The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-04-07
CHRISTIAN ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY
JEwETT CITY, Conn, March 10, 1859.


To The Editor Of the National Era:
Enclosed is the platform of the Christian
Anti-Slavery Society of the United States, con-
stituted at Worcester, on the I'd instant, and
notice, Also of the first public meeting in aid
of that Society, under the auspices of its Ex-
ecutive Committee. 1t was hoped that the
religious press generally, seeing the impor-
lance and responsibility Of the movement
would publish the platform for the information
of the churches. But this, believe, has not
yet been done by the religious papers, in sin
gle instance. Political papers have, in some
instances inserted it. L trust it may please you,
as an Anti-Slavery journal, to give it to your
readers The debates of the Convention will
in due time be published and it will be seen
how each principle was duly argued, and the
inhumanity and sinfulness of slaveholdng
adopted under full conviction, and in view of
the alienation which would be caused by it of
many Ministers from the movement by reason
of its stigma of Radicaism. An anniversary
meeting will be held in Boston in May, and
local auxiliary societies will be formed mean
while. Its officers are as follows:
President, Rev. j. c. Webster, of Hopinton ;
| Vice President, Rev. w. H. Beecher of North
Brookfeld Secretary, Rev. Henry T. Cheever,
of Jewett city, Conn. Treasurer, Deacon /.
Washburn, of Worcester. Executive Commit
tee--Hon. Elmer Bingham, of Westboro'; Rev.
Samuel Hunt, of Franklin; Deacon l. Wash
burn, Charles Ballard, Esq, and Rev. Chester
| Field, of Worcester. The Executive Commit
! tee were instructed to confer with the American
Tract Society, at Boston, relative to the publ
cation of tracts enunciating the views of the
Association.
A Convention of members of evangelical
| Il. &c
was held at Worcester a few days since, to take
action in reference to Slavery. The number
present and the character of the men engaged
in the movement indicate its Importance The
issue between Slavery and Freedom is with
them, not political, but moral question, and
their design is to force the Christian church TO
decisive stand upon it. The following pre-
amble and declaration of principles were adpot-
ed;
PREAMBLE,
Under profound convictions of the inherent
sinfulness of slaveholding, and the great system
of American Slavery that has grown out of
saveholding- deeply mortified and grieved by
its continued liberation and defence in the
church-fearful of the impending Judgment of
the Almighty upon our beloved country OH ac-
count of it-and believing it is in the power of
the people of God, under Divine guidance, to
accomplish its overthrow-we, a company of
ministers and Christians, of one mind and
heart, as in duty bound, by our common allegi-
ance to the Lord Jesus Christ, do sOlemnly
pledge ourselves to one another and before God,
to REMEMBER THOSE THAT ARE IN BONDS AS
BOUND WITH THEM, and to do all that we can
for the utter destruction of that atrocious sys-
tenn of chattel slavery which is maintained in the
United States and, as means to that end, we
hereby form ourselves into a society, to be call
ed the Church Anti-Slavery Society of the
United States, to be governed by the following
Constitution, and to maintain the declaration
of principles:
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
/. The rights of man as man. sacred and in
alienable, without distinction of blood or races.
2. Property in man impossible, as being
without grant from the Creator, and equally
contrary to natural justice and to revealed re-
ligion.
3. The system of American Slavery and the
practice of sIaveholding essentially sinful and
ant. Christian, and to be dealt with, therefore,
as such, by Christian churches and ministers
4. The utter inadequacy and impossibilty of
any remedy or 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.
s. The duty of one family or section Of the
Christian church to rebuke and refuse fellow
ship to another section of the visible church
that denies the rights of man and the common
brotherhood of humanity, by defending Slavery
and folding to its bosom slave-sellers, slave-buy-
ers, and shareholders.
s. 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 We break every yoke"
7. The acknowledgment and adoption by the
American clergy and the American churches,
as the great providential and divinely appoint
ed duty Of this generation-To DESTROY SLA-
VERY
8, The church and the ministry to form the