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Non-communion With Slaveholders

Non-communion With Slaveholders image
Parent Issue
Day
7
Month
July
Year
1841
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The principies laid down by the great London Convention of 1840, on motion of the Rev. John Angelí James are to constitule the genera! clirecwy of a most potent movcment towards tho purification of the nominal church from the sin and shatne of slavery. We copy from lliem in ful!, for the purpose of hringing thern afresh to the nutice of the friends of Reform!''Resolved, 1. That it is the delibérate and deeply rootcd conviction of this meet-' ing which it publicly and solemnly oxpresses to the world, that slavery in whatever form or in whatever country it may exist, iscr.nirnry to the eterna! -.nci immutablc principies of justicc, ï'nd Uu, spirit c.;d precopts of Christianity' and is therë'fore a sin against God, which acquiros additional enoimity when commiitey nations professedly Christian, and in an agp, hen ihe subject has been so general ly cli.scuïsed, and its criminality so thoroughly exposcd. "Resolved, 2. That this meeting cannot but deeply deplore the fact, thtitlhe continuar.ee and prevalenco.of sluveryare to be attributcd, in a great degree lo the countenanco orForded by many Christian chinches, especially in the Western World, which have nol only withheld that public and emphatic testimonjf, against the crime which it deserves, but have retained ín their communion without censure, thosc by whom it is noloriously perpetrated. "Resolved, 3. That ibis meeting, while it disclaims the inlention or de?ire of dictating to Christian Communities dio terms of their fellowship, respeotfully submits that it is their incumbent duty to separate trom their communion all those persons, who, aftertheyhave been faithfully warned in tho spirit of the Gospel, continue in the sinofenslaving their fellowcrentures, or holding them in slavery : - a sin, by tho commissioiLof which, witli whatever mitigaiing ciréumsíances it may be altended m their own particular instances, they 51've the support of their example to the whole system of compulsory servitude, and ihe unuiterable horrors of iheslavc-trade."rs'iimerous churches and other rcligious bodies within ourown country and inling"r.i, have already adoptedthis principie. We rccommend that it should be brought up for adopïion, without dela#, i." evcry church and congregation in thé tree stales, according to the orgarïization and method' of business usual ineach chiirch. Let it be done "decently and in order,'1 but let it be done this summet#-ihis week, if you can. Now is the seasori of the year when the slaveholders seek the respite otnorlhern travel, leaving the poor slaves in the hands of the overseer. Now is the time, while they are scattered all over the North, for this particluar discussion to be carried on in full force, in cvery town and village. Hcre ia a forra of religious actton which is precise, efficiënt and final, and which the c!ergy and the great church organizations cannot control. Let the pegpie take hold of i, and rescue tho churches from degencration and reproach. The Executive Commitlee of the A. &- F. Anti-S!avery S'jciety.d(?f:p!y impressed wilh the imporfance and seasotiablenessèf this definite church ac'ion, are taking mea-' sures to bring the subject exiensively to the consideration of ihe churches throughout the free statës; they ask the co-opertion of ministers and all friends of the cause and that early information may be given ofail churches who adopt the principie. -

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News