Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-05-25
Propoaed Methodist Reunion.
The III E. Church and the Church ,SoutA-
Correspondence BetOeen the Bishops-Re>
union Declined by the Church South.

The, st. Louis Christian Advocate, an 'or>
gan of the Methodist Church South, has
published some interesting correspondence IN
regard to Methodist Church reunion move
ments. from which it is learned that on the
9th instant Bishops Il. S. James and NJ
Simpson, by appointment, waited upon the
Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church
South, at St. Louis, formerly proposing the
reunion. A good deal of preliminary cores
pondence is given in the publication, showing
that a meeting of the Board of Bishops OF
the NJ. E. Church at Meadyille, Pa, last
April, Bishops Morris and James were origin
ally deputed as the delegates to the Bishops
of the Church South, but the former being
unable to attend, his place was supplied by
Bishop Simpson.
This meeting at Meadville declared that
tas the main cause of the separation has been
removed SO has the chief obstacle to the
restoration" and that sit is fitting that the
Methodist Church, which began the disunion,
should not be tho last to achieve the reunion,
and it would be u reproach to the chief pastors
of the separated bodies if they waited until
their hocks prompted them to the union which
both the love of country and of religion invoke,
and which the providence of God seems to
render inevitable at no distant day."
On appearing before the st. Louis body,
Bishops James and Simpson presented letter
signed by Bishop Morris sin behalf of the
bishops Of the NJ q. Church" conveying the
above, and naming them as authorized to con.
fer as to the ''propriety, practlcability and
methods of reunion" A letter was also read
| from Bishop Morris, unging his personal appro-
val of reunion, and declaring his belief that
it accords with the action of the last General
| Conference of the NJ. E. Church.
REPLY OF THE BISHOPS OF THE CHURCH
SOUTH.
The following is the response of tho Bish-
ops of the Church South, declining reunion
on the terms proposed:
To the Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal
| Chuych-Reverend and Dear Brethren b
| has afforded US pleasure to receive in person
your respected colleagues, bishops James and
| Simpson, deputed by you to confer with US !;
| and we cannot tOrbear TO express our regret
| that ore Of the delegations appointed by you
to us (the venerable Bishop Morris) was not
able to be present. We desired to see him
| again face to face, to enjoy his society and
to renew to him the assurances OF our ELECTION
| and regard. Our senior superintendent,
| Bishop Andrew, though in the city, was him
dered by the fecblencss and inGrmities incl
dent to age from being present at the reccp>
ton of your colleagues and enjoying with US
| the interview.
Your communications, together with that
laid before US by your commission, has been
considered, and we entirely agree in your es
innate of the responsibility in the premises
resting on the chief pastors of the separated
bodies of Methodism.
We would approach, dear brethren, the
matter Of your communication with the ut
most candor and love, and meet the adj
vanced steps on your part that nothing shall
be wanting on ours to bring about better
state of things becoming and beneficial to us
both. We deplorc the unfortunate contro>
versies and tempers that have prevailed, and
that still prevail, and our earnest desire and
prayer to God is that they may give place,
and that speedily, to peace. In evidence of
this, we are ready not only to respond to, but
to go further than your communications, and
from our point of view to suggest what may
help to remove the difficulties and obstacles
that arc in tho way,
Permit US, then, to say in regard to Gre
unon," that in our opinion there is another
subject to be considered before that can be
entertained, and necessarily in order to it: we
mean the establishment of fraternal feelings
and relations between the two churches
They must be one in spirit before they can be
one in organization. Concord must be achiev-
ed before any real union. Heart divisions
must be cured before corporate divisions can
be healed
You will not consider it as unfrendly to
the ireest flow of Christian sympathy evoked
by your overture, if we remind you that we
initiated the measure to effect fraternal rela-
then, and as we do now declare, in good faith
and with most Christian purposes, Car Gen
cral Conference sent one of its most honored
elders to your General Conference to convey
their Christian salutatons, and through him
to ''offer to you the establishment of fraternal
relations and intercourse" 1t pains us to
refer to the fact, but it is matter of history
that he was not received.
The closing words of Dr. Pierce to your
General Conference, upon being notified of
the failure of his mission, are in your pos
session:
"You will, therefore, regard this communi-
cation as final on the part of the Methodist
Episcopal Church South She can never
renew the offer of fraternal relations between
the two great bodies of Wesleyan Methodists
in the United States. But the proposition
can be renewed at any time, either now or
hereafter, by the Methodist Episcopal Church,
and if ever made upon the basis of the plan
of separation as adopted by the General Con-
ference of 1874, the Church South will
cordially entertain the proposition"
His language to our General Conference in
submitting his report was:
Thus ended the well intended commission
from your body. Upon this noble effort
verify believe the smile of Divine appreciation
will rest when the heavenly bodies themselves
will have ceased to shine We did affection
ately endeavor to make and preserve peace.
but our offer was rejected as OF no deserving"