Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-05-07
A ID ID R e s S
s OF THE REV. DIR. JOHNSON,

DEGENERATION, s.. c., DELIVERED on THE
3Rp DAY OF May. 1915, AT AN EXTRA MEET
ING. OF THE BODY.
Dear Brethren Pre- paratory to your en-
tering into business, ask your attention 10
the following Address. The General Conyell-
ton of the Baptist Denomination i'll the Unlted
States for Foreign Missions, and other lmpor-
tant objects. relating to The Redeener's king
dom, Of which this Convention is conslitu-
ent member, Is composed of Baptlsts from
every .part of the American Republic. The
distinction between Shareholders and Noll-
Shareholders is, therefore, unknown to lis Con-
slitution. This instrument secures TO It's mem-
bers. the enjoyment OF their social equality as
to all the privileges and benefits OF the Foreign
Missionary Union" A special article, the 9th,
requires, that such persons only as are IN
fal communion with some church in our de-
nomination., and furnish satisfactory evidence
of genuine pietyi good talents, and fervent zeal
torthe Redeemers cause, are to be employed
US Missionaries"
- The adoption, of this article by Shareholders
and non-slaveholders, united upon the princl-
pie Of equal rights who communed together
at the same table; received each other inter
chaBseabIy into church membership; whose
Ministers preached In each others pulpits;
concusively proves, thatthe Convention made
not the ownership Of slaves. disqualification
in one, who should offer himself for mlssona
ry appointment. =.
The Convention. for the purpose Of making
the subject still palmer passed al its last slttlng
the following declaratory resolution "Resos-
ved, That in cooperating together, as members
of this Convention in the work OF Foreign Mis-.
sious, We disc lamall sanction either expressed
or implied, whether of slavery Or anti.slarery,
but as individuals. we are free to express and 10
promote, elsewhere, our own views on these
subjects in a christian manner and spirit -
The mind, the intention, the will OF the Con.
yention ON these subjects cannot then be nsun-
ders,pod. Especially would II seem, that the
a.sAcling Board" should have clearly compre-
hendcd the intent and meaning Of the Conven-
,io,l, since itreceived its appointment from that
body, as its agent. for the express purpose OF
CARRYING Tits will aud design. And yet this
agent has decided, that = II amy one shall offer
himself as Missionary having slaves, and
should insist onreiaining them, Us his property,
we could not appoint him. One thing is cer-
,ain," continues the Acting Board, 1--WE can
never, be Il party to any arrangement, that
would imply appreciation OF slavery" BY
this decision, this agent has placed itself in di-
rect opposition u the Convention, aud It's dec
larutory resolution. The only reason given for
this extraordinary decision is, that The ap-
pointing power, for wise and good reasons,
has been condned 10 tile Acting Board. -
But under this authority, strange to tell, Ibis
agent has undertaken 10 declare that 10 be u
disqualification III one. who should offer himself
for Foreign Missionary appnlntmcnt, which
the Convention has said, shall not be d disqual-
ifcation. This agent has also expressly sane
toned Antslavery, and condemned Slavery,
although the Convention has decided that
neither should be done. Aud farther, Il has
forbidden all those, who should apply for a For
cign Missionary appointment, to express and
10 promote their own views on the subject OF
slavery, in a proper manner and splrt. This
istruly a ahign.handed, most extraordinary mea-
sure, for an agent restricted 10 unconstitutional
provision, and declaratory resolution. BY
this tecision,it is evdcnt,th that the Board stands
ready 10 violate the Constitution of the Con.
yen,ion under which il has received lis ap.
,oinment, as it has utterly dsregarded, the
resolution Of that body.
The Board, notwithstanding this measure,
processes to recognize 1.-The social equality" of
the members Of The Convention ''in all the
privileges aud benefits Of the Foleign Mission
ary Union" By this, then, we are 10 under
stand, that, as the Board will ncl confer The
Missionary appointment upon Shareholder,
such an appointment is not ono OF the privil-
egrs and benefits of the Foreign Missionary
Union. For, as that body recognizes our $50
ciaI equality" in all the privileges and benefits
of that union, tile Shareholder, ii IN other res
poets fitted for the appointment, would dssur-
edly, on application, receive it 1t such an ap-
pointmeni were ranked among the privileges
and benefits Of the Union
Here, then, we have the strange doctrine
taught, that in the judgment ola Board. selec-
ted out of the whole denomination Tor It's picty,
integrity, ability and high character. the ap.
puinlment of a Minister of God to preach the
unscarchable riches Of Christ among the llea-
thed, is not one of the privileges and benefits
Of the Foreign Missionary Union. When, on
the contrary, il is the highest privilege and
benefit, which the Foreign Missionary Union
can confer. Compared with this, The PrcSt-
dcncy Of the Convention is OF small moment.
And could any member Of the Convention, or
IF any constituent member of that body, con-
sent to deprive himself, or any ofhls brethren
OF this privilege, This benefit because of his
holding species of property; which would
not, even in the Judgment OF the Board itself,
disfranchise him Of u right TO membership IN
the church militant or the church triumphant,
TO the Office Of the Ministry Of the Gospel, or
to seat at the right hand Of God! How in,
consistent then is the decision Of the Board
with its own declared recognition OF our $50
cial equality in all the privileges and 6enehs
of the Foreign Missionary Union" But the
Board says: "The appointing power. for wise
and good reasons, has been confded TO the
Acting Board.'' And. therefore. in the exer-
else Of this power, il finds authority TO nulllly
the Constitution. under which it is appointed,
and 10 disregard the instructions Of the body,
which has, given itits existence. Thus IN the
exercise of a power confided" TO the Board,
,ha, body discovers the authority no, only to
exercise power not "confded toil," but one
also that virtually destroys the authority OF The
BODY, from whom il has received Inc appoint
mem to exercise any power at all. 1t is not
difficult 10 see, in this decision of the Boaid,
an initial movement towards the denial of the
eligibility ofa Stakeholder to the ministerial
Office. And this done, ,wha, shall hinder de-
nial ofihe right Off Stakeholder to church men,
bership. And this accomplished, the Slave
II ,ba ,CL