Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1845-06-11
From Tic Charleston Courier,
Tue PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AND THE CUES.
TIoN OF SLAVERY.

TIoN OF SLAVERY.
We subjbin The acliun Of the General
Assembly al Cincinnati, that our readers
as well as, ourselves may behold how
pleasant Thing il is for brethren 10 dwell
together .ilriGnity,
Tie CSnniitlee TO whom was referred
the memorials on the subject of Slavery,
beg leave 10 submit the following report:
The memorials may be divided into three
classes, viz:
1. Those which represent the system o.!
Slavery as 1t exislsin these UnIlcd States,
as great evil, anu pray this General As.
sembIy 20 adopt measures for hc anelio
ration of the condition Of the Slaves.
g Those which ask The Assembly TO
receive memorials on the subject Of Sa
very, 10 allow full discussion Of it, aud to
eujoIn upon the members of our church,
residing in States whose laws forbid the
slaves being laushl TO read, TO seek by all
lawful means the repeal Of those laws.
8. Those which represent slavery rs a
mural evil, a hlnious sin ia the slshI of
God, calculated 10 bring upon Tho church
lie curse Of God. aud calling Ior The exer,
else OF discipline in The case 0l those who
persist IN maintaining or jusiltylng tie
relation "f m9sler To slaves.
Thc question which is now unhapply
asitallng aud dividing other branches Of
lne church, aud which Is pressed upon the
attention OF The Assembly by tho three
Glasses o. menorialIsls ust named, is.
mnelner the holding Gl Slaves Is, under all
lie circumstances, IA nc..IUus slu, calling
tiIr The dIscl pllne of the church. 8.
The church OF Christ is Il >. ritual tndy,
whose jurisdiction extends only tu The re
lIsinus failb aud moral con1ucl Of her
members. She caunol lcsislale where
Christ has moi lesislaled, nor make terms
ol memnershnp which he has not made.
The question, therefore, which this As.
se,nply is called, upon to decide, is this.
Du the scriptures teach lhal The holding Of!
slaves, wIIlIouI regard m circumstances, Is
sin, m rcnauciati0n of which,, should
be made condition of membership III the
church ul Christ. -,
II is impossible TO answer this question
some OF the plalnest declarations of me
Word of God. That slavery existed IN
the days ol Chrsl and his Apostles is au
adnIIIed tac. That they did not de-
nounce the relation itself as sinful, as 10.
cunsrI cnl with ChrIslianity; that slave
holders were admitted to membership ~
the churches orsaulzed ny The Apostles ;
that whilst they were reqnlred,lo treat their
moral beings, and il Christians, as brclh
rem III tie Lord, they were not comlnan-
Gcd 10 emanclpute them; that slaves were
required 10 be "obedieut to their masters
according to The flesh, with leur and trem
bling, with slnsleness oil heart as unto
Christ, !" are facts which meet The eye oil
every reader Of the New Testament. TINS
Assembly cannot, therefore. denOuucc the
holding Of slaves as necessarily heluous
and scandalous sin, calculated ln bring
upon tho Church the culse of Gud with.
out ctarglug The Apostles of Christ with
! cOnniyng al such sin, introducing from
the Church such sinners anu thus bringing
upon lhelD!lhe curse Of, Almighty.
In so saying however, the Assembly are
MOI 10 be understood as denying that there
is evil connected with slavery Much less
do they approve those defective and OPP
pressve laws by which in some. of the
Slales Il is regulated. Nor would they
by any means countenance The traffic of
slaves for the sake OF gaiu; The separation
OF husbands aud wives, +parenls and chill
dren, for the sake OF ''illhy >lucre,"' or lor
tho convenience Of the master, or cruel