Granville Methodist Episcopal Church Petition Concerning Slavery

              We [insert members of the M E Church] whose names are thereunto annexed believing that our 
church Discipline is deficient in reference to the great evil of 
slavery, beg [work crossed out] leave to present the following petition to the 
honorable body of the Ohio conference 
Brethren we feel no disposition to forsake any associa- 
tion for a trifling cause or causes; neither do we feel like 
it when the cause is an important one, untill there is time 
given to rectify the evil, and this is what we now wait 
for in reference to this great evil. 
That the church is identified with Slavery is unnecesary 
to state, and the reason given we presume for this identifica- 
tion is the peculiarity of the evil institutions under which the 
church exists.  Now we believe that a church should not draft 
its rules from civil rules or human laws; but that its rules should 
be in accordance with divine law, regardless of human consequences. 
If church rules are in accordance with divine Inspiration, we 
may expect divine consequences of an evil nature to be the 
result.  Therefore we desire, we pray! that our church may ban= 
ish all connection with slavery, because it is a human insti= 
tution of an abominable character.  We feel no desire to withdraw 
from the church, but to the contrary, feel like correcting what 
we conscientiously believe to be wrong, in her, and as long as 
there is a hope in our breasts that such correction may 
be made, we will remain with her, and do our utmost to 
accomplish such correction.  All we desire from you as a 
body is that you make known your sentiments and feelings 
in regard to this subject so that we may know how your 
influence will preponderate in the next General Conference 
and these we assure you are not the desires or feeling 
of ultraism. 
Yours respectfully, 
Stephen W Barstow	Polly Byam 
William Chrysler		Mary Barstow 
Hiram Twining		Mary Ann Badluck 
Lovey Twining		Elisha P Spelman 
Richard Stewart		Nancy Spelman 
Philina Stewart		Laura Benjamine 
Susannah Wheeler	Rhoda Chrsler 
David Hawley		Hannah Chrysler 
Sarah Hawley 
Pheianes Gilbert 
Esther Gilbert