Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-06-13

I. Neglect oftbe spiritual interests Of the slave,
. and especially of that careful instruction in the
! Word of God, to which he is entitled.
Any Of these facts involves, in our judgements "A
breach of the great requirement, Thou shalt love
thy neghbor as thyself." We do not, indeed pro
nounce sentence of ndscriminate condemnation
upon all our brethren who are unfortunately con
nected with the system Of Slavery. we tenderly
sympathze with all those who deplore the evil and
are honestly doing all IN their power for the
present ell-being of their slaves, and for their
complete emancipation. We would aid and not
embarrass sueh brethren. And yet.in the language
OF the General Assembly of 1919. we would "ear =
mostly warn them against unduly extending the
plea of necessity; against making it a cover for
the love and practice of Slavery, pretence for
not using efforts that are lawful and practicable TO
extingush this evil"
The Presbyterian Church in these United States
has ever maintained the views which are here ex-
pressed on this subject, from her very infancy
down to the present time, as clearly appears from
her testimonies in 1887, 1878, 1916, lS49, 1850.
And it is with deep grief that now discover
that portion of the Church at the South has so
far departed from the established doctrine Of the
Church relation to Slavery, as to maintain tLat
cit is an ordinance of God, and that the system
OF Slavery existing in these United States is scrip
\ tural and right Against this new and alarming
doctrine we feel constrained to bear solemn tes-
tmony. 1t is at war with the whole spirit and
tenor Of the Gospel of love and good will, as well
as abhorrens to the conscience of the Christian
world. We can have no sympathy or fellowship
with it and we exhort all our people to eschew it
as a serious and pernicious error.
We are especially panied by the fact that the
Presbytery of Lexington South, have gsen official
notice to us that number of ministers and ruling
elders, rs well as many church members in their
connection, hold slaves "from principle" and "of
choice" belle ing it to be according to the Bible
right, and have, without any qualifying explana-
nation, assumed the responsibility of sustaining
such ministers, elders and church members in
their position. We deem it our duty in the exer.
else of constitutional authority, "to bear tesi
mony against error in doctrine OF immortality in
practice in any Church, Presbytery or Synod" to
disapprove and earnestly condemn the posi-
ton which has been thus assumed by the
Presbytery of Lexington South, as one which is
utterly opposed to the established convictions of
the Presbyterian Church. and must operate to
mar its peace and seriously hinder its prosperity,
IA well as bring reproach our holy religion; and
we do hereby call on that Presbytery to review
, and correct the- posit ion. Such doctrines and
practice cannot be permanently tolerated in the
Presbyterian Church.---May they speedily melt
away under the illuminating and Iaellowipg in
Huence Of the Gospel and grace of God our
Savior. -. .....
In conclusion, the Assembly call the attention
Of the Publication Committee 10 this subject, and
recommend the publication in convenient form,
Of the entire testimonyio the Presbyterian Church
period !, :. :. ,..;o,, go. ,,,nn;.,
with general discussion of the question, in which
Dr. Allen Rev. Henry Kendall, Rev. Mr.. Trow-
: bridge ard Mr.. Cutter, participated. The debate
was resumed in the evening, when speeches were
made by Rev. l. w. X. Handy, OF Vir ,inia Rev.
Mr.. Bakeman, of New Jersey, and Rev. DR.. Ross
of Alabama. ---..f.. .-.
IIaines of New York, moved that the previous
question be now put. Carried.
! The Previous Question, viz. Shall the paper of
Mr.. Cutter, and DR.. Hammers amendment thereto,
be postponed in order to take up DR.. Aliens sub
sttute2 was then put. Two cira roce votes were
taken, when the Moderator declared that "the
ayes had it." "A division being called, it resulted
| as follows: ayes, "a; nays, 81. So the motion
was carried. The South voted no; (; the Northern
moderate men, yea.
The question then being on Dr. Aliens paper
Rev. Henry Kendall, of New York, proposed
several amendments to the paper, by which a
historical exposition of the position of the church
on slavery is incorporated with the paper.
| DR.. Aliens paper you will observe makes no
provision for disciplinary action, which is decid
edly weaker than the action proposed, by MIR, Gut
Ter. The South are indignant at this apparent
backing down." They want definite action, and
they say, no more "Dclphic words" or "stultificd
distractions"
Mr., McLain, of Mississippi, offered a second
amendment that the Assembly do not wish to be
understood in any of her declarations on the sub
iect of slavery asserting that the relation of
master and slave cannot exist without sin the
mart of the STAKEHOLDER. Mr.. McLain in re,
marking on this amendment, said if the North
did not vote against this it would be lodging the
question.
Judge Allison, Of Philadelphia, followed in On
eloqueSt speech. He plead for peace. If the ex-
| treme views of the North were pressed SO as to
cause a separation, the Church would be torn into
three instead of two fragments. The conservative
churches of Philadelphia could not unite with the
extremes either of North or South.
Pending the discussionth Assembly adjourned
at half.past ten, till Wednesday morning.
The disposition of the Assembly since noon has
!, perceptbly changed Backbone" is getting
scarce md the grim spectre of division has caused
some Of our Northern pluck to ooze away.
q W. E. NJ.