WM. ROBERTS.
To the Bishop &c
Salem Nov 26th 1849 Rev & Dear Bro.
I desire to communicate with you in regard to some points connected with the interest of our beloved [church] on the Pacific Coast. The & C Mission Conf 10 was organized on the 1st Wed in Sep last, the session which commenced on the 5th lasted until Monday 10th there was good Christian feeling and harmony throughout and it is the general opinion here that the organ [ization] of a conf. at this juncture is peculiarly favourable to our prosperity. There are some points on which I desire information. What is the power of a certif [icate] of Location. Wm. H. Case is before me He has his parchments of ordination to the off [ice] of Deacon by Heddy in 1831. El[der] by Roberts in /33 and a certif [icate] of Location dated Danville Ky, Octo. 22, '39 by B. Maugh He has been in the employ of the Mission since 46 labouring accessably when the confer [ence] was organized this Bro. applied for admission on the strength of these testimonials it was desired by all that he should be reed, and no embarrassment presented itself excepting can a man who is a local preacher be permitted to enter the travelling con[nection] except he comes in on time by receiving] from a quarterly conference. It seemed to me (for the question was mine for locations are rare in the N. J. & Pa. Conference) that he could not, but some brethren present insisted that they had known cases where there were readmitted in virtue of such certificates. Bro Leslie stated such to have been his case in the N. E. Cof . and in spite of my doubts I decided Wm Helm to be eligable to admission. Please inform me which were right the doubts or the decision, and if the action was wrong what course should be pursued to have the affair set right.
There is another case, Clinton Kelly at the time of the unf or [tunate] division he fell on the support of the church contrary to his wishing in almost every respect he was compelld to adhere south for peace sake, and was a t. p. [traveling preacher] in the Louisville conference. Almost exclusively to get out of the reach of Slavery and to be in his own church he emigrated to Oregon. While his conf. was yet in session I think in the Aug of '47
10 Oregon and California Mission conference of the M. E. church 1848-1852.
