Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-05-26


receive, the thanks Of the country, for the
manner in which they have disposed of the |
slavery question in that body. We copy from
the Atlas ofThursday.
In tn afternoon of the same day the ques- |
lion OF Slavery was taken up, and very sum
mlfiiy disposed of. Til, Committee To whom
the several memorials upon the subject of Sla-
very had been referred offered their report.
As the report is long. We eau give only few
extracts from it:
The question which is now mhappilv agi-
tating other branches OF the church. and which
Is pressed upon the attention of the Assem-
oly py the three classes oi memorialss Just
named, Is, whether the holding of Slaves. is
underall circumstances heinous sin, calling
Tor the discipline of the church
The Church of Christ is a spiritual BODY.
whose jurisdiction extends only to the religious
ialth, and moral conduct of her members. She
cannot legislatc, where Christ has not lcgisla-
ted, nor make terms of membership which he
has not made. The question, therefore. which
this Assembly is called upon to decide. is this
DO the Scriptures teach that the holding of
slaves, without regard to circumstances. is
SIN the remuneration of which, should be made
a condition of membership in the church of
Christ.
1t Is impossible to answer this question i'm
the Affirmative, without contrldictinp some
OF the plaincst declarations of the Word of
God. That slavery existed i'm the DAVIS of
Christ and his Apostles is AN admitted fact =
That they did not denOnce the rotation itself
as sinful, a. inconsistent with Christianity;
that Shareholders were admitted TO member
shipin the churches organized by the Apostles;
that whilst they were required TO treat their
slaves with kindness, and as rational, account
able. immortal beings, and if Christians. as
brethren in the Lord, they were not command
ed 10 emancipate them; that slaves We're
required To be ''obe6ient to their masters az
cording to the flesh, with fear and TREMBLING
with singlcness of heart as unto Christ" are
facts which meet the eye of every reader of
the new Testament. The Assembly cannot
therefore. dcnounce the holding of slaves ms
necessarily heinous and scandalous sin. cal
culated to bring upon the Church the curse of
God. without charging tho Apostles of Christ
withconniving at such sin, Introducing into
the Church such sinners, and thus bringing
upon them the curse of the Almighty"
The Assembly does not wish TO be under
stood as denying that there areevils connected
with slavery. Neither do they approve of the
oppression which grow out of the system.
Nor is this Assembly to be understood rs
countenancing the idea that masters NAV
regard their servants as mere property. not as
human beings, rational, accountable, immor
lai. Ihe scriptures prescribe not only the
duties OF servants, but of masters also, warming
the latter to discharge those duties, 'knowinS
that their Master is in Heaven, neither Is
there respect of persons with him."
"Iha Assembly intended simply to saw
that, since Christ and his inspired Apostles
did not make the holding of slaves a bar TO
communion, we, as court of Christ, have no
authority to do SO; since they did not attempt
to remove 1t from the Church by legislation
we have no authority 10 legislate on the sub,
Ject We feel constrained further To say. that
however desirable il may be to ameliorate the
condition of the slaves in the Southern and
western States, CT to remove slavery from
our country, taeSe objects, we are fully ser-
Su'N'Cd, CNh never be secured by ecclesiastical
leg'5e.;on. Much less can they be attained
by 'roae iRdiscriminate denunciations against
i.a 'eho!de.s, without regard to their character
o. circumstances, which hav, to so great an
extent characterized the movements of modern
abolition sus,-and which so far from RENEW
ing the evils complained of: tend onIv IN Nor
petuate end aggravate them"
facts. ''''
Resot06d, First, That the General Assembly
OF the Presbyterian Church i'm the u. Stale,
was originally organized, and has since CON
tinucd the bond ofunion i'm the church upon
IL conceded principle that the existence of
domestic slavery under the circumstances in
winch ii Is found In the southern portion of
I'll; country is no bar to christian comn.u,.
ion.
Secol |, That the petitions that ask-the As
scmbly TO make the holding of slaves in itself
matter of discipline, do virtually require this
ju'icilry to dissolve itself and abandon the
orSrnzation under which, by the divine 5!es-
|, / X EGs SO long Iospered. The tendency
lseNl"eai.y TO separate the northern iron the
sou I'm portion If The church; a result which
every good citizen must depiJre as tending 10
the dissolution Of 'hc union Of orr beloved
country and which every enlightened christian
VIII oppose as bringing about a ruin0us ard
unnecessary sclisin between brethren who
maintain common faith"
Alter the reading Of the rel ort several inef-
iectual atte,r6ts were nade to postpone Then
amentpeHis were offered, witha view of rem
dering Il less defensive Of slavery. hut were
rejected by decisive votes. The vote on ADOPT
Pg the report as reported was then takea.a,d
resulted ds follows: Ayes l6l, Nays IL; non
.iouets g.
TIE. FEALTF OF iHE CITY.-We have
D'en dwa!c 40. some time past HAT the small
T. was prevailing, and spreading with fear
iut rapldity in many parts of cur city, but we
rave leiTain'd thus far from making public
mention Of it, the hope that the authorities
would adopt prompt and decisive steps 10 bre
vet the further progress Of this loatlI sorce
disease. The loct Common Council, alihoueb
l"iiy aware Of the existence of the disesss
ADOPTED no apecialr0casu.eoofpf ccaution and
cen tie streets were suffered TO remain oh
of weeks. ''o'
On Saturday, The Board of Health were
specially convened TO tshe into consideration
he urgent NECESSITY e adopting the mot
pro1pt and oheciiye measures 20 Arrest tie
progress Of be pcst;lential disease. 4 p1ysi-
clan vas authorised 10 be cnployed in
every Wa,d, as wei, TO attend the ticf. as To-
moculaie all who desired and liberal aporo.
rrDhons were made 90 ensure Tie Immediate
cleansing ~ the streets. and the removal oCthe
vast mountains OF filth now accumulated n
'he various dumping gOurds- measures which
we doubt not will prove effective, and which