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

fhe prospect appeared 10 be that of soon
becoming an antl.sIavery church; bat bow
sad has been the disappointment no
prayers nor efforts have been able to in
duce the General Assembly 10 do so much
as to say that slaveholding is a sin, while
two SET created slaveholdin9 synodS have
been promptly received. Fbe reception
OF those sYnods decides what is to be the
settled policy oflhe General Assembly of
this branch of the Presbyterian church !;
and by such reception the motives to this
policy are increased. Ga this subject, il
the Two Assemblies there is bat one pol,
icy.
| Now, brethren, ought we to adhere to
bodies that ever have allowed, and now
do allow their members, unreproVed, to
practise oppression in It's worst form, and
tn II can not be induced by any prayers 10
say that such practice isa slu? To the
discussion Of lhs qresion your attention
IS nov earnestly s,jic ed.
L. is bul candid TO almit that many
plausible lhi0gs nav b. said in favor OF
mhecrncc; some Of these shall nov be
noticed.
1t. We ought, it is sid, 10 stay in
the body, ia order 10 reform It. OI9h
we not for the same reason 10 remain
WIKI The world ia order to reform il, aud
not joln the churches? WEen a young
,nan, ia a circle of wild and wicked CON.
panlonS, has become regrnefaled, he should,
Oh this principle remain with them, and
Ia, p n II r,.1
o. the same ground the temperance man
ought not to come out from his compan-
lons and join the temperance society,"
Why is il that we are anxious to get the
new convelt out from his vicious com.
raniunS2 We know he has remaining
corruption, aud hence we fear their lnHu-
cnce. For IL similar reason we are aux
lous to withdraw the RETURNED drunkard
from his companions iuto temperance
society. d. we not feel alarmed for any
professor Of religion when we see hI;n
closely allied to wicked men VIII not
our adherence be moTe likely TO cOrFupt
US than to reform the bodies 10 which we
b'Iong? Was no, a large part OF the
Methods. Episcopal Church formerly
unri-sIavery? But what is now The stale
Of that churth? Has not slavehoIdmg
influence triumpheI over that denonna'
,ion! And are AboIitionis;s coming out
Of ii in scattered remnants?
Fl. The church, it is said, is an insti-
tuition Of God, aud hence, like that OF the
private fImlIy, must not be deserted be
cause the governing power is corrupt and
wicked.
In reply to this, it may be asked, is any
one denomination Of christians the churchE
Is not the covenant established with Abra-
haD the constitution Of The church, and
the broad charter Of christian privilege |!
The Bible is but the development Of its
privileges. All societies, formed for the
worship Of God, founded on Bible princi-
pies, are parts Of The church We must
deplrt from Bible ground before we can
withdraw from the church. IL withdraw
lag our couneXon from bodies that allow
their members 10 hold human beings as
property. we have lItile TO fear, il the great
chatter is broad enough TO hold us while
in such connection. We have more reas.
on now to look to our feet than we shall
have when separated from those who al
low the practice Of an oppression that
ought to make even Tlri blush In
Withdrawing, We shall neither change nor
leave PreSbyterianism. We shall retain
Presbyterian government, and every doc
lrinc of the Confession of Faith, wilhont
even the least change. Whepresent branch.
IS Of the Presbyterian church are but
voluntary societies. Hence we will stand
upon tqrll ground with them in this re-
spect, In withdrawing from them, we DO
not leave he church, nor Presbyteranis,n.
We leave those who allow the practice OF
holding human beings as property, and
such as adhere 10 them, Any society
Instituted among men is liable 10 become
so corrupt as TO justify individuals men.
bers in Withdrawing from it; nor does
even that Of the private family form an
exception. The couduct of The husband
nay be SO corrupt us 20 justify The wife in
leaving him, aud that OF parents be such
as to justify the Withdrawal Of the chill
drrn.
81. The apostles, it is believed, did
not leave the Jewish church. which was
as corrupt as any IN modern times.
Upon investigation this will be found
not to be true. While i! is admitted that
they preached in the synagogu"$, when
allowed, aud were sometimes cast out, us
predicted by the Srvi,r yet they never
held communion with the Jews. They
associated themselves into n separate socI,
ETY., and required profession OF faith and
baptism in order to union aud communion
with them. WouId they have admins
tered the LORDS Supper TO Jewish sym
agogue2 N, fact is more evident than
that all the first christian churches wefe
distinct societies lh,t held no Communion
wiih The laws Ehe same is trnn Of the