488 History of Methodism 



which are deemed fundamental to the great object for which the 

 Church, as a Christian community, was constituted. And in the 

 second sense, it is that application of these principles to the govern- 

 ing power (the General Conference in the present instance) which 

 confines its action within the limits necessary to promote, and not 

 hinder, the attainment of that same great object. And the inter- 

 pretation of the constitution in either respect should always be such 

 as conforms to the grand object of the Church's organization. This 

 object is declared to be " the spreading of scriptural holiness over these 

 lands,-' and whatever militates against this object must, therefore, be 

 contrary to the constitution. As it respects the Church at large the 

 constitution is contained in the Articles of Religion, and the Gen- 

 eral Rules; as it applies to the General Conference, the Restrictive 

 Rules are technically the constitution. Now, whatever else may be 

 said about this constitution, it will not be denied that, 



It must be Christian — agreeing with the principles of the Old 

 and New Testament. 



It must be Protestant — maintaining the Holy Scriptures as the 

 only rule of faith and practice. 



And it must be consistent with the great object for which we have 

 all along steadfastly held it to be our belief that God has raised us 

 up. It must consist with our calling of God " to spread scriptural 

 holiness over these lands." 



But in all these respects I must call in question the constitution- 

 ality of the measure before us. Bishop Andrew is to be required to 

 emancipate certain negroes, and to remove them from Georgia to 

 some free State that he may be enabled to do so. This is not 

 affirmed in so many Avords in the resolution on your table, but it is 

 the deed which that resolution seeks to effect, the only contingency 

 known in the resolution being the emancipation of the negroes, 

 which can be effected in no other way but by their removal. No 

 question is asked, or care taken, as to the age and infirmities of any 

 of these negroes whom he is thus to take into a strange land and 

 climate for emancipation, nor what may be the wants of childhood 

 among them, nor what ties of kindred are to be sundered, but the deed 

 must be done, and he must make haste to do it, for nothing else can 

 restore him to his functions as a bishop. Now, this is unconstitution- 

 al, for it is unchristian. Whatever odium may attach to slavery, 

 many a slave would curse you for freedom thus procured, and Bishop 

 Andrew, as a Christian man, not to say a Christian bishop, might 

 not dare to sin against the law of love in the way you would require. 



