The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-12-20
ADDRESS

N Judge J. Woford Tucker, delegate
%om the Florida Conference, NJ. E
Church, South, at the public meeting
hed in Bethesda Chapel, Hanley, Stat
fordshire, England, succeeding to, and
.0mnemorative of, the Methodist Ecu
weuical Conference, London, 26th Sep
tsmber, 1881;
M PRESIDENT, LADIES AND GENTLE
rry-This being the last of series Of
pubic meetings instituted and designed
Cor the entertainment and benefit OF this
Christian community, and this, probably,
heiue the last occasion when l shall have
the honor to address an English audience,
!. occurred to me that l could not better
improve the opportunity than by offering
for the consideration of this immense and
Intelligent assembly some of the more
prominent and noteworthy facts con-
pected with the history of American
MethOdism.
When Methodism had taken root in
English soil, and Charles Wesley could
truly sing, "See how great fame as
uires." and could claim that this evange-
istic influence was spreading to the ma
tons, that wise, Incompatible organizer,
John Wesley, had already planned, and
partly put in execution, the establishment
Of Methodist Societies in America. The
process of transportation was effected
without difficulty, and this form of our
common Christianity soon began to
grow, and spread, and flourish in the
New World; thriving more in country
than in city, and more in the South than
in the North, in proportion to amount of
effort and density of population.
Soon after the revolutionary war, which
resulted in the independence of the colo
MES, the Methodist organization, as then
existing in the American Republic, was
formally set off and made independent
under the oversight of general superin-
tendents, who, very naturally, were in
vested by the Church with the title of
Bishop; and the American Methodist
Church thus became Episcopal in form of
government. Thus fully invested with
the rights, powers and privileges OF a
Church in the New Testament sense, and
completely disembarrassed of the presence
Of State Church, this ecclesiastical or
gAaizatlOn took position side BY side with
the other evangelical forms of Protestant
christianity, not the least aggressive OF
the militant host" and proclaimed her
nlsslon-" to spread scriptural holiness
over these lands" The persistent efforts
and determined labors, and grand achieve
neats OF the early American Methodist
Preachers-the missionary corps-the for
lam hope of the attacking forces will never
be fully known in this life. There is a
perfect record preserved elsewhere! Nor
has the breed of great men died out
YET IN that division of the Church cath
ellc. No organized Christian movement
Of modern times has achieved more sig
nAl, sustained, widespread, and beneficent
RRmphs than has our American Metho-
dlsm- The foundation for this success
the nrst eenquests-the secure foothold-
the early actual entering into possession
OF the land-was the work of one ,.odr.
ciaed american Methodist Church and
oNE 1t might have remained, and proba-
eiy would have remained to this hour.
out for one disturbing question. In or
DER TO speak more intelIigibly of this dis
tnrelng element which ultimately necessi-
aated and justified the division of our
American Methodist Church into two
ecclesiastical jurisdictions, divided geo
graphically, it will be necessary to note
'eone facts of civil and political history
eo1temPOraneous with the Introduction
.Aa growth of Methodism on our CONT
nenG
Daring the latter half of the 18th. and
- mole Of the 18th centuries, q traffic,
eaeted by the owners and managers
merchant ships from England and New
Aad, had grown into Importance and
eenltlon, which consisted in the pur-
80 nom native chiefs on the coasts of
- OF theirsubjects, or csptives of war,
y @fEylag these savages to the West
Islands and to the American colo
Ios sale as slaves. This traffic was
=. proved by the moral sense of the
san communities, and was ct last
.ced justly A. cruel, demoraIixing
nhnman; and these sentiments found
sung expression in the laws and
policy Of civilized nations. In \
paper propounded by the Anglo
eolonists under pressure Of
soas issues, and offered for the
failon Of mankind - jastifying :
avn revolution, Known In our his
= the Declaratson Of Independ-
~ one Of the eossnEs, or charges II the
= Z. lealetment against fhe government
- BE Ill was, that, coufFary 20 the
-, ana circumstances Of his Ameri-
-. ecsa, be had permitted The impor-
neag them Of large nnmhers Of
a4EageA
g = vas. These Affican snvagea
lmported. and coslll not Be q.
kaEages they wese: ard i snek
ape5eetad = conirol-t0 order.
q e - laws prohlem skns proxi.
eePoeed upon tie Amexiesn ool.
Aheee slaves becar,a nasnrsiIv
% agsieultarnl laborszs &c tks
- lgleEe ekeh lHkps NJ n.sst
ye fbere Wenla exi.t s eoeve.
smnud fDr b md tln. = -
- es1iaarY Laws e aoSnnseie
1e.el people wene nla'I -
- North eeusk ~ q -
- ealton. fs1acee. -. -,
- - . - than ! enr...srS
ieam Ene6a
- - go
6l1n =