EXPULSION BY THE WHOLESALE.

At the Brockport Conference the most vigorous measures to exterminate " Nazaritism " from the Conference, were adopted.

Thomas Carlton especially distinguished himself for the violence of his denunciations. " These Nazarites," he exclaimed, " are like Canada thistles, you cut one down and ten will spring up in its place." But we will let Rev. C. D. Burlingham describe his speech:

" One^* of their leading champions, whose efficiency in originating and perpetuating the Conference difficulties is unsurpassed, and from whose official position, decency if not dignity might be expected, while making a speech, in the ' height of his argument,' exclaimed with a perfect yell, that he ' had rather meet a thousand devils than three Nazarites' that is to say, in the estimation of this minister of Jesus, and General Conference official, one Nazarite is worse than three hundred and thirty-three and one third devils ! But this was said in defence of the church ! Will not such zeal in her behalf be duly appreciated, and coveted honors be conferred accordingly? All such eloquence was met by the minority, as it should have been, by silent contempt.

The chair very seldom saw proper to rebuke this kind of declamation."

Inspired by such exhortations, and by the example of the Conference and by the official letter, (published at the close of the last chapter), the Regency preachers went to their appointments determined to root out from the societies the. uncompromising adherents of old-fashioned Methodism. We can give but a faint idea of their operations.

On Kendall circuit was a number of Methodist families of more than ordinary intelligence. They had a clear idea of the doctrines and usages of Methodism. The doctrine of holiness had been taught and enforced, and many professed to enjoy the blessing, and honored their profession by their lives. A preacher was sent from the Brockport Conference to this circuit to bring them to subjection. He had many difficulties to encounter, but he faced them with a perseverance worthy of a better cause. Nearly all the officials and the leading members were opposed to the party to which he had gone over, and were in sympathy with the preachers who had been unjustly expelled.

His first move was to get control of the quarterly conference. This is easily done 'in the M. E. Church in which the quarterly conference is substantially the creation of the preacher, who appoints all the leaders, nominates the stewards, and licenses the exhorters, by whom it is mainly composed. He. put in new leaders, and, in order to get more leaders than there were other members of the quarterly conference, he appointed two leaders to one class. When the quarterly conference came together, he moved that the board of stewards be declared vacant. By the aid of his leaders he easily carried it. He then put in his own followers as stewards.

Then the preacher moved that several leading members who were known to stand opposed to the crushing out policy of the Conference be declared withdrawn. This was also carried. In vain did these members protest that they did not withdraw, and did not intend to. The preacher read them out " withdrawn." Henceforth they were denied the privileges of members in the Methodist Episcopal Church This was an improvement on the farce of going through the form of a trial. What need of witnesses when the verdict is made up before hand without the slightest regard to testimony Why call a jury for the sole purpose of pronouncing guilty whoever the judge arraigns? So, even the forms of justice were dispensed with, and by the most bare-faced despotism many were turned out of churches of which they. had been the pioneers; and from houses of worship which their own money had built.

At East Otto, Rev. A. L. Chapin, expelled from the church, Dewey Tefft, Niles Tefft, E. S. Woodruff and Otis Bacon, an exhorter. Mr. Chapin was one of the most violent adherents of the " Regency party." His admission to the Conference had been opposed by the salvation preachers on the ground that, though lie had ability, he lacked religion. His zeal, fired by gratitude and revenge, knew no bounds. He called together the official members of the circuit. He made a flaming address—told them that the discipline knows no members who would not pay; and with their aid he made out an assessment of what each one should pay, or meet the penalty of exclusion from the church. He assured them very emphatically, that if any one divulged the doings of that meeting, it would be considered just cause for expulsion.

He appointed a time when he would meet the class in the Tefft neighborhood. They came together at the time appointed.

They had a plain talk all around. The Teffts were men of means, intelligence and courage. They had come to the country when it was a wilderness had been familiar with wild beasts, and were not to be frightened by the ravings of a preacher into acting contrary to their convictions. The whole class refused to support the preacher, except upon his contrition, confession and proper amendment."

Mr. Chapin called another official meeting. In it, the first thing he did was to demand who had published the doings of their last official meeting. Mr. Bacon said he did not know who had published the proceedings, but he himself had told one man what was done.

Mr. Chapin, greatly enraged, shook his fist in his face, and said with great force, repeatedly, " Who ever heard the like?" Mr. Bacon replied, " I did not know as an official meeting was a secret association, but if it is, the sooner you remove me from it the better it will be for you."

