1. Every member of our society who has slaves in his possession shall, within twelve months after notice given to him by the Assistant (which the assistants are required immediately, and without any delay, to give to their respective circuits), legally execute and record an instrument whereby he emancipates and sets free every slave in his possession who is between the ages of forty and forty-five immediately, or at farthest when they arrive at the age of forty-five; and every slave who is between the ages of twenty-five and forty immediately, or at farthest at the explication of five years from the date of said instrument; every slave who is between the ages of twenty-one and twenty-five immediately or at farthest when they arrive at the age of thirty; and every slave under the age of twenty as soon as they arrive at the age of twenty-five at farthest; and every infant born in slavery after the above-mentioned rules are complied with immediately on its birth. McTyeire, Holland M., History of Methodism, II, pp. 375-378. [19] Minutes of the General Conferences, 1796-1844, pp. 40-1; Journal of the General Conference of 1800, pp. 37-44; American Church History, XI, 7. [20] Journal of the General Conference of 1816, p. 170. [21] “Resolved, by the delegates of the Annual Conferences in General Conference assembled, That they are decidedly opposed to modern abolition, and wholly disclaim any right, wish, or intention, to interfere in the civil and political relation between master and slave as it exists in the slaveholding states of this Union.” Journal of the General Conference of 1836, pp. 446-7. [22] Journal of the General Conference of 1840, p. 136. [23] The Finley Resolution was: “Whereas, the discipline of one church forbids the doing anything calculated to destroy an itinerant general superintendency; and, whereas, Bishop Andrew has become connected with slavery by marriage and otherwise, and this having drawn after it circumstances which, in the estimation of the General Conference, will greatly embarrass the exercise of his office as an itinerant general superintendent, if not in some places entirely prevent it; therefore, Resolved that it is the sense of this General Conference that he desist from the exercise of this office so long as this impediment exists.” Journal of General Conference of 1844, p. 85. [24] Bedford, A. H., History of the Organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, p. 207. [25] Journal of the General Conference of 1844, p. 85. [26] Bedford, pp. 418-503; see also Wightman, W. M., Life of William Capers, pp. 398-425; Smith, G. G., Life and Letters of James Osgood Andrew, pp. 336-385. [27] Garrett and Goodpasture, p. 156; Goodspeed, p. 647. [28] Ibid., p. 157. [29] Harrison, W. P., The Gospel Among the Slaves, p. 61. [30] McFerrin, J. B., History of Methodism in Tennessee, I, pp. 26, 470, 523; Vol. II, pp. 132, 159, 262; see also McTyeire, p. 462; and Goodspeed, pp. 664, 667.