Slavery And The M. E. Church

The controversy on Slavery in this Church seems to have nrrived at a point where the Slnveholders or the Abolitionists must yield. Since the meeting of the General Conference, this subject in some shape has occupied much of its time. Our readers are nlrcady apprised of the decisión in the cuso ol F. A. Harding. He was suspended, on account of holding slaves, by o voto of two to one. The case of Bishop Andrew was similar. He had bcome a slavcholder by marringe, and openly ncluiowledgcd it. The proposition of the Abolitionists was lo suspend him also. Evcry exeriion was used by the Slaveholders to avoid an issue. They tried to stave it off by delny; tbey iried to compromiso, but in vain; and when obligeJ to meet the issue fairly. they found theinse!ve8in the minority of 66 against 110, and the Bishop was suspended. The dtacussions on this question were earnest nnd eloquent, and (he mensure was pursued and carried througli by the anti-slavery portion of the Church with a zeal and stiibility quite uncommon in ecclesiastical bodies.Had we space, we should ükc to present some specimens of the speeches on both 8des. but our iitiiits forbid it. Some of the positions of ihe different speakers, however, must be noiiced as Hustraiive of ihe peculiar views entertained on slavery. Mr. Dunwody, of S. C.; "thought Abrnhhm was a slaveholder, and whcn Hagar escapeé. GOD TOLD HER TO RETURN, thus disapproving of runawoy slaves, and sending an angel to tukeher back again." Dr. Bangs thought an ultra abolitioniet wus as much disqualilied for the oflïce oía Bishop as a slavehojder. Mr. - uley, of Ohio, proposed a substitute, to the effect that the Bishop be suspended until the rnpediiueni should be removed - thut leaving him nt libcrty to se!l his slaves, or dispose of them in any o:her woy. Mr. Spencer hoped the mover would permit such an amendment as would require the Bishop to fi ei his slaves.Dr. Oíin objected to this. He snid ihey liad ii i ight to huid alavés under the Discipline. The objeciion to Bishop Androw wts entirely on the ground of expedicncy. Mr. Comfort, of Ohio, referred to the división of the church that some anticipaled. División was impossible, but a secession might be made. M. Smith, of Virginia, said the nonhern Conferences wotild not darc to eecede. But the Soutlicrn Conferences would notbe degmded laf thd siike of tlie property of the Church. , He wished it understood that the South would noi give up the property. If the General Conference should be unwilüffg to divide it nmicably, he believed it would be in the power of Virginia to hold the whole erf it, and stop every presa in the Book Concern hy an injunctioti fiorn a Court oí Law! vDr. S. enlorced this hint by a tremendous blow on the tnble.)Bishop Andrews wished ihe débale míght close, bu t Conference could do as thsy pleased. He asked no merey at their hands. He had just come from Philadelphia where he had been lisiened 10 by croweded audiences, alihough he was known to be a slaveholder. He p ( sumed his wife would emancípate her slaves if he should reques' her to do 60. but he would not. The next day Bishop Soule spoke denying' the right o Conference to depose a Bishop without trial. In the course o" the discussion, the lour Bishops Soule, Hedding, Waugh and Morris, proposed to the Conference to fluspend all action on the case of Bishop Andrew for fouryears, until ihe next General Conference should meet Tliia was rejected, and the final vote taken as above nientioned.iVo división of the Church vill talie place.- The Southern members know toomuch. What Christran Association vvould fellowship as Chrisliansn body composed only of slaveholders ond slave-breeders? All that shields them from universal scorn at present, is the countenance of the iM. E. Church of' the Frce States. Immediately after the vote waa taken, Mr. Pierce, of Georgia, the senior mcniber of the Southern deiegations, gave notiee that they should oíTer a protest, "nianly. and ministerial." yhich might be of use bafore future tribunals. The Conference then adjourned an hour and a half earlier than usual; and the South ic&nt intj secret session, The Commercial Advertiser saya: ';JJishop Andrew. after nn affectingf interview with his soiithem brethren, which is"said by an observer to have been a most touohing scène, lefi the city on Saturday afternoon for his fanuly and home in Georgia, paus'mg at Newark di.ring the Sabbaih, wherc ho oííiciated yesterday in the Fninkiin sireet church."Dr. Capers on Monday introduced resolutione looking to die. holding of two General Conferences. This has been referred to a committce of nine, to considerand report. Petitions weresubseqnently put in circulation nNew York city, among the lay members. proyng the Conference to rescind their nciion ia the case of BUhop Andrew, and poatpono the matter ti 1 1 nest Confeience.O"T):e füllowing ie the resolution respccting Bishop Andrew, which passed the Genernl Conference, 110 to 68: j'Whcreas. ibe Discipline of our Church forbids the doing any ihmg caicnlated to destroy ur ïtinernm general superinterrd'ency.and whereua Bishop Andrew hnjs become cunmcted wnli slnery hy marringe und oilierwise. and (his api haviug drawn afteT it circunietnnces which in ili.estinintion of tbe Genernl Conference, wil: ;reatly eniliorrnss the exercise ol his office as nu itinc-rnni general suiteriniendenf. f not in sorric places eniirely prevent it, therefoie. Resolved. That it is the sense ot this General Conference that he desist from ilie exercise m this office so long as this impedimem remains." 0" On the first page will be found a portion of another letter on Texas by C. M. Clay. His views of the overwhelming inflaence of the Slave Power will be seen to correspond pre- cisely with thope maintained by the Liberty pnrty. ie also rejects the proposition for colonizing the laves in Texas or elsewhere as absurd and foolsh. This letter will undoubtedly do much good t the South.(ET The State Journal, in reply to our objection that Mr. Cloy isa olaveholder, arguos thai a man's löcality should make noiJiflérence about hls nomination to office. We da not object lo Mr. Cfay because he is a Southern man, or a Kcntiickian; but becuee he is a prominent and ovowed advocate and upholder oí Perpetual Slavery. The Journal ccnnot tfuly deny this. Is it, or rs il nota valid objection? (t4 They have had a tremendous Coldwater celebration at Boston. Some 20,000 persons were in the procession, and 40,000 or 50,000 were present on the commons, with a prodigious nurnber oí banners and mottoes.