Newspaper Page Text
T HE 0 0 U N T R Y MAN.
22
I,twills ts. itinerants.
“The following is from the Alabama Journal
of Feb. 5th, 1830, to wit:
(From the Spirit of the Age.)
MessBs. Editors :—As you appear disposed
to present to your readers whatever may be in
teresting, I am induced to forward you, for pub
lication, a copy of the proceedings ofa'conven-
tion of Methodist local preachers, held*, some
years ago, in Georgia, which, in my opinion,
contains some principles of interest, to all the
friends of religious liberty. It is not the less
interesting, because it relates to proceedings
which transpired twelve or thirteen years ago.
The coincidence of views which it exhibits be
tween men of standing in the church, then, and
the reformers of the present day, gives to the
document, in my estimation, peculiar interest.
A Subscriber.
„ ^ (a COPY.)
For the Bishops of the Methodist Eplscopa’ 1
Church, composing the General Conference,
to be held in the city of Baltimore, on the 1st
May, 1816.
We, the undersigned, local preachers, resi
dents of the State of Georgia, being, for years
past, convinced of the necessity ot a greater
degree of union, and equality, between the
itinerant, ahd local ministry, and attributing
defection to the existence of certain grievances,
Occasioned by a privation, or unjust reiusal of
privileges, to which the local ministry is un-
'questionably entitled, upon grounds of gospel
liberty—having met, according tc appointment,
in the name, and fear of Godj and united our
selves together, under the title of “ Tbe Geor
gia Powelton Association of Methodist Local
Preachers for the purpose of petitioning the
body of itinerant preachers, composing the
general conference, fora redress of grievances,
and not to insult their feelings, nor diminish
their legitimate authority, nor with a design
to bring about a schism in tbp church ol God,
but for the purpose of asserting what Wfc con
ceive to be our rights, and obviating the in
fringements which constitute our grievances,
and resolved to be content with our rights, and
believing redress cannot but tend to establish
our union upon better grounds —do, therefore,
earnestly petition our brethren of the general
conference, to grant that redress, and arnenda-.
fion, which we are, as freemen, entitled to de
mand, upon every principle of justice and pro
priety, and which, w6 believe, would promote
t>he general interest of the church oi God.
The first grievance to which we would call
your attention, is that of the power of the gen
eral conference, being the minority, te> make
laws controlling the body of local preachers,
members ©f the same body, being the majori
ty, without their concurrence, by representa
tion and vote, and the regulation which sub
jects the local preachers to a trial by the itiner
ant ministry—whereas, the itinerants arc tried
only by their fellows.
Second grievance'. The rule which obliges
the local preacher to record his name on a class
paper, thereby prostrating him from his rank
as a miuister, placing him on a level with the
laity, and subjecting him, in addition to the an
nual examination, by the presiding eider, to
the weekly examination of class leaders, and
hall-monthly examinations of itinerant preach
er—whereas, we conceive their names should
be printed, at the expense of district confer
ences, as the names of the .ciders, deacons,
and preachers, or recorded on the steward’s
hook, subject to examination, and inspection of
the proper authorities.
S^Third grievance : The rule which vests, in
the itinerancy, alone, the right of admitting
members, hoidiDg love-leasts, and watch-nights
—whereas, the ordained local preachers hold
tbe keys equally with the itinerants, they be
ing authorized, iu virtue ot their ordination, to
administer the ordinance of baptism, which is
•held the initiating rite, and the door into the
church.
Fourth grievance: That the local minister,
in his probation, is kept back from ordination,
a period of time, as long again as the itinerant
minister: that the quantum and necessity of
service, and not his qualifications, are made
the criterion of right to ordination ; and that
the right of election is wrongfully claimed,
and improperly exercised, by the annual con
ference—whereas, we believe that qualifications,
and usefulness, in the first instance, constitute
his right to office in the ministry : and, iu the
second, that after probation, aud election, by
the quarterly conference, untrammeied by the
annual conierence, such election Ought lo be
deemed a sufficient warrant, to the bishop, to
ordain him to the holy office.
Fifth grievance l The practice that requires
ttie rejoining into tire church tho/e children
baptized by our order, who have never been ex
pelled by any exercise of discipline, and the
rejection from church privileges, of such chil
dren, in opposition to our own arguments,
when we vindicate their right to baptism, and
consequences flowing therefrom.
Sixth grievance : The rule relating to slave
ry—A more uniform administration of its ap
plication generally, through the southern states,
or a suspension, modification, or abolition of
the rule.
