Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-10-25
Your friend, THoS L. ATKINSON.
Danville, Va, Oct 18th, 1859.

TO rHE CORPORATE MINERS or TTE AMERICAN BOARD or
COMMISSIONERS, FoR FoREiGN MISSIONS.
l will not disturb your complacency, or offend your
seli-righteousness, by addressing you AS my brethren,
sion shows that, like your great prototype of old, YOU
feel justified in thanking God that Won are not as other
men are, nor even as these Southern Members of the
Christian Church and that YOU feel dishonored by asso-
citation with one who, like good old Abraham, of blessed
memory, is guilty of the wickedneSS of holding his fellow
men in bondage.
Your diSAvowal and excision of such men as the devo-
ted Kingsbury aud Byington, who are doing the good
work for which they were commissioned by your prede-
ccssors, with a fidelity which has eNtorted praise from
even their prosecutors, and with a degree OF success
which calls for gratitude TO God. because thew refused to
exclude from the Church all who think that they may
follow the example of the Father Of the faithful, and do
that which not only the Apostles, but their Master him
self allows, without being guilty of a grievous sin, shows
that you have set MP a higher standard Of morals than
the Saviour thought proper TO hold out, and 50 are right
eous vermuch."
Like Peter Of old, you say "this shall not be" and
for your presumption, YOU expose yourself TO the rebuke
which he received, Get the behind me Satan: thou art
an offence unto me; for thou savorest not the things that
he Of God, but those that be Of men"
That You have assumed to yourselves the authority to
set up other terms Of Communion and fellowship, than
those which the Great Head OF the Church has establish
cd, and 70 require all who would follow the Master, to
come MP To the measure OF yoGr own unauthorized stan
dari, on pain Of eNcommunication, NAV well excite the
pity. ifit does not arouse the contempt, OF those who
look to the Scriptures OF Divine Truth. as the only infal-
Hble and binding rule of faith and practice.
We read m the writings OF the Evangelist, OF those
who asked of the Savior, why walk not thy Disciples
according 70 ne traditions Of he Eldcrs 2"
His memorable reply NAV well cause you TO tremble,
lest you fall under a Ike condemnation 10 that which be
uttered against his selfrighteOus querists.
He answered and said unto them, well hath Esaia-
p~rophcsied of YOU hypocrtcs." "Howheii in vain do they
worship me. teaching for doctrines the commandment
OF men. For, LAYING aside the commandments OF God,
rs hold The traditions of msH.'
And be said unto them, full well We reject the COM
maniment OF God, that &C. nsav keep u5ar oEu tradition"
- MAKING the word of int of none OBJECT sErnrFrf wov
o1rE traditions, which " hIgt dsissrei. and many such
ike thing do yen
- ~itaPpears that, in e1aciing conformity to your new
standard OF duty, YOU are but following in the footsteps
Of yOur q" MustEous predecessors those false and hypo-
critical teachers who, in our Saviours dAy, would have
substituted their own traditions snd requirements for the
commands Of God, who only has the right to prescribe a
rule Of conduct Tor hs followers.
will not stop 20 enquire how far You and your an
cestor- are responsible for the sin, az it be a SIM Of
Southern slavery. II It involve that, YOU and they are
the thieves, We only the receivers, and, OF course, not
more guilty than yourselves. Having pOaketed the wages
Of iniquity, you should first return the money, before
YOU deuOuuce the purchasers, who are but the participa-
ton IN your guilt. Or Il you think that We ought to
lose II, initiate the example OF him who, when conscience
'mote him past enduring, ' cast doe" the pieces Of sill
rr in the temple. and usHt and hanged himself"
Remember, If you have wrOnged any man, IL is your
hOunden duty TO make restitution, and, If YOU cannot
repair the injury you have done the sable sons OF Africa
by selling them into Southern bondage, YOU can at least
get rid Of the price of iniquity, by casting dorm the pieces
Of siirsr in the temple, so that they may be gathered up
and used by Others, in carrying on the great benevolent
enterprises OF the day or, If you please, may all be eN-
pended in carrying the Gospel to Africa and Christiani-
ling those who seem to be the chief If not the only, OBJ
Jects OF your sympathy and your care.
II you will not do this, you should surely
not denounce as unworthy OF association with yourselves
those who, TO say the worst, are not more than equal
sharer. with you, in the sin which you affect so much TO
abhor.
would not charge you with hypocrisy, nav, I would
not even insinuate that you have not attained as nearly
70 a state OF sinless perfection As mOrtals may, in this
world of temptation to evil, hut | respectfully suggest
that il NAV be well for you 10 inquire whether YOU do not
compromise your integrity by
Compromising Tor sins you are inclined O..
By dsuning those y0u have no mind to-
aud whether IL slavery could be made profitable in the
North, we should not have a new market opened for IT,,
even in the cody city Of Boston.
We have high authority for the declaration that the
human heart Is deceitul above al things and desperately
wicked Nay IL not be therefore, that if your own
hearts were searched. a. with lighted candle there would
be found in them some sin at least as great as Slave.
holding.
II this be 20. would il not lie veil for YOU 10 exercise
a moderate degree ~ofchariy towards those who although
they end-avor 20 walk in the footsteps and 10 obey the
commands Of the Saviour, refuse TO walk with Won. in
mat new path OF duty which, without any proper authOri
~, YOU have 20 PresumP uously prescribed for them.
lou IRE nos prepared Ia receive the announcement
that my own lfrespect viii prevent my longer confirm
ing an association with those who evidently regard me a,
unworthy Of Christian fellowship and confidence.
] hereby resign my position A. a corporate member o
the American Board Of Commissioners for Foreign Mis-
-ions, a position assigned me by your predecessors, NOR,
than thirty yearsagO, and before the accursed fend Aboli
toni.m was let loose and commissioned 20 rend the Church
ard 10 destroy the Union Of these States. by sowing ia,
seeds OF d,-trust, discord and division anong those VIII,
should ever feel and act together ~ brethren. That yot
may soon be restored 70 a right mind, il the earnest de
sire OF your former associate,
tho. p. ATKINSON.