Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-05-02
GENERAL CONFERENCE
Of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South.
A Sketch Of the History and Pro
gress ofths Several General
Conferences.
The Line of DivisiOn-.-The Pc
tersburg Meeting.

/ QlSl GlloCOlaA NnNLSAs NSNe-t " -
convene in Nashville, Tennessee, May
g being the fret Wednesday in May,
| l8S2. at the General Conference held
| in tie City of New York, May. lS4S
then representing the whole Metho-
dist Episcopal Church in the United
States, the church was divided into
two separate ecclesiastical bodies on a
"plan Of separation" agreed upon by
the General Conference. The coca
sion Of the separation grew out of the
deposition Of Bishop James 0. An
drew. D. D., from the Episcopal office
on account of his connection with
slavery. A lineof division was agreed
on, and the great Methodist family
parted North and South. The South.
ern division held a convention in the
city Of Louisville, KY, in 1916, and
proceeded to organize an independent
ecclesiastical body, under the name
and title Of The Methodist Episco-
pal Church. South"
THE FIRST CONFERENCE.
The first General Conference of the
Southern Methodist church was held
in the city Of Petersburg, Va, May,
1876. The session was held in the old
Union street Methodist church, near
Jsrretts hotel, now occupied by q
congreCation Of colOred Methodists
At the first General Conference Bish.
OPS Soule and Audrew-the two
Bishops who adhered to Southern
Msthodism-presided. The Confer.
ence vas composed Of ninety-seveu
clerical delegates from fifteen Annual
Conferences in the Southern States.
But few Of the men are now living
who we're members Of the General
Conference Of 1876. The great pulpit
orator, Rev. Henry BascOm, Of Ken.
lucky, and that wonderful man, the
Rev. Lowe Pierce, d. D.. Of GeOr-
ga, together With such men a:
the Rev. William Capers
D. D., Of South Carolina; Rev
A. L. P. Green. D. D., Of Tennessee
Rev. HeEekiah 6. Leigh, D. D., o.
North Carolina, and many Others o.
kindred ability, nov no more, wer,
members Of that body. At that con
ference the Rev. Robert Paine, d. d.
then President Of the LEGrAnge col
leEe in West Tennessee, and Rev
VIM. CapeTs, D. D., Of the South Car
olina Conferences, we're elected add
tional bishops IN the Southern church
Bishop Paine is still living. Bishop
CApers i dead There has been /
wonderful growth Of Southern Meth
odism since that day. now thirty-sil
years ago. Then there were but IF
teen annual conferences in Southern
Msthodism now there are thirty
nine eonferehsss. Then less thar
200 travelling preachers OF regula
pastors now 6504 Then but 80, 90
church members, 10000 Of whom
we're negroes. now about 5000
white members.
SINCE 1850.
The General Conferences since tia
session haze been successfully held a
follows: In 1850 the Conference va
| held in st. Louis. No al which Rev
| Henry Bsseom, D. D., was electe
bishop. He lived but few month
after his election. In May, 1854, ID
General Conference was held in Go
lumbus, Ga, at which the Rev. GeC
IL. Pierce, ID. D., Of Georgia: ReI
John Early, d. D., Of Virginia, an
the Rev. H. Fl. KaYanaugh, Of Ken
lucky, were elected bishops. Bishop
| Pierce and KaTansugh are still liTiD,
The Conference Of 1853 was held
Nashville, Tenn. No bishop sleeueC
/ In 1862 the Conference failed 70 hol
a regular session on account Of th
war. The Conference Of 1856 was bel
in the city Ct New Orleans, az whie
Rev. VIM. M. Wightman, d. D.. Ii
D., Of South Caroliua; Rev. David
Dogget, d. D., Of Virginia; Rev. Enoe
Marvin, Of Missouri. and the Re
Holland McTyeire, D. D., Of Loui
lana, we're elected Bisheps. Bishol
Marvin, Dogget and Wightman Al
dead. Bishop McTyeire Is still Twin
E May, 1870, the conference was held
5 Memphis, Tennessee, al which BE
> u. G. Keener, D. D.. Of Louisian
was elected Bishop. The Rev. J am
A. Duncan, D. D., Of Virginia, can
near being elected, and would ha-
7 been elected but for the reason that
. part Of the delegates from Virgin
; we're unwilling 10 part with him
President Of the Randolph Mac
College, and on that account only d
not vote for him.
ISl870.
i The conference Of 1870 was the 6r
I at which there was an equal numb
q Of clerical and lay delegates. III
i. venerable D'Archy Paul, Of Peter
!. burg. Va, was a member Of that co
u ference, and. az one Of Dr. Duncan
IS warmest friends, would not vote
him as bishop because, a. trustee
Randolph Macon College, be did ~
Z see how he could be spared from 4
i presidency Of the college without irr
. parable damage 10 the fortunes, II
o. then, Of the institution. Other of
a Duncan's best friends. clerical a
re lay, took the same ground, and bar,
n defeated his election 10 the episcopal
- In 1874 the General Conference v
u held in Louisville, Ky. No bish
elected. In 1873 The conference n