the South had, in fact, already violated the agreement made at the General Conference of 1844 by the above course. But the chief reason which induced so many to give an adverse vote on the subject, was a belief that the General Conference had transcended its authority in consenting to a separation of the South from the North, and much more so, in making provision for the same in the plan mutually agreed upon. Others, again, indulged a hope that if the South were denied a share in the funds of the church, the Southern preachers might be induced to retrace their steps, and consent to remain under the jurisdiction of the General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. It is proper also to remark, that many of the ministers who voted for the alteration, did so, not because they thought the South were entitled legally or morally to any portion of the funds of the church, or that they acknowledged the power of the General Conference to rend the church in twain, but they were anxious that the slaveholding conferences and ministers should form a separate connection, so as to free the Northern Church as much as possible from the stain of slavery, and if dividing the funds would induce them to do so, they were more than willing they should have a pro-rata share ; they would prefer even to give them the whole rather than remain in connection with them. To use the language of one who thus voted, they were willing the South should go; and if need be, pay them for going."

SECTION XI.

THUS matters remained at the opening of the General Conference of 1848 in the city of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. At this conference were present Bishops Hedding, Waugh, Morris, Hamline, and Janes; Bishops Soule and Andrew having adhered to the Southern Church as before stated. Several distinguished visitors were present; and among the latter was the Rev.

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Dr. Dixon, the representative of the British Wesleyan Conference in England, and Drs. Richey and Green, and Rev. John Ryerson of the Canada Conference. Dr. Pierce, the delegate of the Church South, was also present, but the conference refused to recognize him in his official capacity as delegate, but cordially invited him to a seat among them as a minister of the gospel. Bishop Soule was also present a portion of the time, but was not recognized in his Episcopal capacity. On the eleventh day of the session Bishop Soule sent a communication to the conference, requesting that if there were any charges against him for his administration during the two years after the former General Conference, or until his connection with the Church South, these charges might be investigated, he having an opportunity of defending himself. The following day the conference voted that Bishop Soule having withdrawn from the church, the General Conference could exercise no ecclesiastical authority over him. There were also present as commissioners of the Church South, the Rev. Drs. Green, Early, Pierce, and Rev. C. B. Parsons, who preferred a formal claim to a pro-rata division of the funds of the church. This claim, as based upon the action of the previous General Conference, was taken into consideration, and while the conference by a vote of 133 to 9 declared the plan of separation to be null and void, because unconstitutional, at the same time evinced a strong desire to divide the funds with the South, if it could be legally and constitutionally done; but as the requisite majority in the annual conferences had not been obtained, it was evident to themselves that they had not the power so to divide it. They, however, passed resolutions to the following effect: That the Book Agents in New York be authorized to ask the opinion of eminent legal counsel, whether they could legally and constitutionally submit. the matter to a Board of Arbitration to be chosen by both parties, and if the opinion of said counsel was, that such arbitration would be legal, the agents were further authorized to submit such claims to such Board, and abide the decision of

the same; or if the Southern Commissioners should commence a civil prosecution the agents were authorized to refer the whole matter to arbiters under the direction of the court before which the case might be brought. Thus matters remained at the close of the General Conference of 1848; and since that period actions have been commenced before the United States District Courts in New York and Pennsylvania, for a division of the funds of the Book Concern and Chartered Fund, but as yet neither claim has been decided by the Court.*

We have thus endeavored to give the reader an impartial. and connected account of the division of the church, and of the causes which led to the same; and the intelligent and disinterested will be able to judge of the policy of both branches of the church in relation to slavery. They will perceive that while the settled policy of the Northern branch is to discountenance that evil, especially among its members, the policy of the South is to perpetuate both in State and Church what Mr. Wesley, the founder of Methodism, pronounced to be "the sum of all villanies." It is true, there are still a few slaveholders in the Methodist Episcopal Church who reside in slaveholding territory, but the policy of the church in relation to such is, not to justify them in sustaining such a relation irrespective of circumstances, but to induce them, as soon as it can be done with justice to the slave, and safety to themselves, to emancipate them accordingly as the laws will admit.

