Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-05-28
lAssSrsrian CAureA .. Slsssry.


ssssspes " sxesnAg Topic Of Abolition. We extract
IRON ~ psocssdings The following, which indicates Q spirit
of uoAsndoa and s.l-ss ton, hirhlv commeodable,
.rAs COMMITTEES On o, erture Noe, viz, the several me-
wo<tsI, ana petiuo,s IN the sub;,et Of Slavery rcpott,d
Thsir rsport wss read and IL q. follows. viz,
Ths Csumit,,s. 10 whom Vas referred In, memotisls On
sAs ssk,sct o, 81. very, beg l,sv, 10 submit the following
rspori
Ths nemosials usv he Divided ip,o ,hr~e rls~.. wiz.
.. 1boss which rrpses,u, the .v,,em of slavery =. n
szss In these United States, a a great evil. and pray this
General Assembly 10 adopt measures for the .meiiontion
ofths condition of the Slaves.
=. Those which .sk the Assembly TO receive memoir
Oh On the subject Of Sluverv. ,o allow . full diseax.ion of
a., ssd TO enjun upon the membe, of our church r..,dins
10 sssss whoss Laws forbid the slaves being taught to read,
70 sssk By eli lawful means the repeal OF ,hoee laws.
;. Those which represent, slavery as a moral evil, a hei.
nous su IN The .ight of God c,lenl,,,J 4, h,;rs ,r,p ,se
mnrch the curse Of COO, and calling for the exercise Of
hpline in the case Of those who persist in maintaining
- ~jusdfyins the relation Of master to slaves.
The question which IL now unhappily asitating and di-
vtdiag other branches OF the church, and which is pressed
upos shs sreauon Of the Assembly by the three classes Of
nsnshshss just named, Is, whether the holding Of Slaves.
fs under ell circumstances a heinous sin, calling for the dis.
ciplins Of The church.
The church Of Christ 10 a spiritual body, whose jurisdic.
lion sxtsnds only TO the religious faith. and moral conduct
- hr members. She cannot ~legislstc where Christ has
not isgisiaisd. nor make terms Of membership which he has
not made. The question, therefore, which this Assembly
y called upon 20 decide, is this-Do the Scriptures teach
mat The holding OF slaves, without regard 10 circumstances,
- . sin, the Remuneration # which should be made n con-
eiuohot menioefship IN the church oi Chrstf
ltis impossible 10 answer this question in the Affirmative,
without contrsdicting some OF the plsinest declarations OF
the Word oil God. That slavery existed in the days OF
Christ and his Apostles. 10 an admitted fact. That they
oo not denounce the relation itself as sinful, rs inconsis-
tent with Christianity that Shareholders were admitted
70 memoenhip In the churches organized BY the Apostles |;
mat whilst they were required to treat their slaves with
kinones, and % rational, accountable, immortal beings,
and Christians, as brethren in the Lord, they were not
commanded TO emancipate them that slaves were required
seos " ooed,eni 70 their masters according to the flesh,
WIN fesr and trembling. with singleness Of heart ss unto
Chnst" ere facts which meet the eye Of every reader Of
tns New Testament This Assembly cannot, therefore,
denouncs the holding OF slaves rs necessarily q heinous
and scsnd:ious sin, calculated to bring upon the Church
the enne oil God, without charging the Apostles OF Christ
WIN conniving 81 such sin, introducing into the Church
such sinners, and thus bringing upon them the curse of the
Aimeny.
in saying however, the Assembly are not TO be I'M
oentood as denying that there is evil connected with sla-
very. Much less do they approve those defective and OPP
pressive laws by which in somo OF the States rs regulated.
Nor would they by any means countenance tho traffic o.
slaves for the sake OF gain; the separation OF husbands and
wives, patents and children Tor the sake OF "hhhy lucre" or
Tor Tho convenience OF the master; or cruel treatment OF
slaves In any respect Every christian and philanihropisi
certainly should seek by all peaceabie and lawful means
The repeal OF unjust and oppressive laws. and the amend
ment Of such as are defective, 50 as to protect the slaves
from cruel treatment by wicked men and secure 10 them the
right To receive religious instruction.
