Press enter after choosing selection

The Presbyterian General Assembly And Slavery

The Presbyterian General Assembly And Slavery image The Presbyterian General Assembly And Slavery image
Parent Issue
Day
19
Month
June
Year
1843
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

In J7J4, the General Assembly. in n note ,0 tlie Confession of Faiih, on the commnnd, !Tbou shalt not stenl." aay: 'The law was made fpr mnn-stcalers. Thiy crime mnong the Jews. exposed the perpéfrntöii of it to capital punís mienis. nnd the apostle clnsses ihem withuincrs ol the firs.i rnnjt. Stealers f men nrenll tlmsc wrió 1 ir. a olFsluvr;s of frêemen and hap. bui, or f dl (cm. To síeal a freeman is me highest kind of ihel't. Thu3. -19 ycars-ago, ilie Presbytcrian church and Cleigy declared all slnvcliolders to be ';mastkai.kks" - sinners of the fitst rank": :ind "guilty of the liïghe-t kinri of theft." Such wnp the original fnkh of the church wheu its mansir;:lii)jr tneinbers wore few. What has been tlie action of ;he ehtncli since? In ISIG, the Assetnbly passed the foüowing: "Rcsolcrd Tlini in pr iiímíi future cditions of the Confcssions of ihia Church. the note in ichich the aimc of r.ian-slcalinrr and SLÁviai ís dilate l vjoi, lie Ü.Ml'J'TKD!!"' Thus the declaration that slaveholders.. slnveeüer.'!. nnd slavehuyers are uian.-itcalirs. was ;.- .puued from the Conlession. Wliy? Uad slavory beconie less atrocious? Was tnansiealng 'esscriuiinal? Oh no. manstealers were siill first rale sinner?, hut their nuiiibcrsand inflnence lnd incrensed so Inrgely. tliat i ie entire church nltcrrd i:s fiiih sa ifi'iit thuse 'sinners of the first rank' might-be reccived and fellowslupped without reproof. In JSoó. the foHowing was introdticed: Jïcsolrel. Thai in the opinión of ihis General Asseml.ly. holding our fellow mi:n as property is a liilily riegriiváted sin. and ought to be s) regnidcd by all the judicntories of the church." 'Chis wns rcjeeted by'a vast nwjority. In, 1833, the Asseinbly elected a 'manstenler" - according to their own definition - Dr. Wiiherspoon, lor their moderator. The subject of s!avcry coming n;, Dr. Hodge moved, "That the whole subject be indefinitcly postponed." Carried, 150 to fel. In 1839. ihe New Scïiool Assembly, referred the whole matter to ihe Presbyteriea.In 18-10. lilis asseinbly. hav.ng found thnt some Presbytcries had exelüded slavcliolders frorii their pulpits and communion, ngreeably to tlieir vote of 1839. instructed ihose Presbyteries to rcscind their rules - in other words, lo continue to iellowship nnd receive manstealers to thei; pulpi is and communions! Ilere was a direct sanetion to the wholc sysiem. and an at tempt lo extend its prevalenco into th purer portions of the Chuich. The Assembly Uien votud not to meet again for three year?. Tlie Old School Assembly did not act at all - the slavcholders being s.itsficd, like the evil spirils of old. with !et alone. At the late eession of ihe Old School Genera! Assonibly. the metnorin! of the Chilicothe Prcsbytery on the subject, was laid on the table without reference, discussion, or even ronding! This aclion ot' ihe Assembly was certainly unambiguous and decisive. The case of ihAr oicn s'avos, of course, could not have a hearing before these Reverend Doctcrs! But bettcr things were hoped from the action of ihc New School Assembly. J t was composed cheifiy of Northern men)bfr3--t!ie number of s!aveho!ding Presbyteries in its connection is comparatively small, and but'few delégales were present from them. The discussion of the subject occupied scveral days. The deimtes were able. animnted, and instructivc. We ir.ieud to sul j. in a few brief notes of their doir.gs, w'th some reflections of our owri.The subject ca ne up fust on the question of npproving the action of the SynoJ of Cincinnat, on Slavery, ns set forth in their records. Rev. Mr. Rmvr.AXD, of New' York, rroved thnt the exceptionnble rcsolutiond be stricken froin the records. Ho