In the official meeting, it was decided to bring the refractory members to trial.

The work of expulsion was begun soon after. To the charges which had been usually made against the so called. " Nazarites " last year, was added that of " taking and circulating the Northern Independent" . In Mr. Bacon' s case was added a specification of words used in debate in the official meeting and of preaching in a remote neighborhood when the preacher forbade him. Mr. Chapin wished to punish the people of that neighborhood for "contumacy," by cutting them off from all religious privileges. But Mr. Bacon would not assist him in his work of proscription.

During the trial of Dewey Tefft, Mr. Chapin was so arrogant and overbearing that the manhood of one who came to the trial as one of hips adherents, revolted. Rising to his feet greatly excited, in thundering tones, Mr. Scott demanded, addressing Mr. Chapin:

" Who are you?'.'

" The grandson of Ethan Allen?" replied Chapin, rising to his feet.

" How mightily the race has degenerated," replied Scott. " You may be a smart man, but you are not smart enough to be judge, jury, prosecutor, and all, in one case. Now take your proper place and keep it. I want to see fair play."

For a time the wildest excitement prevailed.

The result of these trials, like all the rest of this class, being predetermined, all who were tried were,. as a matter of course, turned out of the church.

Mr. Chapin in pronouncing sentence took care to add that they were not expelled for arty breach of the rules of morality or religion but for a " violation of our rules."

At Asbury Church, near LeRoy, Rev. S. M. Hopkins carried on the work of expulsion.

Against Mr. Cyrus Sperry, one of the most substantial, upright of men, was prosecuted a long list of charges and specifications, covering over two pages of foolscap, taken from the proceedings of the Lay-men's Convention. He was expelled. Martin Seekins, Hiram Huested, and Sylvester Near—all reliable men and Christians, were expelled on similar charges. Mr. Seekins was at work in his harvest field" when he was summoned before the church tribunal to answer charges which were then first presented to him. He asked a delay of one hour. This was refused. The next year Rev. J. B. Lankton went to this circuit, and finished up the work. Mrs. Olive Sperry was expelled on a charge of " Contempt and disobedience to the order and discipline of the M. E. Church, by attending, and being interested in favor of a seditious meeting, on the 9th of August last at the meeting house, and voting for some or all of the resolutions there passed, which were violently rebellious against the discipline and government of the M. E. Church." The resolutions were to the effect that they would exercise their right as Methodists, of withholding support from those who, as they believed, had showed themselves unworthy of support.

Mr. Lankton expelled some fourteen or fifteen on substantially the same charges.

On the Tonawanda and Ridgeville circuit, Rev. B. F. McNeal adopted the policy which had proved so successful in other places. He removed John Corliss and Anthony Ames, who had been class leaders for years, from their office. At the next quarterly conference, the presiding elder, Rev. P. Woodworth, decided that Tristram Corliss, superintendent of the sabbath school at Pendleton, was not a member of the official board, because Tonawanda was the first society. They then created a board of stewards composed of those who would vote as the preacher dictated. On the following Sunday, the Rev. Mr. McNeal without their consent, and without any notice that he intended to do it, read out as withdrawn, Anthony Ames and John Corliss, leaders; Tristram Corliss, Sabbath school superintendent; W. R. Hecox, J. Hunt and Henry Rayner, stewards and their wives; M. Folger and wife, and Mrs. Henry Pickard.

On the Belfast circuit, Rev. J. W. Reddy, who had been forced to locate at the Brockport Conference, was tried and expelled on a charge of evil speaking, in saying that the Genesee Conference had expelled four of its holiest members for nothing, and also for disobedience to the order and discipline of the church, in holding separate religious meetings at the same time of the regular meetings in the church.

When Brother Reddy was labored with on the £barges, he said that if he said these men were expelled by Conference for "nothing," he did not mean to say so; that the meaning he wished to convey was, that they were expelled for no crime, but for standing up for the truth and for earnest Christianity.

On the 12th of March, the charges were stated to Brother Reddy, with the specifications, verbally; and he was cited to trial in the same way, at the quarterly conference to be held the ensuing Saturday. He then asked for a written copy of the charges and specifications, that he might be able to prepare his defence. This was denied him by the preacher in charge, who said that he could and would bring him to trial, without any written charges. After the religious services of the quarterly meeting on Saturday, a copy of the charges was handed to Brother Reddy, and the Conference immediately met, (not in the church, as usual, but in the parlor of the parsonage, which was barely sufficient to admit the official members, to the exclusion of the private members, with one exception,) and within half an hour proceeded to the trial. Before this, however, that the proceedings might be harmonious, four class-leaders, and one steward, ' who were supposed to have some sympathy with the accused, were removed.