The long forbearance of the local preachers,
under these grievances, might warrant a sup
position that a redress may be refused, without
exciting dissatisfaction : but the undersigned
conceive that a love of justice, influenced by
piety, will induce the general conference to
grant to U9 those rights, and arnendatibns, for
which we petitions ahd that, thereby, the bond
of union may bts strengthened, aud perpetu
ated, on principles of impartial justice. We
are fully persuaded that these sentiments are
not confined to the undersigned, but that a
large majority of the local preachers, of the
southern conferences* crncur with us: and
their names are not found here enrolled, be
cause they have not the opportunity of sub
scribing the same.
That the Great Head of the Church may in
(luence your minds, and hearts, in ail your de
liberations, and decisions, as shall tend to the
prosperity of Zion, is the prayer of the under
signed.
Samuel Cowles, Chairman.
D. L. White, Secretary.
Peter W. Gautier, Moses Andrew,
Robert L. Kennon, Daniel Duffy,
Thomas Anderson, Richard Holmes,
William Arnold, Samuel Ansley,
John Hodge, Johu Hannton,
Myles Green-, , Michael Durr,
William Hardwick, Charles L. Kennon.’’
The foregoing is from a Ms. of the late Wil
liam Turner, oi Putnam Co. The last- three
names are partially effaced, by the ravages of
time, but we believe them to be hero printed
correctly.
Richmond, March 26.—“The following '
received last night:
Headquarters, March 25- 11.20 r. .v
Hon. John C. Breckinridge : f
At daylight, this morning, Gen. Gordon a:
saulted, and carried, the enemy’s works, i
Hare’s Hill, capturing several pieces of nrtille
ry, and ri^ht mortars, between five and s
hundred prisoners, among them one Brigadi
General, and a number of officers of lowi
grades. The lines were swept, for a distance
lour or five hundred yards, right and left. Tit
efforts made to recover the captured works, wer
handsomely repulsed, but it was found that ei
closed works in the rear, commanding the en
my’s main line, could only be taken at gre
saciifice, and the troops were withdrawn
their original position. It being impractical)
to bring off the captured guns, owing to tl
nature of the ground, they were disabled, at
left.
Our loss is reported a3 not being hcav
Among the wounded is Brig. Gen. Terrv
llesh wound—and Brig. Gen. Phil Co
rm. V
All the troops engaged, including two
ades, under Brig. Gen. Ramsom, behave
moat handsome conduct.
Sharpshooters of Gordon’s corps, who 1
eault, desefve the highest commendation^
This afternoon, th?.re was skirinishir
the right, below Pickett’s lines, with v\
success.
At dark, tbe enemy held considerable oi
lines farthest in advance of our main work
R. E. Le
A Soldier’s Wish.
“ *Tis not that.I scorn the wreath,
A soldier proudly wears—
’Tis not that I fear the death,
A soldier bravely dares.
When slaughtered comrades round me lie,
I’d be the last to yield :
Yet, I do not wish to die
Upon the bftttle field.
When faint, and bleeding, in the fray,
Oh ! may I still retain
Enough of life to Crawl away,
To this sweet vale, again :
And like the wounded, weary dove,
That Butters to-her nest,
Oh ! may 1 reach my own true love,
And die upon her breast.”
‘True cloqueace consists in saying
all that is necessary, and nothing
more.’
‘Adversity is the true touchstone of
merit.’
‘Religion is the best armor in the
world, but the worst cloak.’
New Papers.—We have received, and rel
ly place upon our exchange list, the Weel
Montgomery Mail, a new paper, just started
Montgomery, Ala., by Hollifield & Iloopel
names not unknown to the editorial fraternil
Their paper is published on a sheet of go\
size, is neatly printed, and well filled with el
tertainiug matter. We anticipate the luxui|
of reading many u racy article from Jonce
pen. * <_
We also welcome to our list of exchanges!
the Russell Register, published weekly at Crawl
ford, Ala., bv B. II.'Baker & Cc., editors anij
proprietors. It is successor to the East Ala(
barman, formerly published at Girard. We
wish it all success in its honorable aspirations
to dispense useful knowledge, and general in
telligence, to the people.
We hove also received tlie first number of the'
independent Press, published weekly at Eaton-
ton,tJa.; j. A. Turner, editor. Verily, if ttie
schoolmaster is not abroad, tbe newspapers
are.—Columbus Enquirer, 1854.
Richmond, March 25.—“An order
from the Adjutant General, relative to
the recruiting of eelored troops, in the
confederacy, says : That officers will
be assigned, or appointed, in each
state, charged with the enrollment,
and disposition of all recruits. No
slave will he accepted as a recruit,
unless with his owner’s consent, by a
written instrument, confirming, as far
as he may, the rights of freed men.
The appointment of officers to com
panies, formed of recruits, will be made
by the president. Officers, employed
in recruiting, tare enjoined to be pro
vident, considerate, humane, and at
tentive to whatever concerns the
health, comfort, and discipline of
troops; to the uniform observance
of kindness, and forbearance in tfieir
treatment of them, and especially pro
tect them from the injustice of op
pression.’’
