Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-06-12
THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH NEW
SCHOOLl PURGED.

address to the Ministers and Churches N connection
,cuh th, General hmembLy Of tie Pres6yterlan
Church.
DEAR BRErHRrY:-Tbe undersigned, members OF
the General Assembly now in session in Clevslahd'
Ohio ara constrained to address you with reference
10 the ststo of our beloved Church. ami to indicate
the course which should be pursued by all VINO 8d-
here to the principles of our Constitution, as inter-
pretsd by It's trainers, and as practically acknow-
lodged during the almost entire period OF our history
as a Church.
of Slavery, especially when considered in connection
with the spirit and manifest purpose OF several OF tne
Western Synods, has impressed US win lne oe''eI
that peace aud harmony can no longer preVni among
US; that the Assembly, as at present constituted IN
stead of being bond of union between different
sections of the Church, will continue TO bs the thea
ire Of etrie and dso,rd and that the glory OF .iod'
the welfare Of our churches, and the gooa OF our
couDtry demand separation OF the d'scornsnt eis
ments, and the existence OF another A:semoy ~
Which the agitation Of the Slavery question will be
unknown.
We had hoped tina. our brethren who have been
disposed introduce this subject into the dcnera
Assembly would, ere this, have been convinced lnat
no good could result to the church from this
that it was alternating brethren Of a common Chris
tian faith and was calculated to render the cond,'ion
of the slave more undesirable, and TO sunder Inc ee
that bind union together In tins regard we nave
been sadly disappointed In consequence OF the Po'
lItlCQl dgltdtlOQ OF tD6 euUIcctt ouu W iu0
brought TO bear upon them by Congregational
Churches holding the most ultra Abolition
many of our Western Presbyteries have become
more urgent 10 demanding progressive action ni inc
Assembly. They have not been satsneo WIN ','e
past declarations of the Assembly. They have de-.
sired the Assembly to express it's views OF The sin oil
slayeholdug 80 clearly that they be made tue pa
sis Of discipline by the courts of the Church. Inis
action has now been virtually taken by the Assem-
bly, It has avowed that the relation OF master ana
- iprn
pe.y in the services of the aer-is Elm IN the sight
of God, aud an offence in the sense in which the term
ia used in the Constitution of the Cburch. ns ueo
araton has been made although conessediy there Is
not the most remote alusion to slavenoio9g ~ @
standards and also with the knowledge OF Inc Iac.
that when our Constitution was adopted Twelve ou,
Of the thirteen States were savehoding STATES, na
many of them who composed the Assembly OF he''
If not sIaveholdinR themselves, were the representa-
tves of Presbyteries in which were churches whose
members we're shareholders. We regard this action
of the General Assembly as paphole violatIon u o'
the spirit and letter of the Constitution OF the
The principle involved in it, if carried into p'acce
would convert the highest judicstory OF tho cnu!cu
into ecclesiastical dssposm as tyrsnncai as 'ndt
which has distinguished the Church OF Rome IL
makes the Assembly not only the Interpreter OF Tue
law in an irregular way, but also the supreme iegs
lature of the Church-a position which mas oeen d.
ways repudiated by the Presbyterian Churcn.
Apart, therefore, from the dsastrous consequences
resulting from the agitation of the subject OF slavery
in the General acknowledgements as it does our
peace, keeping ID in state Of excitement unfavor-
able to spiritual growth and parayzius our EFFORTS 10
advocate the cause of our Redeemer through the
channel of our admirable system OF government
We consider that the Assembly has 80 far departed
from the Constitution of the Church as to render our
adherence to it undesirable and impossible. having
protested repeatedly against this agitation aud nod
ing that our brethren determined to continue IT,
We have deliberately and prayerfully come TO the
conclusion that however painful i, may be to u.s. the
good of the Church and Of the country required
from them. We shall hold our brethren.
who have disturbed peace by the introduction OF
this v-Ied question into our judicaores as alone re-
With these convictions az to the necessity Of
separation from our once united and beloved Zion,
The only question that remains for "a now to setle
pertains to the mode Of separation The undersign.
ID are Satisfied that but eourss 10 left rs, and
hat ID to invite al Constitutional Prssbyterisns in