General Conference Of The Methodist E. Church

'I bis Conference tnet nt Pitisburgli, Monda y. M;iv lat. Bishop Hedding cnlled ilie Conference lo order. Bishops Waugh and Moni? were present. The ñames of dele;rír lirinj; ciilied, 134 responded. .T. M. TrimMe, of the Oliio Conference, was elect-ed Secretan,-. J. T. Pecl and John Frazer veré cansen assislnnts. Bishop Heddinor.ddiessed the Conference in a very earnest manner. Tlie rules of the last Conference, witli a sjighl ainendment, were adopted for lili ;. The usurI commiltees were appoinied; slaoa cominiltee oftwo fi-om each delegation, on tbe Stiiie of the Church. un liic second day, the Annua! Conferen■ocs were cálled on for memoriala and appeals. A memorial froin Ebenezer Charge, St. Louis, ums presented, in relation to the evils n ont of (he división of the Church. It arraigned the administration of tlie Episcorracy, and gave rise to much discussion. A memorial wns preaented frorn the African Metliodist Episcopal Church, St. Louis, stating tJi.it. aliliough 110 of the Members liad I to i main wilh the Methodist Episcop: Cbur: I), ind only 7 to go with thn Church onll), their meeitDg house was taken froin tliamjMuj given to tlie 7, while tliev were compffled to worship in a private room. They agked to be takel under the protection of the Mfthodisl Episcopal Cliurch. Keferred. j notlier memorial of a similar character was , Milimiile.i. The credentialsof tlie delégales t from Cfiiiniln were presented, and Mr. Green, , one oflhe delégales, took bis seat. i On the ihird day, Bishop Hnmline (ook llie Chair. The President presented a pnper, prepared by iho Bishops, ibr ilie conskleralion of llie Conference, setting fortli several few que.-iioiis, and mnkingr siiu;n;e$iions in re ilion lo nlieraiions of the Discipline. A debute arose on a moiion to print the pnper in Daily Chrislian Advocate, bui tliis was finally l;iid upon tlie table. The pnper ras ijlen withdrawn, with the consent of tlie Conference, so tliat it might be revised. Rev. J. Dixon, delégate frorn the English Mellio' ■ . was ntroduced. A mi rnorial was presented Trom J. Hamm and .). ií ji ,_ of Bangor, Maine, asking the I Conference to relund to thein the lliey paid, severdly, to the Book ii:e said Conference decided livision of ilie funda oí' the Cliurch outh, Tlie amount claimed by the , fir.-i was SI 00, and S-50 by the latter. , lerred to the Committee on the slate of the Cliureh. "Dr. Ellioit preaented a petiiion dom adtieríhg breihren in Davia county, Hartford circuit., Kentucky,soliciiing the convention to be restored 10 their riglits, of vvhich they had heen depr.ved, growing out of the actiotl oí llie General Conference of 1S44. He alio presented a petition from 70 persons of Na Creed Society, in the Kentucky Conference; also, from Societies in the eouniies of Pike, Lincoln, Montgomery, and Warren, in Missouri ; iiniJ likewise (rom 57 persons residing in Batesville, Arkansas, all of similar teiiorÜ Refened to the Comniittee on the State of the Church. " The Doctor also prcsnnted a petiiion from B. Norwood, North western Arkansas, a.sking the General Conference to make provision for the rerognition of certain persons residing there as belonging to the Methodist Episcopal Church." Mr. Dixon, ihe EngKsíi delégate, his creíientiüls havingbeen read, addreseed the Conference, in a sirnin bighly compliinentary to ibis country, and, in (lie oourseof bis remarks meniioned the subject of slavery as follows: "Itwouldbe premature and presumptuoiis in mi', to remarfe upon the circumstancea which surround Methodism io the U. States, ou-ing [o the brief period 1 have been in the country, but as far as I have been permitted (o witness the effeets of Methodism, I believe ihat . you have been graciously blessed, and th;it its principies prevaü in their ('uil integrily an.J purity. I rejoice, therefore, and beJiève that ainong you is settled the true spirit and real vitality and experience of Methodism which ought to be promoted and continue to prevaü among you. I regret, however, in common with my brethren in England, that anything, that any necessity, should have nson among-you to produce the sad división vvliich lias occurred betvveen the North and