Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-06-16
The Presbytery and Slavery.

Amid the various commissions that
have Of late afflicted our hitherto mo-
notonous little world, re notice the
meeting of the General Assembly at
New Orleans. The meeting convened
May 9Th, and continued through eleven
consecutive days. A large number Of
delegates, representing thirty-one Syn
DDS OF that mighty pillar of American
Slavery-the Presbyterian Church.
were present; a large majority being
from the Northern States, but SO thor
oughly imbued with the teachings Of
salvation through faith" and SO tine
tured with bigoted conservatism as to
become but as one magnificent nonenti-
ty-glorious in their obedience to their
Southern brethren Of the holy faith
fearing to speak only in accordance
with the biased ideas Of slave holding
divinity.
It is natural to expect in this age of
improvement, something progressive
from SO powerful a body as the United
Presbytery of America, protesting, as
they do, to be the followers of the
"meek and lowly Jesus" who preached
deliverance to the captive, and to ''feel
with those in bonds as bound with
them" But upon reading the proceed
ings of the Convention, we find it to
be but the mere acting Of the same old
farce, yearly brought before the Amer
lean people--conservative on those great
questions which require their immedi-
ate action, and as sectarian in principle
as in the first year of their organiza-
ton.
The opening sermon was delivered
by the Rev. c. Van Rensselaer,, from
2nd Cor. xiii. IL. "Be of one mind
live in peace, and the God of love and
peace shall be with YOU" A more APP
propriate text could not have been
chosen to preserve the equilibrium Of
the minds of that august body-to pre-.
vent disscnsion, and at once silence al
attempts to awaken debate on the mo.
mentous question of American bondage
Mr.. V. proved himself to be an able
Interpreter of the Scriptures, SO far as
relates to the engrossing interests Of
the slaoe-AoMing Christians, and nc
doubt his venerable person may at the
next General Assembly, be chosen tc
assume the livery Of heaven to serve
the devil in, so faithfully has he filled
his responsible station at New Orleans.
From its commencement to it's close.
the General Assembly was conducted
almost wholly by "cradle robbers" and
"women whippers." DR.. Breckenridge,
a somewhat noted divine from Ken
lucky, and Mr.. Cobb, a ruling elder
from the State of Georgia, (brother OF
the Secretary of the Treasury seemed
to be the principal officials. Two more
faithful subjects the slave oligarchy
could not have found to promote the
interests Of the Presbyterian Church,
SO dearly connected with the slave
holding interests of the South.
Every sentiment they uttered, every
idea they propounded, was readily en-
dorsed, without comment or discussion,
by that vast body of delegates repre-
senting at once the Church and our
dlood-cemented Union DR.. Brecken-
ridge wished it to be perfectly under
stood that the United Presbytery should
be and were of one mind on the Slave
~ question; that for one hundred years
they had defined and REDEEMED their
position, and that nsoao they were at
peace on that subject. He did not
wish any new conferences on that sub
iect. He wished this to be said IN the
South, and by the South, and that the
whole land may know that the Presby-
terrain Church feels it to be her mission
only to preach 'Jaath unto salyation."
These are the sentiments of the Pres
hyterTan Church of Amerlca-pretend-
ed followers Of just God, who taught
equality and deliverance to the captive.
1t is natural to sappose that such q
meeting, held as it was in New Orleans,
that Set-bed Of iniquity and crime,
would have spoken boldly against in
Justice and its attending consequences.
But no! every species OF crime was
sanctioned and approved by their So
sepss on the engrossing question Of
k,persean Slavery. Venerable men,
whose wears have been devoted to the
pretended advancement of the Chris
sian faith, whose hairs have grown grey
In the holy cause Of 1sChrist and Him