New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-09-25
GARRISON AND THE CHURCHES.


JECTrD TO.
The Rev. DR.. Whedon replies at length, IN
n letter given below, To the charge mace u!
Oliver Johnson that the Methodist Church
,,os nro-slayery In its sympaihies before the
Var of the Rebellion. lie claims that the
ac,ion of the denomination in the Northern
STATES showed that il was anti-slavery
Ga all it's puhljc acts. lie goes 50 Tar us To
cav that the various Methodist Churches were
onti-slaverv societies from the first lie cites
ouonc other things, the secession OF the
Methodist Church South in 1874. because
Southern bishop had become entangled by
marriage with slavery, and the General Confer
ence required him to emancipate his slaves
ar cease his functions. Dr. Whedon does not
admire The late William Lloyd Garrison. lie
declares that his style was coarse and vituper-
ative. and that his attitude had the effect OF
solidif,ng the South on the question OF
slavery.
sITTrER FROM THE REV. DIR. WEEDON.
TIE EDITOR OF THE METHODIST QUARTERLY RE-
VIEW REPLIES TO OLIVER JoHNsoN-Mf IHoD-
ISM OFFENDED AGAINST TIE CHARGE OF PRO-
SLAVERY sYMPATIlIEs.
To the EdftOrOf The TTfb"ne
SIR: IL was my lot to be elected Editor of The
5y,sh,li,f Quarterly Rericr IN 1856 at which time
nv friend Oliver johnson. was tue able and fear
less Editor of The National fpti-Sarery Standard
here IN Ncw-York. Soon after my election he used
as nearly as can recollect in his paper the follow
ing words The Editor Of The Methodist Quarterly
Rerar is unQuestionably true anti-slavery man :;
but one swallow does not make Summer" But
n II boppeus that was thus elected hy the Quad
reupial General Conference OF that church. us
National representative body, elected ON anti
a he she'd Dr. Met
,ock. man not without early anti-slavory antece-
DENIS "a seems qnite evident that there must have
bcena large flock Of swallows. quite Little sum-
mer. not visible TO the naked eye of my friends :;
and. may add quite invisible 20 any man looking
through pair Of pure Garrisonian spectacles.
Astot the earlier date OF my anti-,layeryism may
say that voted with the gcrmiral Liberty party
somewhere about 1884 for Governor of Connecticut;
with the same party for James G. Brney for Pres
jdent; with the Free Liberty party for Van Bnren
aud Adams; was ostracized IN Michigan for preach
jucarainst the Fugitive slave Law. while professor
g. thr Michigan University, and had my share out
side of politics m laying the foundations ofth Re-
publican party. During all thai time. and down
70 the present hour. Ineyer co0pe@ted or sympa-
tli1ed vi.h SIR. Garrison, and never consented to
b. called can Abolitionist' simply because did
net, as whole, admire the man. and could work
best by hciIg irresponsible for hs sayings ana DO
iucs. and by simply and drniy avowing myself an
unti-s.qvrrv man. / conceded in ucw rot with
Mr. Garrison but with Mr Benjamin Lundy' ard
f,rtlis was hpnorei IN TIE ibTd'or and other
Gsrr>,.,iau papers. with derlncilfion "a a pro-
slavcrv man. Ny experience relate as typical
one.
Ich.e.fllly acknowledge the heroic points IN
Mr.. G4lr..,a's character. lie was true TO hi, con-
vicnons niih "a maryr-like fidelity. lie had no low
ambitions. out his entire soul was absorbed in The
ono great purpose If advancing cine interests OF The
human race. Dos breaking the Chains OF the captive.
Tor this purpose BE viii be ever held In deserved
honor. Personal friends of his say that in personal
intcrcour,e he was a gentle ana 9lable man. But
In unbli. Lis magnetism was Of the rcpelont sort.
His st,lc was coarse and viiupgative lie calum-
mated. "a. Thought. some Of the purest aud best
men OF his dav. To refuse concurrence with HIM
WA, to De plO-slvery and 10 De pro-siavery was TO
b. an SOFT, OF q rascal When Broueham and
an OCml Numbered forth their denuncations
aasin.f SHAREHOLDERS. Ike Mr. Johnson was
Thrilled aud delighted; but when read The ii5crd-
t,rvifh f.. violent dulrcss. Lid it down in dis
conias.a.en-. HIS wonderful patent invention was
= "peac.fnl Immediate emancipation; but his
whole course continually rendered that result
more and more impossible. 4 peaceful, immediate
emancipation could take place only 10y tie concur
renee If the Shareholders; and every step he took
and word Ice uttered maddencd tie Shareholders
and solidG, them into hostile adainaut. Hence
the great body of the best auti-sayery thinkers
stood apart from him; and as these were generally
Christian. 3ir Garrison AID many Of his followers
grew rabl anl hostile 10 evangelical Christianity.
Inflrls and sem-nfd,ls gathered around him,
opsncd their batteries the churches, and awaited
fhers.ye, of the situation 10 dis red Christianity.
Mr. Johnson, denunciation of the churches in his
narrative is written somewhat after that model;
aud pronounce II. so far as Ne,hodism Is con-
rerucd to be uuhistorical and false. Mr.. Johnsons
profound honesty in the matter, To any who knows
him. u Is uulec c,sary for me u aililn but 10 one
can write truchi-tory OF American anti-Siayeryism
from The Garrisonian standpoint.
JurmsroRC POSITION or THE METHODIST CHURCH
The main reason why Mcthodism Il write in he-
half OF that church alOne found IL unnecessary to
come under afihation with Garisonism luslng the
vnrl in 40 opprobious seusol was that she had a
historic auti-slaveryism of her own, OF which she
was perhaps Systematically, not little proud.
Wesl,ys ringing words against slavery, as the
vile sum OF all human villauics,' which Greeley
brandi.hol as a hghtning-sword through the whole
anti-slavery battle. was from the beginning con-
densa;ion Of her anti-savery belief His full mani
festo AGAINST slavery written with the fire and eO-
onc.cc Of Brougham or an O'Conncl, was one of
her fundamental documents. Our first founder
Bsho;s. Coke and Asbury, sent by Wesley to
America. were ardent Abohtonists. and the former
was mobbed bv the slaveOcrats OF Virginia for
preaching in his day against slavery. Our churches
from the first were ani-slayery societies. As late
as the year 1912 Il think il was, Bishop Asbury
drew up and sued with the purpose # bringing il
before Congress plan for the abolition of slavery,
expecting. not without reason, the concurrence of
The people # the South large share Of the slave
holders included. Between Asburv and Benjamin
Lundy VAS brief period. during which our entire
,,rI L. pa.0