Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-05-09

pertaining 10 tue burlington ClstIlcL ques'
tluns:
Mr.. President, aud Brothe Of the Conference:
Your committee. 10 whom was refer ell the
memoirs OF the Troy annual conference, akin.
tae appointment OF Il commission on boa nuaries Of
tue lart OF tins conference to meet a Ike com =
sion oi tn conference, TO cor sier The rea just
mt OF boundary lines, and the resf luton one'u
by j. j. zoe, designing toapponi such com Ilsslun
together with he memo las ilom the cuargeS ul
burlington District, have carefully, candMIy am
pray e. fully considered the same; hfye steted to
lhe repIe Iesentations OF the laymen OF BIrln-toh
district, who have appear ed before TINS conference
to state their views IN the case; and nave ayAled
ourselves OF such additional means Of inform n
as at hand to facilitate Intelligent report
concerning the matter.
That The responsibility now upon the Vermont
conference Is grave and serious, and The need OF a
right decision OF the highest importance, Is evident
to ALL
we refer, therefore, to facts as the basis of our
recommendations IN this report and respectfully
submit the following:
WHEREAs-It has been stated in the public
press, and in debate upon this conference door
that the former union of the Burlington dl>tIc
with the Vermont conference from 1850 TO IS was
di atrous TO that district; while the official slatis
ties show the contrary to be tine IN relation to the
spiritual, numerical and financial conIlLIon IN lSte
as compared with 1851;
ASD WHEREAs-l 1t is assumed that the feeling Of
opposition to the present union of Burlington dis
trict with the Vermont conference Is SO intense
that the future prosperity, harmony and spiritual
good of the churca is hopeessy Imperlled II the
union be continued; while this Assumption Is re-
iuted by the present condition OF the ST. Albans
district, once in like condition ofgrevous discon-
tent but now in a cordial, loyal and unqleslioned
sympathy with the Vermont conference
AND WHEREAs-It is assumed that the people
Of the Burlington district are afflicted by the
sunderng OF tender ties aud the breaking of
sacred bonds OF attachment by this transfer; while
such assumption Is utterly without substantation,
and all MethodIstic history, observation eX
perieDce unite 10 show that neither geographical,
ecc eslastcal, social or political lines, bounds or
haTT1eTs.
world have any power to dlsjoin the fraternity OF
our correctional Method.n
AND WHEREAs-lt has been assumed again and
again, IN the public press, inclutng not only the
secular papers OF this state but also the papers OF
our own church, Official semi-oLi cal and nom
oificlal, BY contributors of anonymous and known
classes writers responsible and by writers Irres-
ponslOle and even by editorial writers IN llet o.
DIST periodicals., as well as by members of this
conference this floor, that the transfer OF Bur-
lngton district to this conference iu lSc0 was
effected by vote Off to 10 IN The boundary COM
mlttee OF ninety five memUer7 when The fact OF
the case are that the request Of the Vermont
coniei ence for the transfer of that district was
canvassed, delberated and debated before The
boundary committee vi the general conference fpr
ta days with full attendance OF that committee,
and dnally it clded by vote 10 favor OF The trans
Ter so overwhelming that no one questioned it or
a. ked for count, aud that DUNG The closing days
fine session Of that general conference, and at
the last session OF the boundary committee a
econ-iIet alton Ianted for half hour hearing
re- u!tIng IN eaii nation OF the transfer, by 4
vote OF one majpr J, and this the much quoted,
much advertised and much Inexperienced vote
OF 20 to l9;
AND HEREAs-It is stated in print and in
debate thar the methods used to secure this
transfer were questionable" and unfair" and
are otherwise named as discredlIable and Disgrace
mi. while not one act or Xetted influence has
been named IN specification OF these charges, and
no person has yet been found TO state before
wit nesses or over his signature that he knows 1t
10 be true that any method, plan or system Il
operation was used for this purpose IN any degree
removed from an UPRIGHT Christian course IN luIl
accord with open integrity and Gedy piety
AND WHEREAs-SOtwltnsta standing all OF these
mlsapprehen, ions Of the truth, all II csc grave
lml utations OF motive, all this strange msun'er
stan ing OF the merIts of The issue, and all these
errors OF judgment and If intoIm4-
ton, yet the Vermont cUhfti nee, as body, and
It's members, as individual ministers Of the Lori
vinr,catc and no burmese to sccompII,h IN the
union OF Burlington district with this conference,
but to promO'e the common prosperity and
efficiency oil Vermont Methodl=m as an eFansel ol
the son OF Col;
AND WHEREAs-We are persuaded that it Is for
the good OF the church at large in Vermont As ", Il
IN Burlington dstric. as elsewhere, that our
Methodlsm he unit in the state organization,
that It may go on to perfection, as an eydngehzlng
ln1ufnce. and that our state Methodlsm, which
gave Elijah Hedding 10 the Epscopacy, WllbuI
Fisk to lhe cause OF Christian education, Laban
ClaI to the missionary society, Martin Ruter 10
ecclesiastical history and stephen DIN to our
annals OF pulpit oratory, win many others IN
t mtr days and in It's generation, 10 grand
achIc venents Of triumphant iaIlh in the Masters
I ecoId u past usefulness, may be simulated to
IT'S best and united efoII 10 CLAIM aud pnsscss
Vermont for the Kingdom of the King OF kings;
AND WHEREAs-rse prevailing misapp hen
sion vi he eat Iucts OF our case ind dlcate, by
hatia6le construction, lamentaGe iGnoiarcr
on the pant oil those VINO mIsstale the pend ng
issue, anu call fer correction By the puUhcat Oh
OF he Truth;
AND WHEREAs-We humbly desire to treat
:he plopc slIiOn Of the Troy annual conference
with the becoming Christian courtsey;
AND WHEREAS We believe tn we need
nothing Tor the vlndIcations Of our position on
the boundary issue, and Tor the suU=tan 'atIun
ut The n-nteousness OF our afli Iatlou wIth the
Bui lingtOn district SO much as we need 10 have
hight upon the truth and Truth brought 10 the
light; therefore,
Resol1sd, That so.much of the memorial Of the Troy
annual conference relates to the appointment OF
omsson on the part OF this conference to meet the
com mission named as appointed oy that conference
be Erauted.
Rssoired. That in this decision seek the fullest
tlu OF all truth bearing the PENDING issue
aud TO Afford an opportunity for the relation OF any
have come TO the KNOWLEDGE Of parties interest.
Rssotrsd That J, D. Baeman. P y Granger, H A.
Spencer, r. Morgan and J. R Bartlett be, and they
hereby are appointed commissioners on boundaries
provided in paragraph 3S of the Discipline,
the said commission from the Troy conference at such
place and at such time during the ensuing conference
year as may meet the mutual convenience Of both
commissions, to receive whatever information upon
T. P. Frost Secretary.