Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-06-18
RELIGIOUS TOPICS

The new Wilmington M. e. Conference,
at its first assembling next spring, will have
about one hundred members on its rolls 1t
will have three Presiding Elders Districts
in whole, or in part, and will occupy terri
tory hallowed by many triumphs in the early
history Of Methodism. The last Annual
Conference requested the privilege Of a
united meeting next spring, in case the Con-
ference should be divided. The General
Conference has refused this request, and the
meetings Of the two bodies will be at differ
ent places There is some dissatisfaction
expressed at this decision, although the di-
vision of the old Conference was asked for
and expected.
"A few weeks ago, there was sent to the
General Conference of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church memorial signed by all OF
the Protestant Episcopal clergymen of the
city of Newark, clergymen of the diocese
of New jersey, representing various opin-
ions in the Church," asking the General
Conference to appoint commission Of bish-
ops and clergy to meet similar commission
to be appointed by the General Convention
vi tAC iottctuut GpisNopui SuutCly W COu-
slider the subject of ''organic union" between
the two bodies.
The late M. f. General Conference formed
tricts. The Second District includes the fol-
Lowing named Conferences, with the persons
| named as members of the General Mission
ary and Church Extension Committees 3
Newark, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Will
mingtOn, Delaware, Washington, Baltimore,
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina
T. J. Thompson, Mission; ]. II. G. Dosh,
Church Extension.
The preaching OF colorcd ministers in
churches where white congregations wor-
ship, seems to have excited some comment
in Wilmington. Farther down the State,
the common custom of colored people wor-
Shipping in white churches would make such
an occurrence not at all remarkable. Among
the Episcopal churches of the Eastern Shore
it was not thought at all strange, many years
ago, for the Bishop of the Diocese to ordain
a colored man as a deacon, nor for the latter
to occupy the pulpit and preach.
The Smyrna Times says SO. At the an
nual Convention of the Protestant Episcopal
Church OF this State, some action was at
tempted looking to the suppression of the
Ritualistic movement in the denomination,
but it was promptly suppressed, lest party
animosities be engendered thereby. The
motion was made by Rev. j. ]. Harrison,
of Newark, (recentiy of Smyrna) who, we
believe, was formerly identified with the
Methodist Church Although the Diocese
is decidedly Low Church, the Bishop and
| nearly all the clergy being thoroughly iden-
titled with that branch. still, it is evident.
from the action of the Convention, that the
High Church party have sufficient influence
e., Il 80 n. -. O.
bans is progressive"
The Chicago ADVANCE says: Tho move
mcnt for the reunion of the Old and New
School branches of the Presbyterian church
makes rapid progress, Notwithstanding the
opposition of a few leading men on each
side. There is much to be said in favor of
the measure. 1t falls in with the tendencies
visible in all the different churches, to wit, to
cultivate the spirit ofgeneral fraternity, and
| yet to perfect and push denominatiOnal in-
strumentalities, Good men have felt that it
has been anything but an edifying sight to
behold for thirty years two rival and almost
| warning sects, with precisely the same name
| and doctrinal standards, and actually claim
| ing in law to be the same body. 1t is time
that such an anomaly should cease, especial
| ly when it leads to waste of money and labor
on large scale in carrying on PARALLEL or
| ganizations and planting small rival churches
| in each new community wherever two hand
fuls of Presbyterians can be mustered into
antagonistic squads, and labeled Old and
New Schools. With the gigantic common
enemy in front, why expend strength in
fighting each other? Thirty years have
proved, moreover, that the bodies are not sc
dissimilar as they once were. They have
grown towards each other, and can now
meet on common ground.