Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-06-11
Presbytefian, q. g., General Assem-.
t11u r.

A"hO""6 icpott Ou tne state OI the Union.
Your committee believe that the design
OF the mover ofthe original resolution, and
VI the largo majority who, apparently, are
ready to vote Tor its adoption, is simply to
call forth from the Assembly significant
token OF our sympstby With this Govern.
mcnt 10 it's esrnbsb eifons To suppress a re.
belion that now, for over two years, has
wickedly stood in syMed resistance to law
tui and benefcent authority. But as there
are many amoug US who are undoubtably
patriotic, whp are willing 10 express any
righteous principle 10 which this Assembly
should give utterance touching the subjec
ton and attachment Of an American citi-
zen TO the Union and its institutions, who
love the flag OF our country, and rejoice at
ITS success by sea and by land, aud who yet
do not esteem this particular act a testin,o.
NAL OF loyalty entirely becoming to church
court; aud AS many OF these brethren, by
the pressing Of this vote, woud be placed in
false position, as if they did not love the
Union, OF which that Tag is the beloved
symbol, your committee deem themselves
authorized, by the subsequent direction OF
the Assembly. to propose different action
to be adopted by this venerable court.
1t Is well known, on the one hand, that
the General Assembly has ever been reluc.
tAnt to repeat its testimonies upon impor.
t.nt matters OF public interest; but having
given utterance' to carefully considered
words, is content to abide calmly by its re-.
corded delversnces. Nothing that this
Assembly can say can more fully express the
wickedness Of the rebellion that has cost so
much blood and treasure; can declare, in
palmer terms, the guilt, before God and
man, OF those who have inaugurated, or
maintained, or couRtenauced for so little
cause, the fratricidal strife; or can more
imprcssively urge the solemn duty Of Gov.
crnment to the lawful exercise OF its au.
thorlty, and Of the people, each in his sew.
eral place, to uphold the civil authorities to
the end that law and order may again reign
throughout the entire nation; than these
things have already been done BY previous
Assemblies. Nor need this body declare it's
solemn rebukes toward those ministers and
members OF the Church of Christ, who have
aided in bringing on and sustaining these
Immense calamities; or tender our kind
sympathies 10 tho;c who are overtaken BY
troubles they could not avoid, and who
mourn and weep in secret places, not
unseen by' tho Fathers eye; or reprove all
willfui dlsturbers Of the public peace; or ex.
hort those who are subject to our care to
the careful discharge oil every duty tending
to uphold the free and benefcent Govern.
mcnt under which we are, and this specially
TOR conscence sake, and as in the sight OF
God, more than, in regard to oil these
things, the General Assembly has made its
solemn deliyerances since these troubles be.
gan.
But, on the other hand, it may be we'll
for this General Assembly to reafFirm, as it
now solemnly does, the great principles to
which utterance has already been given.-
We do this the more readily because our
beloved ChuIch may thus be understood to
take her deliberate and well chosen stand,
free from all imputations of haste or excite.
ment; because we recognize an entire har-
mony between the duties Of the citizen les.
pccially in land where the people frame
their own laws and choose their own rulers)
and tho duties Of the Christian to the Great
Head OF the Church; because, indeed, least
OF all persons, should Christian citizens
even seem to stand back from their duty
when bad men press forward for mischief;
and becaule tue love for our country in
her times Of peril should forbid us to with.
bold an expression OF attachment, for the
insufficient reason that we nre not accus.
toned to repeat our utterances.
And because there are those among us
who have scruples touching the propriety
OF any dcliverance Of u church court, re-
specting civil matters, this Assembly would
add, that all strifes OF party politics should
indeed DO banished from our ecclesiastical
assemblies and from our pulpits; that Chris
tian people should earnestly guard against
promoting partisan divisions; uud that the
difficulty OF accurately deciding, in some
cases what are general and what party prin.
ciples, should make US careful in our iudg.
ments; but that our duty is none the less
imperative to uphold the constituted au.
thorities, because minor, delicate questions
may possibly be involved. Rather, the
sphere Of the Church is wider and more
searching, touching matters Of great public
interest, than the sphere Of the civil magis-
trate, in this important respect, that the
civil authorities can take cognizance only OF
overt acts, while the law of which the
Church OF God IS the Interpreter, searches
the heart, makes every man subject to the
civil authorities for conscience sake. and
declares that man truly guilty who allows
himself to be alienated in sympathy and
feeling from any lawful duty, or who does
not conscientiously prefer the welfare es.
pecially the preservation Of the Government
to any party or partisan ends. Officers may
not always command citizens Confidence:
measures may, by him, be deemed unwise;
earnest, lawful efforts may be made for
changes he may think desirable; but no
causes now exist to vindicate the disloyalty
OF American citisens toward the United
States Government.
This General Assembly would not with.
hold from the Government of the United
States that expression Of cordial sympathy
which loyal people should offer. We be-.
Iievs that God has afforded US ample re. |
sources to suppress this rebellion, and that
with His blessing, 1t will Gre long be accom-. |
plished: We would animate those who are
discouraged byt he continuance and Huota. |
tions OIL those costly strifes to remember and |
rejoice IN tho suprome government Of our
God, who often leads through perplexity
and darkness: we would exhort to penitence |
Of all our national sins, to sobriety and hum |
bleness. OF mind before the Great Ruler ofl
~, and to constant prayerfulness for the
Divine blessing: and wo would entreat our
people to beware of all schemes implying
resistance to the lawfully constituted su.
thorities, BY any other means than are re.
cognixed as lawful to be openly prosecuted.
And al this Assembly is ready to declare
our una!terable attachment and adherence
10 the Union established by our fathers