Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-06-05
TIE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.

al two other large church organizations in !
our country, and which has approximately !
solicited thc attention Of the Presbyterian AS.
sembly for some years. The various petitions
ON the subject, referred early in the session to
q select committee, called uron the Assembly
10 take steps Tor the moderation of the condi-
ion OIL the slaves; asked for full discus
sion oil the subject and the adoption of mea-
sures to obtain the repeal of laws forbidding
me teaching OF slaves to read; and, lastly,
seulng forth slavery to be moral evil, calcn-
laled to bring upon the church the curse of
God, and calling for the exercise of tliscin-
line in the case Of those who persist in nam
tanning or justifying the relation of master 70
slaves. :"
Inc committee made full report on the
subject on Tuesday Of last week. and the fol.
lowing brief extract, and the concludinp re-
solution, show in the clearest manner The
grounds upon which the Assembly refuse
Tor the report and resolutions were adontcd
oy nearly unanimous voie-to entertain
these questions:
Ihe Church of Christ is n spiritual bodv
whose jurisdiction extends only TO the reliyious
'aith and moral conduct of her members. She
cannot ieg's'ate where Christ has not legislated.
nor make terms Of membership which he h,s moi,
MADE: The question, therefore, which this AS.
semoly Is called upon to decide is this: Do the
scriptures teach that the holding of slaves. with.
gu. regard TO circumstances, is sin, the renun-
c'a''on OF which should be made condition q,
membership in the Church of Christ?
III Is impossible to answer this question !,
the affirmative, without contradictinr some Of
, .ne piainest declarations Of the Word of God
ma! slavery existed in the days of Christ and
<he Apostles, is an admitted fact Tha, thew did
not denounce the relation itself as sinful. as in.
consistent with Christianity that shareholders
were admitted TO membership in the churches or
ganiZed by the Apostles; that, whilst thew were
required to treat their slaves with kindness ,nd
us rational, accountable, immortal beinus. and il
christians, as brethren in the Lord. ilev wsr.
not commanded to emancipate them: thai slaves
were required to be 'obedient to their masters az
corning 70 the flesh, with fear and TREMBLING.
49,, s'ehess OIL heart as unto Christ are facts
which meet the eye of every reader of tho NJ,
testament. This Assembly, cannot. therefore
aenounce the holding of slaves as necessarilv y
heinous anu scandalous sin, calculated TO brina
upon the Church the curse of God. without
charging the Apostles of Christ with conniv;nr
a. such SIN, introducing into the Church such
sinners, and thus bringing upon them The c"r.a
OF the Almighty. "o '"''o
IN so saying, however, the Assembly are M,
oe understood as denying that there is evil
connected with slavery. Much less do thew an
prove those defective and oppressive laws nv
Whlch IN some OF the States it is regulated. =,
WI "oeid they by any means countenance the
."lhc OF slaves Tor the sake Of gain, the separa-
uon OF husband and wives, parents and ch;Ifra"
lof the sake of filthy lucre' or for the conven;'
ence Oh the master, or cruel treatment of tho
slaves IN any respect Every Christian and NH.
i, ian certainly should seek by all peacea.
oIe anu iawIui means the repeal of unjust and
~ JSc. laws ana Inc amendment of such as
arc ueiectiVe, so as TO protect the slaves from
c'uei treatment by wicked men and secure -
.Heih the right TO receive religious instruction
NOR 10 this Assembly TO be understood 40 co.,
tenahcing the idea that masters NAV REGARD ,be;r
servants as mere property, not as human beinos,
ia"ohai' accountable, immortal. The ScriptuTes
PIescIine not only the duty of servants but mas
ters also, warning The latter to discbarge thns,,
ouues knowing that their Master is in Heaven
Hei.mef Is mere respect of persons with him,
INC Assembly intend simply 10 saw that
SINCE ChIisi and his inspired Apostles did not
.uaAe 'ie hoiding OF slaves bar to communion.
we, as court OF Christ, have no authority - H.
so since they did not attempt to remove :, 80 W.
Inc church by legislation, We have no authority
70 iegisiate on the subject. We feel constra;naJ
further to say, that however desirable il nav ba
10 dtneiiorate the condition of the slaves in tho
Soa'iern and Western States, or to remove slave.
~ rom our country, these objects, VIC are fully
PoIeuaueo' can never be secured BY ecclesiastical
legislation Much less can thew hs a,,ain"a I To-,
.hose lndiscriminae denunciations AGAINST sI.yc,
hoiders, without regard 10 their character or cir;
cumstances, which have, to SO great an ex,en,
characterized the movements Of mode,, .hni;
uonists, which, so far from REMOVING The ev;ls
vomP,ained Oh, TEND only to perpetuate and aggra-
vate them. The Apostles of Chris, souuH7 70
ameliorate the condition of slaves, not nv de-,
nouhclng and accommodating their masters. bu,
ny .eaching both masters and slaves the olorious
ooc'Iines OF the Gospel, and enjoining upon such
''le oischaTge OF their relative duties Thus only
con .ne Nnulch OF Christ, as such, now improve
tho condition OF the slaves in our country
las 10 the extent of the evils involved in
slavery and the best methods of removino ,ho,,
various opinions prevail, and neither the Scrir,
lures nor our Constitution authorize this bodv IN
present any particular course to be nursuc b
the churches under our care The Asse, IT,
Na;! put ieloice, however, to learn that the
alnisleIs ana churches IN the slavehoIding States
aIe a"aKing 70 deep sense of their Cultivation
10 e4lenG TO the slave population generally the
fneans OF Grace, and many Shareholders, not pro-
fessediy religious, favor this object. We earn
estiy exhort them to abound more and moro IN
!his good work. We would exhort everv believ-
ing master 10 remember that his Master is also in
Heaven, and, in view of all the circumstances j.,
which he is placed, to act in the shirt Of , -,
golden rule, Whatever yo would that men should
10 uhlo you, do We even the same TO Them
"In view of the above stated pripcinlss and
facts: f'"'''Pie' 'hu
:, hesoiued, First, That the General Assembly of
me fres6yteran Church in the United States
was Originality organized and has since continued
me me pond OF union in the church, upon The conce
ueo P',ncipe that the existence OF domestic sla-
49, unue' me circumstances in which it is
louno ~ 'he Southern portion of the country. is
no bar to christian Communion. 'O'""'' 10
second, That the PETITIONS that ask the Assem-
ply 10 make the holding of slaves in Itself mat
Ter OF Giscipne, do virtually require this iudicia.
~ 20 dissolve Itself and abandon the organization
nhoe' which by the divine blessing. il has so
IOn2 pTOSperRh. Ihp =.