The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-06-03
VOLUME L.
COMMUNICATION.
Iei she sIeshedI-s- hear
!, ES;iors ofihe Examiner.

-
te,s and members Of the Methodist EPico
pal Church South in kentucky, on In,
subjects of slavery and our emancipation
believing that an appeal to them, as a botti,
will receive more attention and consider
alton al their hands, than anything eau
which is addressed TO the public generally
The Methodists tom the beginning have
bsme a decided testimony against slavery,
and at an early period Of its history in this
country, rule was adopted, fOrbidding lis
members 10 "buy or sell men, fcOmen, on
children ritt an intention 20 eRSlaUe them. .
am aware that this rule is made to mean
an the hands OF prO-slaVey men-you shall
not kdnap and reduce ireemen to slavery
that il applies exclusively to the slave trade,
aud was never intended to apply TO men
who arr already slaves, for they cannot be
,sSlarsd This construction is a verv
moderate one, and is most highly compl.
menlary 10 the General Conference hOm
which the rule Communications lhrm 10 say,
they would not allow the ministers and
members OF the church to engage in a tral-
g. pronounced piracy by the laws Of all CT
yilized nations, 5 certainly TO intimate that
they entertained rather loose views Of chris
tan character and morality. But the ae-
ton OF the church following the adoption Of
the rule is the best commentary upon it, and
exhibits il IN its true light. Now, that ac-
ton shows that the whole system was struck
Al. that they believe the tree to be evil, and
therefore laid the axe at the root The first
decided action on the subject was taken in
,oU. and Mas as follows.
Question 10Th. Ought not this Con-
ference 10 require those traueling preachers
rlO hold slares, 10 gipe promises 10 SET
t,sm free
Allslcer, les. -
Qaes. l5h. docs this conference ac-
knowledge that slarery is contrary to the
lars Of God, man and nature, and hurtful
70 society; contrary to the dictates Of con
science and pure religion, and doing what
We would, not what others should do to US and
ours Do we pass our disapProbation on
all our friends who keep slaves and advise
their freedom
ARsT. Yes"
Ia 1854, the year the Methodist EpiscO.
pal Church was organized, the question was
asked, "WhGi shall zoe do I0jth our friends
that tgiH bHu and sell slaUes2'
AHsr. III they buy with no other design
Than to hold them as slaves and have been
previously warned, they shall be expelled.
and permitted 10 sell on no consideration
These quotations show clearly that the ''la
Tiers" did not look upon slavery as a mere
ly civil institution, IN which every man was
al liberty 10 indulge To the extent of his
pleasure or ability, but a relation contrary
% he lars Of GOd, man, and HatHrs,-
hETttIa 10 society, contrary TO the dictates OF
conscience and pure religion" And there
fore interdicted not only the traffic in slaves,
but slayeholding itself
In 1879. the rule assumed It's present
form. The buying or selling Of men IeO.
men aud children nth Gn intention 70 cr-
daUe them" And at the conclusion they
say, ''lhese are the general rules Of our 50.
oieIy, all Of Ieiich We are taught Of God to
observe, even in his written word, &c. This
conclusion IS in perfect consistency with the
PreyiOusl y expressed opinion Of the confer
ence-snd proves that they esteemed slav-
cry one Of the things forbidden by the word
Of God.
In 1896, Bishops ASbury and Coke pub
llshed the Discipline with explanatory notes.
10 their note on the rule under considera-
ton, they say: ''the buying and selling the
souls and bodies Of men. lor what is the
body without the soul, but a dead CARCASS,
Is complicated crime. Ii was indeed IA
some measure, overlooked ia the Jews by
reason Of the wonderful hardness OF their
hearts, as was the keeping Of concubines,
and The dlvOrclng OF wives at pleasure, but
Is totally opposite TO the whole spirit Of
the gospel. Ii has an immediate tendency
10 Ill the mind with pride and tyranny,
aud is frequently productive Of almost eve
~ act OF last and cruelty which can dis
grace the human species. Even the moral
philosopher will candidly confess, that if
uiere be a God, every perfection he possesses
must be opposed to a practice so contrary
10 every moral idea which can influence
The human mind. These venerable men
spoke Out as men in earnest, deeply con-
y.noed oil the iniquity Of the whole system,
lfom The hrst acl Of outrageous violence by
which the SLAYER possesses himself Of his
Nlclm on The coast Of A(rica-down to the
penod when the chain is Iiven and the slave
Is Tree. In a dark place they kindled a
Hght 10 cheer and bless the oppressed amid
prevalent conuptiOns-they maintained the
rshI-'hrowing up broad platform where
on those who were to succeed them might
sand and contend successfully for the
nights OF the poor Of Gods people They
depicted, as became their calling, the high
position they occupied as Ouerseers Of the
|9orch oil God, and the confidence repo-
sed IN them by their breIhren-the immor.
aluy Of the thing itself--dae pride, last and
tyranny which low from il, and besough,
Their inends, every where, TO abandon the
Pracuce. We all, at least many Of us. re.
gre' lhat the admonitons Of these faithful
servants Of Christ were not Needed, and the
oiIler waters Of slavery cut oh-.but alas
oT fathers said che time IS not yet; uoai
NE openings Of PfOUidence, the more me,
SPFematHre" But from our position W,
look back more than half a century. an,
ieel thai II was not premature, that il wa
the time. Of all Others. the most propitio,
ior the Work-the state Of the public mind
lns' emerging from European despotism
strong in the love of liberty. and the smaI
number OF slaves combined ,o ,,,.l,. a