Nor 10 this Assembly To be understood n countenanciny
ce idea that masters may regard their servants as mere pro.
perry, not as human beings, rational, accountable, immor-
pls u scriptures prescribe not only the duues OF ser
vants, out OF masters also, warning the latter TO discharge
those duties knowing that their master is IN heaven,
neither Is there respect OF persons with him."
The Assembly intend simply to say, tina, since Chris,
and his inspired Apostles did not make the holding OF slaves
. bar TO communion, VIC, as a court OF Christ, have no au-
thority TO do 30; since they did not attempt To remove 1t
from the Church by legislauon, we have no authority 10
ieghlsie on the subject. We feel constrained further to
say that however desirable 1t may be TO apeliorate the
condition OF the slaves in the Southern and Western
States, or to remove slavery from our country, these objects
We are fully persuaded can never be secured by eeclesiasti-
cal legislation. Much less can they be attained by those
Understandable senunciaiions against Shareholders without
regardto their character or circumstances, which have, to
~ great an extent, characterized the movements OF modern
nboiiuonlsis, which, 80 tar from removing the evils COM
planned Of. tend only to perpeiaate and aggraSate them.
The Apostles OF Christ sought to ameliorate the condi.
tVn Of slaves. not by denouncing and accommodating
their masters, but by teaching both masters and slaves the
glorious doctrines OF the Gospel, aud enjoining upon such
the discharge OF their relative duties. Tins only can the
church Of Christ, rs such, now improve tic condition y,
The slavesi in cur country.
Asto the extent oil the evils involved in slavery and the
best methods OF removing them, various opinions prevail,
and neither the scriptures nor our constitution authorize
ms BODY 10 present any particular course TO be pursued by
the Churches under our care. The Assembly cannot but
rejoice however, to learn that the Ministers and Churches
tine sare-hoioing states are awaklng to n deeper sense
o. thef obligation, TO extend TO the slave population gener-
ally, the means oil Grace, and many slave holders not pro
Ieseoiy reug'ous 'a'o' nus oo)ec'' we earnestly ehhoH
mem 70 aoouna more and more 10 ms good Work: we
"ouio eAnot'eNe,y oene''hg master 10 remember mat MS
master = shso IN heaVen' ana IN view OF all me circumsian.
ees In when ne Is placed 10 sct IN the sPin' Of the golden
RUE whatsoever yo wonia that men should do 10 you
noye eve w saHe 10 'hem.
In view o. ,ee soo.e stated principles ana iacis'
nssoveo, fms', 'na' ue Genera Assembly OF tne
IesoyeIan Snu'eu IN me onnsa Sla,es was originally
I'saa'leu' M . eonunneu ,tne 1oho OF union IN
pm 'ne evne1oeo pnncpo unat me existence
" ave 1"oo 'e "nie" IL s
y ~ ~ ooLe po'"oH " "e county is J." IA 10
ennsu'n communism
Seeono, ina' me peunons lnat $ ue Assembly 10
= ue noioins . sa'e ~ use . r'a''er o diseipilne,
y .Iuany ie9uie ,os JuoieA'oiy u dissoiye lsei ahc
epsnovh 'e un"ef nnich' vytne Dl'ihe o'esA-
.ns, I" = . :" = puosr ~ 'enuehsy e'Inenty
u separate ,ne ho,lhe'n rom ~ southerh poruon Of inc
nusn : -, !" ~ .nn we soou el"Len mus, oeP'o'e Is
sep1'"s p" .e u"Un VI ~ eob"'
sy,.po 'Hu ~" oppose .
bringing ' ny unu unnecessary seni'm oe'~eeh
'',nren W. h,ai"1m : eo"no" I""n'
~. " LeoP'" w. i.Po".
mn nIs no ."Jus".n . y JuoiI
~ nep"'' s"u ea"'' "'pou "o nSSemoS "ou'u
ADvp'
Wy. S"aslI eah.o y q ~ Ieauhs' a"u IL was
~hk Iea s.Io"u ~
'au ~ mNs u" pnePsieu 70 say ma' ~
pnnS'p.e, " "e ''PoH ~eI "' w oeeo'usnee WIN 'e
~oe" oou' "' NC p'opa.eu sey lney DoS' ~
wss. s"e' 'c'y sres' H'Ponauee' ana ne 'nougntme
hsscmofy should tnke ume 10 deliberate calmly. lie wish