The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1870-05-13
MARIETTA, GEORGIA, FRIDAY MORNING. MAY 1S, 1870
MARIETTA, GEORGIA.
Friday Morning May IS, 1870.
THE METHODIST CHURCHES.

THE METHODIST CHURCHES.
EDITOR MARIETTA JoURNAL-SW In
the Methodist Advocate of April goth,
stated that minister of the Methodist
Church South in a missionary address
spoke of Methodist missions in China,
India, Germany, Scandinavia, ete., but
did not say that these missions belong
to, and are supported by, the Methodist
Episcopal Church North, as it is incor-
rectly called in the South but, as if the
Church South was interested in them,
thereby making the impression that the
Church South is doing a great foreign
missionary work, while, in fact, it is do
ing almost nothing in that field, having
but one small and feeble foreign mission
in the work and that one now suffering
for lack of support
In your paper Of the goth ult., a cor
respondent says that my editorial was
well calculated to provoke the indigna-
ton Of every christian who heard
the very able missionary address of Rev.
Mr.. Jarrell' ETC., but is careful not to
give my words. Why is this? If what
| said was wrong, or incorrect in state
ment, why did not your correspondent
show the facts in the case and state to
your readers what / did say, so that
they could judge for themselves of the
matter in controversy Why the Gin
dignatian" of those who heard Mr.. JAR
rell- toward me Here is an unintend-
ed acknowledgement that he had been
doing as | represented some one to have
done did not say that it was Mr.. Jar
rell. He is said to be an able minister
and a gentleman and if | have unwit-
tingIy or indirectly done him injustice,
l shall take pleasure in correcting it, |
wish to do ri ght and defend the Church
honestly and fairly. My voice is for
peace, charity, union,
This is not a matter merely between
Mr.. FARRELL and myself, but involving
the Methodist Church, and the Metho-
dist Church South. Duty requires me
to defend my Church in what is. clearly
right. The Methodist Episcopal Church
(North) last year paid S600,06G,64 for
Christian missions, the largest cash con-
trbution ever made by a Christian
Church to one object in a single year.
Its missions girdle the earth. The same
Church gave in donations last year
500, 06O.28, the year before Sl00,070.-
81, to the American Bible Society, the
largest sum contributed by any Church,
and yet we can hardly get Bible or
Testament from its branches in Georgia
for our Churches, Sunday Schools or
families, white or black. This Church
has more literary institutions, publishes
more books and periodicals, has more
authors among its ministers and mem
bers the largest Church membership and
supporting population and is building
the most Churches at the largest cost Of
any Church in America. The great
Methodist enterprises referred to by pub
lie journals, with scarcely an exception,
belong to this Church. And, yet, in the
South, it is constantly, referred to and
falsely represented as weak, ignorant
and mean. Why is this?
For several years the Methodist Epis-
copal Church has been Offering to the
Methodist Church South friendship fra
ternity and union, on the highest Chris
tian principles, on terms alike honorable
to both Churches. How does the
Church South respond? The ministers
of that Church go North and are univer-
sally treated kindly, recognized as
Christian ministers by us, preach in our
puIpits and receive gladly the hos
pitalities of our people, even from the
radicals. Our preachers, men of pure
lives, good reputation and noble chris
tian purpose, at least the equal of theirs
in talent and learning, come South and
are denied all ministerial courtesy, are
hooted and slandcred. WhyY Why 7
Some say that we have no right to be
in the South. We as a Church say that
we have and calculate to stay. Our
Church has never promised not to enter
the South. The so-called "plan of sep
aration" was only conditional Pleoge
by our General Conference to allow the
Southern Conference to sece9e peace
fully in a certain contingency. That
contingency never occurred. The South
violated and annuIled the plans. Our
mission now in the South is one Of peace
and union, and will succeed. Our mem
bership at this time, in what were the
slave States, is over one hundred thou
sand whites and about as many colored
and constantly increasing.
E. @. FULLER.
Marietta, May 9th, 1870.