The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-11-05
RECENT ACTION OF THE SYNOD OF
VIRGINIA.

The action of the Virginia Synod, to which
we briefly alluded in our last ISSUE is worthy Of
more extended notice in our columns. ANY
step taken by the Presbyterian churches of
Washington on the Slavery question is mat
ter of interest to the people of the nation, for
Washington is peopled from every State and
city in the Union. The action of the Virginia
Synod upon the Slavery question was caused by
the Anti Slavery position taken by the New
School General Assembly at Cleveland last
summer. The Virginia Synod, being connect
ed with that Assembly, and composed of
churches in Virginia, Maryland, and the Dis
sttoS Va Columbia, couIu longer reEsIn us
connection with the Assembly, according to the
almost unanimous opinion of the members of
the Synod. The question in dispute, then, was
not simply whether the Synod should secede
from the General Assembly, but whether it
should take an independent position, like the
Synod of Missouri, for instance,) or Join the
new Pro Slavery Southern Church, under the
special care of Rev. DR.. Ross.
During the discussion, an agent of the Tract
Society very appropriately addressed the body,
and claimed the sympathies of those present
for the institution he represented, on the score
of the neutral position of its Executive Com.
mittee. After he was through, the Synod voted
that the Tract Society, since its recent action,
Through the Committee,) is entitled to the
confidence of our churches"
This side-issue out of the way, the main
question came up.
Rev. Mr.. Haskell wanted time to prenare b;s
opinions for expression, not to form them.
They were now what they had always been
but as member of the District Presbyterv.
and as an individual pastor, he thought too lit.
tie time had been given for consultation. II
was not the usual custom for young men to
move too slowly; but he felt now that, like
Moses by the Red Sea, he could recommend
the Presbytery to stand still and see the saliva.
ton of the Lord. His mind was made up. and.
like DR.. Sunderland, he would sacrifice his re-.
lation to his beloved charge, the comfort of his
family-but he could not sacrifice his conscience
to these relations.
The allusion to Conscience" was unfortu.
nate. The gentlemen who wish to found a
Church upon Human Slavery, eschew con.
science!" Do we express ourselves too strong.
ly? Read the reply to the Rev. Mr.. Haskell.
According to the Star, the Rev. Mr.. Nourse
Thought time enough had been given for con.
sultation, and, while feeling for the District
Presbytery, there was no other course, in his
opinion, than the one recommended for them To
pursue. as to conscience, aOe aoere not to be
guided By that. We were guided by the Word
of God. Conscience was to be educated. The
Northern part of the Church had given up their
conscience to the guidance of their fallen in.
stincts. We must be guided by the Bible
and he was prepared to cut loose from the
Cleveland Assembly, because they had pre-
scented set of Abolition resolutions, which
they were called upon to endorse or repudate.
And as to the financial point of view, although
they were to lose every dollar which the North
had been accustomed to pour into the Southern
treasury, yet, let the Synod stand on principle,
and God would stand by them"
1t is not strange that the Bible defenders of
Wrong distrust the human conscience. ANY
man, however sunken, knotcs that he is not
rightfully chattel, a machine, to be bought
and cold like horse. So the advocates of the
New Church propose to silence the conscience
of the Southland follow the Biblel not in
its spirit, but the letter of the law, singing out
isolated passages to suit their purposes.
We would like to be informed by the Rev.
Mr.. Nourse if conscience is to be distrusted
upon all questions. For instance, the educated
conscience of this age condemns concubinage
and polygamy. But the Bible does not-unless
it condemns Slavery. 1t as fully uphods
Polygamy as Slavery. Why may not the Nor
mon claim MIR. Nourse as his defender? We
have nothing to do with Conference.-The men
of the Bible had a multiplicity of wives. God
said to David gave thee thy masters
house, and thy masters ,oioes into thy bosom"
Conscience is an interloper-what David did
with Gods special approval, we may do