The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1874-05-07
M. r.. Church South.


lucky, May 1st and will probably remain III
session for three weeks The clerical delegates
from the Virginia and Maryland Conferences
are the Revs. S. Register, d. Dr. John 5. MAJ
tin. D. D., Samuel Rogers, D. D., A. w. VIII
son, d. D., N. Head, D. D., j. H. Waugh and
w. G. Coe. The lay delegates are Messrs-
Charles Shipley, T. J. Magrlrder, W.R. Denny,
William Mines, il, George w. Washington
W. p. Conway and Colonel Jacob Moher.
The occasion derives unusual interest from
the fact that, at the last General Conference OF
the M. E.. Church North, ambassadors were
appointed to visit the Louisville Conference
with view to facilitate friendly and eo-opera-
tive relations between these two great branch
es OF the Methodist Church. AS is known to
most of our readers, the separation between
the North and South Churches occurred III
1874, and grew out Of the slavery question:
Bishop Andrews had married a wife who held
slaves. He was calledto account for neglectlng
to enfranchise them; hot debate followed and
then disruption, After a tedious law suit the
Southern Church was confirmed in the posses
sion of its property in possession, and was all
lotted an equitable proportion OF the value OF
property which had grown out Of the joint con-
tributions of the undivided Church. At the
time of secession the Church South, we believe,
had the largest membership. The statistics
now stand:
Minister'S Members
Methodist Epis'l North 1851 1,464,027
Methodist Episl South 1928 650,727
Colored Methodist Episcopal 635 67,SsS
The Colored Methodist Episcopal Church is
an offshoot in 1870, from the Church South,
and partly sympathizes with that Church
1t will be seen that the Northern Church has
left the Southern organization far in the rear
in the matter Of membership. 1t has outstrip-
ped it equally in wealth and social power
The relation of the two Churches has been har-
Oily civil since their separation, until very late
| ly. We believe the Church South charges the
blame for this upon the Church North, claim
| ing that fraternal delegate sent to a General
| Conference of the Northern body in 1913 was
not received. At the last Conference of the
| Southern Church a delegation from the North
| was received. Sentiments more or less friend
! ly were exchanged. At the General Confer
ence in 1872, we believe, there were no fra
ternal delegates from the South, but the COM
mittee to whom was referred the state of the
| Church reported fraternal series of para
graphs in regard to the church South, and rec
commended that committee be appointed to
visit the Louisville Conference. This was done
and the Northern delegates are in attendance
at Louisville.
| A union of the two churches is not practicable
at present, but the probability is that they will
conclude treaty Of amity that will ultimately
result in biOtting out the hereditary prejudice
which now is the only cause Of separation
When accomplished, it will put the Methodist
Episcopal Church in the front rank Of the Prot
estant Churches of the world.-Boltimore
| american.
| The Louisville Courier-Jommal, in writing
| on the subject Of the General Conference, which
commenced its session on Friday last, says :
with eight venerable bshops-each one man
of mark-and at least $50 clergymen OF every
variety of talent, and from every portion OF
our country, and as many laymen, the confer
ence must attract very great attention.
We have said that delegates will be here
from every portion Of this great country, for
although the denomination assembling repre-
sents by its title the South, still commission
ers from the church North will also be present,
bearing fraterlal greetings to their Southern
| brethren. and prepared to settle, we suppose,
all difficulties between the two Methodisms.-
And in this connection we must not forget that
the oldest delegate to this conference is the VEN
| cradle DIR. Lovick Pierce, who bore fraternal
greetings from the South to his brethren in the
North, at the General Conference, which sat
at Pittsburg Pa, in 1913. His proposition was
rejected, and, with great dignity and calm
| Christian courtesy, he stated to his Northern
brethren on the floor OF the conference that the
next overtures must come from them. He is
now in his nineteth year, and will have the in
finite qualification OF seeing these very relations
then rejected by the North now offered to him
and his brethren OF the South
BISHOPS OF THE NJ E. CHURCH SOUTH.
Since the last General Conference, Bishops
Andrew and Early have died, and it is sup
posed this conference will elect two others in
order to meet the growing wants OF the church.
The present bishops are as follows:
| Rev. Robert Paine, senior bishop of the M.
e. Church South. He is about as old as the
|.century, and has been a presiding bishop since
1916.
Bishop George f. Pierce is the son Of the
venerable DR.. Lovich Pierce, and is in his six
ty-tllirl year. He is therefore in the prime Of
lie He has been a bishop just twenty years.
He is q great preacher, a good platform speak
er, and an excellent presiding officer.
Bishop Kayanaugh is about ten years older
than Bishop Pierce, and has been on the Epis-
copal bench just the same length OF time as
Bishop Pierce. Louisville is his home.
Bishop Wightman is d native of South Caro-
lima. and is about siXty-iiye years old. lie is
an elegant writer and an accomplished scholar.
He breaches with great energy both OF thought
and feeling.
Bishop David S. Doggett is Virginian. a
scholar Of excellent Attachments preacher OF
rare merit.
I Bishop Enoch Marvin is q western man. He
is probably the greatest metaphysical preacher
in the convention.
Bishop Holland n McTyeire is commanding,
his will strong and his self-reliance thorough.
He is slow of speech. and must be heard often
in the pulpit to be fully appreciated. Is about
4 ffty-nine years old, and has been bishop eight
years.
Bishop John G. Keener is native of Balti-
more, Maryland He is a graduate OF the Yves
leyan University OF Middleton, Connecticut
He is an original and profound thinker.
The Richmond Wing says: 'sThe merchants
Of Virginia are among the most loyal of oul
citizens, and though sometimes they do com
plain that they bear more than an equal share
of the burthens Of the State, yet they as a class
4 respond freely to the demands ON them. The
impositons Of the present tax bill, however
are said by them to be more than they cal
bear" It is sated that relief will be sought by
the merchants in the State courts.
4 Hon. Paulus Powell died at his residence il
Amherst county, on the 2Sth of April. He
represented the Redland district in Congress
before the war, and had several sessions been 9