Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1846-06-18
Slavery and the Church.

The New School General Assembly of the Presby-
telan Church, after long discussion, adopted, on
Wednesday, the following declarations introduced by
Dr. DUFFIELD. The vote stood 81 to q 10 MAORI
ty in the affirmative. Absent 20.
l. The system of slavery as it exists in these Unit
ed States, viewed either in the laws of the several
States which sanction it, in its actual operation and
results in society, is intrlnscay unrlgteous and OPP
pressve and is opposed to the prescriptions Of the law
Of God, to the spirit and precepts of the Gospel and
to the best interests Of humanity.
g The testimony of the General Assembly, from
A. D. l787 to A. d. 1875 inclusive has condemned it,
and it remains still the recorded testimony of the Pres
byterian Church of these United States against it,
from which we do not recede.
B. We cannot therefore, withhold the expression of
our deep regret that Slavery should be continued and
countenanced by any ofhe members Of our Churches
and we do earnestly exhort both them and the Church.
es among whom it exists, to use all means in their
power to put it away from them. Its perFetuaton a.
mong them cannot fail to be regarded by mutitudes
influenced by their example as sanctlonlng the system
portrayed in, and maintsined by the statutes of the
several Slaveholding States wherein they dwell. Nor
Can any mere mitigation of its severity, prompted by
the humanity and Christian feeling of any who continue
to hold their fellow in such bondage, be regarded
either as testimony against the SYSTEM Or as in the
least degree changing its essential character.
H. But while we believe that many evils incident to
the system, render important and obligatory to bear
testimony against it, yet would we not undertake to de-
termine the degree Of moral urpitude on the part of
individuals involved by it. This will doubtless be found
to vary in the sight Of God according to the degree of
light and other circumstances pertaining to each. In
view Of all the embarrassment and obstacles in the way
of emancipation interpGsed by the statutes of the
slave-hoding States and by the social influence affect
ing the views and conduct OF those involved in it,
cannot Drononncp n Indictment of onnnra1 nd ,ron1is
cuous condemnation, implying that restitution of Chris
tian principle and feeling which should exclude from
the table of the Lord all who should stand the legal
relation Of masters to slaves justify in withhold
ing our ecclesiastical and Christian fellowship from
them. We rather sympathize with and would seek to
succor themn their embarasments, believing that sep
Grafton and secession among the churches and their
MEMBERS are not the methods God approves and
sanctions for the reformation of his Church.
5. While therefore, we feel bound to bear our tcs-
timony against Slavery, and to exhort our beloved
brethren to remove it from them as speedily as posi-
bic, by all appropriate and available MEANS we do at
the same time condemn all dvisive and schismatica
tending to destroy the unity and disturb the
peace of our Church. and depecate the spirit of de-
nunciuton and in1cting severities which would cast
fromIthe fold those whom are rat her bound by the
spirit of the gospel and the obligations of our cove
nant to instruct to COUNSEL to exhort and thus to lead
in the ways of God; and toward whom even though
they may err, to exercise forbeannce and brothery
love.
6. As court of our Lord Jesus Christ, we possess
no Legislative authority and as the General Assembly
of the PRESBYTERIAN Church, we possess no judiciary
authority. We have right to institute and prescribe
tests OF Christian character and Church membership
not recognized and sanctioned in the sacred scriptures
and in our Standards by which we have agreed to walk
We must therefore leave this matter with the Sessions
Presbyteries and Synods--the judicatores to whom
pertains the right of judgement to act in the admins
tration of discipline, they may Judge it to be the
duty, consttutionaly subject to the General Assembly
only in the way of general review and control.