ihoulit tliem ilisaHing to the Assembly. nnd cabnlnted to do creat iiijury. Rev. Dr. Elt, of Missouri, thóu&ht ihat the Assembly should approve what it lik?d, and pass the rest by. He did not t.hink tint all sluveholding was sin - he could jhcvz il was not. But ihen thi3 wns a fre county. Tlie breihrtn of Cincinnnti had a right to their bwn opinión. Dr. Dickknso.n-, of Cnyugn. thouglit the Assembly ought not to act upo the subjoct. Il should be left emirelyto the lower judic.itories. Rev. Mr. Benton. of Cincinnnti, said the Synod weie nenrly unanimous'y in their action, and if ihry had done wron. the Synod would wish to have their oflence precisely defined. But if they were lo be treated with contempt. and their so'. emn action on nn important sul.ject rebukc I nnd fiisnpproved. without a thndovv of n lenson ns pigned, the Synod might be rcs'ive undcr such ti ea'. ment.Rev. Mr. Wi.ng. of Tenncsseo.but latcly from the Nortii, iliought he must sliow his-áóiígtftircism - CR(nf!cr. is not (lint the proper word?) !'}' siying tlmt he was unwilüng to rllow the f?ynad to cscrpi ly a mere non-concurroncc m Uieir nelion. Someiliing ought to be sent down lo the Synod a liile inore dcc'uhd th;in n tuero disap prov;:l flc feit lliat ihe Assnrnbly miglit concede loo muc!i to tlief.eabolitiuni.sis. Wliensuch n body ns the Cincinnati Synod came forwnrd [O break the önnds wlucli so swcetly and harmoniüusly unite the diiferent p-riions of the clmich. tlicy óuga to ha made t f cd lc praumj.t'on and if f'ieir con lint.Rev. Dn. ËiAr pi'uI tfiero were sruno sores in the human eystem, whicli can only bs cured by letiinir tliom alone - sonielinies bij ccv.iinn t'icm up, öo tliat, plas:ered up. and exempt from cxlernal irritniions, tlie natural absorpion of the .system will gradual ly remove the disease. So it was uiih Slnvery. He believed his Cincinnati bretliren werc conscientious. but he should be sorry to (ind liimselfexclndec? from their pulpiis because he was a slnvehholdrr. He would nol censure tliesc brciliren. Ile would do in lefcrcnce to their nction as God did in regard to some sins of ignorance - wink at it - pass it bv. Nol apprve of it - nor condeinn it. The order of the d;iy was liere taken up, and the Committeeon Bills and Overtures introduced the following resolutions on tho sixteen Memorials on Slavery: Wlierens, divers memorials and remonstrances have been presented to the General Aseembly, some askinj for action, and oihersdeprecating all action of this body upon the subject of slnvery; therefore, Resolved, That though this Assembly cannot conser.t tn hold nny rolution to slaverv as a pystem which implies npprobntion, bilt must be understood to regard il as a grefft evll, nvolving most unhappy consequeijcas bot!) In the mnslér and the slave, vet the removal of i', tlionrrli an object of intense desire and fervent proyer, and one callir:r for the cónti.ined action of tru! li and loye, does not tall witliin the constituí ional powers of this bod?. Ati many spectators we re present, Rev. Mr. Rowfnrid moved to go into a committee of the wholp, vith closcd doon, the result ofwliicl) woiilti bo, ve suppqse, to éxclmle reporters. Dr. íIill, of Virginio, said thnt lie "desired a secret sessiun." The moiion was witl)dravn. Several of l!ie memorials and a Remonstrance wtre read. PiofessorTAYLOii, of' Va. a nativo ofNew Engjiud, wlio had roíided tlie nlost of his life at the Soutli, bul was not a slave-holder, addrossoH'the Asspmtily ai Icnjrlli. Hedisnpprovod tlie resolution. It expre?sed i lie opinión that Slavciy was an ovil. It would grate harslily on tbeears of the South. TÍúe, thpy were morbidly sensitive, bat Ilion we must mke folies as they aro. Lok at 1 Cor. 7: 2!, and see how difieren} ly Paul tnlks to Slavi-s. líe fp?a!s of slavery gentil- 'idvisina lates to nse their freedom ratlierFIow sóftënèij down wos liis treatnient of tlie subject! riow different frnin tliis re?olulion. Rev. Mr. Kkllogg, of