Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1849-02-01

of "Edwards"
l. None of the passages which he has quoted
as the very terts to be examined, give the least
countenance to the idea that slaveholding as gen.
orally practiced is not immoral, or sinful; but
leave it to be tried by the common principles of
justice and equity, which are designed to regu-
late the conduct of all men in their treatment of
each other Indeed if those denominated slave
holders do not in the Iul and proper sense of the
command, render to their servants that which is
Just and cquul,th conduct is sinful and immor-
al, according to one of the principal passages
ITSELF
2 These passages do not in any way of appro-
baton, contemplate the continuance of the re-
lation of Shareholders and slaves, any more than
those Which teach submission to persecu-
tors, contemplate the relation of the injured and
the injurious Let Shareholders universally obey
the apostles instructions to masters, and slave
holding as generally practiced, must everywhere
cease at once.
3. In reply to the inquiry why the apostle in
his catalogue Of those who shall not enter into
the kingdom of God, did not include Shareholders,
several answers may be given. First, there is no
term in the Greek strictly corresponding with
our term stakeholder The term k,vioi, mastersl
being appropriate to all sorts of masters good
as well as bad and being in the singular COM
mon title of our Lord Jesus Christ; it would
have been utterly absurd to insert it among idol
aters, drunkards, &c. Secondly, the apostle did
not design to specify in his catalogue all whose
lmmoralities will exclue them from heaven; as
is evident from the parallel passage, in which he
adds, land such like" Thirdly, some denomina-
ted shareholders may be good men. Fourthly,
those who cOvet their neighbours persons and
earnings, and by injustice and ertOrtion, possess
themselves of them, are sufficiently indicated in
the black list; as any one may see by exumina-
ton. Things are often more clearly indicated
by their qualities than by their names.
a. Such slavery as was at that time common
was then, and must forever be, utterly unjusti-
fable and abominable. What is meant by the
assertion that political science can never change
a social relation" [ know not. certainly both
wise legislation, and the Gospel of Christ, have
changed, and are destined to change, various
relations of thif sort. What are the relations of
those practclng together by agreement, polyga-
my, or concubnage, for instanc, but social rela-
tions
5. If all commentators or expostors, whose
opinions are of any weight, justify the practice
of slavery, in its ordinary sense, in the Church
an assertion which do not credit then woe to
1 the man who pins his faith OIL them, rather than
on the direct teaching of Christ and his apostles
l. G. What Edwards" says by way ofreprovng
r the General Conference of Maine, for affirming
that "savehoding is great sin against bott
God and man." is not authorized in the least, by
d any thing proved by him to the contrary. He
i has proved nothing to the contrary. What thu
Conference affirmed, was, that ''the system o
o slavery existing in the United States, is grea
If sin against both God and man." They speal
y not of the more excusable instances of slavehold
r ing, but of the great system it is, both
ID the Church and within its sacred enclosure
III The general voice Of all religious bodies in tn
free States, concurs in the same testimony. AM
1t the truth of this statement has been very strong
J. ly confirmed by various ecclesiastical bodies c
/ high distinction, at the South, with all the fact
s. in the case before their eyes. Your own Genel
he al Assembly has solemnly testified once an
=, again, that the voluntary enslaving of man is
1T gross violation of the most precious and sacre
Vi rights of human nature; utterly inconsistent wit
u the law of God-and totally irreconcilabe wit
III the spirit and principles Of the Gospel of Christ
ne What more, by way of condemnation, did {
~ could the Conference of Maine say?
{" T. The representation that those at the Mort
AZ who condemn slavery are ignorant of its natur
o. and incapable Of judging, is liberal and unjus
"S We certainly have better means of KNOWN
'"- what slavery in our own country is, than "
{ "a have of knowing what Mahomedanism is
ny Turkey or caste in India or Romanism in Fl
Il rope; or Idolatry any where. If we cam
'W know what slavery is in our own country, perv
al ded throughout by all possible means of INTEL
We gence, how can We, Or you either, tell what
7o' was in remote nations, eighteen centuries age
o. To the assertion that if we would know VIII
e'' slavery is VIC must go and live at the South,
lu' reply, that many who have lived there and r
Ills turned, are among the foremost in condemnir
'"e the system; and various Southern eccesiastc
fbo &C Il
n'' have utterly condemned it in the strongest tern
ler Their tertimony, joined with that of your &c
So ersl Assembly fully sustains our views.
w. u, Finally, believing as we do, that the slave
P'' generally practiced in the Southern church
: and tolerated by their Ecclesiastical bodies
nv directly contrary to every principle of justi
~ and equity; "utterly inconsistent with the laws
~" God-and totally irreconcilabe with the prime
w pies of the gospel of Christ" it remains with
~ serious question. Why should it be practic
'"'' or tolerated by protested Christians? And
wi Church members will practice this wickedne.
and their churches and ecclesiastical bodies W
'n' tolerate them in so DOING then how can
'u' hold these churches and ecclesiastical be
ile les in fellowship? We are opposed to
uer traism, and all uncharitableness we are I
~" wishing as much as we abhor slavery,
yin establish any new terms OF communion; but
'"n enquiring for &C the old paths," trodden by
lDu apostles; and seriously contemplating our DIT
70 " in view of such commands as these-"Have
"y' fellowship with the the unfruitul works of da
'i ness; but rather reprove them" "Now we co
CIV mand you brethren in.the name of our Lord Je:
N'e Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from ev,
Vi brother that walkelh dsorderlv," "Let v,