Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1876-08-31
REUNITED.
The Methodist Church, North and
South, Again Single Body.
THE REGULATION OF CHURCH PROPERTY
AS AGREED UPON BY THE JOINT
COMMISSION.

THE REGULATION OF CHURCH PROPERTY
AS AGREED UPON BY THE JOINT
COMMISSION.
CAPE MAY. N. j., Aug. 23.-The
boards of commissioners appointed
by the Methodist Episcopal Church
North and the Methodist Episcopal
Church South to remove all obstacles
to fraternity between the two church
es. have been In session here the last
ten days. They concluded their la
bors this evening and issued an adj
dress to the bishops, ministers. and
members Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church North and OF the Methodist
Episcopal Church South, in which
they say:
You will be rejoiced to learn that
after having given due attention to
all questions involved in the proper
construction OF a platform of COM
plete fraternity between the two great
branches Of Episcopal Methodism in
the United States, we have arrived at
the settlement OF every matter affect
! lug, as we suppose, the principles Of
Of a lasting and cordial adjustment.
We have--the satisfaction to declare
that our aspirations for harmony OF
views on the vital points have been
realized by divine guidance, as we
trust we have been able, after frank
interchange of views and prayerful
endeavor to harmonize all differences
and to arrive at the desired consum-
nation OF unanimous agreement OF
complete fraternity. At the begin
ming OK our consultations one great
question seemed to overshadow all
others. 1t concerns the relation Of
two churches to each other and to
Episcopal Methodism. To this i'm
portant matter our most earnest
thought and prayerful deliberation
were first directed, and the result at
tanned occasioned an interchange of
rejoicing and congratulation between
the members Of the joint commission.
We adopted, without a dissenting
voice, the following declaration and
bases OF fraternity as to the status OF
the Methodist Episcopal Church, and
of the Methodist Episcopal Church
South and their coordinate relation
as legitimate branches Of Episcopal
Methodism. Each Of said churches
Is Legitimate branch of Episcopal
MethCdism in the United States, hav-
ing had common origin in the Meth
odist Episcopal Church. organized in
17S4, and since the organization Of
the Methodist Episcopal Church South
was consummated in l845 by volun-
tary exercise Of the right of the
Southern annual conferences, minis
ters and members to adhere to that
communion, it has been an evangel-
ical church reared on scriptural foun-
dations, and her ministers and men,
bers, with those Of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church, have constituted one
Methodist family, though in distinct
ecclesiastical connection. 1t was not
incumbent on US TO consider the
question concerning the conflicting
claims to church property and some
special cases that could not be con-
veniently referred to the operation of
a general rule. There were two prin-
cipal questions to be considered with
regard to the church property in dis
pute between the local societies of
the two churches. First, as to the
legal ownership of said property /;
second, as to whether it will consist
with strict equity or promote Chris
tian harmony or the cause Of religion
to dispossess those societies now hav-
ing church property which was orig
inally intended for their use and oc-
cupancy, and OF which they have ac-
quired possession, though they may
have lost the legal title to it by their
transfer from one church to the other.
We have considered the papers in
all the cases that have been brought
to our notice. These arose in the fol-
lowing States: Virginia, West vir-
ginia, Maryland. Tennessee, Louisi.
ana, North Carolina and South Caro-
lima. In respect to some Of these
cases, we have given particular direc-
itions, but for all other cases the JOINT
comnission unanimously adopted the
following rules for the adjustment OF
adverse claims to church property:
Rule 1. In cases not adjudicated by
the joint commission any society Of
either church, constituted according
toits discipline, now occupying church
property shall remain in possession
thereof, provided that when there is
now in the same place a society of
more members attached to the other
church, and which has hitherto claim
ed the use OF the property, the latter
shall be entitled to possession.
Rule 2. For as much as we have no
power to annul decisions respecting
church property, made by State
courts, the joint commission ordain in
respect thereof: L. In cases in which
such a decision has been made, or in
which there exists an arrangement,
the same shall be carried out in good
faith. 2. In communities where there
are two societies, one belonging to
the Methodist Episcopal Church and
the other to the Methodist Episcopal
Church South, which have adversely
claimed church property, it is recon-
lmended that without delay they ami
cably compare their differences, irre-
spective OF the strict legal title, and
settle the same according to Christian
4 principles and equities OF this partic-
ular case, and, so far as practicable,
according to the principles OF the.
foregoing rule. But II such settle
ment cannot be speedily made, then
Al the ouertiop shall no raforrad Sor