Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-12-28

For tn Journal.l ~ 4
RcpSlblicall ar Did uchoQl Pres
bytcrian ciples ON slavery
I1cntical: /
I1these deee iate days. when Christians,
forsetting the durse pronounced on all our
raes, that Sin Dc sweat Of thy face thou shalt
eat bread" and how "inexpressibly mean it
is to exact labor without recompense," talk
Hippantly of the injustice Of combining slavery
to its present limits, it is refreshing to read
the testimony Of "the fathers" on the subject:
ACTION OF The GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, IN 1918. M
"The following resolution was submitted
to the Assembly, viz:
..Rssoived, That person who shall sell as
a slave member of the Church, who shall be
at the time in good standing in the Church,
and unwilling to be sold, acts inconsistently
with the spirit of Christianity, and ought to
be debarred from the communion of the
Church.
"After considerable discussion, the subject
was committed to DR.. Green, DR.. Baxter, and
Mr.. Burgess, to prepare report to be adopted
by the Assembly, elnbr acing the object of the
above resolution, and also expressing the
opinion of the Assembly in general, as to
slavery. Minutes, 1918, p. 6Ss.
THE report of the committee was unani-
mously adopted, and is as follows, viz. j
"rhe General Assembly of the Presbyterian
Church, having taken into consideration the
subject of slavery, think proper to make
known their sentiments upon it to the
churches and people under their care.
ave consider the voluntary enslaving OF
one portion of the human race by another as
gross violation of the most precious and
sacred rights of human nature; as utterly
inconsistent with the law Of God, which
| requires us to love our neighbor as ourselves,
and as totally irreconcilable with the spirit
and principles of the Gospel of Christ, which
cnjoins that all things whatsoever ye would
that men should do to you, do ye even SO to
| Them Slavery creates q paradox in the
moral system it exhibits rational, accountable
and immortal beings in such circumstances
as scarcely to leave them the power of mora!
action. 1t exhibits them as dependent on the
will of others, whether they shall receive
religious instruction; whether they shall
know and worship the true God; whether
they shall enjoy the ordinances Of the gospel !;
whether they shall perform the duties and
cherish the endearments of husbands and
wives, parents and children, neighbors and
friends; whether they shall preserve their
chastity and purity, or regard the dictates OF
Justice and humanity. Such are some of the
consequences Of slavery-consequenc not
imaginary, but which connect themselves with
! .ts very existence The evils to which the
slave is always exposed often take place in
fact, and in their very worst degree and form !;
and where all of them do not take place, as
! we rejoice to say in many instances, through
the influence of the principles Of humanity
and religion ON the mind Of masters, they do
not still the slave is deprived of his natural
right degraded as human being, and exposed
to the danger of passing into the hands Of a
master who may int1ict upon him all the
hardships and injuries which inhumanity and
avarice may suggest.
"From this view of the consequences result
ing from the practice into which Christian
people have most inconsistently fallen, OF
enslaving a portion of their brethren of man
kind-for God hath made of one blood all
nations of men to dwell on the face of the
earth'-it is manifestly the duty OF all Chris.
tians who enjoy the light of the present day,
when the inconsistency Of slavery, both with
|
been demonstrated, and is generally seen and
Acknowledged, to use their honest, earnest
and unwearied endeavors to correct the errors
Of former times, and as speedily as possible to
eltace this blot on our holy religion, and to
obtain the complete abolition of slavery
throughout Christendom, and, if possible
throughout the world.
I'VE rejoice that the Church to which we
belong commenced as early as any other in
this country the good work of endeavoring to
put IN end to slavery, and that in the same
work many of its members have ever since
been, and now are, among the most active
vigorous and efficient laborsrs. We do, in
deed, tenderly synpathize with those portions
Of our Church and our country where the evi
of slavery has been entaiied upon them
where a great and the most virtuous part o.
the community abhor slavery, and wish lis
determination as sincerely as any others-bu
where the number of slaves, their ignorance
and their vicious habits generally, render an
immediate and universal emancipation incon
sistent alike with the safety and happiness Of
the master and the slave. With those who
are thus circumstanced, we repeat that VT
tenderly sympathize. At the same time, we
earnestly exLort them to continue, and, il
possible, to increase their exertions to effect q
total abolition of slavery. We exhort them
to suffer no greater delay to take place in this
most interesting concern than regard to the
public welfare truly and indispensibly
| demands.
| Gas our country has inflicted most griev.
Gus injury upon the unhappy Africans, by
bringing them into. slavery, we cannot
indeed urge that we should add a second in
jury to the first, by emancipating them in
| such manner as that they will be likely to
destroy themselves or others. But we dc
think that our country ought to be governed
in this matter by no other consideration thar
an honest and impartial regard to the happi
ness of the injured party, uninf1uenced by the
expense or inconvenience which such regard
may Involve. We, therefore, warn all who
belong to our denomination of Christians
against unduly extending this plea of neces
,ity; against making it a cover for the love
and practice of slavery, or pretense for not
using efforts that are lawful and practicable
to extinguish this evil.
"And We, at the same time, exhort others
to forbear harsh measures, and uncharitable
reflections on their brethren, who unhappily
live among slaves whom they cannot immedi
ately set free but who, at the same time, are
really using all their influence, and all their
endeavors, to bring them into state of free
dom, as soon as door for it can be safely
opened"
| ACTS OF SAME BODY IN 1915.
"In view of the above stated principles and
facts,
| "Resclced, I. That the General Assembly
Of the Presbyterian Church in the United
States was originally organized, and has since
continued the bond of union in the Church
upon the conceded principle that the existence
Of domestic slavery, under the circumstances
in which it is found in the southern portion
of the country, is no bar to Christian com
munion.
"2. That the petitions that ask the Assem-.
| olx, 70 r,,l.a tho ho1l;Dp Of c1.y,r ;tr,lf f.