Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-12-04

and more prob able. Possibly IN our
country il Is not best that these two
great covers should be united. A great
establishment Is liable to become con-
scieus OF great influence and authority,
and while human nature remains what
| il is, il is at least doubtful whether any
overwhelming church establishment of
any order should be encouraged. Mean.
time, there is work enough for all to do.
Almost every church has its home mis-
sion department, and it was under this
head that the appropriations were made
for work in the south, Of which you
speak. The churches north and south
are overlapping each other. The SOUTH
ern church has conferences in Illinois,
in Oregon and in other places, which
may seem properly to belong to the ter
ritOry OF the northern church. So
the northern church has quite
numerous membership in southern terri
tory. The Tennessee conference Of this
church embraces Middle and West Ten
nessee. The minutes OF its last session
lie before me, and call your attention
to some of the statistics therein con-
tanned. There are 1894 "full members"
and 1913 ''probationers." There are six
districts, the various charges OF which
are supplied by Sc preachers, assisted by
p probationers. East Tennessee has a
conference much more numerous than
this. There are other conferences in the
southern States, as well as fields Of labor
moi Immediately connected with confer
ences. Was it "impudent" and ''inso-
lentn for the northern church to make
appropriations looking 20 the care of
these numerous charges? When these
churches desire to sever their connection
with the Methodist Episcopal church,
and TO affiliate with the Methodist Epis-
cOpal church, south, | doubt not they
will be bid to go in peace with the bless
ing of the church. Let US hope that the
time FOR this is not far distant, but until
this good time does come it Is to be
hoped that the parent church will not
neglect her distant children. Paul did
not care who was hOnored or disgraced
in preaching the gospel, if it could only
be preached. / doubt IL we can become
much wiser than he.
A SOUTHERN METHODIST.
The only answer we have to make to
the above is, that while we would not
shut our door upon any real missionary
effort in the interest of religion, we are
not willing to countensnce the move
ments Of a church that more than any
other now in existence aims at tempo
raj power. The Northern Methodist
church has ever been noted for the po-
litieal influence it wields. Before, dur
ing, and since the war, it was the chan
mel of propagation for the vilest SLAM
ders of the south and southern people,
holding us up to the pity and contempt
of the world as semi-barbarians, not
withstsnding we had church of the
same doctrines and religious polity,
characterized by great zeal for the black
as well as the white race, and whose
membership was, in proportion to the
population of the once Confederate
States, larger than the northern church.
To-day it is characterized by the same
spirit OF malevolence toward us,
and is the propaganda through
which the cry of civil rights is to be kept
up and the gulf between the races at the
south be widened. There is no place
for the Northern Methodist church at
the south. The Southern Methodists oe-
cupy the field of christian effort here
with ability and Christ-like zeal, and
nothing but the spirit Of self-sufIiciency
and imprudenee so characteristic Of the
Northern Methodist politico-preachers
would justify a movement that must
meet the condemnation of even our cor
respondent when he gives it his second |
and best thought. What would "a
Southern Methodist say if he heard of
a party of rituaiists from New York in
vading the territory of Bishop Quintard, |
and what would that gentleman say?
AS the rituaiists are to Bishop Quintard |
so are the Northern to the Southern |
Methodists. In christian doctrine they |
are one, and only differ in the grasp and |
reach after temporal power. As to the
unity Of the Northern and Southern
Methodist church we desire it as we do |
the union Of the Presbyterian churches,
but we do not think it ever can be
brought about so long as the present at
Litude Of the northern to the southern |
church is maintained.