The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-09-05
Fraternity Between the Churches.
THE METHODIST IsTMAsS-sIEETING ON
= SUNDAY. AFTERNOON. ]. ss.,

A LARGE AND ENTHUSIASTIC GATHERING
OF THE CLERGY AND LAITY-APPRo-.
PIRATE RELIGIOUS ExERCIsEs-MTER.
EsTING ADDRESS FROM REV. DIR. Ed
fwARDs-A PLATFORM OF Fraternity
RESOLUTIONS ADoPTED-REMARKsF FROM
MEssRs. j. R. ,GARNETT, GEORGE H. RAY,
ASA SNYDER, j. P. DUPUY, AND D. r.
WILLS, &C.
A large and enthusiastic mass-meeting of
members OF all the Methodist churches OF
Richmond and Manchester was held at Cen
tenary Methodist church on Sunday after
noon at o'clock.
| This meeting was held in pursuance OF a
resolution passed by the Official Board Of
Centenary church, after consultation with
leading men Of all the churches. to consider
the report OF the Joint commission appoint
cd by the Methodist Episcopal Church and
the Methodist Episcopal Church South.
The idea originated with the laity OF the
church.
The meeting was called to order by Mr..
Leroy S. Edwards, and on his motion Mr..
Thomas Branch was elected chairman and
Mr. Charles p. Rady secretary.
|
this meeting had been called to consider the
report Of the commissioners appointed to
form
| 4 PLATFORM OF FRATERNITY
between the two branches of the Methodist
Episcopal Church North and South. The
subject, he said, was one OF deep interest
to every Christian who has known or heard
OF the division existing between the two
Churches. Itis blessed thing, after thirty
years OF separation and unchristian feeling,
! to see a movement in this direction which
shall bring about fraternal feeling that
shall not only do good to our own Church,
but help others, and even have salutary
effect on the political affairs Of our common
country.
The President then called on Rev. H. c.
! Cheatham to lead in prayer; which he did.
praying Gods special blessing on this effort
to promote spirit OF Christian fellowship
among the Methodists OF every section OF
this country.
At the suggestion of Rev. DR.. Edwards
the secretary read the advanced report OF
the joint commission. nl ....t.
PREPARING WORK FOR THE MEETING.
Rev. George II. Ray, pastor Of Main
Street church, offered the following resolrl-
ton; which was unanimously adopted:
ResoLved, That committee composed OF
one from each Methodist church in this city
and Manchester be appointed to offer such
resolutions as may be deemed proper for the
adoption of the meeting.
The Chair appointed on the committee
Messrs. j. B. Morton, of Centenary; D. n.
Wilkinson, Of Broad-Street; Thomas w.
Pemberton, of Trinity; c. c. Walter, OF
Clay-Strect; J. 7. Montgomery, OF Union
| q nstar ind Of L
S. Wade, OF Main-Street; D.J. Weisiger, OF
Manchester.
ADDRESS OF DIR. EDWARDS.
During the retirement OF the committee
the chairman OF the meeting called upon
Rev. John e. Edwards, D. D., to make some
remarks on the subject before the meeting.
In response the Doctor said in substance /:
"My heart is full Of this subject, and,
while this is meeting of the laity Of the
Church, feel that cannot let the occasion
pass without an expression OF my great
qualification in being present in this meet
ing and participating in its proceedings"
He then went on to say that he had per-
sonal knowledge of the origin of the trou-
BILE that eyentuated in the separation OF the
Methodist Episcopal Church into two inde-
pendent ecclesiastical organizations in 1874.
In 1916 the Methodist Episcopal Church
South was regularly organized, and, While
under the plan Of separation mutually
agreed on by the General Conference Of
1874 this Independent position was provi-
ded for, it is nevertheless true that the
Methodist Episcopal Church did, at later
period, regard the Southern Church as Sc
cession or faction, and hence contested its
claim to an equal interest in the Book Con-
Germ, chartered fund, and other property OF
| Ixl, 80 Wi
LONG YEARS OF EsTRANGEXENT
and strife ensued. Bitter animosities were
engendered. Brethren were alienated.
When, at last, overtures were made by the
Northern Church looking to determination
these were not responded to by the Southern
Church for the reason that the Methodist
Episcopal Church South was not conceded
= to be coordinate branch Of American
Methodism. 1t was not until May, 1874, at
the General Conference held in Louisville.
Ky., that the Southern Church received in a
formal way the fraternal messengers from
the Northern Church. Then and there Rev.
Drs. Fowler and Hunt and General Fisk
were received, and better state OF feeling
was inaugurated. That General Conference
agreed TO send fraternal messengers to the
next ensuing General Conference OF the
Methodist Episcopal Church, to be held IN
Baltimore May, 1876, and at the same time
arranged for the appointment OF commits.
sioners, who should be authorized to confer
with corresponding commissioners appoint
ed by the Northern Church, " for the pur-
pose Of
REMOVING ALL THE OBSTACLES
to more formal fraternity, and to adjust
existing difficulties between the two
Churches" The General Conference held
in Baltimore in May of this year appointed
commissioners accordingly; and these com.
missioners, consisting OF our ablest and
best men, North and South, met at Cape
May but few weeks ago, and the paper
which has just been read is the result. This
IS a grand paper. 1t far exceeds in its con-
cessions anything that was hoped for by
many OF us. :.For myself" said DR.. Ed
wards, "I had no hope that the commits
sioners would reach such conclusions. /
thought they would meet, talk the matter
over, and part wider apart than ever But,
thank God, I live tose the day before my sun
of life goes down when everything Is con-
ceded that the most extreme man among us
could desire or ask. The broken cords are
again reunited, and now
HAND TO HAND AND HEART TO HEART
we can 20 forward as two independent de-
nartments of the same Church IN the work
OF converting the world to Jesus Christ" !"
He concluded by again expressing his graf
| ification at seeing such meeting OF the
laity for such an object as they had come To-
| -~oo1lo5 hrofharIv love. and