...fact that the major development of Methodism was in the South. The Methodist Conference of 1780 held that "slavery is contrary to the laws of God, man,...the dictates of conscience and pure religion" and required its preachers to pledge to free any slaves they might hold.2 The Conference of 1784 — which...

...rule, were forced to resettle in the west, across the Appalachians. The Methodists, after resolving that "slavery is contrary to the laws of God, man, and nature, and . . . contrary to the dictates of conscience and pure religion"60 also put pressure on their members...

...slaves to give promises to set them free? Answer: Yes. Question 17: Does this Conference acknowledge that slavery is contrary to the laws of God, man,...conscience and pure religion, and doing that which we 19. Edward Wilmot Blyden, 'The Call of Providence to the Descendants of Africa in America," in Negro...

...took action to instruct traveling preachers who owned slaves to free them. The action called slavery "contrary to the laws of God, man, and nature, and...to the dictates of conscience and pure religion." The conference expressed its "disapprobation" on those who owned slaves and "advised their freedom."4...

...underpinnings to argue for the general emancipation of slaves. At their 1780 conference, Methodists declared "that slavery is contrary to the laws of God, man,...and pure religion, and doing that which we would not others do to us and ours. " Four years later at their Christmas Conference, Methodists condemned slavery...

...professed firm abolitionist views. At their annual conference in 1780 they acknowledged that slavery was "contrary to the laws of God, man, and nature, and...and pure religion, and doing that which we would not others do to us and ours," and therefore voted their "disapprobation" of those who owned slaves. When...

...from them." In 1780, at their conference in Baltimore, the Methodists openly avowed that slavery was "contrary to the laws of God, man, and nature, and hurtful to society."20 Then, in the spring of 1785, the Reverend Dr. Coke and his coadjutor, Francis Asbury, came...

...the first emancipation law in America, the annual conference held in Baltimore declared slavery to be "contrary to the laws of God, man, and nature, and hurtful to society." In an attempt to add bite to this denunciation, the conference demanded that all traveling preachers...

...hold slaves to give promises to set them free? Ans. Yes, Ques, 17. Does this Conference acknowledge that slavery is contrary to the laws of God, man,...and pure religion, and doing that which we would not others should do to us and ours? Do we pass our disapprobation on all our friends who keep slaves,...

...their first condemnation of slavery. "[SJlavery," the annual minutes announced to Methodist members, "is contrary to the laws of God, man, and nature,...and pure religion, and doing that which we would not others do to us and ours." More important, as an example to their followers, the preachers agreed to...