The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-06-03
JACKSON, OHIO, THURSDAY, JUNE

General Conference concerning this
important subject. Finally, long af-
ter it should have been brought in,
and after the other new Bishops had
been elected and consecrated. the COM
mittee Thursday morning brought in
a majority report, recommending the
election by the present General Con-
ference of "a man of African descent
to the Office of Bishop A minority
report was also brought in, signed by
twenty or more in opposition. After
a hot, but rambling discussion, the
whole subject was indefinitely post
poned by large majority, thus prob
ably settling the question for the
present, or at least for the next four
years.
The question of the wisdom of this
action is one upon which there is a
difference of opinion. But if the
Methodist Church is to worthily wear
the title of a cosmopolitan Church, to
which it manifestly aspires, it must
outgrow the narrowness indicated by
the vote Of Thursday. The outside
world will have good reason to ques-
ton the sincerity of its professions of
love and friendship for the black man
if it shuts him deliberately out of any
place Of honor or preferment. 1t will
not satisfy reasonable men to say that
there is no colored man competent for
the Office among all the black preach
ers of the Church. Such a confession
IS poor commentary on the results
Of the money paid out in the educa-
ton Of the freedmen for the past fif-
teen years. It is evident that the
greatest men of Mcthodism do not, as
rule, attain the Bishopric, and that
the requirements Of the Office do not
necessitate the highest order Of talent,
and hence it may well be conceded
that a little faithful search would have
discovered a suitable candidate if one
had really been wanted. There is a
manifest spirit Of restlessness among
the colored delegates in view of the
decision reached, and they express
themselves as doubtful Of their ability
to hold their people fast to the Meth
odist Church when they shall realize
that their hopes have been once more
frustrated. Some action will have to
be taken with promptness or there
may result a great loss of colored |
members all through the Sonth.
A great religious body like the
Methodist Episcopal Church, which
assumes to be pioneer in the cause of
human progress and in carrying the
Gospel to the poor cannot afford to
indulge in the temporizing policy of
yesterday. There are hours in the |
history Of men and Churches when
honest, courageous resistancy Of ac-
ton is worth more than thick volumes
of professions, however cordially made.
Thursday was day for action, but the
golden opportunity was lost, and per-
haps forever. The General Conference
would do well to remember that it
a vast constituency, and
that the hold it has upon the conf
dence and respect Of the world will
depend, to large degree, upon the
measure of faithfulness with which it
adheres to the broad principles of
Christian brotherhood, and the zeal
with which it reaches out the hand of
sympathy to uplift the poor and weak.
And, still further, if the Methodist
Church wishes to become real bless
ing to the whole country, binding to-
gether all sections and all classes with
the strong bonds of religion and pa
triotism, it must rise above all narrow
prejudices, and all time-serving, and
all spirit Of caste, and be purely and
simply Christlike in all its words and
actions. 1t is we'll said that it would
not have been best to elect and conse-
crate Bishop of African descent, sep
arately from the others, but that it
was not done at the right time is not
the fault of the colored delegates.