Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-04-12
Caste and MethOdiSm.

off" said the Rev. DIR. Mark Trafton, in
a speech before the New England Conference
Yesterday, "if could swear without shining
YOU would hear something, brethren" and
the conference applauded The facts which
he had been rehcarsing, and which wrought
up his Indignation to such pitch as to al
most make a minister swear" and Metho-
dist Doctor of Divinity at that, were CLEANED
from the report of the Committee on the
Freedman's Aid Society and from the dis
cussion which that report evoked, to be
something as follows At the close of the
war the Methodist Episcopal church, through
its Missionary Society and the Freedman's
Aid Society. organized for this special pur-
pose, entered the Sonthern field and began
the work of organizing churches and schools
for the benefit of the freedmen. The work
met with unparalleled success, hundreds OF
thousands of freedmen coming into the COM
munion of the church, and within six years
several annual conferences were formed
The large proportion of membership
was colored. but by the year 1876
there was quite a sprinklng of white
membership, both among the ministry and
laity. A Southern Annual Conference was
made up of white and colored preachers. and
in the smaller towns and circuits the white
and colored members attended tire same
church on the plane of equality. The
principle of the church was that which had
been practically adopted in lS44. o. knowing
no distinction of race or color. and by ad-
herring to this principle phenomenal success
had been achieved The presence of this
powerful organization in the Southern field
on this basis had done much by the year 1876
L
when the General Conference of the church
in that year, passed \ rule which left it with
the bishops. if they thought expedent, and
the Southern Conferences should ask for it,
to divide the work there, organizing one
white and one colored conference for the
same territory. 1t seems that in number of
cases the authorities have thought it ex-
pedient, and TODAY there is this distinction
made. and this line is drawn, based
on color. The result has been that the
casts spirit has, since that year, grown all over
the South the colored man has been placed
by the law of this church on an inferior plane.
and the people of the North have been max
ing contributions in response to pleas for aid
ing and elevating the ''poor colored man"
for the support and in aid of schools and
churches which refuse TO admit the colored
man for either instruction or worship. With
in q year Rev. Mr.. King. of Birmingham
Alabama, pastor of a Methodist Episcopal
Church, published in local paper card, say
ing that his church was exclusively for white
men, and that mo colored need apply" 1t
has not yet been learned that this pastor has
been rebuked by the authorities of the church,
and it is significant that the editor of the Of
fetal organ of the church, the Christian Ad-
vocate, who is accustomed to express his
opinion on almost every conceivable subject
in unmistakable and vigorous language, has
- maintained on this whole question a won
derfully discreet silence. Our readers
will hardly wonder at the temptation
which assaulted DIR. traitor yesterday, and we
have no doubt will approve the action of the
conference which so unanimously expressed
its determination &c agitate this question un-
til this disgrsceful blot in the legislation of
the church. which was made by setting up q
color line and caste distinctions, is removed.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, in its leg
islatiou today stands below State and Nation
al legislation. States North and South place
colored men in legislatures, in Congress,
in high official positions, on terms of equality
with white men. Ii has remained for the
Methodist Episcopal Church, the followers
of John Wesley, to say that the war for eman-
cipation, citizenship. equality and Union was
failnre, and to build houses of worship in
which the gospel of Christ is 30 be preached
to white sinners exclusively. 1t is to the
honor of the New England Conferene, a con-
ference that gave to the Episcopscy Gilbert
Haven, that it enters its protest against
This disgrace.-Bosfon Trareiier Apr. 10.