New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-10-31

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the wrongs Of Slavery than before. In the year
Pc, The following resolution was submitted to the
Assembly, viz:
Lefotre', Tia, pesou 10 shall eel save member II
Church Td utwIrf 70 he oid .e,. s.;cly With ID.
. q CtL'i.I'y AID ought - b debArTed tom the con-
| "Aftcr considerable discussion the subject was
committed TO DIR. Green, DIR. Baxter aud Nr. Burgess
to prepare aLd report 10 be adopted by the Assembly
embracing - object Of tie above resolution and all
c1llCing tie Iiniou Of The Assembly al general
! 70 slavery
The Report Of the Committee was unanimou.lv
sdolted and is as follow
The General Assembly Of the Presby,crian Church
having taken into federation the subject OF Slavery
tlirk proper to make known their sentiments upon II
10 thc ChLIcLCs and the people under their care.
We consider the voluntary ouslsvng Of ono por
ton Of the human race by another as gross vioa;on
Of the precious and sacred rghts Of human nature
Or utterly inconsistent With the Law OF GOD which
CURES 70 love Deighbor as ourselves; and as
t,ta " iIrcco clable with The spirit and the principles
Of tie GCspc Of Christ, which cu0in that all things
whatever We would that men shoulc do TO you. do
yc even 80 TO ttem Slavery creates paradox in the
moral system it exhibits rational, accountable and i'm
mortal beings in such circumstances as scarcely to
cave them the power OF moral action; II exhibits them
D. deuendent on the Will Of others, whether the, shall
receive religious instruction whether they SHAH know
end worshp the true God; whether they shall enjoy
tie ordir auccs the Gospel whether they shall per-
nm the duties and cbersh the eDdearments of nus
bands nnd wives parents and children, neighbors and
fsnds whether they shall preserve their chastity and
purity or re gard the dictates Of Justice and humanity
Such arc some of the coDscIuo nces OF Slayery-c0H-
S1qDhCcS nut .magtSaly Int W45ch coHHect themsores
! rM rs reg c41HcHce. The evils 10 which the slave
o',roy cTo"6 cn take Pi1ce IN tdc aud in their
view r., degree and form ana where all of them do
not tnle place rejoice 10 say in sny instances
through the Influence OF the principles Of humanity
ard Tel ioU the minds of masters, they do nOtsIl
Tho slave is deprived Of his natural rgh degraded
human berg, III exposed - the danger OF pas ing
into tie hands of master who may il hct on him ali
the hsrdships and INJURIES which inhumgaity and
rice may suggest.
" From this view of the consequences resulting from
the Practice into which Chis ian people have most in
consistently fallen. of ensaviDg a portion Of their
brethren OF msukind-for God hath made of one blood
all nations Of inen to dwell on the face Of the earth
il il mamie Sly the duty OF all Christians, who enjoy
tie light Of the present day when the Inconsistency of
Slavery, both with the dictates Of humanity and re-
ligion, has been demonstrated, and is generally
and acknowledged, 10 use their hOnesf, earHtst, ami
1HNcaIrd cadt0rors r. correct the errors # former
hmcs n cG0cc his hof on orr holy rcigjon. and 10
obtoin 1Hl COMPLETE AEoLITioS OF SLAYER hrOngh-
out ChyistCndom aud + possible hrongh put NE wor(d
I'VE rejoice that the Church 10 which we belong
.mmeLced AZ eGlly a. any other in this country he
c0ld v0rk i chdCaroriHg 10 PIT an end to Siorerg
tnd that il iic same work many of ITS members have
ever since beer. ard now are among the most active
vieoroue and Efficient aboers. We do indeed ten
Cey sympathzc with those portions Of our Church and
our country whce the evil Of Slavery has been en-
tailed upon them; where great, and the vrtu.
Gus part of the community ABHOR SLAVERY, and wish
its determination sincerely any Otierrbut where
the number of slaves their Ignorance and their vicious
habits generally. render immediate aud univ ersal
emancipation Inconsistent alike with the safety and
happiness OF the master ana the slave. With th0:e
whO are thus cirCuu sanccd repent that ten
dery SYM atliZe At the time, earnestly
eAhOt them to continue and if possible to increase
their eToTfSORS 10 effect TOTAL ABOLITION or SLAy.
IRY. We e1hoIt them 10 suffer greater delay TO
take place in this most interesting concern than
gard 10 the public welfare truly and indispenably de-
fnaIds.
CAS- our country has inflicted mos, grievous injury
upon the Unhappy Africans, by bringing them into
Slavery we Cannot indeed urge that we should add
second injury TO the fret, by emancipatng them in
such way hat they shall be likely to destroy them
seNes others. But We do think that our country
Ought 10 BE- gorcrncd al tbs matter bV ~ Oer c0aSiL
G. alton than an honest and impartial regard 10 he
h0JpHCss OF the injured party. Hni9fHeac,d ny the ere
JcnSe ihcoArcHtcace Thtch spch regard mag m
ro/rc We Therefore all who belong to our
denomination OF Christians against uAdUy extending
M> plea II necessity against making cOrer TOR me
rC and Ir0cce Ct SLdrcTy or preiense ior not using
efforts that lawful and practicable to cxtinguish this
evil
This IL followed by exhortaton to others TO avoid
harsh consurts upon those who doing all that they
can to bring their slaves " into state of freedom;
ndation the Colonization Society the
ization OF which, among shareholders, they regard as
an unequiv oca pledge II their desire to deliver them
selves and their country from the calamity of
Slavery" an nculcaton o. the duty of religious aud
other instruction; and an injunction
"on all Church Sessions and Presbyeries. TO dscoun
ttuance and far possible prevent all cruelty OF
whatever kind in the treatment of saves-especialy
II cruelty If paraiDg husband and wfe, parents and
children and that which consists III selling slaves to
those who will either hemsclye. deprive these unhappy
people of the blessings of the Gospel who viii trans
por them TO places where the Gorpel not proclaimed
or where il is forbidden to slaves 10 attend upon ITS
instruction. And if it shall ever happen that a CHRIS
tian professor i'll communion shall sell slave who
is also i'll communion and good standing with our
Church contrary to his or her will and inclination it
ought Immediately TO claim the particular attention OF
the proper Church jurisd elton; and unless there be
such peculiar circumstances attending the case a. can
but seldom happen. IT ought to be- followed without
delay by su,ptsStoH otfhe cfender from all me Pr'rt
cges OF he Church III ne rcpen md make all the repd
iafi0n an h,s porcr 10 he injured Party.'
such was the action of the highest iudcatory Of the
Presbyterian Church prior to the division which oc-
CURED in 1923.
In 1916 the subject brought before the Old
School Assembly and action taken which regarded
BY many as rerogressve. In view of this, the follow
| ing II solution was introduced by the Rev. X. NJ
White into the Assembly of 1916, which was adopted
without division:
Rc,oreI That the Indictment Of thi. Home the seton
Of the General Assembly OF 1915 not ,s""d,d = drIyor
Tcind he testimony often uttered by the General Assemblies
! previous TO that date"
This wss in addition to the following minute previ-
ouslv adopted Yeas H., Nays 3d.
"Om Church has irum time 10 time, during period
of reay sixty years expressed it, views on the subject
of Slavery During oil this period II has held and Mt
tered Substantially tie same sentiments. Believing
that this uniform testimony is true, and capable of vim
dicaiion rom the Word Of Gtd the Assembly at the
same time clearly Of the opinion that 1t has already
deliberately and solemnly spoken with sufficient full
! ue,s and cearness.
IL 1850 tie ujec: was again introduced by overture,