Western New York, r.bjnctcd lo the resolntion, becanse of its'ambirrnity- it did not say u hether slavery was n pkysical, polil:ca!, or a moral evil, and becansc it presents a fake issue. Nobody had askcd the Assembly lo remove sljvery. But it wasasked to bcar lestimony opainst it, ns a s'n-as it had againsl Dancing and Snbbalhbrealdn. The question is, In sluvery a sin? He believed tbree fourths of the metnbers ucre fullv ngrecd on this poiüt. Ho moved tliat t!ie lower jtidicatcnes be eiijoiried to treat tlii?, like ollier preat sin?, and by instructiou. remonstrance, reproof, and effenlive disciplino, seek to purily the chnrcli of this great iniquity. The slave-holderst'iought it was time s-uch radc.ÜFm was rebuked, and liev. Mr. Gruff, of Mnrylanil, attempted to put k down by the fW thrpat of a "dissohition of tlie Union"!- Said he;Hi;lierto we Iinvc pone on in prent harmnny, bnt cnnnot :iny looger if these resolminns prevnil. God does not rrquirc. vs to declare slaven a sin ; he hns nat so decía red it himself. VVc íchow at the Soiith ihát it is nn evil; tiic Souih gtnans under it, but al present tlicy do not sre the remedy. And where does God jüstify us in his place and declarirg that slavery is a sin? In takiiiff these posilions, ve are makínrr wnr on the laws oftiie land: which neither Christ. nor his Apostles did, in tlieir contest witlievil. And the christi;in pnpulution iseo very smnll a part of the South, that our opíniovs will have no weight for pood. And finally, if tliese resolutions nrendoplod. f he soulliern chtirciies will sepnrate f rom lliis Assembly. Ve will hokl on ns-long ns ve can; weshnll part in p:iin; but loke ilieround proposed, and ourbeloved unión s no longér OWBíThe resolution of the. Committee was postponed - aves 53, nays 46. Mr. Gidkon, of Washington, moved to postpone Mr. Kellogg's rcsolutionp, awd ndopf one, the snbstance ofwhich was, tlial Slavery was so very delicate a subject tiiat ït was inexpediont to discussit. Lost - ayes 41-nnvs 57. Tlie motion recurring on Mr. Ttellogg's resolutions, Dr. Beecher, of Cincinnali, submilted liis views in a series of wrilten propoeition, which lie defended nith his usual vigor nnd slrength of árgüihépt. He wishes fur no supprnssion of opinión on the subjdcl. It had been agitated for J300 years. Tt is the qnestion whether physical force shall have the right to control the thoughts and acüons of men, ratber :hnn conscience and tiuth. Physical force crus-hes three niillions of our countrymen, who are in chains. Can they plead their own cause? No. Whatever may be thcir thotiLrh's. tliey are suppressed by the pliysical force whicli eurronnds thfm, üke a wali Teaching to heaven. The Nortli guurds thnt wall. Thp bpi'ni'onö, the resource?, the arms of tbe North keep Lhc Slave in his chnins. JVInst we defrnd -la very, and may we not dis . ciiis it? Foi one he protest rd ngamst it.Dr. Wisnbr, of Itlnca, N. Y. moderator of ilie A'sembly last yenr, look l'he floor, and made a long speech in explnnition of his views nnd posilion, which was as nenrly bainnceri on the fence as wel! might ie. IJe was npposed to nll aclion of the ÁsenbJyÍ fíe :d í!io:igíit lie wn? ar. nboüior;ist, bat .e fonnd he was mistnb'ii. A considerable porlioji of his people were abolitioniits, but he culd nol 2 with thern. Slavery was a poliiical mattpr, not wiiliin their proper junsdiclion. Ui? won'd :reat il as Clirisl and the A post les riid - tjjey did not interfere w ith tlie relation, but gave ppecificdirrctions to masters and sla yes ho to condnet themselves. It shqcked hiin tolienr abolitinir.sts s!iy fhey would roject the Bible, if they thonght it tolerafed slavery. Wc nre noi amhorized bythe word of God to 6.1 y that cvcry man who liolds slaves s gujjtv of sin. Fat her Richards, of Auburii, owns nn o!d woman(!) 