The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-05-25
CHARLE Es TON
TUESDAY MORNING. MAY as. 1869.
Proposed Reunion OF the Methodist
ChulcheS.

In April last meeting Of the Board Of
Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church
was held at Meadville, Pa, and Bishops
Morris and James were appointed delegates
to the Bishops Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church South for the purpose Of etfeoting
q reunion Of the churches. On the 9th
inst. the delegates waited on the Bishops of
the Methodist Episcopal Church South, at
St. Louis, and made their formal PROPOSE
ton. In this they say that q. the meeting
Of the Board of Bishops of Tho Methodist
Episcopal Church, held in June, 1865, the
following declaration was made and pub
lished: "That the great cause which led to
"the separation from US Of both the Wes'
"lsyan Methodists Of this country and Of
sthe Methodist Episcopal Church South has
"passed away, and we trust the day is not
efsr distant when there shall be but one or.
"gauization, which shall embrace the whole
"Methodist family in the United States"
! and that If q commission be appointed by
| the Methodist Episcopal Church South at
the General Conference, it will be met by
their commission, "who, we doubt not, will
..be happy to treat with them and to report
sthe result to our next General Conference"
The Bishops of the Church South de-
clined the reunion, and in their response
say: eve dsplore the unfortunate oontro
OVERSEES and temper that have prevailed,
"snd that still prevail, and our earnest de-
ssire and prayer to God is, that they may
"give place, and that speedily, to peace
s.In evidence Of this, we are ready not only
"to respond to, but to go further than your
'scommunication, and from our point Of
"view to suggest what may help to remove
"the difficulties and obstacles that are in
"the way. Permit US, then, to say in re-
ogsrd to reunion that in our opinion
s'therei is another subject to be considered
'sbefore that CON be entertained, and neces-
s'sarily in order to it.: we mean the estab-
'.lishment Of frsternal feelings and rela-
s'tions between the two churches. They
'must be one in spirit before they can be
ssone In organization. Concord must be
ssachieved before any real union. Heart
'sdiyiaions must be cured before corporate
."diyisions can be healed" They remind
tho delegates that Dr.. Pierce, one Of the
ffv AL - 4 -
General Conference to "oAer to you the
establishment Of frsternsl relations and
DR.. Pierce notified the conference that the
communication was 'fnal on the part Of the
"Msthodist Episcopal Church South. She
s'osn never renew the offer Of frsternal re.
"lstions between the two great bodies of
"Wesleyan Methodists in the United States.
'.But the proposition can be renewed at any
slime, either now or hereafter, by the Meth
"odist Episcopal Church, and if ever made
"upon the basis Of the plan Of separation as
''adopted by the General Conference of
'l844, the Church South will cordially en-
"tertain the proposition" and, "the words
''of our rejected delegate have been ever
"sinoe, and still are our words" The
reply concludes as follows:
'It may help to the more speedy aud certain
attainment of the ends We both desire to keep
distinctly In mind our mutual positions, ano
to hold the facts involved in our common his
tory in clear light. You say that the great
cause which led to the separation from us of
both the Wesleyan Methodists Of this coun.
try and OF the Methodist Episcopal Church
South has passed away II we understand
your reference, We 80 far differ from you in
this opinion that it may help any negotiations
hereafter taking place to restore our position.
Slavery WAS not, in any proper sense, the cause,
but the occasion only, Of that separation, the
necessity OF which we regretted as much as
you. But certain principles were developed in
relation to the political aspects Of that ques.
ton involving the right Of ecclesiastical bodies
to handle and determine matters lying out
side Of their proper Jurisdiction, which We
could not accept; and, in case arising, GER
tain constructions Of the constitutional powers
and prerogatives Of the General Conference
were assumed and acted on which We consid-
cred oppressive and destructive OF the rights
Of the numerical minority represented in that
highest judicetory Of the church. That which
you are pleased to call, no doubt sincerely
thinking it so, 'the great cause" Of separation,
existed in the church from it's organization,
and yet for sixty years there was no separa-
ton. But when those theories incidentally
evolved in connection with it began to be put |
into practice, then the separation clme. We |
cannot thlnk you mean to offend US when you |
speak OF our harirg separated from YOU, and |
put US in the same category with small body |
" schismatics who were always an acknowI-
,dSed secession. Allow us, In all kindness,
brethren, to remind you, and to keep the i'm
,ortant fact OF history prominent, that We sep
koa frono uo,, in, in ;ot