The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-07-20
THE VOICE OF FREEDOM
MONTPELIER, SATURDAY, JULY 20, 1889.
EccIesiaStiCs.

| The General Associations of Connecticut and
Massachusetts,, and the General Conference of
Mane-bodcs representing the Congregational
Churches in those states-have recently held
their several annual meetings. Whether we lool,
to the proceedings Of these bodies from year to
year, or consider the general tone of their period
icas, as indicative of the prevailing sentiment, we
are obliged to admit that the stronghold of oppo-
stion to Abolition is among the congregational
ministers and churches of New England.
We have before us the proceedings of each
convention referred to, so far as they suffered any
action on the subject of slavery.
In the Connecticut Association, the question
came up by memorial from minor body. The
question was treated in mood bordering on lev
ity, and finally shuflled off by a vote to lay the
whole subject on the table.
In the Massachusetts Conference, although re-
ports and resolutions relating to the more popular
enterprises were promptly acted on, the published
proceedings, so far as we have seen, do not even
remotely allude to the claims Of two and half
millions of American heather.
The General Conference of Maine met at
Brunswick, June 25 A convention of congrega-
tonal ministers and members was held on the
same day, to consider the subject of slavery. AT
this convention a committee consisting of Rev.
D. Thurston Dr.. Tappan, Prof Smyth and Rev.
SiIas Mexican Formerly of Vt) were appointed
to confer with the editor Of the Christian Mirror
his course on the subject of slavery, and
report next year.
The following resolutions, unanimously adop-
ted by the Convention, were offered for the action
of the Conference but in the genuine A:hertonian
style, the whole subject was indefinitely postpo-
ned, yeas "a, nays 10. The resolutions thus dis
posed of " without being considered, debated prin-
ted or REFEREED" were as follows:
l. Resolved, That the gospel of Christ is a sys-
lem full of tender sympathy for the guilty and the
afflicted, and that it is the appropriate and sacred
duty of the churches in their associate capacity,
to remember them that are in bonds as bound
with them to open their mouths for the dumb,
and to plead the cause of the poor and needy.
g Resolved, That the practice of slaveholding
in these United States by which nearly sixth
part of its population, though like other men made
in Gods image, and redeemed by the precious
blood of aonement and invited by the word and
spirit Of God to participation of the purity, bless
edness and glory of the heavenly inheritance, are
deprived of all their rights as human beings, by
being held and used as articles of property, is a
heinous sin against God and against men; and
that this sin, like all others, ought to be lmmedl-
alely repented of and abandoned.
3. Resolved, That the mental darkness and
moral degradation of our enslaved fellow country
men, their entire subsection to the will of their
masters the withdrawal of legal protection from
their persons, purity reputation and domestic re-
latons, their being debarred from the means of
and denied the free exercise of religion,
give them peculiarly strong claim to the sympa-
hies, prayers and efforts Of the churches for their
deverance that they may be enlightened, puriG-
ed and saved.
1t remains to be seen whether the General Con-
venton Of Vermont will follow in the footsteps
of its illustrious predecessors