American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1864-10-19

tnelr care 10 auopC su IL measures as
will secure, at least to the rising
generation of slaves, within the
bounds of the Church, religious ed
ucation, that they may be prepared
for the exercise and enjoyment OF
liberty, when God IN his providence
may open door for their emancipa-
tion.
The action of the General Assem-
bly, upon the subject of slavery in
the year 1918 is unequivocal and SO
well known that it need not be reci-
ted at length. The following ex-
tracts however we regard as applica-
bic to our present circumstances, and
proper now to be reiterated:
" We consider the voluntary ensla-
wing of one portion of the human
race by another as gross violation
Of the most precious and sacred rights
of human nature, as utterly incon-
sistent with the law of Gad, which
requires us to love our neighbor as
ourselves, and as totally irreconcila-
BILE with the spirit and principles of
the gospel of Christ, which enioins
that all things whatsoever ye would
that men should do to you, do ys even
so to them. Slavery creates para
dox in the moral system. 1t exhib-
its rational, moral, and accountable
beings in such circumstances as
scarcely to leave them the power of
moral action. 1t exhibits them as
dependent on the will of others, wheth.
er they shall receive religious instruc-
ito, whether they shall know and
worship the true God. whether they
shall enjoy the ordinances of the
gospel, whether they perform the
duties and cherish the endearments
ofhusbands and wives, parents and
children, neighbors and friends:
whether they shall preserve their
chastity and purity, or regard the
dictates of justice ana humanity.
Such are some Of the consequences of
slavery-consequences not imagina-
ry, but which connect themselves
with its.very existence. x
From this view of the consequent
ces resulting from the practice, into
which Christian people have most in
consistently fallen, of enslaving a
portion of their brethren of mankind
it is manifestly the duty
of all Christians, who enjoy the light
Of the present day, when the incon-
sistoncy of slavery, both with the die
tate Of humanity AMI of religion has
been demonstrated, and is generally
seen and acknowledged, to use their
honest, earnest, and unwearied en-
deayours to correct the errors of for
mer times, ,and as speedily as posi-
bic to ettace this blot on our holy re-
ligion, and to obtain the complete abb
ohtion of slavery throughout Christ
endom, and ifpossible throughout the
vol l."
They earnestly exhorted those por-
tions of the Church where the evil
Of slavery had been entailed upon
them, to continue, and, if possible,
to increase their exertions to effect
total abolition of slavery, and to suf-
terRo greater delay to take place in
.thls most interesting concern than
a regard to public welfare truly and
Indispensable demands" ;" and declare
" that our country ought to be gov
ernei in this matter by no other con-
sideration than an honest and Impair
tial regard to the happiness of the
injured party, uninhuenced by the ex-
pense or inconvenience which such a
regard. may involve ! warning g all
who belong to our denomination of
Christians against unduly extending
this plea OF necessity; against ma
king it % cover for the love and prac-
tice of slavery, or a pretence for not
using efforts that are lawful and prac-
tlcable to extinguish this evil
Such were the early and unequiv-
ocal instructions of our Church. 1t
is not necessary too minutely toin-
quire how ia thful and obedient to
to these lessons and warnings to
those whom they were addressed
have been. 1t ought to be acknowl-
edged that We have all much to con-
tess and lament as to our shortcom-
lngs IN this respect. Whether
strict and careful application of this
advice would have rescued the coun-
try from the evil of its condition.
and the dangers which have since
threatened it, is known to the Om-
nlsc:ent alone. Whilst we do not be-
lieve, that the present judgments of
our Heavenly Father, and Almighty
and righteous Governor, have been
inflicted solely in punishment for our
continuance in this sin yet it is our
judgment that the recent events of
our history, and the present coudi-
ton OF our Church and our country,
furnish manifest tokens that the time
has at length come, az the providence
Of God, aGhen it as His sOsu that eyery