The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1867-02-13

world with clamors against Southern Metho-
diSts, and now clamors on the one side for
equality: we shall soon see how it whispers on
the other side.
Last spring when the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South, held its General Conference
in New Orleans, Bishop Campbell, one of the
bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal
Church. sent a deputation to confer with them
in regard to some plan of friendly cooperation
in their labors among negroes in the South.
IF time allowed we might give some interest
ing accounts received from the Rev. DIR. Dun
| can and others, upon their return home from
New Orleans, concerning the caustie statements
made by this colored delegation before the
Conference committee, as to the treatment
their Church has met at the hands Of their
Northern brethren The result was an arrange
ment by which they get the use of church
buildings in the South where Southern colOred
Methodists prefer to SO with this African
Church-the Methodist Church, South, still
holding the titles. And this African Methodist
Church is spreading very rapidly over the
South, having 5000 members in Louisiana
alone.
But assoon as this movement began, the
NortheHMethodist Church became quite I'M
easy, and was anxious to form for itself clos
er connexion with their long repudiated Afri-
can brethren Could they effect this, it would
be an admirable lever with which to uproot the
operations OF Southern Methodists, especially
in the region about New Orleans, where the
MethaSiisiS North, had organized Conferl
ence. These explanations VIII enable our read
ers to understand the significance of the fol-
lowing communication from Bishop Campbell,
who, it will be borne in mind, is a colored min
lister of the Gospel, and Bishop in this Afri-
can Methodist Church, of which mention has
been made. We think it best to publish the
whole letter, marking in italics some passages
worthy of special note. 1t is addressed to,
and published in the New Orleans Christian
| ADVOCATE:
New ORLEANS, LA, Jan. End, 1867.
Mr.. Editor,-Be pleased to allow me,
| through the columns of your paper to correct,
if possible, false impression which has been
made upon the minds of many friends and we'll
wishers Of the Methodist Episcopal Church,
| South, and also upon the minds of not few
members of the African Methodist Church, by
the publication Of an article in the Christian
Recorder, over the signature of Rev. w. r.
| Reyels, NJ. d., pastor of st. Paul's Chapel,
St. Louis, Mo.
The DR.. writes an article favoring the union
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and the
| African Methodist Episcopal Church, and in
forms his readers that DR.. Crary, editor of the
| Central Christian Adrocate, favors that
union, and advocates the same in his columns.
He further goes on to tell them that Bishop
Ames of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and
Bishop Campbell of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church, have both spoken in ad
vocacy Of said union. | can say nothing rea-
tive to the views of Bishop AmeS, but | am
free to state my views upon that subject.
AS a member of the Methodist family, | am
| heartily in favor of permanently organized
union among all the agreeing members of the
family, wherever the same can be successfully
accomplished, a0ithoat any degree of distinction
achaterer being made among or bet,oeea the
ministers and members on account Of race and
color.
Thus far, and only upon these conditions, do
| as minister and member of the American
Methodist Episcopal Church, favor an organ
ized union of that Church, with any other
branch of the Methodist family in this country,
East or West, North or South.
And l may safely add from the knowledge
derived from more than forty years Of expert
ence and observation among them, that this is
the oRirerSaI feeling and sentiment of every in
telligent minister and member of the American
] Methodist Episcopal Churck.
f-Tfs-S % rrv1,rcssc0 my srncimehts
by word or letter, contrary to those expressed
in the statements made in this article, to DR..
Crary or any other party or parties, during a
membership OF torty-two years In the Church.
In an incidental interview l had between
Dr. Crary on the one part, and Rev. Nj. M.
Clark and myself on the other, DR.. Crary intro
duced the subject of union of the Methodist
Episcopal Church and the African Methodist
Episcopal Church-expressed desire upon
his own part for such i union, and introduced
the names of other prominent ministers of the
Methodist Episcopal Church, who favored the
views, and who had both spoken and written
upon the subject. At that time, 1.-THE only one
in which | ever had an interview or exchanged
any words with the DR.. he said that the union
which he proposed was, that the Bishops, Ell
ders, and members of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church, should be received into full
1lemberShipin the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and the Bishops and other ministers of the
| African Methodist Episcopal Church should
be received into that church with all their Off
eial functions and that, among their olon col
ored brethren, they should be allowed to exer-
else the same functions among the white men,
bers of the Church. The white bishops should
preside in the conferences, and the colored
bishops should preside orer the conferences COM
posed of cOtOred HeH-and the same rule should
be carried out in the pastoral relations, that
is, lchite pastors for chTcheS composed of tohite
persons, and black pastors for churches composed
of colored persons.
He submitted the proposition to me, and
asked what thought of it. In reply, | told
him in the presence of Rev. nj. NJ Clark,
that this proposition for a union of the two
churches did not Suit me, nor the people whom
| represented; that we were now as ever OPP
posed to any and every system of colonization
in the church or State founded upon the pre-
judices of caste; that the only ground upon
lvhich zoe could or tc0uld be ceiling to unite 10Th
the Methodist Episcopal Church, could be that
the Bishops, Elders preachers and people,
should be receired into fill membership IN that
church, and that the bishops and other minis
listers should hare the right and exercise the
functions of Their office an the Church, an COM
mon acith the lohite Bishops and Elders, aoith-
ont any distinction aohaterer being made on ac-
count of race or color.
Such was the substance of my remarks to
Dr. Crary, in answer to which the DR.. said,
that ,cas he difficulty to be overcome. This
matter of receiiring the colored bishops and e.
derS upon terms of perfect equality, i0ithout any
distinction being made on the account of race or
color, so that black Bishops could preside orer
lchite conferences, and black Elders could be
pastors ocer tchite churches and congregations;
that neither the ministers nor members, of has
church, aoere as get educated up to that point.
uo.o IL .o~..o~,ot,on an1a0. e;ooo Il