The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-10-01
SECULAR AND SACRED LITERATURE -NEU-
TRALITY

Some allusion has been made in the Era to
the recent action Of the Publishing Committee
of the American Tract Society, respecting the
publication of tracts on the subject of Slavery.
AT the last Anniversary, it was thought expe-
dient, says the Committee, that certain duties
as well as evils belonging to the relation OF
master and slave should be discussed in the pub
LEGATIONS Of the Society, and confidence was ex-
pressed that the Executive Committee would so
manage the matter as to promote the usefulness
of the Society throughout the country. At the
time, the Publishing Committee had under con-
sideration a Treatise on the +" Duties of Mas
ters." composed Of articles previously issued "by
brethren of various evangelical denominations
of the South" But one of the authors died,
and two others, unwilling that anything from
their pens on the subject should come out under
q Northern imprint, interdicted the use of the
vi ,ne 'ooc.eIy in that section, came strong ex
pressions of opinion, /" that any publication Of
our press, bearing upon the topic ofSlavery, even
though of Southern authorship, and carefully
kept within the terms of the resolutions of the
Anniversary, could have no other effect than pre-
GApiLAllAB AuC cLllIc HllnuEdWdl Vi tue OOulu
from cooperation with the Society"
For the purpose, therefore, of preventing
schsm, of collecting funds from all sections
of the country, and of circulating tracts in both
the Northern and Southern States, among
Shareholders and Non-Slaveholders, the Com
mittee resolved to discontinue the publication
Of the work under consideration, assuming the
ground that it is inexpedent to issue anything
from the Press of the Society bearing in any
way upon the topic of Slavery. It's action will
of course be considered by the Society at its
next Anniversary, and it is not improbable that
1t may be sanctioned.
Every organization has the instinct of self
preservation. 1t shrinks from whatever may
impair Its strength, circumscribe It's means, limit
Its influence, OF threaten it with division. From
the consciousness of usefulness may grow its
strongest temptation to compromise Truth. The
American Tract Society claims to be benef-
cent institution of the first rank ats accred.
tied issues" it boasts, " contain the sifings of
rich evangelical literature, in our own and in
European lands-books on which Gods spirit
has put bis evident and gracious approval" 1t
is desirable to obtain for these the widest pos.
sible circulation-to accomplish this, we must
have money, aud free course in all sections of
the country. We are anxious to raise funds
from all classes, and to find readers among all.
Let us therefore exclude topics which may tend
10 counteract this two-fold object
This is prudent, and prudence, although not
the highest virtue, is still commendable. The
policy of the Publishing Committee of the Tract
Society is just like that of some of the secular
Publishers of New York, who, unwilling to be
prescribed in any section, exclude from their
issues whatever may offend any. But, in this
case, it is neither Christian nor heroic The
American Tract Society, as We understand it,
is organized for the purpose of disseminating,
in q cheap way, publications on the doctrines
commonly received among what are called
evangelical sects," and on Christianity as an.
piled to practical life under all its forms. If
it studiously ignores any one of those doctrines.
we suppose it is disloyal to its constitution. If
it omits to oppose any evil or incucate any duty,
recognised by Christianity, it is false to its trust,
no matter what may be its motive.
But, who is to decide with regard to the doc
trine, or duty? The majority. If question
is raised as to the fitness of any topic for dis
cussiOn, the majority must settle it. Suppose
that topic be Slavery it is proposed to prohibit
tract on the duty of teaching slaves to read
the Bible for themselves, on the duty of regard
ing the marriage of slaves as sacred, on the
inhumanity Of selling children from their pa
rents, and SO breaking up by violence the fam
lily relation. Such topics must not be DISCUSS
ed in or publications, says one party: if your
issues bear upon them, the entire South will
withdraw from you; you will be able to make
no more collections in that region Southern
People will not only reject those publications.
but all the accredited issues" heretofore &C
ceptsble, "the siftings of the rich evangelical
literature of our own and other lands won
will split the Society, reduce its resources i'm
pair Its usefulness.
1be reply is obvious. Whatever is NOR