Mr. Breckinridge displayed great regard for the reputation of this body. He believed they were almost free from the sin of slaveholding--their discipline was most emphatic in its condemnation of it, and he defied me to show that any Methodist was engaged in the infernal practice of slave trading. First, as to the probable extent of slavery in the church. On this point I shall quote from a solemn and authenticated document issued by a number of ministers in the Methodist Episcopal body in New England, entitled:-- "An appeal on the subject of Slavery, addressed to the members of the New England and New Hampshire conferences of the Methodist Episcopal Church;" and signed by SHIPLEY W. WILSON. ABRAM D. MERRILL. LA ROY SUNDERLAND. GEORGE STORRS. JARED PERKINS. Boston, Dec. 19th, 1834. In answer to the question-- "When will slavery cease from our church, if we continue to alter our rules against it as we have done for some years past?" they observe-- "But we will not dwell on this part of our subject; it is painful enough to think of; and as members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and as Methodist preachers, we readily confess we are exceedingly afflicted with a view of it, and still more with a knowledge of the fact, that the "great evil" of slavery has been _increasing_, both among the membership and ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at a _fearful rate_, for thirty or forty years past. The general minutes of our Annual Conferences, announce about 80,000 colored members in our church; and it is highly probable, from various reasons which might be named, that _as many as sixty thousand, or upwards of these, are slaves_; but what proportion of these and _others_, are enslaved by the _Methodist members_ and _Methodist preachers_, we have no means of determining precisely; but the _alterations_ which have been made in the discipline, show at once that _the number is neither few nor small_; and if this evil was a "great" one fifty years ago, what must it be now? What will it be fifty or a hundred years hence, _should the discipline be_ ALTERED _as it has been during half a century past_? Who can tell where this "great" and growing "evil," will end? We frequently hear Christians and Christian ministers expressing the greatest fears for the safety of the "political" union of these United States, whenever the subject of slavery is mentioned; but no fears as to the prosperity and peace of the Christian church, though this "evil" be ever so "great," and though it be increased every day a thousand fold. But can it be supposed that any branch of the Christian church is in a