Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1863-06-09
BOGUS PRESBYTERIANS.
Views Of tha, Church On slavery and RrbelIlc


the honored name of Presbyterians, VIII
defend Slavery as divine institution -
who seek to thwart the General Govern
ment in its struggles for existence--auc
who apologize for the Rebellion which il
deluging our land with blood. Men thu
acting, do SO in utter violation Of thstctte'
and spirit of that church, aud have NJ
right to claim its name. To prove this
we make the following extract from The
unanimous declaration Of the big hest
authority of the Presbyterian church:
In 1918, the Assembly unanimously
adopted report on this subject, prepared
by Dr. Green of Phiiadelphis, DIR. Baxter
of Virginia, and Mr.. Burgess of OHIO, oi
which the following is part.
ave consider the voluntary euslaving
of one part of the human race by another
as gross violation Of the most precious
and sacred rights of human nature as
utterly inconsistent, with the law of God,
which requires us to love our neighbor as
ourselves /; aud as totally irrecoDcilsble
with the spirit aud principles of the Cos
pei of Christ, which enjoiu, that 'all
things whatsoever ye would that men
should do to you, do ye even 50 to them.
Slavery creates a paradox in the moral
system it exhibits rational, accountable,
aud Immortal beings 10 such circumstances
as scarcely to leave them the power Of
moral action. 1t exhibits them as depen.
dent on The will of others, whether they
shall receive religious instruction /; wheth-
cr they shall know aud worship the true
God; whether they shall enjoy the
ordiuances of the Gospel; whether they
shall perform the duties aud cherish the
endearments of husbands and wives,
parents and children, neighbors and
friends; whether they shall preserve
their CHASTITY and purity, or regard the
dictates of justice and humanity. Such
are some Of the consequences of Slavery
consequences not ma.inary, but which
connect themselves With its very existence.
The evils to which Slave is dirdys ex-
posed often take place in fact, and 10
their very worst degree and form aud
where all of them do not take place, as we
rejoice to say that in many instances,
through the influence of the principles OF
humanity aud religion on tho minds of
the masters, they do no,-still the slave is
deprived of bis natural right, degraded as
q human being, aud exposed to the dam
ger of passing into the hands Of master,
who may iuflict upon him all the hardsbips
sni injuries which inhumanity and avarice
may suggest.
"From this view of the consequences
resulting from the practice into which
Christian people have most inconsistentiy
fallen, of ens!aving portion of their
tr,thien of n,ankind-for God has made
of one blood all the nations of men to
dwell on the face of the earth-it is man.
ifestly the duty of all Christians who
enjoy the light of the present day, when
the Inconsistency of Slavery, both with
humanity aud religion, has been demon
strated aud is generally seen and ackuowl-
edged, to use their honest, earnest, and
endeavors to correct the errors
of former times, and as speedily as posi-
bic to eti',ce tbs Jtot on our holy religion,
md to obtain he complete abolition of
Slavery throughout Christe"dom, and i
,ossiJie throughout the cortd."
The same Assembly recommended ps-
the Colonization Society, the
of slaves by preaching, Sabbath
schools, and by giving "aH proper adoan-
ages for acquiring knonledye OF their
iuty both to God and man" They say
heir church is among the first in its
rJhorrence Of Slavery. But, in view of
he Laws Of the land, aud peculiar difficult
les that might modify the offence, the
'nly pains and penalties prescribed are
in the following section:
3. ave enjoin it on all Church Sessions
nd Presby.eries, under the care Of this
assembly, to discountenance, and, as far
'ossible, to prevent, all cruelty Of whatever
ind in the treatment of slaves especially
be cruelty of separating husband aud
gife, parents and children; aud that
which consists in selling slaves to those
rho will either themselves deprive these
Unhappy people of the blessings of the
iospei, or who will transport them to
laces where the Gospel is not proclaimed,
r where i. is forbidden to slaves to attend
pon its institutions. The manifes: viola
ion or disregard of the injunction here
iveu, in its true spirit aud intention,
ught to be considered as just ground for
be discipline and censures of the church.
md if it shall ever happen that Christ
IN professor, in our communion, shall
IL a Stare ,cho is also in our communion
nd good Standing with our church, con-
.ary to his or her ,oW and inclination, it
ught Immediately to claim the particular
itention of the proper church judicature
I'D unless there be such peculiar circum.
.ances attending the case as can but sell
om happen, it ought to be followed,
i,hout delay, by a suspension Of the oten.
er from all The prieileyes of the church, till
e repent, and make all the reparstion in
is power, to the injured party"
Since the division, both the Old and the
lew School branches have time and again
and have necer repealed, any
art of the above declarations.
In ls45, nep question was raised in
:. n g A,.ochl, Tk.t o,,...:.