Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-05
THE HAND OF FELLOWSHIP.
A Greeting from Across the Waters 10
the Southern Methodist Conference.

i A Greeting from Across the Waters 10
the southern Methodist Conference.
We give below the full text of the ad-
| dress sent by the Wesleyan MethodiSt
| Conference of Great Britain to the quad
rennial Conference of the III. L. Churcn,
| South, at Louisville, as submitted to the
! latter body on Saturday:
The following communication from the
Wesleyan Methodist Conference OF Great
Britain was read and referred to speclal
| committee:
Dearly Beloved Brethren-Haying
learned that your General Conference Is 10
meet before our next annual Assembly, we
have resolved 10 address you our haternal
greeting.
In SO doing we cannot overlook the TACT
that so many years have elapsed since the
| commencement of your separate existence
as Church without our having sought IN
tercommunion with you. The causes ex-
isting at the time, from which this arose,
have now passed away. As to the instltu-
ton of slavery, in general, and in partlcu-
lar as to the forms in which it formerly ex-
isted in our own colonies, and In your
country, our opinions remain the same as
they ever were, and as they have often Deen
deliberately expressed. This fact makes
us grateful that at length in your country,
as in our own Empire, the evil has been
entirely, and, as we devoutly trust, tnally,
done away. 1t is to us cause OF thank
fulness that nothing exists to prevent OIL
cial intercourse between your General
Conference and our own. And we pray
that both Churches and both countries may
be firmly united within themselves, by
concord, and to one another by amity.
half hat x-r1r with
the great Christian truths, which we have
both received in common, and that you are
striving to spread living religion among
your own people For ourselves, we trust
that we have not ceased to ''hold fast the
form of sound Words which has been
handed down TO us. In the presence of
subtle skepticism on the one hand, and of
an increasingly audacious sacerdotalism on
the other, it is our duty, and we trust it is
our endeayor, to earnestly contend for the
| faith once delivered to the saints" Our
country is being blessed at this time with
unwonted visitations of the Divine Spirit;
slumbering churches have been aroused;
apathy has been rebuked; and we live in
expectation of yet better days.
We are thankful 10 be able to report to
you that our own churches are in state of
general tranquility, and are not without
signs of spiritual prosperity. The number
of members meeting in class has not in
creased rapidly during the last few years,
and the almost stationary character of the
returns has been to us cause Of anxiety.
On the other hand, our congregations
and schools have been steadily increasing
the amount of money raised for the pur-
pose of erecting new and more commodi-
Gus places Of worship has been beyond all
former precedent; home missions and day
school education have also been extended,
and the cause of foreign missions receives
increasing support. Our three theological
colleges are filed with a fairly adequate
supply of approved candidates for the min
istry; our colleges for the training of school
masters and mistreSses, and our other con-
nexional educational institutions, yield us
upon the whole great satisfaction. Beyond
these islands the work has spread with
a rapidity commensurate with the growth
| of the British Colonies. Since We last
| communicated with you, an affiliated Con-
ference has been formed in Australia,
which is now carrying forward Evangelical
work with vigor and success in that CONT
nent, and in various groups of Islands in
| POLYNESIA; Conference has been formed
| in France and Switzerland; while, by
| friendly arrangement just concluded, the
| Canada Conference, hitherto affiliated TO
our own, has become financially and &c
Realistically independent.
For the present we find it best TO con-
tinue together as one Conference in Great
Britain. The last returns showed that there
were (without including Ireland, but in
Guiding foreign missions) liza ordained
ministers, and 3l4 probationers, in connec-
1 a. -.sI~ IL.
| III church members, besides 2S,23S on trial
for membership. The other Methodist
bodies in England are, in proportion to the
parent body, much more considerable than
is the case in your country. With these,
although we do do not see our way to or
ganized union, our relations are of an in
creaSingly friendly character; indeed, to-
wards all who hold the head of Christ; it is
our desire, as we are persuaded it is yours,
to manifest always the kind and catholic
spirit of primitive Methodism. Our enc
mics are not our Christian brethren, but sin
and the powers of darkness.
And now, beloved and hOnored brethren,
We beg that you will accept this our saluta-
| ton in the Lord. We pray that the Great
Master may be present with you, through
| out the session of your General Conference,
| that your churches may be blessed with in
crease of holiness, and enlarged through
the conversion of multitudes of sinners;
that the children of your people may fol-
| low in the steps of their godly fathers; that
a succession Of faithful men may continue
to be raised up among You, who shall not
''cease to teach and preach Christ" We
shall rejoice to hear of your welfare, and to
receive either by deputation or otherwise,
\ information rs TO yOur affairs.
Signed, on behalf, and by order Of the
/ Conference.
GEORGE T. PERKS, President,
| GpEvAsE SMITH Secretarv