The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-10-07
CHURCH MENTION.
Renaissance Of a Conference
held at Canton.
Episcopaliaa Matters in this,
the Quincy Diocese.
MEMORABLE CONFERENCE.

/ MEMORABLE COSfEREeCE.
| The recent Methodist conference at Can
ton which expelled George F. Meredith
| from the church on account of his immor
al conduct at the Harper house in this
city, on the 10Th of last March, has been
| the cause of reviving a "Reminiscences of a
previous conference held at that v,llage
during the wear 1S4S The proce ~ at
that early day were not as generally pub
lished as at the present time, but they
proved none1the less interesting.
| A writer in the Canton Register has the
| following amen writing at that time:
| THE SESSION. ~ 80
was held in the old Methodist church. a
| frame building standing on the same lot
of the present edifice, fronting east. The
| conference embraced much larger area
of territory than now, and the building was
crowded every day. The Bishop preach
ed on Sunday in grove in the northwest
part of town. The notables We're Rev. r.
Haney, Rev. Mr.. Phelps, of Rock Island !;
Hooper Crews, James Mitchell. John Mony
and others. The people came from all
sections of the country, from India and
round obout Jordan.
The poultry yards suffered fea1fully, not
family in town bat had two to six minis
tiers to entertain.
The most notable event was the trial of
James Mitchell for holding slaves He
married his wife in Missouri, who owned
two negro girls, and when they moved to
this state brought them with them Charg-
es were brought against him for holding
slaves contrary TO the discipline of the
church. and the trial came off at this con-
ference, Mitchell was Il very able man,
but requested Mr. Phelps, of Rock Island,
to assist in his defense. Phelps was not
only very eloquent preacher but prac-
teal, smart business man, He was consci-
entious ia every act. He abherred slavery,
and believed Mitchell guilty and refused
to assist him. Mitchell conducted his own
defense, and was assisted by advice from
Hon. VIM. Kellogg, afterward member o.
Congress from this district.
THE TRIAL
excited q great deal of interest, not only
in the church. but in the whole state.
Slavery agitation was then confined almost
exclusively to the old line abolitionists,
and the majority of the citizens were in
favor of Mitchell. A lawyer from Chicago
conducted the prosecution He was
sharp practitioner and very able advocate.
The trial was before an open conference,
and every square inch of space was occu-
pied. 4 very fine grass plat in front of
the church was also full of people. 1t was
almost the beginning of the irrepressible
conflict between freedom and slavery in
the Prairie State.
The trial lasted several days, and the
whole community took sides quickly with
Mitchell and against the abolitionists, as
they called them. Mitchell was personally
very POPULAR large. fine looking man,
and in the front rank of Methodist preach
ers in the west.
HIS DEFENSE
was very able, and his speech was six to
eight hours in length, and was master eff
fort, carrying the outsiders completely
His jury-those old gray headed preachers
he failed to convince. They found him
guilty and suspended him from the church
by majority of three, When the vote
was announced the excitement among the
citizens was intense A mass meeting was
called at the old Baptist church Hon.
VIM. kellogg made a speech two or three
hours in length, and a series of resolutions
were passed condemning the action Of the
conference.
At the morning session of the confer
ence the next day vote was passed res
ending the action of the conference, and
giving Rev. James Mitchell transfer to
the Missouri conference. Some of them did
not have the courage to stand by their
convictions.
This trial was one of the most notable
events in the history of Methodism, and
will be doubtless remembered by few of
the oldest members. But two that the
writer distinctly remembers as members
of that body-R. Haney, d. D., and Rev,
Somers-were in attendance at the last
conference.