Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-07-16
For the Green Mountain Freeman.
Resolutions Of the Congregational COnyen'
ton Of Vermont, on Slavery.

Knowing that you go for liberty, and strong
y advocate the freedom of speech and of the press,
am encouraged to tell you that truly sorry that
you did not insert the above excellent resolutions in
your paper without Introductory remarks so much cal
culated, at least suited to inure their good intlu
ence. You allow that "they are evidently in advance
of the former declarations of that body, and in many
respects faithful testimony against the sin OF slave
holding" do not see why they not in all respects
faithful testimony. Not that they say every thing
which could be said, but they say great deal; and
every word of it, as you know, is true.
But you inquire, "What propriety or Christian con-
sistency is there in thus bitterly denouncng sloyeho
ding, while the STAKEHOLDER goes unrcbuked-instead
OF putting him upon that course of Bible discipline
which would attest to the sincerity Of professions
and give promise Of his repentance and reformation"
for one cannot conceive how it is possible to speak
of saveholtng, as you show that the Convention did,
without rebuking at the same time, the stakeholder
and that most faithfully. The very words quoted by
you contain powerful robuke, not of slaveholdng in
the abstract, but of those who practice it. How it
was possible for you to suppose that what is said Of
slaveholding as utterly sinful before God meant
to apply merely to the act and not to those who do it,
cannot imagine. When you speak against falsehood,
intemperance oppression, piracy and murder and pro-
nounce them utterly sinful before God, do you mean
merely, these Names or these acts independently Of
the voluntary actors and perpetrators? Certainly not
your meaning that those who do these things are
thus sinful That is what common sense means, and
understands. The Convention are very explicit and
guard effectuay against your construction, by saying
that those who thus ensave and wrong others bring
upon themselves the wrath of God, by SO doing.
You say, "why is not this sin of slavehoding placed
in the same category with the sins of ntemperance,
sabbath breaking, profanity &c. and if in any case
circumstances are such as to eXcupate the offender,
let this be the erception and not the rule" do not
know, sir, what stronger testimony the convention ev
er bore against any of the evils which you specify,
than to pronounce them utterly siniul-and before
both earth and heaven abominable, If they are so,
then of course, slaveolding is put into the cat
egory with them
You inquire. L" why then do they not put the slave
holder "upon that course of Bible discipline which
would attest the sincerity of their professions, and give
promise of his repentance and reformation" Sir,
what is Bible discipline? Does not the Bible require
us to tell our wandering brother his fault and to en-
deayor faithfully to induce him to turn from it, with
repentance unto God? Surely And this is the very
thing which the Convention has been assaying. They
have spoken in way of remonstranCe, plainly and
faithfully, to all motessed christians who tolerate sa-
very among them, and especially to all who hold cor
respondence with the conventions and have earnestly
besought them to do what in them lies for the speedy
and entire removal of this evil from among thcm."-
If this is not taking right course to reclaim them,
know not what would be such course.
But you demand further, "Why is it that the door
of christian fellowship is left wide open to the slave
holder?-Why is the slaveloding of the South
welcomed to our pupts the slavcholdng delegate to
conventions, and the slavehodmg christian to our
communion tablcs?" A general reply to this cluster
of questions is that with the conduct of those who
practice aavehoding the convention is deeply griev-
ed; and within its proper sphere of faithful remon-
STRANGE and christian persuasion, is laborng to bring
them to repentance. If such endeavors should, after
having been sufficiently tried, prove Intellectual entire
separation from slaveholdng individuals and churches
must so far as can see, be the result The division
which has in some instances commenced, must &C
throughout
But how long forbearance shall be exercised, and
means used for retaining protested brethren who
have wandered every ecclesiastical body and church
must determine for itself While this course of friend
ly remonstrance is going on it seems right that the
correspondence which exists between us and
Southern ecclesiastical bodies should remain, if they
wish, undsturbed, When they wholly refuse to heu
u.s. shall be justified in terminating our present re-
lationship to them. The convention does not possess
or pretend to, any power of controlling the pulps ant
communion tables of particular ministers and church
es They pronounce the great system of American
slavery to be, in their opinion utterly sinful before
God; and productive Of consequences the most fatal
both 70 the enslaved and their masters, both to thu
church and state; and then leave individual pastor
and churches to act according to their own sense 0
christian propriety, in particular cases do not know
that saveholding ministers are, general thing
welcomed to our puplts; that slaveholdng profess
ors are, as general thing welcomed to our commun
ion tables or that savehoding delegates are otter
if ever, sent to us. On the contrary, believe sue
occurrences are extremely rare and are growing NOR
and more so. But a complete reformation from an
great evil whether in church or state has never yc
been effected in day. Greatrevoutions are the wor
of time. Let us not be inpatient or weary in we
doing. Our prospects at present are tarer than eve
before; and in due season we shall reap if we fair
not The resolutions of the late General Convento
are suited to hasten that day. and is to be amente
that one aboring faithfully you are for the sam
object should, causelessly, do any thing to depriv
them of their power. A writer in the Vermont Chror
icle has treated them not less fairly Better thing
might have been expected of you both. Still great
the truth and it will prevail Wishing you prosperit
in every good undertaking, l am,
Your fellow laborer in behalf of the slave,
I'VE had prepared remarks reply to the foregoing
municaon, which written by of the first Congregation
ministers in the State who prominent part
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