Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1876-05-30
MISCELLANEOUS.
FRAFRRKAL GREETINGS.


Ons of the fraternal messengers from the
NJ. T. Church South who recently appeared
before the General Conferences Of the Me,l>
odist Episcopal Church, in session in Balti-
mOse, was the Rev. DR.. Jas A. Duscan, well
knownin this section. The fraternal mes
acugeEs.Of the Southern Methodists were COR
daily received by the General Conference,
and i1 response to tho words Of welcome, DR..
Duncan said:
a solemn JOY stood in his 4hca,t that took
| precedence OF every other emotion. Beyond
those assembled before him we're millions Of
Methodsts who we're deeply Interested 10 this
hour, aud beyond these were millions more
interested in Ibe peace of the general Church,
and above. as Witnesses, were the millions of
the first bora Of the Church Ia such
solenu presence contentious and disscntions
shcp!d disappear. Here, he said, wls neither
Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, and in the
name of the Methodist Episcopal Church
South he salurod the Con ference rs brethren
in Christ Jesus. [Prolonged applause
He said here IAofe than two millions of
Methodists greeted each other, in fra,crnal
love- y declaration of pence and brothcriy
love had been'msde, aud he-ttusted wisdom
would knit the Fraternal, bonds between tho
two bodies so that folly could not unite them.
Concerning the qacstions of fraternity it
became them to speak candidiy. Is fratcr-
nifty simrIya quadrcnuiaI court rnrade-a
mere lorm2. SNu lfc ssl : it is n ,.rrat. Chris.
iVfs1t. lSs sss,a
cr'y kindness of Christian hearts, the re.os-
Enlistment of the peaceful associations of
men, which had been deranged 10y prejudices,
but now reconstructed through the power Of
Christianity. UApplause. Human ,pride,
he said, was often too stubborn to ack nowl>
edge faults or to confess errors. There was
such an intense longing after infalliblity that
men would not confess their errors. H. said
do not establish fraternity between these two
churches for any secular, or worldly end
He was frank to say this because it had been
intimatcd that the Nle;itodists were seeking
closes union in this country merely to gain
greater political influence.
Another point he said he wished paJticu>
larly to make was, that while the political rep
resentatves Of the South can aud do truth
fully assure the world that true, brave de.
vot0n to the Union aniInates The whole South
crn people F8ppause1 VIC, as ministers, take
ttill higher ground. aud offer our hands. .snet
in the name of these political interests, brt
in the name OF Christ Applause
In the course Of his remarks he alluded to
the fact that the colUrod people of the South
ern Church bad of their, own preference
formed an Independent organization, under
thoir oED bishops, some years ago, and were
pnrauipg t!.oir lAbors separately with salts
factory success
These two churches, or two branches of the
same Church, had been understood TO occupy
two great political sections. but these walls of
partition have been broken down loud
| aPpsuse.1 Their loyalty was a loyslty TO
Jesus Christ and Him crucifed. They would
not establish This fraternity merely TO end un-
happy CONTROVERSIES, but hoped it would end
them. [Applause If their peaceful para
disc hereafter should be invaded By the ser
pent dscord their heel would crush bis head.
| [Applsuse.l He said be hoped now pen-aDd>
ink controversies among the extensive family
of Christian advocates would end. TAP
I rlAuse Hereafter, ne said, where they
could not meud or manage disturbing people,
! they mast not mind them.
| Let us, he said appont wise men to con-
| slider. these questions Of difference, bury our
weapons oF warfare and move on to the fields
of Poace. [Appiause.1 He did no; eztol
/ fraternity merely to crafty sectarian pride.
! but because it is right in itself. Theirs, he
said, was glorious opportunity. This glo.
! rious land that blooms between tho seas vas a
/ fair field FOR the Methodist iaborer. From
| the northern border Of It, where Gods per-
/ PetuaI bow, Of peace gloTifes NiazEra's cliffs,
to the sea-girt southern line, where Gods
| gifts make earth almost an Eden Of fragrance
and beauty, and from the roek-b bound Atian>
tie, where the eastern song of the sea begins
its morning music, awEy 10 the far. of Pacific,
where the western waters now hum their eve
ming beDedictiou to our land as the tide goes
out beneath the setting sun-evsTywhere we
feel the inspiration of our country, and de-
vou,ly pray, ''God bless our native land -
| Tremendous spplause- 1a
If fraternity meaus anything it means peace
and an end Of s,rife-an end of that eladi,
atOriAl show which only bad men applaud
The day will como, he said, when these petty
strifes will cease, when sects and distrsctions
would pass away, and there will be no man
| who. win say he is of Paul or ApoIlos but of
Christ. Then the colliers of England. the
toilers from the workshops of the North, the
red men of the forest. and the African, of the
South that they had IabOred TO save, will Join
in the gsneEal praise. prolonged applause ]
- Forest planting il thriving in Mime
sofa. The ST. Paul,And Pacific railroad has
Sc, ont orer.4 coo, 900 young trees. and al
together it is estimated that 20. .OOO, 900 have