Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-03-03
Gitp arro County gnteIligenre.


vention of members of evangelical churches,
from various sections of the country, to take
action in reference TO slavery, re-assembled al
the Mission Chapel, in this city, yesterday
morning, at 9 o'clock, pursuant to adjourn
mcnt, the President, Hon. Elmer Brigham, Of
. Westboro', in the chair. Prayer was offered
by Rev Jonathan Gable, after which, the con-
vention proceeded to a spirited discussion OF
the preamble to the constitution, several of the
brethren contending that the word "inherent, u
as applied to the sin of slaveholding, should
be stricken out But it was voted by large
majority to retain it. The preamble and con-
stitution were then adopted, as follows
PREAMBLE.
Under profound convictions of the ipheCept. -SiS-
fulness of slaveholding and %reat system Of
American slavery ro' .ne t Of iisvaholI
nor mortified and greyed by its contin-
thuuI@gration and defence i'll the church-fearful of
s'4se impending judgment of the Almighty upon our
beloved country on account ofit-and believing it is
| in the power of the people of God, under Divine
guidance, to accomplish its overthrow-we, COM
pany of ministers and Christians, of one mind and
heart as in duty bound, by our common allegiance
to the Lord Jesus Christ, do solemnly pledge our
selves to one another and before Cod to REMEMBER
THOSE THAT ARE IN BONDS AS BOUND WITH THEM
and to do all that can for the utter destruction of
that atrocious system of chattel-slavery which is
maintained in the United States; and as means to
that end we hereby form ourselves into society to
be called The Church Anti-Slavery Society of the
United States, to be governed by the following Con-
stitution and to maintain this declaration OF prncl
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES.
l. The rights of man man sacred and inaliena-
bly,, without distinction of blood or races.
2. Property in man impossible as being without
grant from the Creator, and equally contrary to nat
ural justice and to revealed religion.
g. The system of American slavery and the prac-
ce of saveholding essentially sinful and antChris-
an, and to be dealt WITH therefore such by Chris
tian churches and ministers.
4 The utter inadequacy and impossibility of any
remedy relief from slavery, but one that insists
upon its inherent wrongfulness, its total intrinsic
baseness, and denies absolutely the wild and guilty
fantasy that man can have property in man!
5. The duty of one family or section of the Chris
tian church to rebuke and refuse fellowship to
other section of the visible church that denies the
rights of man and the common brotherhood of hui
mainly, by defending slavery and folding to its bos
ON save-selers slave-buyers, and shareholders.
6. No compromise with slavery allowable, but its
total extinction to be demanded at once, in the
name of God, who has commanded ito loose the
bands of wickedness to undo the heavy burdens,
and to let the oppressed go free and that ye break
every yoke"
I. The acknowledgment and adoption by the
American clergy and the American churches, as the
great proyidential and divinely appointed duty of
this generation-To DESTROY SLAVERY!
s. The church and the ministry to form the con-
science of the nation in respect to slavery, and to
make it loyal to the higher law, against all unjust
Congress.
O. The Word of God our charter to freedom and
our armory against slavery and any assertion that
the Lord sanctions slavery practical infdelity
10. Ultimate success sure, III the warfare with OPP
preston, to faithful ministry and witnessing
church.
The object of this Association being to unite all
Christians on the basis of the Word OF God against
slavery and to concentrate the energies of the Chris
tan ministry and of Christian churches upon the
extinction of that great SIM the conditions of mem
bership shall be the adoption of its pledge and prin-
cples, and tile payment of an annual contribution
for its support, And members of local societies
formed on these principles shall be members in full
of this Society.
Art. l. The officers of this Society shall be a Pres
ident Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer,
Auditor, and an Executive Committee of five, to be
chosen annually by ballot.
Art. 8. The duties of the officers and committee
shall be to provide for and call public meetings. at
such tunes and places as they see t i'll order to adj
opinion to induce action by the churches with ref
erence to slavery, and to ncucate the duties of civil
government, of civil rulers aud of citizens in re-
spect to its overthrow.
Art. 4, Besides local and extraordinary meetings
which may be called at the discretion of the officers
and the committee, there shall be at least pub
lie meeting annually, during the religious anniver-
sary week, i'll the cities of Philadelphia, New York,
and Boston, for the free expression of the anti
slavery principles and sentiments of Christian
churches as declared by the Society.
Art 5. The expenses incurred by the officers of the
Society, in the prosecution of their duties, by the
maintenance of public meetings. lectures, and the
of the press shall be met by the deriv
ed from the annual contributions of members. and
by such donations as benevolent individuals and
churches shall bestow for the use of the Society.
Art. 6. This Constitution may be amended by
vote of two thirds of the members present at any
meeting, notice of said amendment having been Civ
en- at any previous meeting
The afternoon session was held at the yes
try of the Union Church, when the following
resolutions were unanimously adopted.
In vie Df of oT,in-
ion among anti-slavery Christians in regard to the
bible view of slavery, their relation TO slavehoding
churches, and those ecclesiastical bodies and beney
client societies that embrace or tolerate SUCH also
their duties to the civil government that the
tive committee be instructed to diffuse such infor
nation and discussion, through the periodical press
and by means of tracts, in their judgement shall
seem desirable and that they also confer with the
American Tract Society at Boston in relation to the
publication of such tracts as may be procured for
these purposes.
2 Resolved, That the Executive Committee be in
sructed to call the attention of the various local
sociations, of the different evangelical denomina-
tions in sympathy with this movement to the OBJ
ecs OF this Society, with the request that they shall
recommend to the ministers and churches in their
connections to form local societies in accordance
with the plan recommended in the constitution now
adopted.
8. Resolved, That the Executive Committee as
soon they justified by the state of the Treas
ury, be requested to employ public lecturers. to eX
plain and defend the principles of the Society, and
formed.
4. Resolved, That in the opinion of this conven-
ton, the charge so often made by proslavery men,
that slavery exists by divine authority, in the word
of God, is without shred or shadow offoundaton,
and hence an impious SANDER on the holy name of
God.
g. Resolved. That in the opinion of this conven-
ton, the system of domestic service instituted by
God for his chosen people a wise and just in
stituion, and was intended a safeguard against
chattel slavery.
Another series of resolutions of great length,
covering the same ground, was also offered and
adopted.
committee, previously chosen for the pur-
pose, reported the following list of officers of
the Society:
Presdent-Rev. j. C. Webster of Hopkinton
Vice President-Rev. VIM IL. Beecler of North
Brookfeld.
Secretary-Rev. Henry I. Cheeyer of Jewett City,
Conn
Treasurer-Dea. Ichabod Washbum of Worcester
Executive COMMUNICATION. Elmer Brigham of
Westboro', Rev. Samuel Hunt of Franklin Deacon
Ichabod Washburn, Charles Ballard, and Rev. Ches-
ter Field, of Worcester.
After prayer by Rev. Mansfield French of
New York, the Convention adjourned sine die.
ANTI-SLAvERY LECTURE.-Rev Zero. w.
Bassett, pastor of a Congregational church in
Washington, ID. c., delivered an excellent and
thorough going anti-savery lecture, at Wash
burn Hall, last evening, from Prov. xxi; 10:
"Whoso stoppeth his ears to the cry of the
poor, he also shall cry himself but shall not
be heard" The four million American slaves
were declared to be peculiarly Gods poor in
this country, and the duty of churches and