Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1857-06-19

The series Of events leading to tho dcyis-
ion tf the Now School Pfcsbyt6fian Chufch
must be Of interest, just At this tinio. We
find a concise statement Of them n tho
Cincinnati Gazette, which we subjoin: :
From tho first, the Presbyterian Chareh
i'll this country, was decidedly Anti-Slavcrf.
Iu ] 767, before the General Assembly was
formed, the Synods Of New York ana
Philadelphia passed strong resolutions ii
favor Of tho abolition of slavery. Tho As
sembly,in 1893, approved the action Of the
Synods. Resolutions in regard TO tho Sys-
tenn and its evils, wero adopted by the As
semblies in 1895, 1915, and 1878. The
action in 1918, nearly forty years ago, Is ono
of the strongest Anti-Slavery documents
ever written, and was passed almost unani-
mously. s "a ,sd 81 ss.,
In 1s37--just twenty years ago---ths
Presbyterian church was divided. This
subject of Slavery was one Of the apples Of
discord though it was not the apparent
causes of the division. m 1e8
Since 1887 the branch of the church
which is popularity called Old School, has
twice discussed tho subject in its General
Assemblies, and has acted upon it rcaf-
| firming the action Of 1918. The branch
called New School has discussed the sub
ject more or less, every year, and passed
resolutions in reference to it, as the fathers
of tho church did. FrN ~
Until recently tho ministers and NOM
bcrs Of tho Presbyterian church in the
South have acknowledged (tacitly at least,)
that slavery was legitimate subject for &C.
clesiastical discussion. They have admitted
that the system is wrong, that its existence
IS to be deplorcd, aud that its ultimate abo.
ltion should be an object of prayer and Of
fort with every Christian. Within few
years, however, new doctrines have beer,
| published at the South, and extensively re-
ceived there. They are in substance that
{ slavery is right; is a normal condition Of
society; is sanctioned by the Bible; is like
other forms of government, ordained Of
God that it 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 Assemblies and other ecclesiasti-
cal conventions These views, first an
nounced by DR.. Ross of Huntville, Alaba-
ma, and few others, and regarded as ultra
by nearly everybody, both North and South,
soon came to the accepted views Of the
New School Presbyterians of the South,
and they insist that the whole Church
should endorse those views, or at least re-
frain from condemning them and even from
discussing them. ,gg
The Assembly at Cleveland by unani-
nous Northern voted, declared simply two
things: l. That it would abide by the SEN
timents of the fathers of the Church on the
subject Of slavery, and re-afirm their uni
form, time-honored testimony againstit 2.
That it disapproyed of and condemned the
new doctrine of the South that "Slayery is
right according TO the Bible"
+ To this action, the commissioners from
the South objected by formal protest, thus
placing themselves in opposition to the
whole spirit, teachings and resolves of the
church for the past seventy years. 1t is
q not anything new, to any aggressio4 of Alb
I olitionism, to an effort to discipline them
! for slavcholding, that they object, but to d
' rcaffirmation of the testimony of the church,
and a condemnation Of the doctrine tha,
$ Slavery is right according to the Scriptures
On the original platform of the church,
North stands undivided, and the city of st.
Louis with it. The Southern churches hav-
ing only tenth of the entire member
ship of the body, will try to form new or
ganization on their new basis, that Slavery
is right and must not be discussed,