474 History of Methodism 



in every respect to aid the committees, and to farther this blessed 

 undertaking. Let this Le continued from year to year, till the 

 desired end be accomplished. 



1804. The following alterations were made : 



The question reads : "What shall be done for the extirpation of 

 the evil of slavery ? 



In paragraph 1 (1796) instead of "more than ever convinced," 

 we have, " as much as ever convinced ; " and instead of "the African 

 slavery which still exists in these United States," we have " slavery." 



In paragraph 4 (3 of 1796), respecting the selling of a slave, be- 

 fore the words "shall immediately," the following clause is inserted: 

 " except at the request of the slave, in cases of mercy and humanity, 

 agreeably to the judgment of a committee of the male members of 

 the society, appointed by the preacher who has the charge of the 

 circuit." 



The following new proviso was inserted in this paragraph : "Pro- 

 vided, also, that if a member of our society shall buy a slave with a 

 certificate of future emancipation, the terms of emancipation shall, 

 notwithstanding, be subject to the decision of the quarterly-meeting 

 Conference." All after " nevertheless" was struck out and the follow- 

 ing substituted : " The members of our societies in the States of 

 North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, shall be 

 exempted from the operation of the above rules." The paragraphs 

 about considering the subject of slavery and petitions to Legisla- 

 tures (namely, No. 4 of 1796, and No. 6 of 1800), were struck out, 

 and the following added: 



" 5. Let our preachers, from time to time, as occasion serves, ad- 

 monish and exhort all slaves to render due respect and obedience to 

 the commands and interests of their respective masters." 



1808. All that related to slave-holding among private members 

 (see 2 and 3 of 1796) struck out, and the following substituted : 



" 3. The General Conference authorizes each Annual Conference 

 to form their own "regulations relative to buying and selling slaves." 



Paragraph 5 of 1804 was also struck out. 



Moved from the chair (Bishop Asbury or Bishop McKejidree) 

 that there be one thousand forms of Discipline prepared for the use 

 of the South Carolina Conference in which the section and rule on 

 slavery be left out. Carried. 



1812. Paragraph 3 of 1808 was altered so as to read: 



"3. Whereas the laws of some of the States do not admit of 

 emancipating of slaves without a special act of the Legislature, the 