'm New Jersey, and pnvs lor hor board, becanse she will not use her lihorly. ís he n prent sinner go'mg down to pprdition? Dr. V. qnoted nnd commented on mnny tcxts of Snrintnre, whicl), Jie said, did nol prove that the HUile jpnnctipns - not nt all - but they proved that politica] institulions are not to bè nppnüed by the church. lijs business was to In hor for the salva t ion of sonls. ' The result of this movement wonld be to J vido the church by Mason nnd Dixon's ]ine? and the next operation would !)(? to exclude al who will not go with them in abolitiou wieasures. "And if the plough share is to be j en again," said he I almost wish that I lived Ioh the öther side of Mnson and Dixon's line, for I ennnot live whore I nm to be forever gonded with tliis thing. I cannot and f wil! not." Di. Dufiikld, of Detroit, followed him in in odunruble speech, Bhowin that the tendency of the gospel was tó produce in all nn.. sions a perpetual slruggle ugninst oppression, irid fof'c'arrying out the highest principies of rationa! liberty. That stiuggle was now laking place among us. Hero was a marslialling of the antagonist hósts of God nnd tlie Devil in relercnce to human freedom. All our elementa ry notions of liborty and the riwhis of man are derivcd froni tlio Gospel. Whnt liborty do we askj or dosiro, or conceivs ot, Uiat is not conferred by tiic Gospel? As toinierferencc witli politics, when the poücvofn state róns ccross the fnndatnental principies of God's law, il was hisduty to testify ngainsi ii. Tliat was tlie reason why the blood of martyrs hsd been slied- they had wiihstood the requisitior.s of Inw. arraya it.eH' ngninst ihe law of God. It was not a more mattrr of poücy, like the TaPifij involving no moral principie. VVilh lus views, Dr. D. snid he could not live in a slave State,becaii5e he nust nccessnrily come in conflict with the luw.Rev. Mr., Mters, of Onrindaga, thoupht tlie Asscmbly ehould net npon tlie subject, yea or nay. He called on the opposiiion membrrs lo sa y whether slavery was a Bitle nstiHUion or not. Ifitwns, let tliem come out ;ind sny fo frankly. It had been said tliat Paul preacbed to slaves. So wou'd he, were lie in a slave state, and lie would prrach to tlieir rnastera nlso, and teil them to gWe llieir servants tliat wliich wns just and equal, also from Uio tuxt, "Behold Uie hire of tlie l.iborers, wliich is ofyou këptbrtck by fraüd,' 8tc., and he would tnakc sucl application as fitted. It was said iliat any aciion of the assem'iJv would produce división. He was certain i. action would. A Northern división niight be as dangerous as a Southern one. The floor was next obtained by the venerable Dr. IIill, of Virginia. He wanted to teil his experience respecting slaveiy. He had inherited four to whom he was niuch attachod. From age and other cajses they had never been of nny profit to him. Two had been lelt to his wife from her father, and they hadeü a Jorge íarniiy froin íiem, and liad ofTered them their liberty, but they liad refosed to accrpt il - whether on condilion of bnnisinnent to Liberia. Dr. II. did not say. He 'liad prenched lo siaves inucli. Soir.eiimes a tliousnnd bluck fices stnred at him at once. Wlien the odious ren ding law was p.issed, lie wos ihstrnctmg 200 plnves of all ages thrccnighfs n a week. And why was tliis law possed? The nbolition.ts caused it. They bogan to pour n tlieir ncendiary pubücftions by cart-loads. Said Dr. Bil}, "we tned varioiis expedienta tokeep tljem otit - but all lo uo purpose. I tooit a qunmity of them, and FPnt ihem back, with a rcquest for them to krépthëir vile inqhnüctry pupcrs ni home. - But they sent me four to one. Sonie of Jhe Aboütionists carne amotig us, sneukino1 and duing tbinga so mean that they cannot be named on this floor. Somk of thkm got LYNCHED, AND RIGÍIT EXOUGII TOO, I TI11.NK. I rn no advocare of Lynch law; but extreme offices somelimes require extreme remedies. Tlicy destrvedit. But the Abolitionisls carne down lipón 115 like the locusta of and oh! what havo they done! They ha ve put back 1 he cause uf Emancipation at least fifty years."Dr. MiLL told