Brother Reddy' was arraigned, and pleading not guilty, asked for an adjournment of the case, in order that he might have time to secure counsel, and prepare his defence. This request was refused. The form of trial was then gone through with, the accused found guilty, condemned, and expelled.

There were still left in the Genesee Conference some who would not acknowledge' the authority of the test resolutions. They were left without being called on to avow their decision, in the hope that the fate of others would frighten them into submission. The desired effect was not produced in all. In the winter of 1860 after it was demonstrated that the General Conference would afford no relief Rev. Asa Abell and Rev. C. D. Brooks and Rev. A. F. Curry, withdrew from the Genesee Conference and from the M. E. Church.

At the Conference held at Albion, in 1861, complaints were made against Rev. Amos Hard for affiliating with those who had been expelled and those who had withdrawn. His health was not sufficient to enable him to take the responsibility of a circuit, but he was able to preach once on the Sabbath; and he felt deeply for the salvation of souls and was anxious to do all he could to induce and help his fellow-men to prepare for heaven. He preached holiness—non-conformity to the world, and hence was not invited by the members of his Conference to preach but three times during the year. So he. obeyed the discipline, and went to those who wanted him. When arraigned before the Conference, his friend, Rev. H. Hornsby, modestly ventured a few words in his behalf. The case of Mr. Hard was left with a committee to be investigated during the year; and attention was directed to his friend who, was so " contumacious " as to interpose in his defense.

" You are in the same boat with this man !" exclaimed Rev. J. B. Wentworth, " and we will attend to you, and though your character has been passed it shall be reconsidered.

A committee consisting of A. P. Ripley, J. B. Wentworth and A. L. Backus, was, on his motion, appointed to investigate the case of Rev. H. Hornsby.

The committee in his case reported that at different times during the year he had attended irregular meetings, and officiated with expelled members of the M. E. Church, and closed with the following resolution, viz.:

"That he make open and frank confession of his faults in the matters above enumerated, and that he promise to conform in his conduct and administration in the future, to the resolutions adopted at the Brockport Conference."

The Conference accepted the report and adopted the resolution. This report was presented in the fore-noon, and he was called upon to answer to the resolutions. He told the Conference that he opposed the passage of the resolutions at Brockport, and refused to submit to them at that time, and was of the same mind now. Conference adjourned at noon, and in the afternoon session, his case had the floor. C. D. Burlingham and S. C. Church tried to get the matter dismissed, but no! Dr. Chamberlayne, T. Carlton and J. B. Wentworth said no ! It was submission, abject submission, such as no man would give, much less a Christian minister. He told them from the beginning he should not promise to be governed by the resolutions, as he would not bend. A. D. Wilbor came to him and said, " Now, Bro. IL, you seem determined to make the Conference come to your terms, why not say yes, and it will be all right."

It was after five in the afternoon when his case was sent to the committee for trial. At seven P. id. that evening, T. Carlton was appointed prosecutor. Mr. Hornsby asked for the charges, if he was to be tried. Thomes Carlton replied, "They will be furnished in time." Mr. Hornsby went at the appointed time. Carlton came at 7:20, and gave him the Bill of Charges. " Contumacy. In violating a series of resolutions." Fourth specification was " refusing to confess to his sin in contemning the advice of the Conference in his case." He asked to locate. " No," says K. D. Nettleton, " if Mr. Hornsby should locate, he would be loose, and cause us more trouble than he has already. I think we had better go on with the case." He asked to be permitted to withdraw. The request was granted. The Conference did not know what the charges were upon which he was to be tried. It might infer what they would be, but they were never read in Conference. Neither did he have any time to prepare for trial. Common decency was trampled upon. Some of them seemed in a hurry to get him out. Some said, " He is a Nazarite all over, and may as well go now as any time."

In Illinois the work began in a similar manner.

