The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1843-10-12

in any scandalous sin it is admitted, ough'
to exclude an individual from the church
If a man robs his peighbor OF a days
| wages, and refuses TO repent, and make
restitution, al! will say that he ought tc
be excluded from all communlon: and !
! so, ought we not TO exclude from com
munion a company of men, say a church
who persevere in robbing men :; or, to be
a little softer, who take advantage oil wick
ed laws, 10 take from them both liberty
and wages, life long. A sin that oughI
to exclude an individual from communion
ought 10 exclude a church. Can any be-
lieve that a sin is the less scandalouS and
aggravated because committed by a mul.
litude2 Or, shall we, because we have
power, cast out a helpless individual for
his sin, and fellowship the multitude who
not only commit the same sin, but sins
vastly worse? Upon the principle that
we exclude a single individual for a scan
dalous offence we are bound 10 withdraw
fellowship from a corrupt majority on
which we cannot formally exercise disci'
pline. Hence, Paul says, " we command
YOU brethren in the name of our Lord Je.
sus Christ, hat We withdraw yourselves
from every brother that walketh disorder
Iy."
Now brethren, that the General Assem-.
blies, and all tie pro-sIavery churches aud
p~resbvteries which sustain them walk
d~isorderly, you cannot deny. Will you
then obey this solemn injunction in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ 10 with
draw from them2 Can you, in good
conscience, longer adhere to bodies that
in despite OF all the light Of truth, perSe-
we're in sustaining a system that has taxi
the Bible and sabbath from nearly three
millions of people, abolished marriage,
and sundered every family tie has MUIR
dered millions; has propagated every
species Of vice and engulfed more souls
in perdition than any other system of
wickedness of the same extent? We
to feel the obligation to withdraw
he more imperious in consequence OF the
part that they, who, in the free States sus-
tain slavery, do voluntarily take upon
themselves the blood and guilt of slave
holding, and with less temptation than
lies in the way of the shareholders, and
consequently they are more criminal, and
less worthy of christian confidence and
fellowship. 1t is more desirable to be
delivered from such men than from slave
holders themselves. Let us then, breth-
rem, in the name of our risen and ascend
ed Savior, come out, and be separate let
US meet the scorn and bear the reproach--
he Lord will receive US. If God be for
US, who can be against us?"
JOHN RANKIN, Chairman.
At a Convention of the Presbyterian
ministers and ruling elders, New School,
held at Bloomingsburgh, Ohio, on the 22l
ofJune, l843, the following ministers,
john RANKIN, New
GEORGE BnrcnrR, School.
j. N. SHEPHERD, I Old
with A. A. GUTHRIE, Ruling Elder,
we're appointed committee to address the
anti-slavery Presbyterians, Old and New
on the duty of withdra wing from
heir several bodies in order 10 form a
Presbyterian church that will not admit
is members TO hold slaves. One of the
members of this committee, Mr.. Beecher,
las been providentially removed from
ime to eternity; perhaps he has been taken
lway from the evil 10 come. The Chair
nan has not been able to get the commit
ee together; nor even 10 ascertain whelh'
# the other two ministers are willing to
lct on the subject. The Chairman, there,
ore, assumes The entire responsibility of
he preceding address.
Antl-slavery papers are respectfully
equessed to publish the above.
JOHN RANKIN.