lus expcrience in Assernbly mnttors. Slavery has been discussed since 1317. The Abülitionists had tried to pour light into tlieir minds; but to judge froin the effect on liirnself; they liad been l.iboring at o prelty hopeless lask. Peopie do not like to beforeverfnnneled- thry don't likt to have otliers' opimons forced down their throats. He was in the churcli long br?fbre the brethren oftheCincinnatiSynod. Wns lie to be tbrust out at their biddine? They teil him to clear out. Wcll, wliat's the matter? Wliy yon do not spe.ik Shibbole'h f:iite riglit. Ifsome henlmg mensuro wns not ndoptorl, the Assembly wonld go to piceos. It was hard bejng fon:ver tolci. yonr rnnsciPnce is du'! - yon aro living in sin; Said Dr. II, -If I cannot mert j my Cellow chrisiians without heing forever harrastod with tliis subject. T nrver ivaid io ! sec a nolher General Jlssetnbly. I arn nnt going off in a pet. I loo tlie Abolitionists. T Jove he nltrai.--ts. Biu. from my sou! I plti Üiem. I pity thpir. ignorancc - their e.vclnsivrnes-s. They are unciera fearful delnsion.Abolitíonisai is a master stkokr of the Dkvil. But I jnust havo peace. I 'must not !n for cvrrliiPtinnrly íold "you iré tívin in sin - yoiir Clirislinii cliaracter s deparled.' On closinjr liis rcmarks, lie moved the indefinito postponemenf. of ihe resoluiions of Rev. Mr. Kellogfr, wliich were before lie house, for tlie purpose of jptrocJuciHg n repolution of lis own. leo ving Ihis wliole subject wliere it was left 'm 1839, wliicli was carricd 43 to 41. Dr. Dickinson, and Rev. Mr. West, of Michigan, approved tlic reso.'utioii - the latter íríiing is adopiion in :i warm and decided rmnnor.Tlie followiiinr resolution wassubstquently oíTercd by Dr. Dickinson: 'Wlierpnp, tlire is in this Assembly preat divorsity of' opinión, as to the proper and best mnde ofaction on the subject oslaverv: and w horens, in snch circumslahcep, nny p.Vpressiun of sentiment would cnrry with it bnt little weïght, os it would bo passécj by a pmnll m;ijorily, and must operte to produre nlienation and división: and wliereas ihe Assombly of 1340, with cront iinaniinity,r(ferred th's wholo snhjoct to the lower judicatories, to tnke such onlor ns in thoir jtidgnïeh'l migíit be adapted to remove iliom-ii; tlujrefore, Resolved, That t.liis Assembly do not tliink it for the edification óf the churcli, for this body, to tafee nnv nction on the subject.'-- Rev. Mr. Cook, of Illinois, opposed the resolution, and Dr. Ely followed in support ofit. He said if the sacred writcrs did not mean to imply sluvery in all the lengthond breadth of its menning, vvhen the speak of tiie slave ns doulus, then no language they could hiVe used wou ld imply it. "They nscd the term which was most e.xpressive of n firm and indissoluble bondage that could be found. The same term Paul used toexpress his allegiance lo Chrsl- -thus mak'wg the rclution of master and srrvant EQUAL IN AUTHORITY, ctheness and pcrpeluity iv'lh that which lound kim lo the service ofhis Lord." The Doctor went mío a humorous hislory of Iris own doings on slavery, from the time he boiig-ht Ambro.se, who is étilj iiis shive, till his aoq lisilion of ten more - sóhié by birth and some by purchosE. They had refüged th0 off.ïrof liberty- whelher on conditionof goin to Afnca, was not stated. Tliey were very happy, nnt! better off than tlio poor people of PliiladHphin, Uc. &c. Dr. BkWohkr followed, g'iv'mg his reasons for Bustoininsr this resolution. IJ admitted lt was not wlint it onglit to bo, nor wliat justice and the character of thechurch req:iired. Butit was desirable that a rjgbj (oci'son of the Assembly should be eslablished by a large mnjorily. If urrred through non-, the mnjority for n right decisión would be rñeaser He therefore sliould vote for this resohition, and watt the Turther yorking of Provulence. Rev. Mr. Mïers expressed his dissent from his course.Mr. Giudle? 