Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1837-03-22
LBy REQUEST.
From the Philadelphia Presby terrain.
THE PREsBYTERY OF sUsQUEHANNA
ON ABoLITIoNIsM
Erfrncf frnra AZ HEn.


nave suusIeu injuries IN consequence,
OF the excitement and distraction at
tendant upon the efforts of anti. slave
ry" agents, to promote amongst then
the nus of Abolitionism. And where
as others of our congregations are pc.
culiarly exposed, and liable in like
manner TO suffer. And whereas il il
important that the mind of the Presby,
terry, on all subjects seriously affecting
the interests of the churches under ITS
care, should be unequivocally express.
ed. Therefore,
ReSotred, That while this Presbyte.
~ would not desire either 10 justify or
extenuate the erils of slavery it is our
sincere and firm conviction that tho
present system of agitation, adopted
and acted on, in the non sl~aveholdlnr
States, by the Jealous advocates Of alb.
olitlonlsm, is unnecessary, unscriptu-
raj, and pernicious.
/. This system is unnecessary, be.
cause slavery, at least that species of
slavery against which abolitionism d..
reefs its attacks, does not here exist,
nor is public sentiment in its favor, as
is evident from the fact that slavery
has been long since abolished. Agita-
ton on this subject is therefore not re.
CURED.
2. 1t is unscriPtural, not warranted
by the precepts Of the Gospel, nor
sanctioned by the example of Christ
and his Apostles. In the Apostolic age
slavery in an aggravated form, existed
Throughout the Roman Empire yet, in
no instance on record, did our Savior
or his apostles and at a distance and
proclaim the wickedness ofthe system,
or preach a crusade against it. They
entered into the field, and with great
%selfdenial, amid many dangers, they
labored for the souls of men. Both
masters and servants (slaves) were
converted and admitted TO the commu-
MON of the church. The relative du.
ties of each class were prescribed.-
But in ne case was a master, merely
because he sustained the relation of q
master, reviled, denounced or excluded
from the church. See the letter of
Paul an Apostle Of Jesus Christ to Phi
lomon, a n,astos, by +" Onesimus, q SER
want" ~(slave.) In all this there is no
countenance given to the course pur.
sued by modern abolitionists.
3. 1t is perniciouS, first, because in
furious to the peace of Christian con-
gregations. There is within our bounds
lamentable evidence that the introduce
ton of abolition does occasion aliena.
ton and distraction. Church members
are set in violent and lasting opposition
to one another and their minister. Sc
condly, because, instead OF good, it
effects evil for the slave. By exciting
the fears or enger of the master, it ren-
ders his condition more unhappy. If.
he be liberated his freedom must be eff.
fected either by force or by the volun.
tary act of his master. The former
will not be contemplated--the prospect
Of the latter is greatly diminished by
the exasperating influence Of abolition
ism. Thirdly, because it tends direct
" 10 the division Of the church, and ul.
timately to the dissolution ofthe Union.
creates and fosters, $50 far as it pre-.
vails) in the churches oil the North, a
self. righteous and censorious spirit. 1t J
denounces and threatens with excom-
.munication, our brethren ofthe South;
consequently, il evangelical Christians
n one section of the church are DEEM
ed saints, and their brethren in another
section Of the same church, are regard
ed and treated as sinners, worthy OF
'edrobation and excelsior, a separation
s inevitable. And when the Christian
population Of the country is thus divi-
led against itself, the strongest bonds
,fthe national union are dissolved.
ReSolred, That this Presbytery re.
,ard the unauthorized efforts of aboli-
agents in the congregations under
'ur care, as an unwclcome intrusion,
to great and gratuitous evil.
md the Presbytery do hereby declare
hat such intrusion, by members of
Their PresbyterIes connected with the
'reSbyterian church, and unlimited by
he competent Ecclesiastical authori.
les, is an encroachment on our rights,
infringement of the constitution of
ne church, and worthy of emphatic
ensure.
RESOLVED, That the Presbytery ad- ,
Use the congregations under its care |
} avoid all unnecessary excitement on
ne subject ofslavery and abolit;onism. 4
f any should feel disposed, in imitation
I the holy apostles, to go and labor in
erson for the deliverence of both mas
,r and slave from the bondage of sin t
nd satan, we bid them God speed
his we conceive to be the duty ofthe I
ofChrist. But avoid any sys- i
I'm Of agitation and popular excite !
TENT. This is always a dangerous in s