South. Brethren, need I say that our sympaibiea (and í ain sure Í speak tlie feelings and opinions of every preacher in England, and ol JteibodUrn in Eugland) are entirely on the side of liberly. Our sympathies are entiivly on ihe side of ihe emancipation of the slaVes. Our desire and our prnyer is, that, by ilie l'rovidence of God, circumstances may arise to rnake it possible that this great ble-ssiiif; may be conferred upon all the black population of this gieat Continent. [An exclamation of " Amen !"] I am touching, I kiiow, a very delicate quostion, but [ thougbl it riirlit to say that our feplings on this qnestion arê aJI on one side. Wiih regard to your particular arrangementa in relatron to this tion l have nmhing to do ; therefore, t ivotild ba preumptuoua in tiie to give any opirtlon. "Í on v ■ the opinión I have exi ;h ex"i3ta in England, and e concurrence of circutnetances, i happened to take a somewhat prominent pari in the ir re;it movement on the subject of slavi'iy, whicli took place a few yeare siuo in niy country. I say I happened to be a merober of the great National Committee on Emaocipation, at the iiine the inaasure was carneo1 in England. 1 understood the quesiion very well, and feit a deep interest in t." On tie fourth day, the paper prepared by the Bishops in relation to cemin law quesjionSj &c, was again submiited, and appropriately referred. Numerous rrwmorials resperting bonndaries were presented. On the fifili day, Dr. Peck, frora thecommitíoe to wliich was referred tlie letter of Dr. Pierce, delégate from the Church South, propoíinj fraternal relations, reponed a preamble and resolutioa, declining the proposal, and refusing to recognise Dr. Pierce in his 'iïjcia! charncter, althoiigh expressing a lingness to tender [o bim all the courtesies due liim as n private gentleman. The report gave rise lo debate, rinring wliich Mr. Tomlinson, of Kentuclky, said " he most heanily Japproved of the resolution of the Comrninec on the state of the Church ; and notwithstandiflg he was from a slaveholding Staie - notwithstandjng he was bom and reared n a sjaveholding State, out of vvhich he liad never been many days, lie would repeat tliat he spproved of the resolution. He knew it was somewhnt important hp should express himself with caution, on account of the prejudices which prevnil in that community. He, hewéver, intendpd to consult lis own conscience in a matter of this kind. And he would now say, in tho languaee of the Rev. Dr. Dixon, that the sympathies of tliis General Conference are entirely on the side of hberty. [Exclamation of " Amen "J Bot he would noiv say, altJioujrli il was a little premature, and was a painful fact, that the prerailing sympalhiea of the Chureli South were on the side of Slavery. [A voice, " No doubt of it."j He hoped that no bróther would feelhimself hurt at this frank announcernent of his opinión on this subject. This was his honost conviction, aml, as an honest man and a Cliiistian, he hesitated not to avovv it. And he would now express the opinión as a conscieniious man, ihat we could not (l'aternize with the Methodist E. Church Soutli, asa genuino meinber of the Wesleyan Methodist family. But he would say, on the ither hand, that if ihey wished to break up he Methodist Episcopal Church, tliey would lo so by frateroizing with the Church South. 3e had no doubt of il. They could not lenuze with (nat Church. He rose simplv 10 propose that the resol ulion be amended so as lo resd thus : " P rovi.de J, kowever, That nothing in ihis resolmion sliall be so construed ;is to opérate as a bar to any propositiona fröm Dr. Pierre, or any other representntive of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, lowards tlie setdement of existing difficulties between that bod I and ibis." Pile amendment ivas seconded. The amendment was adopted, the report as amended was ihen agreed to, and a letter to Dr. Pierce was ordered to be prepared in conformity thereto. On the sixlh day, Dr. Peck reponed a resolutbn from the Committee on (he state af the Cliurch, calling upon the Bishops lor Information concerning the cases in which he plan of separation had been violated by :he Chuich South. Adopted. May Sth, seventh day. - Dr. Simpson