The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-06-15
Che b! trtoE:
mETMopIsr-KEooNsrRUCr1oN,
From, the Independent.

.7 From the Independent
The recent overturas Of the bishops OF
the Methodist Episcopal Church to the
bishops of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South start some curious ques-
lions. Since the stormy General Con-
ference of 1874, when the Methodist
Church split into two parts, not very
unequal in numbers, the old body has
increased as steadily as the pro-slavery
body has waned. And, now that the
Methodist Episcopal Church numbers
million and quarter members
nearly four times as many as the South
ern Church-there is something Chris
tian and maRnanimOus in the mission
of the venerable Bishop Morris and
his associates, James and Simpson, to
the Southern bishops, at st. Louis.
or course, neither the one board of
bishops nor the other could do more
toward such a union than to use their
personal and official influence to pro-
mote it. But as soon as the movement
was whispered among the Methodist
people it started some questions.
What shall be done with the blacks?
sit on an equality with "niggers"
in an annual or general confer
ence? Or will the loyal church sur
render again to the spirit OF caste? Do
Simpson, and Ames, and James, and
their associates, who threw the whole
weight of their influence upon the side
of loyalty, intend to surrender it all
now2 We do not think that the Metho-
dist bishops dreamed OF making sim
gle backward STEP, OF course, there
was little probability OF q bench of fire.
eating bishops accepting such an offer.
But the Methodists believe in free
grace, and are accustomed to preach the
gospel of reconciliation to the hardest
sinners, "whether they will hear or
whether they will forbear"; and SO with
words of Kindness and conciliation
they approached the bishops of the
Southern Church, suggesting that, as
slavery was out of the way, union
might now be affected. Beneath the
diplomatic courtesy ofthe reply which
the Southerners make growls the old
bitter hatred-a treason none the less
venomOus for it's defeat. Evidently the
Southern bishops were not only guilty
OF treason toward the Government, but
also toward their own better natures;
and, if loyalty is ready 10 forgive them,
they can never forgive loyalty.
Time enough has elapsed now to show
that the movement, which has resulted
in failure so far as union Is concerned,
will yet have the effect to give the loyal
branch still greater advantage among
the moderate people of the South; and,
II the Southern Methodistsi aUiLL not
unite they must take the other alterna-
tive of extinction by absorption.
The humorous side OF the correspon-
dence is the charge which the Southern
bishops make that the Methodist Epis-
copal Church Is political body. 10y
atty, in their estimation, is sinful
meddling with politics; but com bined
treason against God. humanity, and
country is a religious abstinence there
from. Welded to their sin, they blindly
stumble on to their ruin, with the ever
increasing Odium of their crime driving
their children from their fold. Perhaps
God means that no halfway retribution
shall fall upon a body so guilty; and
that, alike the Egyptian Shareholders,
they march to the Red Sea OF their own
destruction.