472 History of Methodism 



In 1808 it takes this final form: 



The buying and selling of men, women, and children, with an in- 

 tention to enslave them. 



"Articles of Agreement amongst the preachers" 

 were signed at the several Conferences held for 1795, 

 of which no account was published in the Minutes, 

 since the action was not regarded as Conference busi- 

 ness, and was only binding on those who signed, but 

 of which Bishop Asbury makes the following record: 



The preachers almost unanimously entered into an agreement 

 and resolution not to hold slaves in any State where the law will 

 allow them to manumit them, on pain of forfeiture of their honor 

 and their place in the itinerant connection, and in any State where 

 the law will not admit of manumission they agreed to pay them the 

 worth of their labor, and when they die to leave them to some per- 

 son or persons, or the society in trust, to bring about their liberty. 



1796. The following section was introduced on the subject: 



Ques. What regulations shall be made for the extirpation of the 

 crying evil of African slavery? 



Ans. 1. We declare that we are more than ever convinced of the 

 great evil of the African slavery which still exists in these United 

 States, and do most earnestly recommend to the yearly Conferences, 

 quarterly-meetings, and to those who have the oversight of districts 

 and circuits, to be exceedingly cautious what persons they admit to 

 official stations in our Church, and in the case of future admission 

 to official stations to require such security of those who hold slaves, 

 for the emancipation of them, immediately or gradually, as the 

 laws of the States respectively and the circumstances of the case 

 will admit; and Ave do fully authorize all the yearly Conferences to 

 make whatever regulations they judge proper, in the present case, 

 respecting the admission of persons to official stations in our Church. 



2. No slave-holder shall be received into society till the preacher 

 who has the oversight of the circuit has spoken to him freely and 

 faithfully on the subject of slavery. 



3. Every member of the society who sells a slave shall imme- 

 diately, after full proof, be excluded the society. And if any mem- 

 ber of our society purchase a slave, the ensuing quarterly-meeting 

 shall determine on the number of years in which the slave so pur- 



