Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-06-19

predicted some ten days ago. that q
division OF the Presbyterian Church
IN. 81 was inevitable. We have
since published the action Of the Gen.
oral Assembly on the subject Of slave
ry---ths, protest Of the Commissioners
ffom Tie South against tho action
the ans yer Of the North through q
committee, with Prof. Allen, of Lane
Seminary, at its head. We now lay
before our readers the address Of the
Southern Commissioners, published
since the adjournment the Assembly
In this they call for Convention At
Washington City on the 9th Of Aug,
to form new General Aasembly-an
Assembly in which there shall DO no
discussion or agitation Of the subject
Of slavery.
1t will DO Interesting, just now, to
glance at the series of events which
has led to this result. From the first,
the Presbyterian Church in this coun-
try, was decidedly Anti-Slavery. In
1851, before the General Assembly
was formed, the Synods Of New York
and Philadelphia passed strong reso-
tons In favor Of the abolition OF Slave
~. The Assembly. in 1893, approx.
cd this action OF the Synods. Reso-
olutions in regard to the system and
its evils, were adopted by the Assem-
blios in 1895, 1915, and 1918. The
action in 1918, nearly 40 years ago, Is
one OF the strongest Anti-Slavery doc
uments ever written, and was passed
almost unanimously,
In t637--just twenty years ago
the Presbyterian church was divided
This subject OF Slavery was one OF the
apples Of discord, though il was not
the apparent cause OF the division.
Since 1887 the branch ofthe church
which is popularity called Old School,
has twice discussed the subject in It's
General Assemblies, and has acted
upon it. re-afiirming the action Of 10.
Is. The branch called New School
has discussed the subject moro or less
every year, and passed resolutions In
reference TO IL, rs the fathers of the
church did.
Until recently the ministers and
members OF the Presbyterian Church
in the south have Acknowledged (tac-
lily at least that slavery was legit-
innate subject for ecclesiastical discus
ion. They have admitted that the
system is wrong, that its existance is
to be- deplored, and that its ultimate
abolition should be an object ofprayer
and effort with every Christian
Within a few years, however, new
doctrines have been published at the
South, and extensively received there.
They are in substance that Slavery is
right; lie y normal condition ofsociety;
is sanctioned by the Bible; is, like
other forms of government, ordained
by God; that il is not the duty OF
Christians to do anything with view
to its abolition, and that it should not
be discussed at all in General Assem-
blies and other ecclesiastical conven-
tons.
These views, first announced by
DIR. Ross, of Huntsville, Alabama, and
. few others, and regarded as ultra
by nearly every body, both North and
South, soon came to be the accepted
view of the New School Presbyterians
of the South, and they insisted that
the whole Church should endorse thoe
views, or at least refrain from con-
demning them, aud even from discuss
ing them.
The Assembly at Cleveland by a
unanimous Northern vote, declared
sympathy two things: 1. That il
would abide by the sentiments of the
fathers of the church on the subject o.
slavery, and reaiirm their uniform
time-honored testimony against it
2. That it disapproved of and con
demned thenew doctrine of the South
that slavery is right according e
the Bible"
To this action, the commissioner
from the South objected by q forma
protest, thus placing themselves il
opposition TO the whole spirit, teach
ings and resolves ofthe church for tn,
past seventy years. 1t is not to any
thing new, TO any aggression of Alb
olitionism, to an effort TO discipline
them for slaveholding, that they OBJ
ject, but to a reaffirmation Of the ties
timony of the church, and a condem
nation OF tho doctrine that Shaver,
is right according 10 the Scriptures.
On the original platform Of tn
church, the North stands undivided
and the city Of st. Lousi with it,
The Southern churches having onl,
one-tenth of the entire membership
Of the body, will try to form q ne'
organization on their new basif, tina
Slavery is right and must be discuss
ed.