New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-04


"of slaves u,sy DO unvo,S> be- yet tAcy ssasA,,
"tho buying saa selling Of sIs,> ~ BY way II Ia,
"and al undue severity in tbs ma 'asemest&Hp>
"as inconsistent with the spirit Of 10 asspel"
This is certainly good 50 far a. IL .soss; MI,
1915 the sentiment of the Church stn h srnesiei
with this stultifed abstraction" But in sl5 Ia
Assembly was Mortified to find that someboA., M
been selling q save--a member Of he ChsreSX
This called out the famous "dclverance" Of NJ.
Assembly, which asserts that "we consider u.
voluntary snslaving Of one part of the huns,
race by another as gross violation Of the mort
precious and sacred rights Of human nature; A
utterly inconsistent with the law of God, which
requires Us to love our neighbor a ourselves,
"and as totally irrecoucilable with the spirit ,nI
principles of the Gospel of Christ, which enjoia
THAT all things whatsoever 20 would that NEE
"'should do TO you, do ye even 90 TO than,
slavery creates paradox in the moral system.
ait exhibits rational, accountable and immortal
"beings in such circumstances as scarcely to loavs
them the power Of moral action. 1t exhibits
"them as dependent on the will Of Others whether
"they shall receive religious instruction; wkssAsr
lnty hhOW anu WotshiP tao duo VO1s
whether they shall enjoy the ordinances Of TIA
Gospel; whether they shall perform the duties
land cherish the endearments Of husbands ana
wives, parents and children, neighbos and
friends; whether they shall preserve their chss-
tity and purity or regard the dictates Of justice
land humanity. Such are some Of the consequences
"of Slavery-consequences not imaginary but
xxhich nth ~. av,af-
fence. The evils to which the slave ia always ex-
"posed often take place in fact, and in their very
"worst degree and form" From these position&
with their glittering generalties from tho Bible. Y
Mr. Choate, perhaps, would call them, the Assem-
bly, 60 on to speak Of what, perhaps, DR.. Res
would call stutifed abstraction, namely, that
"God hath made Of one blood all nations Of mea
"to dwell upon the face of the earth !" as reason
why it 10 {" the duty Of all Christians" to do what
they can Gas speedily as possible to effacc this
"blot on our holy religion, aud TO obtain the CON-
"plete abolition of Slavery throughout Christen-
"dom, and if possible, throughout the world"
Aud the Assembly "rejoice that the Church 70
(Which we belong commenced, as early ~ any
'otber in this country, the good work Of endeav.
"orng to put an end to Slavery"
We confess to partially for that deliverance" u
the Assembly of 1918, even though Dr. Ross should
persist in calling it stult6ed abstraction" But
let "a come down to more recent times In lS46.
the Assembly declared that {" the system Of Slavery
as it exists in these United States viewed either
(" In the laws of the several States which sanctioa
it, or in its actual operation and results In soci'
I" ETY., is intrinsicay an unrghteous and oppressive
system, and is opposed to the prescriptions Of tho
Flaw of Ged, to the spirit and precepts Of tho
Gospel, and to the best interests Of humanity"
In 1850, the Assembly declared, The holding Of
our fellow men in the condition of Slavery, ex-
scent in those cases where ii is unavoidable by tho
laws of the State, the obligations of guardianship
" or the demands of humanity, is an ofense in the
proper import of that term, as used in the Book
" of Discipline, and should be regarded and tresp9
/" in the same manner as other ofensess"
In the matter of testimony against Slavery the
General Assembly has spoken plainly, but therehns
been difficulty in reaching actual cases BY die
cipline. When, in 1853, the Assembly directedths
Southern Presbyteries to report to what extent
they were involved in the practice Of slaveholding.
these Presbyteries openly babe defiance to the d.
rection, on the ground that they were not com.
PEELED to criminate themselves, and also that dis
cipline in case Of layman must begin in tho
Church Session and Of . minister in the Presbyteys
These general principles Of the metes and boands
of discipline in the Presbyterian Church were ably
set forth last year in the report Of Committee d
which the Rev. Albert Barnes was chairman, with
whom were associated the Rev. DR.. A. d. Smith
and Judges Jessup and Hascsll. The report was
sustained on the fosr of the Assembly with distin
guished ability by Dr. Smith and Judge Jessup.
Here is the stronghold Of the Reverend Doctors
Ross, Boyd and Read Suppose the latter gentle
man to own slave woman, whose children he seils-
one after another, to the scandal of religion. In.
bis place in the General Assembly, he might say in
his prettiest manner: /" 1t is true hold this woman
/" for gain and sell her children for gain, bat an
" member Of, the Presbytery Of Hanover, in tho
" Synod Of Virginia. all my peers are doinsju'e
" what do and they must try mo. So, gsatIs.
" men, what do you propose to do about it' WIN
You utter some more stutifed abstrsctionsa Vesy
" well, do SO; but I defy you 10 discipline s!"
This is the position Of things, and there areun-
mistaksbIs signs, especially OF the West, thass
strong efsrt will be made TO meet tho ccnsiibs-
tional difficulty at the approaching sssson 'oEsse
Assembly. IT, for lack Of nerve, this infiness'A
and growing denomination allows itself towsar
what bears some resemblance. to. the sAI" o.
Nessus, then it will deserve to be tainted ~ sucn
Christian gentlemen as preach the GssRA AZ
Huntsville, Winchester and Richmond, and vita