Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-05-24
The Calvinist Baptist Home Missionary
Society and Slavery.

important that this question should receive full
and unequivocal answer; therefore,
Resotved, That as the sense of this Society, a
minister being a STAKEHOLDER, should present no
barrier to his being employed as Mission of this
Society
He stated in mild and excellent speech, that
his object was, to obtain distinct expression from
the Society, whether it would knowingly employ
Shareholders as missionaries. He thought the
North and the South both ought to know the posi-
ton of the Society on this point. Rev Mr.. Cone
of N Y. was in favor of entire neutrality on that
subject, and contended that the Executive COM
mittee had acted on that ground.
Rev. 0. B. Brown of d. c., moved an indefinite
postponement of the whole subject. We had
nothing to do with it. 1t was a question purely
political, and he thought it was as much out Of the
power or province of the Convention as the ques-
ton of the annexation of Texas, or who shall be
the next President of the U. States.
Rev. Mr.. Colver of Boston, thought it a delicate
but important subject which the Society must de-
eide. Even if it resulted in a division, that had
better be made now, on an intelligent understand
ing of the facts in the case, than be deferred The
neutrality of the Executive Committee is no long
er possible. 1t has become practical question :;
and is there no discretionary power in the Society
Suppose the question had reference to gamblers;
could not the Society take action upon it? The
North have right to know whether Shareholders
may be employed as missionaries The South
have the same right. He surprised at the prop
osition of postponement for Southern as we'll as
Northern brethren wished to know the policy of
the Society Let us rather come up like men, and
meet the question.
Rev. D. Hodge of Pa, was in favor of indefinite
postponement. He was opposed to the resolution
offered by the reverend gentleman from Maine.
lie did not consider slavery moral evil, and stood
prepared to prove his proposition. He opposed
the resolution, because to adopt it, would most
certainly bring about a division Of the church.
Rev. Mr.. Hill, Corresponding Secretary of the
Board, then made some remarks explanatory of
the course which himself AND his co -adjutors had
pursued. He was entirely opposed to the resou
ton. 1t was entirely superfuous, because antici-
pated in the Constitution. That instrument de-
cides that the funds of the Society shall be dispos
ed of for the promotion of the great objects Of the
Society according to the desire of those who con-
tribute them. The Executive committee have al
ways proceeded OH that ground. They have acted
on the recommendation and designation of those
who contributed funds. The Committee have not
instituted the inquiry, whether or not their mis-
slonares were Shareholders. They have main
tanned neutral ground, and as evidence of this, a
brother who addressed US last week, an anti-save-
~ man has now been appointed a missionary. If
antl-slavery men have right to complain Of the
appointment of shareholders as missionaries, have
not shareholders an equal right to complain at the
appointment of men with antl-slavery views?
Rev. X. X Fuller, of S. c., presented and read
the following as an amendment to the resolution.
Resolved, That as the Constitution of the Home
Missionary Society clearly and distinctly de-
fines IFS object to be the promotion of the gospel
in North America, and as it is provided by such
constitution that any auxiliary society may desig-
nate the object to which the funds contributed by
it shall be applied, and may also claim a mlssona-
ny or missionaries, according to such fund.- and
lect the field where the missionary or missionaries
shall operate, that to introduce the subject ofsave-
ry or anti-saVery into this body is in direct con-
travention of the whole letter and purport of the
constitution, and is, moreover most unnecessa-
ny agitation of topics over which it has no CONTROL
and as to which its operations should be letter
ed nor its deliberations disturbed
RESOLVED, That the Missionary Society being
only an agency to disburse the funds confded to it
according to the wishes of the contributors, there
fore our cooperation in this does not imply any
sympathy either with slavery or anti-slavery, as to
which subjects, societies individuals are left
free and uncommitted as if there were no such
operations
At this point Mr.. Jones Of Me-, rose to inquire
whether the Board ever examined missionaries
with regard to qualifications? The Secretary re-
piled that they did.
Mr.. F. rose to speak upon his amendment He
said he had no wish to urge the question, nor
should he shrink from it. If northern brethren
arc Wllllh5 W uIFlucj Lue SOulH were as Wiling
But before that, he wished brethren to reflect
Such step would be but the beginning of the
evil The country is already full of divsior.--
There is but little in Congress to hold these States
together. The beginning Of division in the Bap-
fist denomination is the signal for the destruction
of the country. We ought, indeed, to act consci-
entiousy, even though the country be rent asun-
der-but we are to remember that conscience may
be very superstitious. We have too much to do
at home without troubling ourselves with these
exciting subjects. There are 1900 colored COM
municants IN the church in Beaufort, of which
am pastor. The salary, about $1,000 is not used
by me, but is given to the negroes to support ii
preacher for them. Cannot brethren take kind
view of the ubject? Must leave the south and
the people, whom have not purchased but inher-
tied! We feel our crushing responsibility. Can
not brethren suppose that feel it my duty to re-
main where am? Chrst's kingdom is not of this
world, but this is political question.
Rev. Mr.. letter, of Va, said he stood up to
speak, moved by kind spirit. He believed the
object sought to be gained by the mover of the
original resolution was LIST. Unconstitutional
2nd The course proposed is unscripturaI. Slave
Ty cannot be proved unscriptura The Hebrews
were permitted to hold slaves in perpetual, hered
itary bondage Moses, under the divine direction
tolerated slavery He who enacts laws withou
respect to the existing condition of society, is
visionary. There was an existing state of things
and God saw fit to permit slavery among the He
brews. Christ and his apostles were not abolition
lists, in the ordinary sense of the term. Shall w,
liberate our slaves? The laws forbid. And If thu
laws were not against u.s. | believe humanit,
would forbid 1T The slaves at the south are in