Newbern weekly progress. [volume] (Newbern, N.C.) 1858-1863, 1861-04-02
Church Papers on the Confederate
states.

Church Papers On the Confederate
States.
We clip the following from the Church IN
tclAgencer (Episcopalian) at Raleigh
We take the following from TIE Southern
| EPiscopaliGn, published in Charleston South
Carolina.
We insert it within or columns not mere
~ as a record of the history of our times. but
principally to utter our protest in commou
with our brethren in the Church in South
Carolina, against great msconception as to
the wishes OF Southern men in regard to the
| re-Opening of the African Slave trade. The
| South d0eS not desire the reopening of the
| slave trade, and never has. The whole charge
Is a gross msconccption, and has founda-
ton worthy Of consideration. Our acquaiu-
| tanCe with large slav ehoiderS has been exten-
| svc Tor many years past, and we have yet to
| meet the j[rSt man amongst them who desires
! the renewal OF that trade. The charge has
| been thrown to and fro With great cagerness
and is one that does the South great injustice,
and is utterly false
Slavery and the Slave Trade as it has ever
! been conducted entirely two different
| things, are not necessarily connected. To the
one We give our approval, the other we shall
ever oppose
THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMER
ICA."
The six Sovereign States which seeded from
| the nitcd States have coulblned IN a
| Confederation adoptcd'a Provisional Govern
ment, and elected and inauguratcd President
and Vice President. While the secular papers
give expression to the grateful emotions of the
whole people ut so happy a consummatlon, a
religious journal may appropriately record our
gratitude to Cod for the harmonious dig
niticd, and Christian proceedings OF our first
Congress.
1t does not pertain to this periodical to ut
t,1.
OF the New toycrnment-or to pass judy
ment generally upon the policy of TIE measures
adopted.
There is one however. for which we feel that
we are called upon to express our thankfulness
ard that is the prohibition by the Constitu-
| ton, OF the rc-Cpcning of the African Slave
! Trade Our fathers, Shareholders like our
selves, decidcd upon moral grounds, that this
| tratic was inadIniSs;thlc and put Il stop to it,
halt century ago. We do not believe that it
is wise to reopen now the discussion of u
question which, with great unanimity was
then settled by men who were fully committed
to slavery u permanent institution of these
SoutherIp States and we rejoice to think that
this: apple of discord is not to be allowed in
the Southc Contederacy. There is q wide
difference in slavery as an existing institution
where the negro race ore in contact with white
civilization, and the slave trade as it has al
ways been conducted, when new supply was
sought from the coast of Africa. But we are
not disposed to open q discussion, we only re-
joice, rs Christian men; believing that the hold
ing of persons III involuntary servitude is clear
ly sanctioned by Scripture, and necessary to
the very existence of the negro in the presence
of the white m;In-that !. is settled matter that
urrdcr the Provisional Government of these
Confederate StateS--and we indulge the hope
that it will be the same under the permanent
Constitution about to be formed-the decision
e fpt Tcfo tn tta1.I
to be reversed.
We may also E5 permitted to express our
appreciation of tire religious tone which has
marked the proceedings of our Confederate
Congress. The Delegates entered upon their
work with 7,rayey and have put forth their.
Provisional Constitution "iap0kiHg tie fdr0UT1
Of -1Laighty GOd."
The inaugural of President Davis is not only
dignified, statesman-like, and eloquent, but it
contains full and explicit Acknowledgement
of our dependence upon Divine Providence tt
concludes in these admirable words: "Let
inroLc the God Of orr Fathers to g1side anG
p1otect ,ts In. orr cfofts to perpetwate those
Principle$, arhich, 6y His bIcs$ing, they aoero
allie to 0ihLicate, to est>sbiish, and to transmit
to Mcir pcsterity VIII u continuance of this
.focour, ccergratcfuHy ackn0miedgsd, aoS may
kopcfuIIy iooh f1racaru 10 success, t0 pcace al.G
II prosperity.
Such sentiments were worthy the occasion.
thcy Were uttercd.s They inspire the hopo
that while shall carefully avoid anything
Ike State Religion, Republic will not bo
Il country in which God is ignored and His
Law set ut nau%ht; but that sense of relig-
ion will animate our people and sustain them
under any difficulties with which they m5y
have to contend, in maintaining their ndepetI-
dCncc.
If the dark cloud Of war, which hangs SD
thrcateningly upon our Northern horizon, is
not to be dissipated without dischargng ttpon
us its st0tIn, we shall need the consolation of
divine comfort, and the sense ofdivine support
Though c0ntending strictly i'll defence Of our
dearest right, we may not expect to encounter
such struggle, Is this will necessarily be
without suffering and loss. But under an abb
ding sense of the rcctitudc of our motives-and
with an unshaken trust in the God ofittstice and
truth, we shall lie able to do aad suffer- with Il
strong hope, that He will protect the right.
Into Ills gracious keeping, we would rever-
emily put our Young Confederacy, praying
most earnestly that lie would bless her Rulers;
guide her Coursellors, and protect and guard
her People; making her to he at unity in her
self and at peace with the World and shaping
her future history to the advancement of His
Glory, and the spread Of the Kingdom of Jesu.;
Christ.