New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-29

vears I'm the minis ~ and 30 in the Eoiscopacy IL Is
estimated that he preached 16,5O0 sermons Travelled
100000 miles, presided In 224 conferences ana ordained
over 900 preachers In the same year Jesse Lo tho
founder OF Methodsm In New-England, the first MS
torian OF the Church. and Jealous and enectVe evan
gelist, passed away at the age OF 3D.
TIE RADICAL CONTROVERSY.
What "a known rs the radical controversy" succeeded
the agitation OF the question OF elective presiding ers
Tho controversy arose upon proposition for the repre-
sentatjon Of local pr achcrs and aymen In the councs
of the Church. In 1920 the radicals, or reioriDers
as they called. began tue publication OF INC "eS
eyan Repositorv, which advocated lay relreSeh'ao.
and which was succeeded In 1924 by similar periouica
called The Mutual R,ghs. In answer to numerous me.
MORALS on the subject the General Conference OF 1874
declared that II was "nexpedeur to adopt lay deieS
ton The reforners held % meeting in Baltimore INC
same year. organized union" society, aud advised INC
formation VI others by friends OF the movement III Quiet
pIaces In 1927, a General Convention OF delegates
from the union societies which had been formed was
held In Baltimore OF 100 delegates chosen 81 attended,
the majority Of whom were from Maryland virginia,
and Pennsylvania. A memorial to the General
Conference adopted, asking that provision DC aae
for direct representation Of tire aity In that Dody Inc
General Conference Of 1928 decided adversely to the me-
mOrialists. u
few years later the controversy concerning inc seo
ton OF slavery began In the country, and III lSio the
Church was drawn lit At the General Conference
of 1914 committee reported that Bishop Andrew had
become connected with slavery ny Marriage "n"
otherwise. Bishop Andrew explained In ho'e
to the committee that In two instances ne was
legally a STAKEHOLDER" emancipation beng "iin
practicable" and that In January, 1874. lie had
married wife who held slaves. Not wishing 10 De-
come their owner himself he had secured them 10 MS
wife by q deed OF trust. The case was taken up
MAY 20, and discussed till June 1, when pro-
amble and resolution adopted declaring that Bishop
Andrews connection with slavery would greatly en-
barrass the OF his Office" as bis OPP anu that
was the sense" OF the General Conference that Nc
sat from the exercise OF his office long as this imped
ment remains" Various motions madc-fOr post
ponemen Of the final disposition Of the ease, for con
stitutona division OF the church. and for an amicaDie
adjustment Of the matters at isSue-Dnt All weroio-
jerted Notice given Immediately after the adop-
ton OF tho resolution that protest would be presented
June s. declaration fled signed by 81 delegates
stating that the continuance OF the Jurisdiction OF the
General Conference over the Conferences OF the slave
holding States was incoHsstent with the success OF the
ministry" June o. protest was presented on Deha Oh
10 Conferences and few delegates from Nortn
ern Conferences
SEPARATION.
The committee whom was referred the "decara-
tion OF the delegates the saveholGng States re-
ported June T. that the declaration" lad ntiinaed
that separation not imp obabe 1t was the duty OF
the General Conference to meet tho emergency WIN
Christian kindness AMI the srictest equity" plan
WAS therefore proposed in the event of separation
which provided that all tue societies, stations ahd con-
fcrence ON the line OF the division should be allowed by
n majority vote to adhere To the Church South anu
neither party should the territory OF tne otnor
that minister's both travelling and local. coud JON inc
Church South without bame that the property Oh '"o
Book Concern should he divided when the annual Con-
ferenccs By two-thrds vote should change the sxth
restrictive rule OF tho scpne as to allow the dVls-
ion that hrce Commissioners should be appointed on
each side estimate the share OF The S0uth ana 10 AIRY
into effect the arrangements concerning the DIVISION Oh
the property that all the property within the nhlis oi
the southern organization should be free forever from
any claim of Methodist Episcopal Church; that the
Church South should nave common right to use all
copyrghts h possession OF the Book Concern, and was
entitled 10 IA share OF the dividend OF the chartered
fund. The plan adopted by large vote.
The annual Conferences voted aginst change OF the
sixth restrictive rue. the Commissioners could not
proceed TO division OF tho Book Concern property Inc
enernl Conference OF 1919 which met at Pittsburgh
declared the plan OF separation null and void, on the
grounds tho annual conferences had refused 10 con-
chr I'm tho change OF the sixth restrictive rui ana tnat
the provisions respecting tho violation OF Doundies
had MOI been observed by the Church south The Com
mssioners the Church South brought suits Doth NJ
New-York and Cincinnati in the United states iromt
Court 10 recover share Of the Book Concern property
They gained the suit in NewYork but lost That In Cin-
cinnati An appeal taken from the Cincinnati de-
csion To the supreme Court OF the United Sdtcs which
was tried in "a. AMI it decided that the Church
South was entitled should have ts proper share Oh
the Book Concern properly. The total amount paid III
cash books and otherwise was $32iS75, OF which the
Book Concern at Cincinnati paid S92.926 81. Down 10
the period OF separation the statistics OF the Church
by decades showed a large and steady increase OF
preachers AMI members. 1t tho close OF the
first decade 1916 there were ri preachers ana 49Zl
members I7S6 these numbers had been nearly gum
tupled in the next ten years the increase arly
50 per cent there being lin 1900 4j2 preachers and
l3O57O members. In 1916 there were 60o preachers
and 81 23j members; In 1876, l.lO6 preachers ana
3GO 500 members In 1885, 2,y23 preachers and 6)OlO3
members an increase Of 2s9.303 In 1916 there were
3JS2 preachers and 6ii,2 29 members. showing an n-
erase despite the separation OF lsi4 IN the ministry Oh
65i but % decrease OF members OF 5.S7l.
The subject OF lay delegation IN the General Conference
WAS brought up ut General Conferences OF 1926.
which voted that twas ncXpedient" AT Its next sos
sion, however, In 1860 the question was submitted 10
the annual Conference and tho male members OF the
Church. The vote heavily against the proposed
change. In 1868 plan of lay delegation was submitted
to tho annual Conferences and adult members of the
Church. and agreed to. the vote in the annual CON
fcrences being for, 4.9l5 against l,597 tho members
east heavy majority in favor Of the measure Inc Cen
erai Conference OF 1872, which met In brooklyn con-
Cured in tho necessary constitutional change ana lay
delegates took their seats rs members OF the General
Conference.
In the civil war the Church took decided ground The
bishops in their pastoral address of 1864 say that
utterly ignoring all partisan political platforms. sne
has given Federal Government her most decided
support" All the annual Conferences adopted =" resolu
lions OF approval and sympathy largo contributions
of money were made, and members Of the church In
large numbers AMI many OF her ministers hocked to the
National standard" The General Conference OF 1864,
which met in Philadelphia, deput tion to Washing
adj tn l,u Lincoln "A