The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-04-29

| Under an act of the general conference
! of 1874. the original Methodist Episcopal
church IN the United States was divided
| into two separate jurisdictions. This act
| was known as the Plan of Separation.
The first general conference of the
Methodist Episcopal church, South met
in Petersburg, Va, May l. 1876 The
relation of Bishop j. o. Andrew to slav-
cry was the occasion of the separation.
| Bishop Andrew was the only bishop the
| southern branch of the church had at
the time of the separation. He was not
present at the opening, and the Rev. DR..
Winans of Mississippi called the confer
ence to order, and the Rev. John Farley,
afterwards bishop, was elected president
pro tenn. The Rev. 7. N. Ralston was
elected, secretary with the Rev. Thomas
o. Summers, assistant. Bishop Andrew
arrived and took the chair the second
day. Bishop Saule adhered to the south
ern church. William Capers of South
Carolina and Robert Paine of Tennessee
were elected bishops. me conference
adjourned on the 23rd day of its session.
There were sixteen annual conferences
represented by eighty-seven delegates.
The second general conference met in
Centenary church. ST. Louis. Mo-, May J.,
1850 There was not quorum present
until the second day. Bishop Andrew
opened the conference. The Rev. Thomas
o. Summers was elected secretary One
hundred and one delegates were pres
ent. representing nineteen annual confer
| - h. t,ttI.l iC1f no in
terests of the church were taking per-
manent shape The missions to the slaves
had prospered. Cholera appeared in St.
Louis during the sitting of this body.
An effort was made to divide the con-
| ference into an upper and lower house.
| This suggestion had strong support, but
| failed to pass. The Rev. H. b. Bascom
| was elected to the episcopacy. This
conference was in session fourteen days.
| The general conference of 1854 met in
| Columbus. Ga, May /. Bishop Saule open
| ed the conference, being the only bishop
present. Bishop Bascom died In less than
| a year after his election. Bishops Andrew
| Capers and Paine arrived later Twenty
one annual conferences were represented
| by one hundred and nineteen delegates,
notwithstanding the ratio of representa-
| ton had been decreased. The member
ship was increasing Three bishops were
| elected-George F. Pierce, John Early and
, H. H. Kavanaugh. Under the law, the
funds accruing from the division OF the
New York and Cincinnati book concerns,
the southern church received $l9looo,
which was augmented by other assets
to a total of $275,0O0 This conference
was in session thirty-one days.
Saturday, May /. 1858, in the hall of
the House of Representatives, Nashville,
Tenn, witnessed the opening Of the fourth
general conference of the NJ Il. church.
South. One hundred and fifty-one dele
gates We're present. The Pacific confer
ence had been established. but failed
to send delegates. II. N. McTyeire, j.
C. Keener and Linus Parker became
prominent in this general conference.
After a long and animated discussion by
a nearly unanimous vote. the general rule
on slavery was stricken from the dis
cipIine. This was explained to be no
endorsement of slavery, but a surrender
10 Caesar the things that are Caesars.
Al this time the church was free from