In the fall of 1855, Rev. D. H. Sherman was appointed to St. Charles. He found the church in a low state. During the winter, he held several services, with some success. At length the work came to a dead stand. In his extremity he wrote to Dr. Redfield, with whom he was acquainted, who was then laboring in Rochester, N. Y. Brother Redfield declined coming, unless he was invited by the official board. The board passed a resolution inviting him to come. He came in April and labored until the first of June. Much good was done. Many were converted and sanctified. Some awful cases of iniquity were brought to light by his faithful dealing, such as theft, drunkenness and adultery. The following two years, Rev. Charles French was pastor. He invited Brother Redfield to assist him several times, but such was the unwillingness of a few prominent members to come to the light, and help along the work, that the Doctor thought nothing could be done, and declined. Brother French was followed by Rev. S. G. Havermale. Such seemed to be the spirit of the man, that the Doctor's friends thought the two could work well together. A petition, signed by a large majority of the church, was sent to the official board asking that Brother Redfield be invited to come and hold a meeting. It was granted by a fair majority. But such was the opposition of the minority, that the matter was left with the pastor. He decided not to invite him, and informed Brother Redfield so by a line through the post office. In the fall of 1859, Rev. D. C. Howard was appointed to the charge. There seemed to be such a desire to hear Brother Redfield preach, as he was about to leave for the South, not only by a large majority of the church, but by the people outside, that Elisha Foot and J. M. Laughlin called on the pastor and requested him to invite the Doctor to preach. This the pastor refused. The Baptist people were at this time without preaching, and one of the Doctor's friends suggested to them to invite him to fill their pulpit the following Sunday. This was done and the Doctor preached to a crowded house. Arrangements were made for him to preach the following Sunday, During the week, some influences led the Baptist people to withdraw their invitation, and the Universalists offered their church. As it was now too late to withdraw the Doctor's appointment, that offer was accepted, and the Doctor preached in their church. On Monday Mr. Howard appointed a committee to wait on the leading members of his church who went to hear the Doctor preach. This committee informed them that it was necessary to confess that they had done wrong, and to pledge themselves to do so no more. If they would not do this they could have their choice of two things: First, take letters in good standing from the church. Second, be expelled.

The persons labored with did not feel that they had done wrong, and did not wish to remove from the church. That day Mr. Howard went, it was supposed, to Evanston to counsel with Bishop Simpson. ' On his return, he reported that the Bishop's opinion was that the official board was competent to declare those withdrawn who had been to hear Doctor Redfield preach. Consequently fourteen were declared withdrawn by the official board Wednesday evening—one of whom was not a member of the church, and never had been, as the list of membership would have shown. This was Sister Monroe, now dead. Five of the remaining thirteen were mere members of the board of trustees of nine.

Doctor Redfield preached on Monday and Tuesday evenings, with great power, and several were converted. When he saw the trouble that was to ensue, he ceased, and the fallowing week started for the South.

On Thursday evening these " withdrawn " persons were in their usual places at the church prayer meeting, but were not allowed by the pastor to take part in the exercises. At the close of the meeting they were read out of the church. About fifty more asked for letters, but were offered letters of withdrawal which they refused. Hoping that time would make all things right, these persons the following week rented a small hall as a temporary place of meeting. J. G. Terrill, a local preacher from Elgin, visited them at this juncture, and was invited to preach for them. He consented. A revival broke out, in which many of the hardest in the community were converted. It was found necessary to have some kind of an organization for the care of these, and a band was formed by adopting the general rules of the M. E. Church, with the exception of the one on slavery. In the meantime, the old society elected five trustees in the place of the ones declared withdrawn, and that in violation of the statutes of the State, which make no provision for vacancies in that manners Besides, these persons so declared withdrawn, were the old, tried members of the church, men who had been the principal means of building up the church property.

April 27th, 1860, these brethren were convinced against their hopes that there was no redress for their grievances, and organized themselves into an independent church, with the name of Free Methodist. At this time they numbered 112 members. The five trustees declared "withdrawn" by the official board of the old church, were elected trustees of the new. 'They were Elisha Foote, John M. Sangle, Ira D. Tyler, Warren Tyler and Ephraim Collar.

A friend, still a member of the old society, took the question to the Conference (the Rock River) in the fall. The Conference approved of the at of Mr. Howard, but declared against any such thing being done in the future.

Near Marengo, Ill., the entire Bishop family, consisting of five persons, were expelled for " neglecting the public worship of God at the Franklinville church, where they belonged." They went to Marengo to bear Dr. Redfield, and labored in revival meetings at school houses in the region around. If their 'neglect had been from worldly motives, no notice would have been taken of it; but as they gave their money and influence—not to fight holiness but to promote it, they were expelled from the church.

* Outline History, page 52