The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1876-05-20
METHODIST GENERAL CONFERENCE.
Eleventh Day-Friday.

minutes, the excursion question came up
again. Rev. Sanford Hunt claiming the
floor on the ground that he had the floor
Yesterday when the Conference was adj
iourned by limitation. He renewed the
motion to appoint Il committee OF three to
excursion to Washington could be arranged.
The provision for an excursion to Philadel-
phia was omitted in the motion as renewed.
DR.. Newman opposed any adjournment of
the Conference for such a purpose. Dr..
Hunt then withdrew the resolution.
FRATERNAL DELEGATES.
The standing rules were then suspended
for the reception of the fraternal delegates
from the II. E. Church South, Bishop James
occupying the chair. The time of session
for hearing addresses was extended indeti
nitely, and after four magnificent bouquets
had been placed upon the table, r. q. ID.
Foss, of the New York Conference said,
from Plymouth Rock to the Golden Gate,
from the prairies of the West to the islands
of the sea, men are looking with hope for
a brighter dawn of love and unity. They
are ready to cover with oblivion the unior
tunate incidents that have separated fellow
Christians who rejoice in the same religion,
the same literature, the same praise, the
same experience and the same ecclesiastical
polity that we do. And SO we joyously
hail the presence of men of sister church,
now of the same faith and doctrine as the
millions of the North, and amid this cen
tennial outburst of rejoicing in the freedom
of our country, we hail also with joy the
centennial of our church, feeling that the
coming of these men is an index OF the
healing process at work in our nation, and
will also be type of that healing which
will produce perfect unity and love. |
have now the pleasure of introducing to
you one OF the delegates from the Meth
odist E. Church South, we'll known to
many for his natural endowmentS, his
varied culture and matchless eloquence,
Rev. J. A. Duncan, D. D., of Macon Col
lege, Ga. MIR. Duncan then stepped for
ward and bowed his Acknowledgements,
the delegates rising to their feet.
REMARKS OF DIR. DUNCAN.
Rev. DR.. Duncan then said AS | stand
in your presence solemn JOY is the first
thing that pervades my heart. True, the
responsibility of my mission is heavy and
solemn. | behold around me men vener-
able in years and distinguished in the
Church; beyond these see millions of men
and women who believe in Methodism; be-
yend them a great cloud of witnesses, COM
posed of all who care for peace and unity
and the spread of the Kingdom of Christ,
above us the General Assembly and Church
of the First Born" and higher than these
the Throne of our God, the Father of us
all. In this light, dissenson would seem
profanity, and temporal discrepancies and
disagreements vanish and be forgotten; and
therefore as an humble citizen of the King
dom of God, with peace in my heart and
words of welcome on my lips, in the name
of the Methodist Episcopal Church South,
and by her authority, salute you as breth-
rem in Christ Jesus and as we join hands,
more than two millions of people salute
each other in faith, in hope and i'll char
ity. [Applausel. Both Churches have
risen up and said, We are brethren; and
if individual members of either of those
Churches indulge in words OF temper, and
in remarks inconsistent with the spirit we
wish to see prevail, they must bear the
responsibility, now that an official declara-
ton of peace has been made.
In this age of natural science, when We
have broad highways of communication,
and facilities for speaking to the very ends
of the earth, we seem to be living in the
day of Gods preparation. Currents and
counter currents of civilization are min
Cling together, and blowing steadily on to
a millennial sea- Shall churches then tarry
in their camps in factious fight, when they
can draw nearer together in love? Frater-
nity means peace and the end of strife, the
end of Christian antagonism and gladia-
torial conflict, the substitution of discord
for harmony, and .jarring and broken strains
for hearts sweetly tuned and vocal with
heavenly praise. Then sects and distinc-
lions shall pass away, the discordant Ian
guage of earth be transformed into the
sweet speech of heaven, clearer worship
be known, an everlasting song be raised,
while the countless poor whom MethodiSm
has reached, the Golfers of England, the
workmen of the North, the red men of the
West, and the Africans of the South, as
cend and Join Gods little ones in perfect
ing praise No angel, no prophet, no apos-
tie can teach us any thing different or higher
than Christian fraternity and charity
Charity is not for war, but for peace, not
for time, but for eternity, and when the
armor in which we fight our battles shall
be changed into raiment of light, its glory
shall exceed all material splendor, and our
completeness shall be known by thls-that
we are made perfect in love. Loud and
continued applause
Rev. d. A. Wheedon, of Providence Con
ference offered resolution cordially well
coming the fraternal delegates from the
South as harbingers of love and unity, and
reciprocating the kindly feelings they had
expressed.
The motion was carried unanimously,
and an enthusiastic delegate suggested that
the audience should sing a verse of the
hymn, "Blest be the tie that binds" All
the members then rose to their feet and
rolled out the melody heartily.
Gen. Clinton B. Fisk moved that COM
rnittee Of seven be anpOinted to act in con