New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-02
A WORD OF EXPLANATION.

The Christian h,eiigencsr lately sssailed Us in
a style Of model yituperation tor having Goa
demned the disposition manifested By the Cen
sral SYNOD of the Reformed Dutch Church to
trucble to the Black power, and alao for having
as they aver, ibeled Calginisn. The b'sliigen-
car asserts that We have misrepresented the
sentiment Of the Reformed Dutch Church re-
specting Slavery; that that Church III
"not without hostility to Slavery" Ii doe
not assert that the sentiment OF the Church ana
its Ministry is adverse to receiving person
into Christian communion who buy and sol
human beings; but, il does assert ths
the General Synod by receiving the North Caro-
lima Chassis into the Church Will not incOrpOnb
slavery in the Church az one Of ts institutions
Perhaps not The North Carolaa Chassis coz
fesses that nearly one-half of its ministers hsr
money invested in human hesk. IL they be az
mitted to the door Of the General Synoo, thg
stand there on an equality with al others OF ID
members. and they nave right to quote Scrip
ture as authority for turning human beings lnt
cattle, and to assert that mao-stealing aud W
man-whipping are compatible with the tesc'
logs Of Christianity. Taking those facts Inc
consideration, If The hte,iigeneT is fair e.
ponent If the sentiments of the Retorma
Dutch Church o. the slavery question, we tha
that the South need not bs under aay lnuedio 2
and special alarm at the "hostility" Of TIA
Church toward their pet institution.
We come now to the great point OF The he'
Egencsr 1t says that we "hsye assailed C41 7
"yinism on grounds which neither history m
"logic justify" that "from the hne TAG
Luther restored to the consciousness oil 10
"Church the great doctrine Of Justihcanoaq
"Faith, the wisest and best reforms have ~s
"effected in Church and State by Cam
ists;' and he cites the Presbyterisns .
Scotland, the Puritans Of England, the ~
gueuots Of France, the Waldenses of Italy,
Protes,ants of Geneva and the Reformed Caw1
of Holland. as instances Of Calginlstic sectsM
being " adverse to any true, substantial reisn-
whether social, civil or religious" IL ~
hielligeneeT had instanced the Old School ~
byterian and the Reformed Dutch Charehaa
America, IL would have been more TO the Pof
If it had brought forward something in the
Of a "true, substantial reform" accOmpiEa
by those denominations, or in the accomplf
ment of which they have actively participsA
il would have done something to support teen
icism. We well knew that the Cslvinisnf
Europe were in the advance guard Of buropS
liberty, and that they look upon cbatsel Stag
as the worst form Of despOtism and a. aims
to Christianity. The emigrants from hollADs.
this country who are members OF the DiNf
Church are strong Anti-slayery men, ana "
do not hesitate as Republicans and as Cbrss
70 syow their convictions in that regard.
But il is with the American Ca!ss1
bodies that we are dealing. They sre Pre~
esly conservative and VIGOROUSLY inactiFs8s
great Reform movements Of the day. Ffoi~
time Quakers were hung in New-England 90
10 the time when The Clrisiisa IpssA's'~
made a aihg az the movement for the s0ess'
of the death penalty, we are not aware !"
action taken by the Calyinistic bodies o. y
lea in favor OF cotempOraneous reforms ="
feel assured that no such sction has been ~.
with reference u the reforms Of the last '"ss
Years. We know that maBy indiEieaais-D-
yinists-are strong Anti-Slavey men ane''s
who are active IN their opposition
liquor traffic and other social e'ls ~
US. But il is not until the Calyinistic eeeis'
cel bodies as such have taken positive sS"'
indOrsing these movements that they ..
classed among the reformers. Ia all 'H.
where great interests are involved sne'-
large parties are arrayed in mutual sn'sps
silence must not be construed iato ias
feeling for the reform movement. E'e3
and class is then called upon to show r.,
aad We take il for granted that where
no expressed hostility 70 IN evil tnefs'