, 1862-05-22

ne1L, GO nere0Y IN ILLS DeuFerAQce7 give Ut |
;erance to our solemn convictions and our
Judgment, touching the matters
be1ein set forth; that they may serve for the
guidance Of all over whom the Lord Christ
bas given us any office Of instruction or any |
power Of government
po1al blessings Of the Church as well as Of
all mankind; and pnbfic order is one Of the
first necessities of the spiritual as well as the
civil commonwealth. Peace has been wicked
ly superseded by wal, in its worst form,
th5oughont 1 ao IT, the Th91e land; a9d public
lion, anarchy, and violence in the whole
Southern portion Of the Union. All this has
been brought to pass in 4 dis1oyal and traitor !
GUS attempt to overthrow the National Cor |
ment By military force, and to divide the |
nation contrary to the wishes OF the Immense
majority Of the people Of the nation, and
without satisfactory evidence that the major-
ty Of the people, IN whom the local sovereign
ity resided, even in the States which revolted,
ever authorized any such proceeding, or
ever approved the fraud and violence
esned Rfa %aexer tae sufseas h 3 rhs bis
whole treason, rebellion, anarchy, fraud aud
violence, is utterly contrary to the dictates Of
natural religion and mora1ity, 4nd is plainly
condemned by the revealed viii Of God. Il
is the clear and solemn duty of the Nationa!
Government to preserve, at whatever cost,
hesNatlonal Union and Constitution, to main
tain the Laws in their supremacy, to crush
force By force, aud to restore the reign Of pub
lie order and peace to the entire nation, by
whatever lawful means that arc necessary
thereunto. And it is the boundeu duty Of
all people Who compose tue great nation,
each one in his several place snd degree to
uphold the Federal Government and every
State Government, and all persons in author-
ity, whether civil or military, In an their
lawful and proper acts, unto the end herein
set forth
2. The Church Of Christ has no authority
from him to make rebellion, or to counsel
treason, or to favor anarchy, in any case
whatever. On the contrary, every follower Of
Christ has the personal liberty bestowed On
him by Christ to submit, for the sake Of
Christ, according to bis own conscientious
sense Of duty, to whntever government, how
ever bad, under which his lot may be cast.
But while patient suffering for Christ's sake
can never be sinful, treason, rebellion, ind
anarchy may be sinful, most generally, per-
haps, are sinful; and probably are always and
necessarily sinful in al free countries, when
the power to change by voting in place Of
force, exists as common right, Constitution
ally secured to the people, who are soF-
erejgn. # in any case treason, rebellion
and anarchy can possibly be sinful, thoy are
SO in the case HOW desolating large por-
tions Of this pation, and fatally obstfuctIng
every word and work in those regions. To
| the Christian people scattered throughout
| these unfortunate regions, nnd who hnye not
| been left of God to have any chief hand in
| bringing On these ca.anities we earnestly
I address words Of exhortati0n and rebuke as
! unto brethren who have einned exceedingly,
and whom God calls to repentance by fearful
| judgments. To those in like circumstances
| who are but chargeab1e with the sins which
| have brought such ca1amities upon the land,
but who have chosen, in the exercise of their
Christian liberty, to stand in their lot and suf.
| fer, We address words Of Christian sympathy
| praying Gcd to bring them off couquefers.
/ To those in like circumstances, who have
taken their lives in their hands and riskcd all
| for their country, and for conscience sake. We
say We love such with all our heart, and bless
| God such witnesses are found in the time oil
thick darknesss. We fear, and nc record with
| great grief, that the church Of God aud
the Christian people, to q great ex
tent and throughout ali the rcyolted STATES,
have done many things that ought not tc
have been done, and have left undone
much that ought to hare been done, in this
l. time Of trial, rebuke and blasphemy. Con
cerping the wide spread schlsm, which is re-
ported to hare occurred in many southern sy,
mods, this assembly will take no notice at thit
time. It declares, however, its fixed purpose
under all possible circumstances to lAbor fol
the extension and the permanent maintcnanct
Of the church under its care, in every part O
the United States sehism, SO far IS it ina,
exist, we hope to zee healed. If that cauno
be, it viii be disregarded.
5. We record our gratitude to God for th'
| prevailing unity of sentiment and general in
ternal peace which hare Characterised th'
church in the States that hare not revolted
embracing great majority Of the ministers
congregations and people under our care !
may etlll be called, with emphasis, Q loyal
orthodox and pious church; and all its act
and works, vindicate It's night to title 81
noble. Let it strive for divine grace t.
maintain that good report. In some respect
| s,,%a In -F T-L
! different from those Of all civil institutions
Whatever 1nay befal this or any other nation
the Church Of Christ must aoide On eartt
triumphant over the gates Of he'll.
Is therefore Of supreme Importance that th
Church should guard from internal aliens
: tiGns and divisions, founded upon question
. . aud interests that arc external as to her, III
, which ought not, by their necessary WorI
ing, cause her fate to depend On the fate {
things less important and less enduring tha
! htrscE DistQrbers Of the Church ought nj
:, to be allowed, especially dsturbers Of I'll
,. Church in States that were revo1ted, or la.
, been cleared OF armed Observation-Disclosures Wit
: under many false pretences, may pron,o
discomfort, disloJa1ty, aud general alienation
! tending to the unscstling Of ministers, to loc
= schisms, and to manifold trouble. Let
spirit OF quietncss, Of mutual forbcarance, az
= Of ready obedience to authority, both civ
and ecclesiastical, illustrate the loyalty, orth
doxy and {,iety Of the Church. It is mo-
l especially to Ministers Of the Gospe1-ar
i, amongst them, particularly to any whose fir
impressions had been, on any account, favo
: able to the terrible military revolution Hhit
L Il has been attempted, and which Gods pro.
:. y dence has hitherto SO signify rebuked-th
. these decisive considerations should be q
,. | dressed
g And in the name and by the authority
:, :, the Lord Jesus, We earnestly cxhort all vi
= love God, or tear his wrath, to turn de
i ear to all counsels or suggestions that tel
u toward . reaction favorable to disaoyalt
= schism, or disturbance within the church
~ ~ in The country There is hardly anythl,
., more inexcusAb}e, connected with t
:, frghtful conspiracy against which we tt
- tify, than The conduct Of those ofhce-beare
o and members Of the church, who, althou!
), citizens OF the loyal States, and subject
= the control Of loyal presbytcries and SYNOD
- - have been fAithless to all authority, hum
= and divine, to which they owed subjectio
~ Nor should any to whom this de]iVerance N
40 come, fail to bear in mind that it is not o.
=. their vtr1uons conduct concerning which tn
"a ought to take: heed, but it Is also, and esp
aa ia1iT, their hearts, their temper aud their d
Az tlVes in the sight Of God, and roxar1s the fl
and benihcent civil government which He
blessed Us with, and towards the Spirit
commonwealth to which they are subject
the Lord In all these respects ne must
give account to God in the great day. Ant
+ in view Of our own dread responsibility
- the Judge Of quick and dead, that We n
l a Ea3fuAropnn