American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-05-26


may feel themselves called upon to make ar
election between the Northern and Southern
divisions of the church, be and they are here
by respectfully requested to have the pastoral
address of the convention read before the So
ciety, or the several societies of the charge, be-
fore voting on the subject.
After prayer by Rev. John Early, the men,
bers of the convention joined in singing that
beautiful and appropriate hymn
''Our souls by love together knit" sc.
The convention then ad iourned sine die, with
the benediction by Bishop Soule, the most hal
vailing.
THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION
To their Brethren in The United States; 10 The
Congregations connected lch The respective
Churches; and TO all candid Men.
painful division has taken place in the Mis-
sionary operations of the American Baptists.-
We would explain the origin, the principles and
the objects of that division; or the peculiar cir
cumstanceS in which the organization Of the
Southern Baptist Convention became neces-
sary.
Let not the extent of this disunion be exag-
gerated. At the present time it involves only
the Foreign and Domestic Missions of the de-
nomination. Northern and Southern Baptists
are still brethren. They differ in no article OF
the Faith. They are guided by the same prin-
cples of gospel Order. Fanatical attempts
have indeed been made, in some quarters, to
exclude us of the South from Christian fellow
ship. We do not retort these attempts and be-
lieve their extent to be comparatively limited.
Our christian fellowship is not, as we feel, a
matter to be obtruded ON any one. We abide
by that of our God, his dear Son, and all his
baptised followers. The few ultra Northern
brethren to whom we allude must take what
course they please. Their conduct has not in
iuenced us in this movement. We do not re-
gard the rupture as extending to foundation
principles, nor can we think the great body OF
our Northern brethren will so regard it. Dis
union has proceeded, however, dePlorably far.
The first part Of our duty is to show that its
entire origin is with others. This is its history:
|. The General Convention of the Baptist
denomination Of the United States roaS compos-
ed Of brethren from every part of the American
Republic. its constitution knows no difference
between Shareholders and Observation-Disclosures. -
Nor during the period of its existence for the
last thirty years has it, in practice, known any
thing of this distinction. Both parties have con,
tributed steadily and largely (f never adequate
ly) to those funds which are the basis of its
constituency, both have yielded its otfice-bear-
ers of all grades; its missionaries and translator'
of Gods word, its men of tolls many, and o
prayer not unapallng, abroad and at home
| The honored dead of both these classes have
walked in closest sympathy with each other
anticipating in the Board-room, and in the
Monthly Concert, that higher, but not holier
union now in their case consummated.-
fha M nj n
fairs, the wholestruggle with its eari difficulties
there was no breath of discord between them
Its Richard Furman and its VIM. Staughton,
its Jesse Mercer and its Thomas Baldwin led
on the sacramental host, shoulder to shoulder,
and heart to heart. Their rivalry being only
in earnest efforts for a common cause, their en-
tire aversions and enmities were directed with
all the strength cf their souls, against the COM
mon foe. And to the last, did they not cherish
the strong belief that they left no other enmi'
ties, or aversions no other rivalry to their sue
cessors.
In particular, a Special Rule of the constitu.
ton defines tcho may be missl onares, viz
"Such persons only as are in full communion
with some church in our denomination; and
who furnish satisfactory evidence Of genuine
piety, good talents, and fervent zealtor the Re-
deemer's cause" Now, willie under this rule
the STAKEHOLDER has been, in his turn. employ
ed as a missionary, it is not alleged that any
other persons thaG those above described, have
been appointed. Moreover the important post
of superintendent of the education Of native
missionaries has been assigned, with universal
appreciation, to the pastor Of one of our largest
slaveholding churches.
But an evil hour arrived. Even our humble
efforts in the conquest of the world toaCfod, eX-
cited the 2ccuser ofcur brethren to cast dlscord
among us; and in TIE last two Triennial Con-
ventons, slavery and anti-slavery men began
to draw off on different sides. How did the
nobler spirits on each side endeavor tc meet
this They proposed and carried almost unanl-
mously, tie following explicit Resolution:
Resolved, That in cooperating together, as
members OF this Convention in the work OF TO-
reign missions, we disclaim all sanction, either
expressed or implied, whether of slavery or
anti-slavery; but as individuals, we are free to
express and to promote, elsewhere, our views
on these sub, ects, in a christian manner and
spirit"
Our SUCCESSORS will find it difficult to believe
that so important and plain declaration had
become, before the close Of the first year OF the
triennal period, a perfect nullity. In Decem-
Der last the acting Board of the Convention, at
Boston, adopted new qualification for mis-
sionaries, new special rule. viz: that "lf any
one who shall effer himself for a missionary,
having slaves, should insist on retaining them
as his property, they could not appoint him"
'NOne thing is certain" they continue, "We
could never be a party to any arrangement
which implies appreciation of slavery"
We pray our brethren and all candid men to
mark the date of this novel Rule-the close of
the first six months of their three years. power,
date at which the mpromise-resolution
could scarcely have reached our remoter Mis-
sion stations. Ifusurpation had been intended
could it have been more fifty tmed2 An usur-
patton Of ecclesiastical power quite foreign to
our policy. Such power was assumed at Pc
Rod when the aggreved thousands of Israeli
had, as it now appears, no practical remedy.
Its obvious tendency was, either our final sub