New-York tribune., 1878-04-30
SOUTH ERN METHODISM.
THE GENERAL CONFERENCE.


THIS YEARS MEETING AT ATLANTA, GA.-INTgRRsIA
INVOLVED AND QUESTIONS TO BE CONSIDERED
The General Conference of the Southern
Methodist Episcopal Church opens at Atlanta to-nlor
row. IL will be composed OF equal numbers OF lay aud
ministerial delegates. The conference has full legisla
powers, which limited by few restrictive rules
only. IL will pass in review the administration Of the
bishops, the management OF missions and OF Publish
ing House, and Will make rules and regulations for the
government of the churches. The bishops exercise
suspeDsiye veto by declaring any measure adopted
unconstitutional. when 1t mast be referred 10 the next
succeeding General Conference. The Southern Method
lists are to Baptiss. the most selg.
ious body in the South They have in the states below
| Mason and DixOn's line $4,000 communicates These
members nearly all whites, the colOred cOmmunl.
cants having been set OF separate church since the
war. For foreign missions the church contributes
about $4,000, and for home Missions So, 600, an
nrally.
The liveliest interest will he taken by Methodists both
Of the North and the South in the action Of the confer
the subject OF frsernal relations The effort TO
establish fraternity between the Northern and Southern
Methodist Churches has passed through various phases
As after The the year 1869, the Northern
bishops sent deputaton Of two Of their number TO re
southern bishops proposing union OF the two churches.
The proposal OF union declined, matter OF con-
5ideraton but it suggested By the bishops OF the
ChureA that IL would be we'd to remove the OBJ
5tat!ts IN tue way OF AT
ence OF 1870 held in Memphis, Tenn, deputaion ap-
pcIred the Northern Methodist Episcopal General
Conference proposing fraternity The way being thus
opened friendly deputatlOns appeared at successive
General Conferences, until at length joint commission
appointed to settle the terms Of agreement. which
met at Cape May in August, 1875 The commissions
unanimously adopted the following statement as
a basis Each OF the churches is a legitimate
branch Of Episcopal Methodism In the United
STATES, having o common origin in 1884 Since
the organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church
sth was consummated in 1945, by the voluntary excr
else OF The right Of the Southern Annual Conferences
ministers and members 10 adhere to that communion IL
las boon evangelical church, reared ScTiptura
loundatoHs, aud r ministers aud members with those
OF The Methodist Episcopal Church have constituted
Ic hodist family, trough in distinct ecclesiastical
nections" Rules adopted for the amieabe settle
ment Of property questions, some OF which were very
serious. The general principle adopted Of endeay
oYng ascertain the equities of each property case
without regard to legal technicalties The decisions OF
the JOINT commission have been received with sas!ac-
tiou on both sides.
since the meeting Of the commissioners, several ques
tions have arisen which have Interrupted the how OF
lrieudly feeling. Il has been insisted upon that the
Nor,hcrn Chmcb. if sincerely disposed TO be fcatcnal
should abandon the Southern States II claimed that
the two churches if in the field, win of necessity
be rivals To this it is answered the Northern side
chat enough in tbe former slave States for
bOtu that the Southern Church occupies Northern terri
tory and Is welcome 10 do and that the Northern
Methodist Church has 100000 members in the south
whom cannot abandon without great nrsiice II has
also schools, colleges, asyuUs in O. field, which e
Drudent for support. and which the Southern Meth
oists could hardly sustain Latery tGe papers OF tue
two denominations have shown signs of Irritation.
Despite these difference, of opinion and feeling. the set
tlrncnf of the JOINT commissioners Will most likely be
accepted by the Southern General Conference. II
moves from the Southern MethOdiss the stigma 81 being
"a secession a point IN regard to which they have iog
many years been sensitive.
The affairs OF the dcnOminatiOnal Publishing House.
Nashville, Will occupy much OF the t!pc OF the body
The house has been for several years in trouble During
the It's business broken up ana the property
seized by army officers as beng used 10 AID rebellion
Il WAS time, restored 10 the church, which began the
task If recovering lost prosperity with much spirit
or capica there was but little, and as a consequence
There has financial dhcltV. The assets
utcd to be 1880 600 all Liabilities, bur the laF
ties in the form OF bonds and nOes, pressing An
effort to immediate relief. by glit OF S6OOO0
Annual Conferences, has effected something,
but the OF the house call tor i greater
sum. Bonds been offered for S2DO.OOO, whCreWlth
to take up all outstanding llabi les. 10 what extent
These have sold VIII appear in the report 20
be made the conference. Southern church Publishing
houses have not, since the war, been prosperous.
to proposals OF changes IN the church economy, thy
in probably be very many demand VIII 90 up frvm
Richmond for modification ot the ltlDerahcy thefes Is
however less disposition To modify the ltncTlncy III INC
southern than I'm the Northern Church. crude but IN.
eresIag scheme has been proposed for the union 81 an
the branches the Methodist Episcopal family III tAe
United States by means or GcsnnCniCal Conference
The Dlan CONCENTRATES IN the WORK OF foreign is-
sions pubisning and sunday schools commission has
ALREADY appointed by tGe General conference OF e
Northern Church make arrangements Tor Pasielh-
odst Conference is expected that the southern "en
eIal Conference viii concur