* Since the above was written, the Southern claim on the Book Concern has been argued before the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, Judge Nelson presiding. After hearing the argument the court advised a settlement by arbitration, or some other way. The Book Agents having the power, according to their instructions, to make a proposal for an arbitration, did so; but the Southern Commissioners would not consent to the same, unless the Agents would previously admit their right to a division of the funds, and would submit only the question-How much they were entitled to ?-to the decision of the Referees. To this of course the Agents could not submit.

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Having, for the sake of connection, passed over several important facts worthy of notice in the history of the church. during the interim of the General Conferences of 1844-1848, we will now resume our narrative of events, as they transpired from time to time. Late in the year 1843, the Rev. George Gary of the Black River Conference, having been appointed superintendent of the Oregon mission, took his leave of his friends, and sailed for that distant shore for the purpose of setting things in order," as connected with that part of the work. He arrived in Oregon in the early part of June, 1844, and immediately began a course of operation with the concurrence of the resident missionaries for the purpose of retrenching, as far as practicable, the expenses of that mission. Mr. Lee, the former enterprising and faithful superintendent, had in the meantime returned to the United States, and had received at the New England Conference of 1844 the appointment of Agent for the "Oregon Institute." His health, however, soon declined, and on the 12th of March following he departed this life. Thus died the Missionary Pioneer of the Valley of the Columbia, in the 42d year of his age. Mr. Gary remained in Oregon about three years, and then returned to the United States, having in the meanwhile accomplished the object of his appointment to the entire satisfaction of the Missionary Board. Such was the success attending the labors of the missionaries. of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Oregon that at the conference of 1848 an Oregon and Californian Mission Conference was established on the Pacific coast, and the Rev. William Roberts, of the New Jersey Conference, was appointed superintendent of the same. Mr. Roberts, and Rev. James H. Wilbur of the Black River Conference, had two years previously been appointed to that mission, and, with other self-denying men, were laboring to build up Messiah's Kingdom in that part of the world. The missions in Oregon and California have now obtained a prominent position, there being not less than

eighteen missionaries employed by the Board in these fields at the present time.

In the year 1847, a mission was established in the empire of China by the appointment of the Rev. Judson D. Collins and Rev. Moses C. White, as missionaries to that foreign field; and since that period the missionaries have been increased in number, so that there are at present five missionaries of the Methodist Episcopal Church in the Celestial Empire.

In 1849 the Board of Managers resolved to establish a mission in Germany, and the Rev. L. S. Jacoby, of the Illinois Conference, was appointed to the work. He was instructed to make the city of Bremen the centre of operations. In nineteen days after leaving New York he arrived in Bremen, and found. many who were willing to receive him as the messenger of God. He immediately caused some Methodist tracts to be printed in German for gratuitous distribution. He then rented a large saloon capable of holding five hundred persons in which to celebrate public worship. He published a German hymn-book, and having suggested to the Board the importance of publishing a Methodist periodical in Bremen, he was authorized so to do, the Messrs. Baker & Brother of Baltimore having directed the Treasurer to draw on them for the whole expense of press, &c., $500. Since then, other missionaries have been appointed to Germany, and the success which has already attended the efforts of the Methodist Episcopal Church in this department of her foreign work gives assurance of being able to reap a plentiful harvest in that field; while the German missions in the United States, commenced as before stated, through the labors and instrumentality of Dr. Nast, have more than met the most sanguine expectations of the warmest friends of the enterprise, as may be judged from the fact that in 1850 there were in the United States nine German mission districts; ninety missions or circuits; one hundred and fifteen churches, or meeting-houses; forty-five parsonages; one hundred rød **venteen German ministers, or preachers engaged in