6ta(ed his views concisely ngaiiist the expression of opinión upon a qnestiuu tlioy must inevilably moet. Dr. Dickhnson sresolntion was adopted Ayes 06- Nays SS. Qj All tlie delpgates prèèént from Michigan, Rev. Messrs. Dufficld, West, and Kelloga, voted for it. "What linstheNorth lo (o with Slnvery?!!' The Assembly Uien engnjed in a prayer of thnnksgivgii'g to Alqijghtj G.ul, for the spirit of tenderness and forbearance exercjsed durinff the diBCUSsion of this very imporlant subject. REMAKK3. 1. We see from this brief narraiion, that the prnrrpss of the P.-esbjMemn Church on this subject, has been steadily retrograde. Half a ceiitnry ngo, wheu the number of slnveholdcrs in Ihe Church was fe',thev "ere called mnn stealers. Now Rev. SlaveíioJdeía are pemiiited to hold suats in the General A3sembiy, defeml rnon-itealing from tlu Bible, denounce nbohtion as of the devii, and justify the Lynchinor of their brethren! Wel! mightMr. Finney say, os he is repotted to have K.iid, that Hell holds a Jubilek kvery TrsiR thk Gk.neral Asskmrly mkijts.2. The Assembly h:id ampie powers lo do all that was experted of them. They were callea upon to answer tiiis gmplé questiun, Is sl.-ivcholfHnnr right?' They were ofraid to sny it was wrong, lest the Slaveboldcrs shou'd leave the Union, and afraid lo say it was right, and thus insure the accumulated scorn of mankind. There is not a scofiingr infidel in the land who does not know thnt it is wronn-. Ia itusinnrloo stron": Inngunge to say of the cnurse of llus body of grave, learned, mid talanlerl divines, that it was cowardly and cotempiihle? ft The conrso of tlie Aspcipbly on Ihis subject is fast ëinking them into contompt with tlie wickoJ, whilo they are losiop the confidfilice oPitho trui y pions, and thus preparing1 the wuy for their own annihilation. The usefulness and efficiency of such a body depend entirely On the confidence of the public ia their wisdom, justicc.and piety. Every public body has a diameter as truly asan individu!. A withdrawa! of the confidence of liiechiirchcs and of community from such au nssembly wil) result in ihe dissolution of the body, or h a proloncratii)n ofexistencc, povverful, perhaps, for cvil, but imnoteüt fur o-nnd4. We soe fnm tliisdiscussion how truly thècburchea are ihe buhvark of Slavery They sny ihey rnnnot ngree u liether t be sin to ensluvea Cliristmn bmther: bilt tliey can ngree to let Reverend Slavelmlders tit in iheir liigheet jud.-calorics, nnd thceatcn fo secede if their.ápinga nre dcclarcd sirTu!, and the majority eiiccum!) to it! In tlns Asscmbly were 99 delegntes- 67 ministère nni 32 elders, of wliom only 7 ministers and two elde:s wero Trom the slfive Stales. 5. The dispoiition whicli led.the Assembly to toke this cours?, in otlier circumstances woiild cause them to enslave the Son of God! Suppose Jesns Christ to be a slave of Dr. Ely, and he liad come beforc the Assenibly and said,lBri-thren,Dr. Ely wronjrs me cvery da y to by holding me ns a ölave nrainst my tv'il] I prny yon to enjoin upnn htm to do by me lust vvh'at the Gospel requires, no more nor lees." Wlmt woiild Chrisl's Doctors say to this? - Rev. Mr. Rowland would wish to sluit the doors white the}' tnlk about it. Rev. Mr. Tuyloi would pay that if Ely was rebuked, the other slaveholders would not like it.- Dr. Iiill would say that the npplication of Cluist was a master slroke of the Devil to divide them. Dr. Wisner would say that when slivery prevailed in Judea, 1800 years 8gO Christ did not re'.iuke it. Let us serve him as he served ol horst. Besidrs, Clirist's kintrdoin is not of this woild, and wc may not interiore witfi politics. Dr. Beecher,Dr. Duffield. and Mr. West would igree that that Dr. Ely was doing wrong; but it was botter that theirLoRu and AFastkr s-hould toil on,a slave lo one of hts disciphs, ihat that the union of the Presbyterian Church shoiild be endangered by rebuking Dr. Ely. It is true, the Assembly have not thus decided concern ing Christ

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News