524 



METHODISTS. 



which the six bishops were elected in 1868 

 would end on the 19th of May. From that 

 time till the contemplated meeting of the 

 General Conference on the 17th of June, their 

 offices would be vacant, unless some special 

 provision were made to fill them. This the 

 Conference undertook by the passage of a 

 resolution giving Bishop Jones episcopal over- 

 sight over the whole Church until other bish- 

 ops should be legally chosen. Immediately 

 after passing this resolution the General Con- 

 ference adjourned, to meet in Charlotte, N. C., 

 in accordance with the call of the majority of 

 the bishops. After the adjournment, Bishop 

 Jones, and those who had cooperated with 

 him in advancing the movement for union 

 with the Methodist Episcopal Church, made 

 the following communication respecting the 

 condition in which their affairs stood to the 

 General Conference of the Methodist Episcopal 

 Church, which was read in that body on the 

 13th of May: 



We sincerely appreciate the respect shown our 

 Church in the distinguished character of the com- 

 mission appointed by you to conduct the negotia- 

 tions for a union, with the commission appointed on 

 our part, and we desire to bear grateful testimony 

 to the uniform kindness^ patience, and Christian 

 bearing of your commission during these negotia- 

 tions. The mutual spirit of accommodation and 

 agreement which characterized the proceedings of 

 the joint meeting of the commissions in 1869 in- 

 spired the hope that the work of unification, so far 

 at least as these two Churches are concerned, would 

 be happily consummated during the present session; 

 but we regret to say that a wide-spread disaffection, 

 originating, we fear^ through misrepresentation or 

 the commendable objects mutually sought to be ob- 

 tained by the friends of the proposed union in both 

 Churches, now exists among the membership we 

 represent, precluding, for the present at least, the 

 possible consummation of the union in any manner 

 likely to prove satisfactory to either body, and we 

 most respectfully ask that further negotiations be 

 postponed until the pending effort, with a view to 

 harmony in our own ranks, shall have been success- 

 ful, or the developments shall warrant further action ; 

 and we pray that, in any event, the mutual feeling 

 of friendship and fraternal regard hitherto existing 

 between us as members of the great family of the 

 Eedeemer may be perpetuated. 



S. E. JONES, ) 



GEORGE H. WASHINGTON, [ Committee. 



SAMUEL SHERMAN, j 



An exciting discussion took place in the 

 General Conference at Charlotte respecting 

 the administration of Bishop Jones. He made 

 an effective defence of himself, and so im- 

 pressed the Conference that his character was 

 passed on a nominal confession by him of the 

 irregularity of his conduct, and a complete 

 reconciliation of the two factions took place. 

 The proposals of the representatives of the 

 Methodist Episcopal Church for union were 

 very coolly^ received. The most important 

 action of the Conference was the determina- 

 tion to establish a high-school at Fayette- 

 ville, N". C. 



V. THE METHODIST CHURCH. The follow- 

 ing is a summary of the Conference statistics 

 of the Methodist Church: 



The number of unstationed ministers and 

 preachers is 432 ; of churches, 595 ; of parson- 

 ages, 143. The value of church property is 

 $1,609,425. 



VI. PRIMITIVE METHODISTS IN THE UNITED 

 STATES. The Primitive Methodists have now 

 in the United States two Conferences. The 

 Western Conference met last at Platteville, 

 Wis., May 24, 1872. It has nineteen circuits 

 and missions. The number of members is 

 1,888 ; of travelling preachers, 17 ; of local 

 preachers, 96; of churches, 35; of other 

 preaching places, 41 ; of Sunday - schools, 

 44; of teachers, 474; of scholars, 2,559; 

 value of church property, $50,538; amount 

 of missionary contributions, $1,225.82 ; con- 

 tributed to the superannuated preachers' func 

 $2,280.07. The Eastern or Atlantic Confe 

 ence has been set off as a separate and distim 

 conference within the year 1872. It met 

 Tamaqua, Pa., May 1st. It has twelve circui 

 and missions. The number of members is 963 ; 

 of travelling preachers, 9 ; of local preachers, 

 71 ; of churches, 11 ; of other preaching 

 places, 27 ; of Sunday-schools, 22 ; of teacher 

 310; of scholars, 1,970; value of churches, 

 $56,278 ; missionary collections, $190.79. Total 

 number of members in the two Conferences, 

 2,851. 



VII. METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN CAN- 

 ADA. The number of members of the Church 

 in the three conferences in 1872 was 21,103 ; 

 increase from the previous year, 226 ; number 

 of travelling preachers, 225 ; of local preach- 

 ers (estimated), 225 ; of circuits and stations, 

 145; total value of church property, $637,300; 

 amount collected for missionary purposes, 

 $12,419 ; for Sunday-schools, $4,277 ; for tlio 

 superannuated ministers' fund, $2,871; for 

 colleges, $1,018. 



