The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-01-27
The Northern Methodist Church and
the New Movement.

the New Movement.
The Virginia committee at Washington
have had the bad luck to find arrayed
against them, or rather against one of their
propositions, the whole influence Of the
Northern Methodist Church. This Church
is, as We have repeatedly said, a political
organization. 1t is made up of an immense
mass Of ignorance and fanaticism, and con-
trolled by some designing men of fine natu-
raj talents and not few requirements.
For thirty years its influence upon Ameri-
can politics has been evil, and only evil.
/, has had its emissaries in every northern
and border State, sowing the seeds of strife
and diacord, and educating its adhsrents in
school which taught them nothing polltl-
chi that was not detrimental to the best In
tcrcsss of the country. Long before the
beginning of the late war the preachers of
that denomination had demoralized the
people of West Virginia to such an extent
that with the aid Of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad they in 1861 met with compare
lively little opposition in inducing them to
separate from their mother and set up a
new State Of their own. In that new State
Northern Methodism has hitherto ruled
everything with high hand. The whole
machinery Of that State has all along been
in their hands. From Senator WILEY
down to the lowest officer in the State gov
eminent, there is not one official who does
not fear the influence Of that powerful band
Of artful politicians known rs the Northern
Nlethodists. In Maryland they have also
much influence. Indeed, We suppose 1t
might he said truly that there is no Radl-
cal party in Maryland outside of the
Northern Methodist Church. The few be-
longing to other denominations are hardly
worth counting in that State. So thoroughly
political is that Church wherever it e1ists,
and 80 entirely made up of Radicals, that
it's bishops unanimously signed a letter
congratuating General GRANT upon his
election, and il is no uncommon thing for
its conferences, with scarcely q dissenting
voice, to pass resolutions which in sub
stance denounce the Democratic party. To
gay that q man belongs to the Northern
Methodist Church is in effect to say that he
is Radical in politics.
In 1914 the Methodists of the South, un-
willing to be part and parcel of such mn
organization. split off from the Methodist
Episcopal Church. A plan of separation
was agreed upon. The southern Church
accepted this plan in good faith, and con-
formed their action to it. The northern
Church, as of course body made up of
such material would, ondeavored to keep
all the common property to themselves, but
the Supreme Court of the United States
compelled them to pay over ite just proper
ton to the southern Church. The court
held that the plan of separation was bind
ing in law upon both of the parties to it.
Under this plan of separation the southern
Church retained undisputed possession of
the property and the territory which were
entirely within the bounds of the slave
holding States, whilst the conferences
known az "bordcr conferences" and We
believe the various circuits and stations
within their limits, were accorded the
privilege of choosing whether they would
adhere to the northern Church or
20 off with the southern. Most, or all, of
the border conferences elected to remain
as they were. This unfortunate decision
gave West Virginia to the northern Church,
and eventually resulted, SIS we have said,
In the cXcison Of that State from Virginia.
1t also converted Kentucky, Missouri, Ma
ryland, and Delaware, into Radical mis-
sionary ground, and made them forgctful
Of their allegiance to the true principles Of
the Federal Government and of their duty
TO the South. The jurisdiction of the Bal
timore Conference, 80 called, extended over
part of Pennsylvania, part of Maryland,
and all that part of Virginia north of Frede
ricksburg and west of the Blue Ridge
mountains, including the entire region
from Harper's Ferry to the Tennessee line.
The proposition made by our conference
committee at Washington touching that fea-
turc of the new constitution which gives
the Methodist Church property in that re-
gion of Virginia to the northern organiza-
ton is what has caused these northern
Radical preachers to hasten to Wash
iugton to. protect their ill-gotten &C
QUESTIONS. Now it is plain, rs we
have often said, that inasmuch as all the
church property in that region is decided to
the methodist Episcopal Church." and as
the church to which the people have since
its conveyance attached themselves is called
the methodist Episcopal Church South"
the legal title to this property is in the
northern organization. Judge PARKER re-
Gently rendered decision to this effect in
the case of the church building in Win
chester. Yet every honest man, leaving
piety out OF the question, can perceive that
morally and religiously, and in the eyes of
justice and fair dealing, the property still
belongs to the people who compose the
membership of the church. The church in
staunton, for instance, is composed of say
12l members, of whom 800 are southern Me-
thodists-and one northern Methodist
(the son of one Of those troublesome parti-
sans called northern Methodist preachers,
and doubtless inveigled into the church