Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-30
What Can be Accomplished by a
Joint Commission.

by general request We make room for
the report (Which we have carefully revised
and corrected from the Originally on rela-
lions with the Northern Church, adopted
by the Southern Methodist General Con-
ference, recently in session at Louisville:
THE REPORT.
The committee to whom was referred
the matter of fraternal greetings, conveyed
to this General Conference by the delegates
duly commissioned from the General Con-
ference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
respectfully report:
We have considered the action of the
General Conference of that Church. at its
session in Brooklyn, New York, in Nav.
1872, and which is partially Incorporated
in the certificate in the following terms, to-
wit:
ITO place ourselves in the truly friendly
relations toward our Southern brethern
which tine sentiments of our people demand.
and TO prepare the way for the opening of
foT'lal fraternity with them, be it hereby
''Resolved, that this General Conference
viii appoint delegation, consisting of two
ministers and one layman to convey our
fraternal greetings to the General Confer
ence OF the Methodist Episcopal Church,
South, al its next ensuing session.
On Friday, May 5, this delegation. CON
sisting OF the Rev. DR.. Albert S. Hunt, the
Rev. Dr. Chas. II. Fowler, and Gen. Clin-
ton b. fisk, having announced their pres
ence, were formally received and their COM
mOnications heard by the Conference.
1t is with pleasure that We bear testi-
mony to the distinguished ability and to
the eloquent and courteous manner in
TUh c+io !
their trust. Their utterances warmed our
hearts. Their touching illusions to the
common heritage of Methodist history: 10
our oneness of doctrine, politv. and usage:
and their calling to mind the great work I'M
which We are both engaged for the extern
sion of the kingdom of both their Lord
and ours, stirred within us precious mem
cries.
We are called upon by the terms of the
action OF their General Conference to con-
slider measures necessary to prepare the
way for the opening Of formal fraternity =
Every transaction and utterance Of our past
history pledges us to regard favorably, and
TO meet promptly, this initial response to
our long expressed desire.
1t Is admissible to review briefly what
has been done or attempted by us in this
direction. Our General Conference in
1916
Resolved Thy rising and unanimous
vOtel, that DIR. LOvick Pierce be, and he is
hereby delegated TO visit the General Con-
ference Of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
TO be held in Pittsburg, MAY ], 1913. TO
tender TO that body the Christian regards
Of the fratenal salutations of the General
Conference of the NJ. E. Church, South.
I'm pursuance of this action DR.. Pierce.
duly commissioned, was present at the seat
% the General Conference of the VI. E.
Church, and by note courteOusly advised
them of his erTand. The answer of that
body was unanimous vote declaring that
''there are serious questions and difficulties
existing between the two bodies" and that
they do not consider it proper at present
to enter into fraternal relations with the
Methodist Episcopal Church, South" Had
our delegate been received and allowed a
hearing, a more definite understanding
might have been obtained of those "seriOuS
questions and difficulties" and the result,
we think. would have been in the interest
of peace. He closed his letter to the Gen
eral Conference, on receiving a copy Of its
action, in these words:
"You will, therefore, regard this cOmmu-
nicatiOn as final upon the part of the VI. f.
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 here
after, by the NJ. E. Church. And if ever
made upon the basis of the Plan of Separa-
ton as adopted by the General Conference
of 1914, the Church South will cordially
entertain the proposition"
He reported the failure of his mission to
our General Conference in st. Louis, in
1850, which thereupon adopted the follow
ing:
Resolved, that we will steadfaStly ad-
here to the ground taken in the last COM
munication of our delegate to the General
Conference of the ". L. Church in Pitts
burg, in May, 1915, to-wit: That We can
not under their act Of rejection and refusal
renew our offer of fIaternal relations and
intercc urSe, but will at all times entertain
any proposition coming from the NJ. L.
Church to us, whether ii be a written COM
municaliOn or delegation having for its OBJ
iect friendly relations and predicated Of the
rights guaranteed 10 us by the plan OF
separation, adopted in New York in 1874.
Here the matter rested until Nav, 1869,
when the bishops of the NJ. +. Church
opened negotiations with our bishops at
their annual meeting in St. Louis, inviting
them to ''confer" as to ''the propriety, prac-
ticability, and methods of reunion" Our
bishops respectfully declined to consider
that subject; but invited their attention to
one having precedence-the cultivation OF
fraternal relations. They suggested also
the removal of causes of strife; and this
was done in a manner and spirit that met
the hearty approval Of our Church. They
reaffirmed the position in which DIR. Pierce
left the matter, saying, "the words Of our
rejected delegate have been ever since and
still are our words
One passage of the correspondence We
quote. The Northern bishops i'm their let
fer lis these words: That the great
cause which led to- the separation from ms