ved a resoJalion tbat tbe Cominiltee on Boundaries be insfructed to embrace the Californias and New Mexico. Referred to the Commitiee on Miásiona. Mr. Sandford,fróm ilie Law Committee.reported a resolntion tbat, wJien a person, private tnember or preacher, declares to the proper autlioiiiies that lie witlidrnws from tlie Methodist Episcopal Chiirch, he thereby forfeits all privileges in said Church, and places bimself beyond her jurisdicción. This gave rise to a debute, n vvhich some contended ihat no member should have the privilege of mthdrawing, unlesa under dealings. Several attempls at amendment failed, and ihe discussio'n was al last suspended, in favor of the consideraron of a memorial presented from Orejón. EighthDay. - The resoluiionjust referred to, was taken up and lakl npon the table today, A comniunication was read from Dr. Pierce, delégate from the Cliurcli South, reciprocating the courtesies of the Conference, but declining to sk iviihin the bar, as he co'd not go ihere in his official character. He also stated that the coinmiinication was final - the Church South would never renew the offer of fraternal relations. An address was read from the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Canada ; afier which, the delegates bein" invited, made appropriate speeches. Ninth day. - Memoria! yesterday and todny were presented from colored Methodists n New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, asking the establishment of a separate Conference. Referred to a Select Comrnittee. Memoriala on Slavery and Secret Societies were presen ted and referred to the Coinmittee on the State of the Church. A peiition was presenled from twenty-three mernbets of the Church in Missouri, prayinothat tliey niigbt be transferred neiiher to the Church Nonli nor Church South. Tliey wanted no chango. Referred (o the same eommiltee. A similar pelition from 3Gó membera of the same State was similarly referred. On moiiea of Mr. Kennedy, it was resolved that the Rpplícsrtion of J. C. Green, for ín appeal from the New York Conference caniiot be; granted, he having declared hisintention to withdraw from the Church. Afier the decisión ín liis case, the business of the Convention was suspended to heara sermón from the Rev. Dr. Dixou. Tcnlh dtiy. - The Missionary commiltce made a report in favor of eslablishing another Conference, (o be called the Oregon anc California Conference. A lively discussior followetl, in wliicli a great deal of interes waa raanifested in the proposition, but it wa-. Vecommiited witha viewto adjust sume deiails Elevciufi day. - P. Akers, from tlie Committe on Itinerancy, reported in part. The report referred to the vote bf the onference n relation lo the división of the property ol the Church. It was laid upon the table, till the Conferences of the South could be heard from. A memorial was read from the colored members of the Methodist E. Church in Baltimore. praying for the establishment of a Colored Conference. The reasons nre thus stated. After alluding to the institutioo of separate Churches, the niemorialiits say - " It is well known that the good Lord has greaily enlarged our members sinoe ihatoever-to-be-forgotten period, by owning the labors of our colored preacliers n conjuction wild lliose of the white, in the conversión of inany tliousands of the colored race ; and quite a largor number of colored preachciarnong us, smne of wliom, all things considered, had, and still possess, respectable talents, and have done much eood in ihcir local rnpaciiy; but hilherto they have been quiu limited in iheir sphere of opcrations, liavini liad no opportunity of being exlensively uscful, they being generally poor men, a::d, no provisión having been made for them to go forih and dispense the bread of life lo theii pens hing fellow-men, tlteir nsefulness has, in cojisequeuce, been greaily liBjdered - and omcolored fullow-men have tliereby been deprived ol'tbose I lessings Almiglity God vvould have j;ranted ibrough their iustrumenlaliiy. And now, reverend fathers and bietliren, your inernorialisis uould sav, ilial it does seem clear to them tbat the 'time bascóme vvben soraetbiog should be dons lor the prosperity of the Ministry among our colored brethren; and tbe qnestion arises, how sball or can tln.