The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-05-23
s.f = Z - x =F4s.#ts-7s-- 49,
Rfsr,0p Paine.s Address.

s Tue 10ilOW1nSs address, was CellfeTeu Dy
Bishop Paine at the conclusion OF the cere-
monies OF receiving the fraternal delegates
of the Methodist Episcopal Church by the
General Conference on Thursday last:
It remains for me, the presiding officer at
this moment to say that we feel deeply
stirred, brethren Of the delegation, by your
words and message Of love-. [Applause. ]
This occasion marks an era in the history Of
our Conferences. It demonstrates that the
action OF the beloved commissioners ut Cape
! May was a great act, and that you recognize
the binding force and obligation OF the con-
dit1ons embodied in the paper they pre-
pared, and acknowledge 1t as q finality Zap
plause1 as to intercourse and differentiation,
and for all time to come. 1t is the earnest
hope Of the heart: Of him who addresses
YOU, and OF my honored colleagues and the
whole body who appear before you, that
fraternity may become more genial, more
effective, and that our hearts and souls may
be knit together more closely in the love Of
our common MethpdiSm under the inflU-
ences OF the Holy Spirit.
Sirs, the emotion OF my heart is mex
pressible. For twenty-elght years travel
ling preacher in the Methodist Episcopal
Church, with true loyalty to it, and prefer
ring death to Its severance, unless impera-
tive necessity, in my opinion, demanded it !;
for thirty.o years in the Southern Church,
feel united to Methodism by. a lifelong
labor OF sixty. one years in the Church as a
travelling minister. [Applause.l have
taken stock in Methodism. / was not raised
with predilections for it, but educated
against it. iet i became converted by ex-
aiming into its doctrines and finding them
eliminated OF the errors OF former ages. l
believe its doctrines accord with the'great
truths OF the Bible, which are the true
foundation Of Christian union and harmony.
We may differ in REPRESENTATIVE may
differ in mode Of operation-but the great
doctrines of the Bible, clearly understood;
differentiated and eliminated Of error, is
The true basis OF union and frater-
nifty. That we have and that you repre-,
sent, we do not doubt. We stand on the
same platform, we believe the same doc
trfnes, and we believe them as you teach.
! We are perfectly agreed. Our policy is sub
stantiaily the same. We believe in going
into all the world and preaching the gospel
toreYery creature. We maintain the polity
of our great Methodism, which has been SO
efficient. We believe in the practical pre-
cepts, and experience and doctrines refer
red to by our h0nored brother (Dr. Foss)
and SO eloquently expressed. You may 90
away and be assured that Southern Method
ism is sound in her creed, sound in her ex-
perience, and striving to be more aud more
sound 10 her practice. [ApplaGse.l q You
may tell that John Wesley is honored by US,
as much as by our Wesleyan friends and by
the brethren OF the Church you represent.
-; Twas glad to hear you speak Of Pam
Methodist conference. The proposition
diled my heart lin my distant home. We
are willing and ready to meet representa-
fiyes OF Methodism from all parts OF the;
world. We are now essentially ONE though
differing In color and cline. We can meet.
upon a common basis. We claim to occupy
that ground, and by grace we intend 70
maintain it, y. 5ss s5 asi2i IS
You may so home and tell your brethren
that we! are little In advance OF them. We
initiated The system OF lay NATION.
You are very. alick, to understand these
things, but sy0n followed us. Laughter
eYou are q little behind us, sir. You Claim
precedence III many things, and we grant
1t, but We were before you IN this respect.
We are progressive, bnt fesftnG aen teT
hasten slowly our motto, We try to- he
conserya s. w by here on this d0er are
1aymen elected equal in number with the
eiericaf. 4 know some ,os your people, ike
some OF ours, feared they would not be
conservative. being unaecustomed TO pos-
xess ecclesiastical power and tho result |
would be that the itinerancy would suffer
injury by the ints duet.on OF this neW eie-
ment.
i am happy to tel yous sir, Sc. has BEEN
demonstrated ON this Goor every day that
the laysnen are remaEk ahiy conservative.
EApplause. you Will listen you Will
hear ndefing \. VI /! q % MOI % to- any
prppositson fering With any iinposta
tsas4ge 0I Ostlsfn. w o REe not afraid
IRss ssf 81 They VIII be tie