St. Mary's gazette., 1866-03-22
Rev Mr.. Brown.

This gentleman, whose visit t" our VII
Iano has heretofore been referred to lii
these columns, has created very favora-
bl, impression, not only among the mem
hor. Of hi. own creed but among all clas-
scs Of our people who have had the pleas
nre of hearing him, and the prospect Is
promising, we learn, Of bis permanent 10
cation in our ull..t. We had the pleas
urc of hearing him on Tuesday night last
and he impressed US as gentleman OF re-
fined manners and accomplished scholar
ship and as an eloquent and earnest
divine. Upon the conclusion of his ser
mon ON the occasion referred to, the rev
cr,nd gentleman took occasion to explain
the position of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South. and, as many of our pa
irons belong to this denomination, We give
below the substance of his remarks:
He commenced by rcmarkin@. that some
persons had been Disappointed III not hear
ing on a previous occasion the position OF
his Conference defined. | am here, SAID
the reverend speaker as the represental
tive. and by the authority Of the Baltimore
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South Since 1861, there have
been two bodies. both claiming to be the
Baltimore Conference proper. In the
wear 1861. the Conference, as one body,
assembled in Stanton, Virginia, aud adopt
ed hy decided majority, resolutions Scv-
criin,, their connection with the Church
North a.d declaring themselves no lon
,ecr nndcr it, General Conference, nor sub
icrt to the control of It's Bishops The
nrcachor, received their appointments, some
IN VIRGINIA, some in Maryland. Shortly
nftcrward. the war broke out. and c"nse-
ouently the preachers IN Virginia were
scparated from those i'll Maryland. he
ensuing March being the time for holding
the rcn1lar session of the Conference, the
nrcachcrs stationed South of the Potomac
met in llarri>onburg, Virginia, an': those
stationed North of the Potomac assembled
iugthc city Of Baltimore The ministers hold
ing the Conference III Virginia constituted
The majority of thccntirc body and therefore
the minority metm Haljimo4o. The mWorltl
meeting in Virginia adhered to the action
taken in 81. and reiterated their detcrml-
nation to como out and be separate from
the Church North. They at least acted
consistently. The minority, holding Their
session in Baltimore, ignored .hclr former
nosition. repudiatcd the resolutions OF ol
and were presided over 10y Bishop chose
authority they had east oft but twelve
mouths previous Last month the MAJOR
riv held their session III Alexandria, II
ginia. and there. by unanimous vote
east their lot with the Church south
Bishop Early Of the Southern Church tool
charge of uS. and made the appointments
We are now under the diSci pIne of tn
Methodist Church South, and suhjec. t.
the authority of her Bishops alone 1h
minority of the old Baltimore Contcrcnc
remain with the Church North, act unde
lis discipline and It's Bishop. We arc tw
SEPARATE and distinct bodies, as much $
as the EpiycopalianS and Baptists. Th
BALTIMORE Cuntcrcncc Of the Church Mort
has sent preachers to this county. the Bal
,imorc Conference of the Church South ha
sent me here. | am no in'cllop'r
have lust as much right here as any o'he
preacher. ! have ;hc same right TO organ
ize socic'ics aal Asild up congregations :
l they have. And | intend, by the bleS:
: ing Of God, to do it. repeat it, hay
\ RIGHT herf. and here intend to REMAIN
;f,n,. lif, j. SHARED m'il nv CuufCrcn(