Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-10-04

IHB SLAVERY QUESTION IN The WAsHINeTo,
CHURcHEs The following, from the Washing
ton correspondence Of the New York Times 1,
making some talk in town to-day:
Inc logic Of eventsr has at length forced
the slavery controversy upon the churches o.
washington, and 1t is highly proba Die that we
shall have stirring times In several of the DrInci ms,
congregations OF the city, before MANY weeks na n
over our heads The Unitarian Society here ba,
Always been more or less Anti-Slayery and al
. .nousn !. dismissed brilliant young preacher
some years ago, for the exuberance of his zeal In
the cause, rather than for maintaining it Tbs
cnurch has never, so far as can learn had a set
Tea pastor who was not drotcedlu ooposed n
the rejected pastor came here with the reputation
OF having preached a Kansas sym path zipp sermon
10 his FORMER congregation, In the West. and
while there he habitually avowed his sentiments
from the pulpit But the covert act,, of This
society was committed yesterday, in the cali of
the Rev VIM. Claiming to the pastorate sfter
ne Lad preached two decided Anti Slavery scr
mons He received 20 out Of 80 votes, the nine
opposing votes being cast for other clergymen of
known Anti Slavery views. But | have mot al.
luded TO this church as an illustration OF the re-
marx That great religious controversy is rising
on slavery The fact is, the Unitarans only iffer
as 10 the mode OF treating the subject
But the controversy to which 1 now wi.b N
calI attention arose on Fast Day, in the E.stre.t
Baptist Church, of which Mr.. Samson is psstor
some seven or eight years ago he was regarded
the Southern sense OF the word and this imn,ss.
sion may have been strengthened By the fact IN Z
MI Sumner lodged In his house at the time of
the assault upon him by Brooks Subseouen,Iv
however, Mr Samson became President of Co.
lumblan College, an institution located on the
ouIsklre OF the city, which Is chiefly patroniz.d
oY the South. Since his accession to this no.t
ms M views ~, appears TO have undergone change,
and In May he went down to Richmond Tbis
was regarded by many at the time as virtually
going over to the enemy; but be nevertheless re-
turned after remaining some weeks and I have
never hedrd That he complained Of bis treatment
While there, or that he was compelled To leave
Inc college under his control has itself heen
brought into suspicion by his connection with n
ana real or Imaginary rockets have been seen To-
emanate from that quarter which Were suymIssd
to be signals to the enemy
On fdst-day the Union prayer meeting was held
IN Dr. SainsoBs church. During these neetInos
II Is the custom for those present to address he
auuience otleny on religious topics, and on the
referred to, Mr.. Hamlin, of Maine near
feiauVe oil the Vice President, spoke upop th,,
DUTY OF confessing national as well as peIsonaI
sins In order to secure the forgiveness and bene.
olcuon ofthe Almighty. After adyertiuu m f;odI.
dealings with the Jews he proceeded to saw.
That the sin Of Slavery is an abomination I'm
the sight Of God cannot be questioned and that
Ies nation as such, guilty OF 1t is equally clear
TX, therefore, the people Of God do moi COMES.
and deplore 1t most deeply and sincereIv an, he
loved country may be visited with iudgments "A
severe as those OF the Jews, and the day of retri
button may be near at hand /"
Al this point the chairman Rev DIR S,m.o,
Interrupted the speaker, saying that be had intro
duced topic forbidden by the rules OF the meet.
ing and would not be allowed TO 20 on. SlaveTv
Is recognized by the Constitution, and cannot
therefore, be discussed on this occasion
Mr Hamlin, unwilling to disturb the solemnitv
OF tne meeting, briefly rejoined
~ Sfdrsry as recognized By the Constitution
% IS none fhs less aad 10 is noas ths lass ouy
duty TO confess and forSaks itn
"hev. DIR. Peter Parker, late a missionary tn
China, but now wealthy citizen of w asbington.
here int'rposed, and remarked with some feeling
= hat unless these foreign exciting topics were
Kept out OF the meeting, no good would be ac-
compllshed." And thus the gag Latr applied by
III samson was sustained by DR.. Pa'ker, and
Slavery was sustained an Institution too sacred
TO be Questioned. But learn from Mr.. Hamlin
that he was approached, after the service was
over oY one Of the most distinguished and talent.
60 ministers In the city, who assured him that he
hso Tor some time been debating the propriety
OF speaking out on this question-that his feelings
Were entirely In coincidence with those Of Mr. n
and that he with difficulty constrained himself 10
silence Tor the present, until a favorable occasion
5 hall arise for speaking out Other distinguished
cletgymen, Presbyterian and Episcopal, are
known to be strongly Anti Slavery, and occasien-
ally give no uncertain evidences that thew are
heart and soul against the institution.
k is understood that the above was written bv
'ns Of the parties alluded 10 in the letter.
III A fugitive slave from Virginia IN lscturine
II Ne,vayk n 4 Hlull Rms -'~1----o