ments. The early preachers were especially hostile to
slavery. In 1784 it was considered and declared to be contrary to the
Golden Law of God, as well as every principle of the Revolution. They
required every Methodist to execute and record, within twelve months
after notice by the preacher, a legal instrument emancipating all
slaves in his possession at specified ages. Any person who should not
concur in this requirement had liberty to leave the Church within one
year; Otherwise the preacher was to exclude him. No person holding
slaves could be admitted to membership, or to the Lord's Supper, until
he complied with this law. But it was to be applied only where the law
of the State permitted.[131] These rules provoked great hostility, and
were suspended within six months.

The Church had, however, put the stamp of condemnation upon it. And
ever in a more or less active but always consistent manner opposed it,
until its final extirpation was accomplished, though not until the
Church had been several times divided in favor of and against it.

The Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States of America was
organized in what is historically known as the Christmas Conference,
which convened in Baltimore at ten o'clock Friday morning, December
24, 1784, Bishop Thomas Coke, presiding. Rev. Francis Asbury was there
consecrated a bishop. In 1786 a resolution emphatically enjoining it
upon the preachers to leave nothing undone for the spiritual benefit
and salvation of the Colored people was adopted. The Church is a
limited Episcopacy. The bishops are elected by the General Conference.
They fix the appointments of all the preachers, but the conference
arranges their duration. The bishops hold office during good behavior.
The General Conference is the Legislative, and the bishops, presiding
elders, pastors, annual, district, and quarterly conferences, with the
leaders' and stewards' meetings, and the general and local trustees,
are the Executive Department. The ministerial orders are two: elder
and deacon. The offices of the ministry and rank are in the order
named,--bishop, sub-bishop, pastor, and sub-pastors. The ministry are
classified as Effective, Supernumerary, Superannuate, and Local. The
property of each congregation is deeded in trust for them to a Board
of Local Trustees, who may sell, buy, or improve it for the use of
said congregation. The stewards are officers whose labors are partly
temporal and partly spiritual.