The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-06-12

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secession, the court said :
cit can no more be affirmed, either in
point of fact or law, that they are tray
cling preachers in connection with the
Methodist church as originally organ
lied since the division, than those in
connection with the church south. Their
organization covers but half of the ter
ritOry embraced within that of the
former church, and includes within it
but little over twO-thirds of the tray
cling preachers. Their general confer
ence is not the general conference
of the old church, nor does it
represent the interests or possess terri.
torially the authority of the same; nor
are they the body under whose care
this fund was placed by its founders.
1t may be admitted that, within re-
strlcted limits, the organization and the
authority are the same as the former
church. But the same is equally true
in respect to the organization of the
| church south" "
When the same parties attempted to
set aside the plan of separation, on the
! ground that 1t was without proper
| authority, the court said
" But We do not agree that this decis-
ion was made without the proper author
lty. On the contrary, we entertain no
doub: that the general conference of
1914 was competent to make it and
that each division of the church. under
the separate organization, is just as
legitimate and can claim as high a
sanction-ecclesiastical and temporal
as the Methodist Episcopal churc first
founded in the United States. The
same authority which founded the
church in 1884 has divided it and estab-
llshed two separate and Independent Or
ganIzatlons, occupying the place of the
old one."
However others may regard that in
stument, the plan of separation is too
important in its application to our status
and security to be lightly esteemed by
us. If it should be said that its pro-
visions, touching territorial limits, have
been violated by both parties, we have
this to say: We are ready to confer
with our rnorthern brethren on that point.
Joint commission having this feature
of the compact under revision might |
reach solution mutually satisfactory. |
Measures preparatory to formal fra
tern1ty would be defective that leave |
out of view questions in dispute be- |
tween the NJ. E. church and ourselves. |
These questions relate to the course |
pursued by some of their accredited |
agents whilst prosecuting their work in
the south, and to property which has
been taken and held by them to this day
against our protest and remonstrance.
Although feeling ourselves sOrely ag-
grieved in these things, we stand ready
to meet our brothers of the Methodist
Episcopal church in the spirit of Chris
tian candor, and to compose all differ
ences ION the principles of justice and
equity.
1t is to be regretted that the honored
who bore fraternal greet
ings to us were not empowered also to
enter upon settlement of these vexed
questions. We are prepared to take
advanced steps in this direction, and, |
waving any considerations which might
Justify a greater reserve, we will not
only appoint delegation to return the
greeting so gracefully conveyed to us
from he NJ. E. church, but we will also
provide for commission to meet
similar commission from that church
for the purpose of settling disturbing
questions.
Open and righteous treatment of all
cases of complaint will furnish the only
solid ground upon which we can meet.
Relations of amity are with special en-
phasis demanded between bodies so near
akin. We be brethren. To the reali-
zation of this the families of Methodism
are called by the movements of the
times. The attractive power of the
cross is working nightly. The Chris
5ian elements in the world are all astir
N their search for each other. Chris
ian hearts are crying to each other
across vast spaces and longing for fell
owship. The heart of southern Metho- .
lism, being in full accord with these
sentiments, your committee submit the
resolutions for adoption:
Resolved, That this general conference has
eceived with pleasure the fraternal greetings
If the NJ. E. church conveyed to lis by their s
delegates, and that our bishops be and are I
hereby authorized to appoint a delegation, !
consisting of two ministers and one lavman. =
o bear our Christian salutations to their next |
nsUing general conference.
Resolved, That in order to remove all OBJ t
taCles in formal fraternity between the two
hurches, our college of bishops is author .
zed to appoint a commission, consisting of !
hree ministers and two laymen, to meet l
imilar commission authorized y the general t
difference of the NJ. f. church, and to ad- {
ust all existing difficulties. !
COMMITTEE. r
|. W. WILSON, A. l.. P. GREEN, &
/. PARKER, c. W. MILLER ,
!. ALEXANDER, Il. W. JONES,
BOBO, J. l. DFYAArRERT. Q