Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-06-11
Resolutions of the Presbyterian
/ Church on the state of the Coun-

SemDly OF the 1feSDy lerldn OuuICh, AANS" !
SCHOOL, held in Cencinnati, the following !
resolutions on the State of the Country, |
accompanied with letter to the Presi- |
dent of the United States, were unani-
mously passed by that body, by a rising
vote.
THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY.
WHEREAS, This General assembly is call
ed. in the providence of God, to hold its
deliberations at time when wicked
and fearful rebellion threatens to destroy |
the fair fabric of our Government, to lay
waste our beloved country, and to blight
and ruin, so far as the present life is con-
cerned, all that is dear to us as Christians;
and,
WHEREAS, As branch of the Christian
Church, Presbyterians have ever been
found loyal and the friends of good order,
believing, as they do, that civil govern
ment is ordained of God; that the mag
istrate is the minister of God for good
that he " beareth not the sword in vain,"
and they are therefore subject to this Or
dinance of God, "not only for wrath" or
under the influence of fear, but also for
conscience's sake" or under the influence
of moral and Christian principle; and,
WHEREAS, The particular church whose
representatives we are, and in whose be-
half we are now and here called to act,
have inscribed on our banner "THE Cox
sTITUTIoNAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. hav-
ing never favored secession or nullifca-
ton. either in Church or State, deem it
quite becoming and proper in US to ex-
press ourselves with great Christian sim
cerity and frankness on those matters
which now agitate our country;
Therefore, ResoIrcd, first-That we deem
the Government of these United States
the most benign that has ever blessed our
imperfect world, and should it be des-
troyed, after its brief career of good, an
other such, in the ordinary course of hui
man events, can hardly be anticipated for
long time to come, and for these reasons
we revere and love it as one of the great
sources of hope under God for lost world,
and it is doubly dear to our hearts because
| it was procured and established by the
toll. sacrifice, and blood of our fathers.
| ReeoiretL second-That rebellion against
such Government as ours, and especially
| bv those who have ever enjoyed their full
share of its protection, honors, rich bless
| ings of every name, can have no excuse
or palliation, and can be inspired by no
other motives than those of ambition and
avarice, and can find no parallel except in
the first two great rebellions-that which
assailed the Throne of Heaven directly,
and that which peopled our world with
miserable anostates.
| THSS0ltsd. .hird-That whatever diver
sity of sentiment may exist among us re-
specting international wars, or the appeal
/ to the sword for the settlement OF points
| of honor or interest between independent
nations, we are all of one mind on the
subject of rebellion, and especially against
! the best Government which God has yet
given to the world; that our vast army
now in the field is to be looked upon as
great police force, organized to carry into
effect the Constitution and laws, which in
surgents. in common with other citizens,
have ordained by their own voluntary ac 5,
and which they are bound by honor, end
oath, and conscience, to respect and coey,
so that the strictest advocates of peace
may bear part in this deadly struggle
| for the life of the Government.
Rssolred, fourth-That while we have
been utterly shocked at the deep depray-
! ity of the men who have framed and ma
| tured this rebellion, and who are now clad
in arms, manifested in words and deeds,
there is another class found in the loyal
States who have excited still deper loath-
| ing, some in Congress, some IN high civil
| life, and some in the ordinary walks OF
| business, who never utter manly thought
or opinion in favor of the Government,
but they follow it, by way of comment,
by two or three smooth apologies for South
ern insurrectionists, presenting the dit
| ference between an open and avowed
enemy in the field and a secret and insid-
| ious foe in the bosom of our own family.
Resolced, fifth-That, in our opinion,
this whole insurrectionary movement can
be traced to one primordial root, and one
only, African Slavery, the love OF 1t, and
determination to make it perpetual
and while we look upon this war as hav-
ing one grand end in view, the restoration
of the Union, by crushing out the last liy-
ing and manifested fiber of rebellion, we
hold that everything, the institution OF
Slavery, if need be, must be made to bend
to this great purpose, and while, under
the influence of humanity and Christian
/ beneyolence, we may commlserate the
condition of the ruined rebels, once in
| fraternity with ourselves, but now-should
/ the case occur-despoiledo of all that makes
the world dear to them. we must be, at
the same time, constrained to feel that
the retribution has been self-inficted, and
must add-ETat jlstitia r,1at eGl,rm.
| Rcsolred, sixth-That we have great
confidence in Abraham Lincoln, Presi-
dent of the United States, and his Cabi-
net, and in the commanders of our armies
and our navy, and the valiant men of this
republic, prosecuting a holy warfare under
their banners and we bless God that he
has stood by them, and cheered them on
J Tha
darkest days of our country's humiliation,
and crowned them with many signal vic
tories. Knowing that ultimate success is
with God alone, we will ever pray that
the last sad note of anarchy and misrule
may soon die away, and the old flag Of our
country, radiant with stripes and brilliant
with stars, may again wave over great
undivided, and happy people.
! PesoIpsAL seyenth-That, we here, in
deep humility for our sins and the sins OF
| the nation, and in heartfelt devotion, lay
ourselves with all we are and have on the
altar of God and our country, and we hes
| itate not to pledge the churches and
| Christian people under our care as ready
to ioin with us in the same fervent SYM
pathies and united prayers that our Rul-
ers in the Cabinet, and our commanders
| in the field and on the waters, and the
brave men under their leadership, may
take courage, under the assurance that
the PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH of the United
States are with them, in heart and hand
in life and effort-in this fearful, ex-
isting conflict.
! ResoIced, finally-That a copy OF these
resolutions, signed by the officers of the
General Assembly, be forwarded to his
excellency, Abraham Lincoln, President
of the United States, accompanied by the
following respectful letter:
To the President Of the United States:
The General Assembly of the Presby
terian Church, holding its annual session
in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, in trans
mitting the foregoing resolutions, beg
leave most respectfully to express in a