserved the citizen
from tile corruption that commonly attends |
war; and for this we are, and we ever shall |
be, grateful to Him who is over all.
3. The most precious pledge any govern |
ment can give to mankind, tor its stability,
is, that willie citizens who love it, die for It, |
(aDd) its destroyers who hate it, die by it; |
and our annals have recently furnished |
such examples of patriotic character and |
duty, as assure us that our career shall be |
nobler for the tests our citizenship and |
have endured.
4. We did not cease to be citizens in /
becoming Christians, but brought our /
country, with ourselves, SO much nearer |
God and we cannot be nearer as Christians
than weare as citizens. We ought to be as
true to Him in our voting as 10 our praying,
and give our ballot where,we would with
hold our prayer, but let both be Joined
together.
! 5. The weakest point in our Constitution,
which its trainers ever deplored and hoped
would lessen and vanish in its future Ad-
and which has ever been re-
proachfully pointed at by other nations, is
that we departed from the true theory of
Government and left among
us class bearing its burdens only, and the
ready prey of ambitious and corrupt dis
turberS. We did not fairly apply our own
theory, and this infraction, though slight, |
has wrought discord that has since threat
ened destruction. Had the rights of man
kind then been declared to be the basis of /
our Government would only
have become more secure as its people null
tiplied, and it would have been as God de-
signed any Government to be-the Execu-
Tor and Guardian of Human. Rights.
WHEREAS, BY the wanton rebellion which
has been instigated by those who would
rule or ruin, we are permitted, as conquer
ors, to restore the polity of seeded States,
and to thus avoid errors in their future
from which we ourselves have suffered;
therefore,
Resolued That the division Of our people
during the war into two parties, viz: those
for and against their country, is the best
test we can now, apply, and that we shall
never honor, living or dead, destroyers OF
Dnr Government, as we do its dead or liv-'
ing defenders.
ResoIred, That we ask no better hands to
East the ballot than to uphold the Flag, and
We believe it to be both safe and just to
extend equal suffrage now at our polls to
Ill who wore our uniform on the battle
ield. ~.
Resolued, That we consider all who are
in teaching or preaching in the
Southern States endeared to us, and CON-.
nended to them, by all the holy and hu-'
name influences of Education and Christi
unity; we still regard their errand as be-
and as it was undertaken in this
conviction of Christian duty, so shall it be
with our unremitting gifts and
In tha m ir,1Oaf hOtNnft1l a0n-