New-York daily tribune., 1849-05-16
Memorial TO the General Assembly OF the
Presbyterian Church. in the United states
OF America, of 1S49.
Ffon u. Crrlaasti O-obe-


We, the undersigned Ministers aud Elders ia
tie Pfesbyte terrain Church. would respectfully me
monaiize the General Assembly On the subject OF
"Chs,'-l Slavery
/ We believe with the General Assembly OF
1sle that Slavery az II exists ia the United
e,ates Is gross violation Of the dearest righ. oi
human nature, and utterly irreconcilable with the
laws OF God.
.. And since, To the General Assembly be-
longs the power Of deciding in al eontroTersies
respecting doctrine and discipline, OF repro'lhg'
wsrnin or heari ng testimony against error IN ooc-
trine or inmorslity in practice. 10 any onurca
Presbyte or Synod lses form oi government
.h l2 sec S. We request the Genera Assem-
bly, - declare plainly and unequivocay that slave
holding as il is practiced ia the United states. Is
a discIplioable ofRense, and recommend to the
lower Judiciary 70 take Immediate acton on the
subject and treat that sin as other gross ofense
8 We wish the General Assembly 70 restore
the note appended 70 the answer Of the lS2d
question OF the larger Catechism, which mas been
omitted 10 the late editions OF that work, by or
der Of the General Assembly Of 1916, or send
down the question " the Presbyteries, Shall the
word slave holding be inserted Immediately alter
the word man-stesling, in answer 70 said ques-
non !"
We desire earnestly 10 express orr conviction
70 the General Assembly, that the time has .olly
come when the interests Of the Church imper-
onsy demand Of your body that some decided ac-
tiOn be taken on the subject oi this memorial
Never has there been time when light was 90
rauely spreading and the spirit Of free inquiry 50
generally prevailing and when the high claims oi
Gods law were so clearly understood, and the
enornity Of the crime OF slaveholdiDg 80 deeply
tet No, only the conscience OF large portions o.
The Church bat the public sentiment oi the world
loudly demands that the Church shall wash be'
hands from the blood Of the slave, and divorce en-
tirely and forever the holy religion Jf the Cross
from all such connection with Slavery 90 in any way
implies q participation In, or sanction OF this cry
ing SIN
Yoqr body has frequently spoken on. against tins
sin in the language OF strong condemnation, bat
has as yet faed Of taking any decided action Tor
its removal from orr Church. For the sake Of
consistency and the honor OF the Church and the
giory Of God we ask--ve beseech you 70 take this
action nor, Already has tho Church lost much o.
her strength in the West, In consequence oi THIS
DELAY Numbers have already seeded from us
whom we love as brethren-many churches are
split up and divided upon this question and we
cannot express to you our strong sympatnles WIN
those who are struggling n get clear from all re-
sponsbty in this sin. We deem u our nuty %
state distiucily % the General Assembly tHAt We
believe the interests # the Church in the western
S.qtescali Tor dissolution in a body, Of our con-
nectOn with the General Assembly alter the year
ls49 Ii the proposed action be not now taken
Such ar event we deeply deplore iis necessity
we hope may never come.
Names Of Minister - Cable. l.. e. Ford, Joseph =
Edwards 4. Goodman. Joseph H. Jones Benlamin NJ
Eye l. kelsey, Jane. Mccoy, a. : Avery, W II
Rogers p = Cleland NJ. Dickey, Horace BusfncI5
Tdwnrd acofeld. " Williams, J.. Dewitt
Nasa,s of Eldus-H \. Ford. ]. i. Brown, III Iay-
lor Thomas Hamilton. Samuel Donnell. Samuel r. NJ
- T. G. Stevens, John r. Smock. Detcr Zsgeman,
NJ { Wiilsu-. Rcherd Lon. William Slvey' John
at,el, John Guthrie
Timothy T. 10 The law il mado FoR MAN
cTrAIrRs" 1his crime among the Jews exposed me
perpetrators Of Il 10 capital ri-hmcnt ~. hAl 10
and the apostle here classes them with sinners O me
frat rank The word he uscs, IN iis original import
comprehends all who concerned IN bringing any oi
the human race into slavery. IN retaining them IN H.
H,afqun fus qni s,rros rd hb1oc dbdtcnnf rfffHeq,
sendaa, ~ enHH Stealefs Of mon all those who
bring OF slavoa fecmen. and keep sell or buy them
70 steal man say. GrOus is the highest kind OF thei
In other instances only steal human property but
when we steal retain men in slavery We seize ihose
who in common with ourselves AMI cons'tuisd, by ne
original grant lords Of the earth Gen q.