Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-08-24
Methodist Union.

all obstacles TO fraternity between the two
churches, have been in session at Cape May
during the last ten days. They cncud"d tier
Iabors last evening and issued The following
ad lrcss:
10 tile Bishops the ministers and the Members
Of the Methodist EpiSc0pal CAuch dhd u
the Methodist Episcopal Church tSo"M:
| DEAR FATHERS AND BRETHREN I'VE, the
commissioners appointed by authority OF the
general conferences, respectively, OF the above
pam,d church.s to remove all obstacles 10
formal fraternity, and TO adjust all existing
| difficulties between them, deem ii proper III
advance of our r,pnrI to the general confer.
euces of our resp ,clva Churches, to communl-
cate TO YOU IN general terms the results OF the
rec.nt harmonious session OF our JOINT com
mission.
Pursuant to previous appointment we con-
vencd a. Cape May n j., on the 6 h day of
August, 1876. aud were favored by the attend
auce of all Of III mcmb>ra OF both boards OF
commissioners. After 4 written c0Dmunlca
tin irJln the CON nlsSl0ncls oil The Methodist
Episaopal Church South WAS received and
answered by the commissioners OF the Metho
dis Church, both boards met lu joint session,
th: l.bots Of winch were conIlnued during
S. veu days
| We nave mao Il tull dllu llcc CDul''lcuGc au"
Interchange OF Y, VS. respecting the important
matters that caln:ci our united Consideration.
If any in the Churcmcs entertained he fear
previous to our meeting that We could ho at
tain complcte harmony Of sentiment touching
The momcntuu, questions to be determined,
they will be r jvlc,d TO learu that, after having
give u due attention to all questions Involved IL
the prop.r construction OF platform OF COM
D exc fraternity belWr en- the two great Branches
: i Of Epscppal Mehodism iu the United States,
| We have arrived at The settlement OF every
, matter affec;ing as We suppose, the principles
of 4 lasting aud cordial anju tment. We have
the Satisfaction 10 d, clare that our aspirations
, for harmony OF views Oh vital points have been
G realized. BY divine guidaCc,, a We trust, we
have been able, after a frank Interchange OF
views and Fray rful cndcayor, 10 harmuuizc all
differences and 10 arrive al the desired con:um
5 uatou Of a unanimous agreement OF complete
fIateruity We believe that no prluclplc OF
honor ca either sd- has been loVad d. We
struck the keynote OF brotherly love till it
sous ded high and clear, aid SO have been en-
c alld TO reach the elcmcUts OF perfect har-
5 mo,y. No divergence oil sentiment mars the
. complete uuaoiml'y Of the joint commission
r touching the essential principles OF tratcrnlza
! lion. At the beginning OF our CONSULTATIONS
one great question ,med to ~ rshadow all
Others |. COLO rus the relation OF the two
/ Churches to each other, aud to Episcopal
/ Metbpdism. TO this important matter our
:. uost earnest thought aud prayerful debera
too were 6r,t r cted, and the result attained
occasoned the interchange OF rejoicing con-
: graiu atoms between the members of the joint
cuIumls-lon.
e Wr adopted without a dissenting voice the
: following dccarai0u aud basis OF fraternity.
A. to the status of the Methodist Episcopal
Church and oil the Methodist Episcopal
! Church South and their coordinate relation
as legitimate branches of Episcopal Method
ism. cach Of said Churches is a legitimate
: branch Of Episcopal MclhodlSm in the United
States, having common origin in tie Mctho
: dist Episcopal Church, organiz d In 1884. and
h sine he ORGANIZATION Of the MethoIisi Epis
copll Church South was consummalcd, in
lS4j. by The voluntary exercise oil the right Of
III. Southern annual conferences minister's
! al n,,,b ri~ 10 adhere 10 II II cnniinuGlnn, It
t has been an nv,rr. llcal Church reared on
Syriptnra !, urGa Ions, and tier ministers and
m, nil r, with hoI,. Of the Methodist Fps
( capal Church, have constituted one NJ thu
: ,ii-l ian,iy, ,!ourn of Ills uct cccl.sias-
ncal conrrcti n. 1t was nrx incumbent
on u Ia consider tie Questions cnncnrnl.s
: co! Hiatrg claims t. c,,ritci property aud
soIpr special c;S,s thar could not conveniently
br referred +" TIL. operation # 1 general rule.
| There were two principal Questions t. be- con.
sidcrcd wi h rrrard tn The church property in
, dispute hetw.cn local societies of the two
Churches:
First. As to the legal ownership Of said prop
I cry
Second As to whether it will consist with
2 stric' equity or prom"t" Christian harmony or
the cause Of religion to dI-l,ns those snc,
ties Tow uslUg church property which was Orlgl-
gaIiy Intended for their USE and occupancy, and
of Which they may have acquired poss"s-l"n,
though Trey may have los! LEGAL title to it by
: their transfer from the one Church to the other.
We have considered the papers in all Cases
that have been brought to our notice. These
arGsc in The f"lowng States =: Virginia, West
virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, Louisiana,
North Carolina ard South Carolina. In re-
| spncl Of some OF these cases We have particular
directions bnt for all other cases the joint cou-
nylssion unanim July adopted the following
rules for thc adjustment Of adverse claims to
C'urch property:
la cas- : not adju Heated by tho joint com
; mission AIRY society of either Church, consutu
: ted according to its discipline. now Occupying
} the Cnu CD property, shall remain IN possrsSiun
thereof, provided hat where there Is now IN
the same place u society Ot those members at
; tachcd to the other Church, and which has
hitherto claimed the use Of tho property, the
Ia ter shall be entitled to possession.
FuraSmuch As W. have 10 power to annul
decisions respecting Church property made by
the STATE courts the joint commission ordain
in respect thereof
First, 10 cases 10 which such decision has
been made, or in which there exists ao agree
nent, the same shall be carried out in good
faith
Second, 10 communities where there arc two
societies, one belonging to the Methods: Epis,
copal Church aud the other to the Methodist
Epi>copal Church. South which have adverse
ly claimed the Church propriety, it is recon-
needed that without delay they amlcabIy CON-
pose their ff"rcnces, Irrespective OF the strict
legal title, aud settle the same according TO
| i,hr tim rirIn ,Ias tho 1nritins Of tho narti