Page:A short account of the rise and progress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in America.djvu/68

 and societies generally; neither is it understood that they wish or desire it. They request a Conference themselves in unity and friendship with, and under the patronage of the Bishops and Conferences of the white Preachers, and that our Bishops should preside among them and ordain their Preachers, and extend to them their superintending protection, counsel and direction in their itinerant regulations and ministerial operations. It appears that they could obtain orders from another quarter, and become a connexion distinct from, and independent of the white Bishops and Conferences, but they prefer and desire patronage from, and a certain degree of union with us. They have refused to unite with Richard Allen and his African connexion, being dissatisfied with their general manner of proceedings. 3. From every view of the subject we have been able to take, we are of opinion the time is come when something must be done, more than yet has been done, for our coloured people, especially for such as are situated and circumstanced as the memorialists are, in order to enlarge their sphere of labours, and to extend their privileges and opportunities of usefulness among themselves, under our protection and direction, otherwise we shall lose their confidence in us and our influence over them, and they will become separate from, and independent of us, and then our usefulness among them will in a great measure be lost. And it appears in the present case under consideration, that they are fixed and resolved to have a Conference among themselves, whether patronized by us or not, and they have appointed the time for holding