Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-11-28
MEMORIAL.

! Inc Convention OF Representatives OF tue Nortu
ern and Western Conferences, assembled in Gin
cnnat in the fear of Almighty God. set forth
respectfully to the General Conference of the Nj. T.
Church the following Declaration aud Memorial
| 1t would be our preference and earnest desire h
perpetuute our union with the General Conference
Association, in which We have heretofore felt "A
| common interest, aud the thought OF severance
thereof is truly pair ful to US. But we must, in
Christian frankness, state that there are insupera
! ble impediments to q continuance OF this union
that it involves respective districts in serious
embarrassments some of which We will hereafter
| briefly state.
| We deyoutly respect the injunction contained in
one of the elementary principles Of our Constitu'
ton. that it is tae duty Vt all ministers and MEM
bers OF the Church to maintain gOdliness, and to
oppose all moral evil. Now il is the clear convic'
ton, long since and repeatedly expressed by all
our annual Conferences, that the traffic, and the
voluntary holding Of slaves, does conflict with
the rights of humanity, and with the morality
ot the Holy Scriptures. Hence We regard II the
bounden duty well constitutional right of all
ministers and members Of the NJ. p. Church to OPP
pose the practices alluded to. But il has ever
been source uf grief and modification to us that
10 the entire Southern section Of the NJ. Church
slave trading and slavehOlding are cOnstitutionaly
practiced without rebuke.
We have FOR series of years, again and again
in our respective annual Conferences expressed
70 our Southern brethren our kind remonstrance
I
ing them to out away forever this sin, and relieve
us Of IL humiliating reproach But our expostula-
tiUns have been deemed no, only unacceptable,
but highly offensive to our slavehOldiug brethren.
All prOspe t and hope of their regarding our APP
peals have well nigh fed. They seem more aud
more fixed in their purpose to sustain and perpetu'
ate in the Church what we are constrained to deem
il moral wrong. Hence III difficulty. Hence
our cause has Geen impedcd in many sections ut
our work. On account cf this we have sustained
extensive iosses in ministry and IL our member
ship. On account of this the minds and conscien.
ces of thousands of people are i'll ut ease, and
they cannot he satisfied to continue our eccleSas-
cal union with the slave holding section OF the Nj.
p. Church, unless the offence complained ot he re.
moved. We are threatened with extensive disrup.
tons and falling off from our ranks unless we are
relieved and freed from what many deem critnin-
al completely with a declared moral evil Ot the
highest grade. We would not make ourselves fur
ther ulersise to Southern brethren by reiterat.
ing appeals, which have heretofore been deemed
ungratetul If not insulting to their feelings, much
less would be so unreasonable as TO make demands
of the General Conference, which il is ont of the
pUwcr Of that body to grant. But we will here
state fow notifications of the Constitution and
Discipline, which we viii doom Indispensable to
our success as Church in the Districts which We
represent.
|. The word white" should be struck from
the Constitution. Art. XII. Sec. l and . MS cs
tabIishlDp an nylllLuS GlstDctlpH, BOt III AcCUru-
ancc with the principles of the Gospel Of Him, who
made Of one blood oil the nations OF men, to dwell
ON the face of the earth.
Q The .hird item and annexed pro osiso embrace
sd in the 4th Soc. Of Art. VII, should be struck
from the Constitution, because it is understood and
used to protect ministers and members o! the
Church il the practice of slayehold!ng and sayc.
trading,
3. A clause should be inserted, specifically set.
G,rt hat thn ui voluntary slave.
ing aud slayetradiug, will hencetorth be barrier
TO membership in the NJ. 7. Church.
This Convention is aware that the General Cen
terence has not constitutional authority TO modify
the Constitution. but upon Recommendation OF twul
thirds 4 the Annual Conferences. But General
Conferences heretofore have deemed it within their
preIogetives to adopt recommendations Tor the
subsequent action Of the Annual Conferences. II
therefore il shall be the pleasure OF the General
Conference of 1858 during ils session, 20 RECON-
mend to the Annual Conference to adopt such nc'
ton above. in removing the obJectIons aud difh
cuites from which we 50 seriously suter and
without the removal of which, we deem il impos'
sible for US to enjoy success, then in such case
we will consent 50 await the action Ui the Annual
Conference thereupon. But il this General Con-
ference should NOT see good to adopt tho action
necessary to remove our dthcultias. cannot con
scentouSiy consent to lurtheI continuance Vi our
ecclesiastical Connection.
We wish to inlict no unkind reproaches upon
our Southern brethren Nor would we assume to
he the Judge Of ncghbur But we have calm
ly presented, in II brief manner, the ombarrass-
lnents of our position as connected with the slave
holding portion of the Church and the action which
would be necessary to obviate our difficulties.
Praying that the great Head Of the Church may
coli shten and influence your minds. and dispose
your deliberations to the advancement OF his glory
we remain yours sincerely,
JOSEPH ASHTON,
j. IL. HOGAN,
SAMUEL GRAHAM,
ROBERT ANDREW,
A. H. BASSErr.