Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1862-06-11

iSaiheu, anu piouS eccieSlaStlcal bodies IN
the world,) and the large majority by which
the document was passed, it cannot but
have great weight with the public. Histo-
ry will doubtless record this paper as one
OF the deliverances of this eventful period,
worthy of preservation; and be cited in
coming ages as the evidence of the loyalty
and high-toned patriotism of the Church
which has passed it:
The General Assembly of the PRESBYTERIAN
Church in the United States of America, now
IN session at Columbus, in the State of Ohio
considering the unhappy condition of the
country In the midst of bloody civil war,
and OF the Church agitated everywhere, divi
ded In sentiment in many places, and openly
assailed by schism in a large section of it
considering also the duty which this chief
Tribunal, met in the name and by the author.
lty OF the glorifed Saviour of sinners, who is
also the Sovereign Ruler of all things, owes
to him our Head and Lord, and to his flock
committed to cur charge. and to the people
whom we are commissioned to eyangelize, and
to the civil authorities who exist by his ap-
pointment, do hereby, in this Deliverance,
give utterance to our solemn convictions and
our deliberate Judgment, touching the mat
ters herein set forth, that they serve for the
guidance of all over whom the Lord Christ
has given US any Office of instruction, or any
power of Government
l. Peace is amongst the very highest tenn.
poral blessings of the Church, as well as Of
all mankind and public order is one of the
first necessities of the spiritual as well as the
Civil Commonwealth. Peace has been wick.
edly superseded by war, in its worst form,
throughout the whole land and public order
has been wickedly superseded by rebellion,
anarchy, and violence, in the whole Southern
portion of the Union. All this has been
brought to pass in disloyal and traitorous
| attempt to overthrow the National Govern
erRment 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
ity OF the people in whom the local sover.
eighty resided, even in the States which re.
volted, ever authorized any such proceeding,
| or ever approved the fraud aud violence by
which this horrible treason has achieved what
ever success it has had. This whole treason,
rebellion, anarchy, fraud, and violence, is ut
! terly contrary to the dictates of natural reli
| gion and morality, and is plainly condemned
| by the revealed will of God. 1t is the clear
and solemn duty of the National Government
| to preserve, at whatever cost, the national Tn.
! ion and Constitut ion, to maintain the laws in
| their supremacy, to crush force by force, and
| to restore the reign of public order and peace
to the entire nation, by whatever lawful means
that are necessary thereunto. And it is the
bounden duty Of all people who compose this
great nation, each one in his several place
and degree, to uphold the Federal Gov yernment
md fofn Ill
IN authority, whether civil or military, in all
their lawful and proper acts, unto the end
herein before set forth.
III. The Church Of Christ has no authority
from him to make rebellion, or to counsel
treason. or TO favor anarchy in any case what
ever. 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 his own conscientious
sense of duty, to whatever government, how
ever bad, under which his lot NAV be cast.
But while patient suffering for Christ's sake
can never be sinful; treason, rebellion, and
anarchy may be sinful-mest generally, per.
haps, are sinful; and probably are always and
necessarily sinful, in all free countries where
the power to change the government by voting,
ia the place of force, which exists as common
right constitutienally secured to the people,
who are sovereign. If in any case treason,
| rebellion, and anarchy can possibly be sinful,
| they are so IN the case now desolating large
| portions OF this nation, and laying waste great
numbers of Christian congregations, and
fatally obstructing every good word and work
in those regions. 10 the Christian people,
scattered throughout those eunfortunateregions.
and who have been left of God to have anv
hand in bringing on those terrible calamities,
we earnestly address words of exhortstion and
| rebuke as unto brethren who have sinned ex.
csedingly, and whom God calls to repentance
| by fearful judgments. To those in like cir
cumstances who are but chargeable with the
sins, which have brought such calamities up.
| on the land, but who have chosen. in the ex
erclse OF their Christian liberty, to stand in
their lot, and suffer, we address words of sym.
pathy, praying God to bring them off conaue.
rors. To those in like circumstances, who
have taken their lives in their hands, and
risked all for their country, and for conscience
sake, we say we love such with all our heart.
and bless God such witnesses were found in
the time of thick darkness. We fear, and we
record it with great grief, that the Church of
God, and the Christian people, to a great ex.
tent and throughout all the revolted statss,
have done many things that ought not to
have been done, and have left undone much
that ought to have been done, in this time of
trial, rebuke, and blasphemy; but concerning
the wide chism which is reported to have oc.
Cured in many Southern synods, this Assem-.
bly, will take no action at this time Itdeclares,
however, its fixed purpose, under all possible
circumstances, to labor for the extension and
the permanent maintenance of the Church
under its care, in every part of the United
States Schism, so far as it may exist we
| hope to see healed. If that cannot be. il will
be disregarded.
III. We record our gratitude to God for the
prevailing unity of sentiment, and general
internal peace, which have characterized the
Church in the States that have not reyolted,
embracing great majority of the ministers,
congregations and people under our care. 1t
! still ha callad with nraIahasis lo-al