Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-05-10
TIE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
n SLAVERY,

AND SLAVERY.
Slavery has long since betn removed from this
Church. In 1850, Rev. DR.. Alexander Mcleod, Of
New York City, being invited to settle at Waikiki,
and learning that there were holders of slaves IN
the congregation urged that fact as IA motive for
declining the call. The Presbyiery having, 10y the
stand thus taken, the subject regularly Dcivre them
resolved to purge the Church OF the sin. They
enacted that no stakeholder should be retained III
their communion. Rev. Messrs. James Mykenncy
and Samuel b. Wylie were appointed a Commit.
tee to visit South Carolina, where they abolished
the practice Of holding slaves among the members
of their Church at the South. The PicsbJ terry
approved of the services Uf the committee, and
required of their connection a general cmancira.
ton. No stakeholder has since bcen admitted to
their communion.
The measures Of the committee were us follows.
Meeting with the several congregations where
slaves were held by church members, they direct
ed the slaves to be brought before them. Those
who were able to take care of themselves they set
free at once. Those who, from advanced agc, ex-
IRENE youth, or other reasons, were considered in
competent we're placed under the immediate care
Of the Sessions of the Church, to receive full lit
erty when prepared for it and all deeds Of eman-
cipation were recorded in the proper civil court.
One individual only declined to submit to the Pres.
bytery's deed of emancipation. The people in
general were in very moderate circumstances, but
christian principle triumphed over self.interest;
and, in several other parts of the United States,
men sacrificed on the altar of religion the proper
ty' which the civil law gave them in their fellow
men,"
In March, 1850, in a letter from the General
Synod Of this Church to the Synod in Scotland, it
was said;
CAS- q Church we continue to maintain a decided
testimony against this great social sin and griev-
Gus wrong. We have several congregations in the
slaveholding States, but no Shareholders are ad-
mitted to their communion, Our people will not
even hire o slave when the proceeds Of labor 60 to
him who claims to be his owner. The existence OF
slavery is n standing item in our cause Of fasting
and humiliation from year to year; and the voice
of our ministers and people is heard, in instruc-
ton, remonstrance and warning respecting it, on
all becoming occasions, through the press and frem
the pulpit and the PLATFORM"
In 1852, the General Synod expressed the views
of this Church on Slavery, and especially on the
subject of the Fugitive Slave bill. in the following
terms:
"a friends of humanity and of the cause Of
Christ, We are bound to lament and deplore the
continuance and spread of this mostcr erii in our
land, in the mal-administration of our good civil
Constitution, and under the sanction Of law. We
.deplore it rs Il sin against God, involving this ma
ton in deepest guilt, and q crime against man of
the most aggravated character. We are bound,
JOO, W lulDclI lllt COuultUuIlCc gwen 10 tDlS mon
ster sin by protesting Christians and by the Amer
lean churches, which consider it no bar to Chris
tlan communion. We are convinced that it but re-
quires that the Christian churches Of America
should withdraw their countenance from the un-
just and cruel system, and faithfully exhibit the
truths of that Gospel which condemns oppression,
denounces injustice, and proclaims liberty to the
captive, in order that the institution of slavery
may anguish and die, and, therefore, that thu
awful responsibility of perpetuating its evils rests
mainly on professors of Christianity. We are
bound especially TO protest against the law usually
called the Fugitive Slave law as a disgrace to the
age and country in which we live. By its legally
compelling the people of the free States to aid in
the capture of f~ugitives from bondage, it involves
the whole Union in the guilt of slavery, tramples
on State rights and the rights of man and of con-
science. 1t exhibits an example of legislation cal
culated to make our boast of freedom an empty
name, and to retard the progresso of liberty through
out the world. BY its practical operation in re-
handing men women and children into endless
slavery, it tends to blunt the moral sensibilities Of
our nature, and extinguish the love of liberty III
the breasts OF freemen. Instances of cruelty have
already occurred which ought to make even pa.
ganism itself blush.
although the Reformed Presbyterian Church
more than half century ago, has rid herself Of any
connection with slavery, has no fellowship with
Shareholders, and has, during all that period, utter
ed q distinct testimony against this crying abomi
nation in our land, yet, as witnesses for truth, we
feel called upon to renew this testimony in most
decided terms, because this dreadful evil has re.
Gently been gaining renewed strength under the
sanction of ecclesiastical connivance and civil en-.
actments. Even now attempts are in progress to
strangle the genius of liberty by Congressional
resolutions, declaring the compromises a finally.
is not this the fast that | have chosen, to loose the
bands Of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens,
and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break
every yoke? Is it not to deal thy bread to the
hungry; and that thou bring the poor that are
cast out to thy house? When thou see the naked,
that thou cover him, and that thou hide not tn
self from thine own lesh?' lisa. lviii. 6. L"