New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-06-02
PREsBYTRRIANS AND
SLAVERY.

We recently called attention to the important
resolutions on the Slavery question which were
passed by the General Conference of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church. and which, before the
lapse of another year, will extrpatc slaychold-
ing in the largest Protestant Church Of the
country. A. the Methodist Episcopal Church
has a very numerous membership in all the
Border Slave States, and has more recently es-
tablished numerous missions in all the recovered
Rebel States, the effect Of this change in her
Constitution cannot but be marked.
A series of resolutions, no less important and
indicative Of the radical change which the senti-
ments of this country has undergone during the
last four years in regard to Slavery, has just
been passed by the General Assembly OF the Old
School Presbyterian Church. No one among
the great religious denominations of the United
States had more completely abandoned the
Anti-Slaycry position which at the beginning OF
this century all the churches of the country &C
cuped; none, at the beginning Of the Rebellion,
seemed more ready to grant any concession
which it might please the Slave Power to de.
mand. It's adoption, therefore, Of the strong
though not prohibitory resolutions against
Slavery, is the more noteworthy.
The declaration Of the General Assembly
was prompted by sn overture from the Prcsby-
terry Of Newton, which asked for such action as
would meet the present position Of the Slavery
question. 1t was presented by the Hon. Stan
ley Matthews, formerly a leading Democrat Of
Ohio, and District-Attorncy during the Presi-
dency of Buchanan; and, in It's Introductory
part, gives succinct historical review of the
action Of former General Assemblies. To the
almost incredible that Church that adhered
so strongly to Anti-Slayery declarations, could,
without censurc, permit some Of her most
prominent diyines, like DR.. Thornwell and DIR.
Palmer, to advocate the most ultra Pro-Slavery
views. The strongest of these Anti
Slavery testimonies il that given by
the General Assembly Of ISIS. The dele
gates OF that Assembly, including those from
Georgia and South Carolina, solemnly declared
that they considered "the voluntary enslaving
OF one portion Of the human race by another as
a gross violation of the most precious and
sacred rights Of human nature, as utterly incon-
sistent with the law Of God which requires us to
love our neighbor as ourselves, and as totally
irceoncilable with the spirit and principles of
the Gospel Of Christ, which enjoins that all
things whatsoever yc would that men should do
ID fl,.,. thar
fore, declared it to be " manifestly the duty Of
all Christians who enjoy tho light OF
the present day, when the inconsistency OF
Slavery both with the dictates of humanity
and Of religion has been demonstrated,
and is generally seen and acknowledged,
to -use their honest, earnest and unwearied
enaoavors TO correct the errors of former times,
and as speedily as possible to eiTace this blot on
our holy religion, and to obtain the complete
abolition Of Slavery throughout Christendom,
and, if possible, throughout the world" They,
in fine, earnestly "cxhorted those portions of
the Church where tho evil of Slavery had been
entailed upon them, to continue and, if possible,
to increase their exertions to effect q total
abolition Of Slavery" Such was the position Of
the churches Of South Carolina and Georgia in
1913. In 1860 the leaders of Southern society,
including the leading Presbyterian clergymen,
attempted to found a new Confederacy, with
Slavery as its cornerstone.
The report Of 1864 cautiously refers to this
astounding transition by merely remarking:
" We have all much to CONFESS aud lament as