-j des! red object be accomplishe'd ? For we have no expectatims tkat the ministers, the descendant ofAfrica,tmüever beadmitted to scats and votes in the Conferences of their white brethren, howcver wdl they tnay be quulijivdfor the work of the minislnj ; nor do we desire to unite vvitb the existing colored conneciions. Thurelbre, our colored bretbren in the city ol Jialtimore, alïer ckie prnyerlul consideraron, have been led to llie coneulsion, fot the reason alrearly mentioned, and oiliers whrch miglit be mentioned, iliat a far greater amotint of good vvould of necessity result from our being placed n a cond ilion so that colored ministers should have the pastoral oveisight of all the colored people in conneclioh with the Methodist Church, in all places in the United States where the laws and usages do not forbid." [The portion of the memorial vvhich we have placed in Italië must awaken painful reflections n the minds of those wfio beheve that God is the Father of all, and is no respecter of persons.] 1 he memorial was referrecl to ihe Committee on memoriuls from Colored Persons. A cornrnuniention was read fiom Bishop Soule, requesiing, ifthere were any charges ngainst him for the lwo veas previous lo hs wilbdrawal, they mtgtil be propeily nvesiigagated, &c. It was moved, that'as Bishop Soule had wiihdrawn from (he Cliurch, i!)e conference liad no jurisdicción over the matler. Twelfthday. - That resolulion carne up today, wlien tlie folio wing was adopted as a substitute: " Resolved, That it is the sense of lilis General Conference, that they have no jurisdiction over the Rev. Bishop Soule, and enn exereise no ecclesiastical authority over him." The order of "he day was suspended for the purposeof putting several questions in relation to Meihodists usages in England to Dr. Dixon, the English delégate. One or two of ihe questions elicited characteristic answers : " Quslion by M. Trafton. Have you any colored members in your socieües ; ifso, do jou repon thera .? " Answer. If our excellent brother knew more of Englaod iban lie appenrs lo do, lie tvould not make sucii inquiry. I never met with but one colored man in society in En-land in my lifp. " TIÚ3 was in tlievicinity ofLondon. In meeting the class lor the disiribuiion of lickeis, with the Class Book ín his hand, he carne across ho name of Madison Jefferson, and he ooked up, and there stood before him a fine, arge, athletic, and he thought beauliful black man. [A laugh.] I thougbt hini beautiful. [ said, 'You have a fine name; tbis is the ïame of two American Piesidents. How lid you get thisnamer' He ansvvered, 'RIy massa give il lo me." I inquired, 'Have you icen a slave ?' He replied, 'Yes.' 'And Jid you run away from your master ?' ' Yes did.' 'And did you not think it wrong to run away from your master, and thus deprive him of his property f" 'No ; he thought the wrong was on the other side ; for his master had no right to hold him as a slave.' " The Doctor, in continualion, said he thought il mproper to cominue these qneslions any longen in the eines ; but vvhen the people wfire gone, he asked the colored brother more fully in regard to bis history. He told me that he had had two masters. The eldest one, he thought, was no Cbristian ; but tlie young master, he believed, was a good man. He said he had heen fiogged lïequently, and he and two or ihree others concluded to escape. " He knew f he was detected and bronght back he would be flogged any how, and he could but be flogged, staying or going ; so he concluded to run the risk. An oïd negro directed them to follow the Nonh star, and aways travel by night, evading the light of day. They followed bis direction, and, after incredible hardihips, fbey got sale to Canada. But, not thinking himself sufficiently safe lliere, he saved bis rnoney, and, as soon as he could get off, went to England, and is novv employed in a stare1) factory, and appears to be a worthy and spiritual man. " Question by M. Trafton. When you reponed your members, did you report so miny white, and one colored? ' Answer. No ! no ! no ! We make no distiiiciion amona; onr brethren in Jesus Christ on account of color."