Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-07-14

majority WHO attended tue Iate annuai
meeting of this Society are receiving
very general condemnation from the
religious and secular press of the free
States, always excepting The \. Y.
Observer and The Christian Intelli-
gencer. which. glory in their shame,
defend the Society, and arrogantly
threaten the minority with even worse
treatment in the futurel 1t appears
to many of Gods people. as though
he had sent upon the officers and
managers of the society strong delu-
sions. for they are fortifying them
selves in their false position, and even
venturing on new and worse ground.
Their leading advocates boldly denied
the right of the members to do aught
but elect officers. The President made
decisions on points of order contrary
to all precedent. The speakers in be-
half of the majority were heard at full
length, while others were clamored
down, or their voices drowned in
shouts and Kisses. Those who defend
ed the Society were mean enough to
close their speeches with motions to
cut off debate, which were immedi-
ately passed by the unscrupulous ma
jority, who had all winter complained
OF the proxy bill' that it would rem
der discussion useless They refused
several times to express desire that
the Society should issue tracts against
the African slave trade, although
aware Of the concerted effort at the
South to secure its revival. Finally,
to save appearances as they thought.
they passed DR.. Springs resolutions,
affirming the sin and wickedness of
the slave trade, thus leaving the So
ciety in the attitude of one of John
Bunyan's characters, Mr.. Facing both
ways-refusing. as Tract Society,
to publish against traffic which they
pronounce at the same time to be a
sin against God! They were plainly
at loss what to do, for their ship
had struck upon place where two
seas meet, and some of the shrewd
ones saw that If the society should
affirm the sin of the African slave
trade in the name of all evangelical
Christians, it would be difficult to
show reason for not condemning the
sin of buying and holding their pos
terity. after they were brought to this
country, Their objections, however,
were overrulod, to avoid breach in
their own ranks; for on moments re-
hection, DIR. Spring and others who
had some remaining conscience, felt
tina. they could not sustain the act ol
voting down all the propositions look
ing to publication against the slave
trade, at time when the trade was
in danger of being re-opened. So the
Society. having stultifed itself sufii-
GENTLY, adjourned.
Now, we hold that these proceed
ings on the part of the Society asserts
peculiar claims to represent evangel
ical religion, which should be met
with the most prompt and decided
condemnation from those evangelical
churches which do not recognize sucf
policy as representing their princi
Piles, or those of genuine Christianity
We hold that by the action of tn,
last two annual meetings, the Ameri
can Tract Society at New York has
failed to maintain itself at the leve
of common morality, and has sunl
into the mire of practical Antinomian
ism, divorcing doctrine from duty
making piety antagonistic to philan
thropy. and 'omitting' the weightie
matters of the law. 1t has therefor,
ceased to be the representative of evan
gelical religion, and its imprint is n,
longer reliable as a guarantee Of sount
doctrine anil irreproachable morals.-
1t is time for the churches which be
licve in pure and undefled religion,
TO affirm such an opinion of the So
ciety. and to act consistently with it
We already hear Of tract distributor
who will no longer carry the tracts o
that Society, and of families encoun
tered by their visitors, who will no
receive tracts with that imprint.
This feeling will deepen and sprea'
in tine community till Northern church
es will withdraw all fellowship from
society which brings shame upo1
every man who calls himself an evan
gelical Christian. and embraces tn
heresy that slave holding is to bc tol
Grated without rebuke from the orga
Of confederate Christianity in these L
States. The matter has now assume
a seriousness which forbids compro
mise or false tenderness. The line
must be drawn between those VIII
uphold and those who dcnounce tn
unevangelical and unchristian pla,