Page:A short account of the rise and progress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in America.djvu/40

 residence of James Varick, in Orange Street, in order to see what was best to be done. After considerable consultation, they resolved to appoint Abraham Thompson, James Varick, John Dungy and George Collins a committee, to call on Doctor Phoebus, an old Elder of the Methodist Episcopal Church, (who was said to be neutral in the case of the division) and William M. Stilwell, to gain some further information on the subject, and to obtain from William M. Stilwell a copy of the resolution of the last General Conference, which had caused the schism in the white Methodist Church. They also agreed to request a meeting of all the official members of Zion Church, at the Rose Street Academy, the following Friday night, at which time they hoped to come to a final decision among the official brethren. On Friday night, July 21st, 1820, the official members met together in the Rose Street Academy, according to request, and after due deliberation they agreed upon the following:—

Whereas, a very grievous schism has taken place m the Methodist Episcopal Church in this city, in consequence of a resolution of the last General Conference, and that resolution acted upon by the annual Conference of the New-York District, the substance of which is (as we are informed) that a memorial shall be drawn up, subscribers obtained by the Preachers, and the same to be presented to the Legislature of the State of New-York, at their next sitting, praying for a special Act of Incorporation, to suit the peculiarities of the Methodist Discipline, so that the