The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-09-09
For the National Era
M. Z. CHURCH -ANTI-sLAvERY.

Since the separation of the Southern portion
of the M 4. Church, it has been declared by
the majority of its Northern ministers that it
was now, fully and truly, an Ant-Slavery
Church. and, as such, presented ITS claims to
the pure and freedom-loying spirit of the North.
Many efforts have also been made to draw
back to its pale those who had left its COM
'munon on account Of it. previously -acknowl-
edged slavery liberation, on the ground that
nov the NJ f. Church stood free from all CON
nection with the sin
On the other hand. it has been a standing
charge in the True Wesicgdn' and in the re-
port of the American and Foreign AntSlavery
Society that the NJ F. Church is az much i'm
plicated in the sin of slavery as ever. though
perhaps not to the same extent--that is to say,
there may not be as mdny shareholders in her
pale as formerly, hut the relation of the Church
to the sin is not changed at all
In the midst of this contradiction, the query
of many honest minds at the North is "What
is the truth ~
Perhaps it may be permitted the writer. who
is n regular Conference minister in the NJ. +.
Church, to utter few thoughts and facts
without the charge of "cOme-outer SANDER .
being made against him.
The writer has been one. among many 9th
ers, no doubt, who has declared the NJ. +.
Church to be an Anti-Slayery Church. and that
the few shareholders that were remaining in
| her pale were there merely by sufferance to be
borne with for few years, when, if they gave
| no signs OF repentance, they were ut once to be
excluded We have many times stled the
rising Indignation of our people, which called
| for action. with this MISUNDERSTANDING them
hope little longer, and assuring them that
the good time was certainly coming But if
| any of them had served us rs the poor Irish
man did the vocalist, when having listened
attentivey to the singing of the song, with the
refrain There's good time coming boys. he
very politely rose and asked the gentleman if
he would be so kind NJ to set the day-we
| might have found ourselves AZ much nonplused
as the vocalist undoubtedly was.
But in all this matter we have been honest
we have not Intentionally deceived the people
we have verify thought ourselves, that this was
a true statement Of the case, and we have
| looked up to the General Conference for some
action that would show the policy Of the
Church, as looking to the extirpation of the sin
from our midst NOw the question is, is this
hope of ours well founded! Is there any rea-
son to conclude that the tendency of the NJ r.
Church is toward the exclusion of slavery from
her midst! Let MS look at the action of the
last General Conference, to which so many
|
| Alas there was no action there. The whole
subject was ignored entirely. In answer to the
showers of petitions for the Church to take "a
bold Anti-Slavery ground, II report was pre-
pared by subcommittee, urging the do-noth
ing quietism doctrine, for the sake of peace
But this report, even was not called up; and
there it all ended A member Of the Confer
cnce wished to propose plan for the gradual
removal of the sin from the Church but so
great was the horror OF agitation and the fear
that some abolition trap was to be sprung, that
he was choked down. 1t was stated by mem
iers Of the Conference that their wish was To
gather n many shareholders as possible within
the pale of the Church and this was not re-
bukcd or opposed, and there it has gone ont to
the world, statement made on the floor of
| Conference by prominent members, and not
denied. And then, in the light Of this tendencH
| see the formation of new Conferences in slave
States and the wish expressed that hy another
four years they might have II Conference in
every Southern State even in Texas, it being
fully understood that slayeholding would De no
bar to membership.
Now, look at these facts, and say, what il
| the position OF the NJ. f. Church. judged by
her highest assembly But says good brother
| ut my side who declares the Church is Anti
Slavery to the backbone "There it j. in
the Discipline as strong as ever they have not
| touched that Az and where else is it, ex-
ccpt in the Discipline OF what use is it
there so long ~ the Church do not act upon it ,
We have an Anti-Slavery discipline. Grant
cd But what then Ay, what then! Why,
there il is dead letter Are we an Anti-Sla-
very Church God forbid that we deceive
ourselves or the people in this matter The
monster is in our midst, growing more rampant
every year Shareholders are in our communion
by thousands, and received by thousands every
year and, what is more, with our present
Anti-Slavery discipline we can't put them out
nor prevent their coming in Now, how dove
feel about it, Shall we look to another Gen
eral Conference, and hope that then something
will be done! Where is the prospect What
is the foundation Of such II hope!
Hundreds and thousands of our people will
way1htl only one General Conference more
and unless something is then done to cxtirpate
the SIM they will bear the responsibility of its
continuance no longer Let the next General
Conference understand this-if they are pre-
pared 10 endure another secession, silence on
the question Of Slavery will most assuredly
bring it.
And now, one word to my brethren in the
ministry. In the name of honesty, before God,
brethren, let us no more say we are an Anti
Slavery Church let US acknowledge before
high heaven that the foul slime OF the thing in
on us; and let us pray, and weep, and labor,
night and day, until God in mercy move in our
behalf, and purify our Zion of tho vilest thing
that ever saw the sun. ii. MARTYR.
New England Conf, dug. 20, 1852.
SENATOR BUTLER, of South Carolina has
written letter rcitcrating his opposition to
the Compromise measures, and objecting to his
State taking any active part in the Presiden-
tial election. 1t will, however, he contends, be
the duty of South Carolina, when the time ar
riyes to cast her vote for the best man. He
has high opinion of General Scott but being
his antpode in politics, he cannot support him,
and, therefore, M the only alternative, he thinks
the State should vote for General Pierce He
does not however, believe the South can hope
for security from the result Of the Presidential
election. The disease TO be healed, he says, is
radical, and will require some more enforcible
power IL the Federal Government is not con-
fined within the sphere prescribed by the
Constitution, it must become elective des-
potism.
WAN SEALS ON lETTERs-The Postmaster
General has again cautioned the public against
the use of wax seals on letters which are to be
transmitted across the Isthmus either to or
from the Pacific. The postmaster ut San
Francisco reports, under date of the 18th ult,
that the last mail from New York contained
a large number Of letters thus sealed, which,
owing 10 the melting of the wax, it was i'm
possible to separate without injury to q por-
ton OF them. Similar complaints have been
rcceyed from other oua rtars and ma AL A rlz