The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-03-08
Correspondence.
Er tie Herald nf E,sedona,
% w NV ~EeeSs5s'
Ministerial Alliance.

An adjourned meeting of the ministers
Of all denominations was held at Law
renee on the eth inst. The meeting
was opened with prayer by Bro. Richard
Knight.
The committee on Slavery offered the
following report which was unanimously
adopted:
WHEREAS, We have been led BY the
light of The Gospel of Christ to 3 deep
conviction that the institution of Ameri-
can Slavery isa gross violation of the Di-
vine will; being condemned in the
strongest terms by the direct teaching of
our great Head. and by the tenor and
spirit of the whole new Testament; and
WHEREAS. we have undertaken to act as
teachers and guides to the people in the
way of Christian Truth and Righteous
ness, under a commission that solemnly
directs US to rebuke sin, to warn all
whom our voice can reach against its
contaminations, and, in the spirit of love,
to exhort allevildoers to repentance and
WHEREAS. We regard this institution a
serious hindrenee in the way of fulfilling
our high commission to preach the Cos
pei to all nations; keeping large class
of those for whom Christ died in helpless
ignorance, making it an offence against
human laws to open their way to the
knowledge of the truth, and, here in our
present field of labor, interfering with
the exercise of our mission, the places for
public worship and instruction being oc-
cupied for military barracks. and the
minds of the people engrossed with the
preparations for defence against the
threatening demonstrations of the propa-
gators ofslavery; uhdersuch circumstan-
ces and with these convictions as ministers
we dare not be silent in regard to this
evil; lest the guilt of those whom we fail
to warn be laid to our charge, the cry of
the oppressed go up against US, and We
stand confounded, at the last day, by the
righteous sentence of Him who would
say unto US, "Inasmuch as ye did it not
to one of the least of these, my brethren,
ye did it not to me-" Therefore,
Resotved, That we do hereby unite to
bear our witness against the great wrong
of American Slavery; as fragrant vio-
lation of the rights with which every
member of the human family is endowed
by the Creator and Father; desecra-
ton of the Divine image, and curse a.
like to the .enslaved and the oppressor.
Resotoed, That as preachers of the
Gospel we will not be deferred BY any
prohibition, threatening. or reviling from
the supporters of this iniquity from tes-
tifying against it in the name of the Lord
Jesus, deciding with the apostles, when
ever forbidden so to do, that We ought to
obey God rather than mar.
Resoloed, That we view with sadness the
attempt now being made to force this in
stitution upon the people of this Terrific
ry, contrary to their wishes and their in
tereSts; and that, as citizens, we will
resolutely contend againt the effort, and
use our utmost influence toward the en-
bodyment of the principles of Freedom
and Justice in the Government that shall
here be established.
!. The committee to whom the subject
was referred, reported the following
CONSTITUTION OF AN AUXILIARY BIBLE So
CIETY.
ARTICLE l.. This society shall be call
ed the Bible Society of Kansas, auxilli-
ary to the American Bible Society, and
its Depository be located at Lawrence.
ART. 2. The objectof the Society shall
be to promote the circulation of the Holy
Scriptures, without note or comment, %
and, in English, those of the commonly
received version.
AIT. 3. All persons contributing any
sum to its funds. shall be members fol
one year; those contributing one dollar,
or more, shall receive-if called for with
in twelve MONTHS comon Bible in re-
turn; those contributing fifteen dollars
at one time, or twenty dollars at two pay.
ments, shall be members for life.
ART. 4. All funds not wanted for cir.
culating the Scriptures within the Socie.
| ty's own limits, shall be paid over annu.
ally to the Parent Society, to aid distri.
buttons among the destitute in Other
parts of the country and in foreign lands
ART. 5. The officers of the Society
shall consist of President, Vice-Presi-
dent, Secretary, and Treasurer. whose
duties shall be such as their respective
title import.
ART. 6. The management of the So.
ciety shall be intrusted to an Executive
Committee of seven, including the Sec
retary and Treasurer, which shall ap.
point its own Chairman, and make its
own Bylaws.
ART. Z. 1t shall be the duty of this
committee to meet frequently on adjourn
ment, or on call of the Chairman tc
keep good supply of books on hand te
appoint local distributors; to see tha
collections in some way are made annu'
ally in every congregation and that all
funds are forwarded early to the Parent
Society. with a statement as to the por'
ton designed for the payment of books,
and that as donation.
ART. s. There shall be a genera
meeting of the Society on the first Wed
tnesday in September in each year. when