APPENDIX III.

outofthemostrespectableofourfriends,fortheconductingofthebusinessandthepresidingelders,deacons,andtravellingpreachers,shallprocureasmanypropersignaturesaspossibletotheaddresses,andgivealltheassistanceintheirpower,ineveryrespect,toaidthecommittees,andtofurthertheblessedundertaking.Letthisbecontinuedfromyeartoyear,tillthedesiredendbeaccomplished." In1836,letusnoticethechange.TheGeneralConferencehelditsannualsessioninCincinnati,andresolvedasfollows: "Resolved,bythedelegatesoftheAnnualConferencesinGeneralConferenceassembled,thattheyaredecidedlyopposedtomodernabolitionism,andwhollydisclaimanyright,wish,orintentiontointerfereinthecivilandpoliticalrelationbetweenmasterandslave,asitexistsintheslaveholdingStatesofthisUnion." Theseresolutionswerepassedbyaverylargemajority.AnaddresswasreceivedfromtheWesleyanMethodistConferenceinEngland,affectionatelyremonstratingonthesubjectofslavery.TheConferencerefusedtopublishit.Inthepastoraladdresstothechurchesarethesepassages: "ItcannotbeunknowntoyouthatthequestionofslaveryintheUnitedStates,bytheconstitutionalcompactwhichbindsustogetherasanation,islefttoberegulatedbytheseveralStateLegislaturesthemselvesandtherebyisputbeyondthecontrolofthegeneralgovernment,aswellasthatofallecclesiasticalbodied,itbeingmanifestthatintheslaveholdingStatesthemselvestheentireresponsibilityofitsexistence,ornon-existence,restswiththoseStateLegislatures....Thesefacts,whichareonlymentionedhereasareasonforthefriendlyadmonitionwhichwewishtogiveyou,constrainus,asyourpastors,whoarecalledtowatchoveryoursouls,astheymustgiveaccount,toexhortyoutoabstainfromallabolitionmovementsandassociations,andtorefrainfrompatronizinganyoftheirpublications,"etc.... Thesubordinateconferencesshowedthesamespirit. In1836,theNewYorkAnnualConferenceresolvedthatnooneshouldbeelectedadeaconorelderinthechurchunlesshewouldgiveapledgetothechurchhewouldrefrainfromdiscussingthissubject. In1838,theConferenceresolved— "AsthesenseofthisConference,thatanyofitsmembers,orprobationers,whoshallpatronizeZion'sWatchman,eitherbywritingincommendationofitscharacter,bycirculatingit,recommendingittoourpeople,orprocuringsubscribers,orbycollectingorremittingmoneys,shallbedeemedguiltyofindiscretion,anddealtwithaccordingly." ItwillberecollectedthatZion'sWatchmanwaseditedbyLaRoySunderland,forwhoseabductiontheStateofAlabamahadofferedfiftythousanddollars. In1840,theGeneralConferenceatBaltimorepassedtheresolutionthatwehavealreadyquoted,forbiddingpreacherstoallowcoloredpersonstogivetestimonyintheirchurches.Ithasbeencomputedthatabouteightythousandpeopleweredeprivedoftherightoftestimonybythisact.ThisMethodistChurchsubsequentlybrokeintoaNorthernandSouthernConference.TheSouthernConferenceisavowedlyallpro-slavery,andtheNorthernConferencehasstillinitscommunionslaveholdingconferencesandmembers. OftheNorthernConferences,oneofthelargest,theBaltimore,passedthefollowing: "Resolved,ThatthisConferencedisclaimshavinganyfellowshipwithabolitionism.Onthecontrary,whileitisdeterminedtomaintainitswell-knownandlong-establishedposition,bykeepingthetravellingpreacherscomposingitsownbodyfreefromslavery,itisalsodeterminednottoholdconnectionwithanyecclesiasticalbodythatshallmakenon-slaveholdingaconditionofmembershipinthechurch,buttostandbyandmaintainthedisciplineasitis." ThefollowingextractismadefromanaddressofthePhiladelphiaAnnualConferencetotheSocietiesunderitscare,datedWilmington,Delaware,April7,1847: "Iftheplanofseparationgivesusthepastoralcareofyou,itremainstoinquirewhetherwehavedoneanything,asaconference,orasmen,toforfeityourconfidenceandaffection.Wearenotadvisedthateveninthegreatexcitementwhichhasdistressedyouforsomemonthspast,anyonehasimpeachedourmoralconduct,orchargeduswithunsoundnessindoctrine,orcorruption,ortyrannyintheadministrationofdiscipline.Butwelearnthatthesimplecauseoftheunhappyexcitementamongyouis,thatsomesuspectus,oraffecttosuspectus,ofbeingabolitionists.YetnoparticularactoftheConference,oranyparticularmemberthereof,isadducedasthegroundoftheerroneousandinjurioussuspicion.Wewouldaskyou,brethren,whethertheconductofourministryamongyouforsixtyyearspastoughtnottobesufficienttoprotectusfromthischarge.Whetherthequestionwehavebeenaccustomed,forafewyearspast,toputtocandidatesforadmissionamongus,namely,Areyouanabolitionist?and,withouteachoneansweredinthenegative,hewasnotreceived,oughtnottoprotectusfromthecharge.WhethertheactionofthelastConferenceonthisparticularmatteroughtnottosatisfyanyfairandcandidmindthatwearenot,anddonotdesiretobe,abolitionists....Wecannotseehowwecanberegardedasabolitionists,withouttheministersoftheMethodistEpiscopalChurchSouthbeingconsideredinthesamelight.... "Wishingyouallheavenlybenedictions,weare,dearbrethren,yours,inChristJesus, J.P.Durbin,} J.Kennaday,} IgnatiusT.Cooper,}Committee." WilliamH.Gilder,} JosephCastle,} ThesefactssufficientlydefinethepositionoftheMethodistchurch.Thehistoryismelancholy,butinstructive.ThehistoryofthePresbyterianchurchisalsoofinterest. In1793,thefollowingnotetotheeighthcommandmentwasinsertedintheBookofDiscipline,asexpressingthedoctrineofthechurchuponslaveholding: "1Tim.1:10.—ThelawismadeforMAN-STEALERS.ThiscrimeamongtheJewsexposedtheperpetratorsofittocapitalpunishment(Exodus21:15)andtheapostlehereclassesthemwithsinnersofthefirstrank.Thewordheuses,initsoriginalimport,comprehendsallwhoareconcernedinbringinganyofthehumanraceintoslavery,orinretainingtheminit.Hominumfures,quiservosvelliberos,abducunt,retinent,vendunt,velemunt.Stealersofmenareallthosewhobringoffslavesorfreemen,andKEEP,SELL,orBUYTHEM.Tostealafreeman,saysGrotius,isthehighestkindoftheft.Inotherinstances,weonlystealhumanpropertybutwhenwestealorretainmeninslavery,weseizethosewho,incommonwithourselves,areconstitutedbytheoriginalgrantlordsoftheearth." Norulesofchurchdisciplinewereenforced,andmemberswhomthispassagedeclaredguiltyofthiscrimeremainedundisturbedinitscommunion,asministersandelders.Thisinconsistencywasobviatedin1816byexpungingthepassagefromtheBookofDiscipline.In1818itadoptedanexpressionofitsviewsonslavery.Thisdocumentisalongone,conceivedandwritteninaveryChristianspirit.TheAssembly'sDigestsays,page341,thatitwasunanimouslyadopted.Thefollowingisitstestimonyastothenatureofslavery: "Weconsiderthevoluntaryenslavingofonepartofthehumanracebyanotherasagrossviolationofthemostpreciousandsacredrightsofhumannature,asutterlyinconsistentwiththelawofGodwhichrequiresustoloveourneighborasourselves,andastotallyirreconcilablewiththespiritandprinciplesoftheGospelofChrist,whichenjointhat'allthingswhatsoeveryewouldthatmenshoulddotoyou,doyeevensotothem.'Slaverycreatesaparadoxinthemoralsystem.Itexhibitsrational,accountable,andimmortalbeingsinsuchcircumstancesasscarcely