The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1864-11-23
Testimony Of the Churches
Against Slavery.

Under our benign form of governments
happily. no such ueretricious union ex-
lists as that of Church" and 'State."-
They are wholly separate and apart.
Hence, except BY the arts of the veriest
demagogues, the Church, with US, can
never be employed as political engine,
and then only at the expense OF her own
cherished interests, and in utter violation
of ali existing forms of government. The
great questions IF Slavery and the Rebel
hon, however, are net party issues. They
involve moral issues Of such transcendent
magnitude that no relig'onist, of any sect
or sbibboleth, can ignore them: Hence,
the Churches throughout our land, on
these momentous themes, have not been
"dumb dogs"-have not stultifed them
selves BY the observance of criminal ST.
lence, nor even sent ferth any "uncertaln
sound"
| We have on our table collection Of
the resolves adopted By the ecclesiastical
councils of many of the Churches. We
furnish bird's,eye view of them in al
phabetical order.
i. The BaptiSts, with more than million
of members, are almost to man cordial
haters of treason and slavery. In the
month of May, 1864, through their rep
resentatives assembled in this city, they
pronounced the rebellion Gcauseless and
inezcusable, crime against civilization,
humanity, freedom, and God, and with
out parallel in the history Of the world. "
The 10000 Baptists Of this city in like
manner endorsed the emancipation proc
lamation, 'iRithout modification in SUBJ
stance or change in the time of It's exc
cution." One solitary preacher voted IN
the negative, and he was commended to
''a better reading of his masters message,
and to broader views of pulpit mlnistra-
ton"
! The C0agregatjona7tsts, at a General
Association held in September, 1864, at
Jersey City, by rising vote, unanimously
resolved that they would sustain with
their votes tae noble men who are defend
ing our liberties with their lives and
that they would animate their fellow-cit
izeus, By every consideration Of religious
\ hope and duty, 20 make the decision Of
the people on the Sth of November, 1864,
final and fatal alike to the hopes of trai-
tors in arms and Of conspiratOrs in pOlIti-
cal council.
The Dutch Reformed churches have,
on various occasions, adopted resolutions
not less decided aud patriotic.
The Dunkards, a numerous sect, We
all know hate slavery with cordial ha.
tired, and the rebellion not any less.
The Eeaagslists denounce it from the
house-tops as "the sum Of all viliainies." ="
The Episcopal (Protestant) Church,
at its Eightieth Annual Convention Of
the Diocese Of Pennsy ylvania, held May
/ 26, 1864, at Pittsburg, composed of 1876
clerical and 363 lay members, (559 in
all, with great unanimity vowed uOceas-
ing hostility to slavery, and unfaltering
allegiance to the Government ID lis effolts
to crush out the rebellion. TIE protest
of the Episcopal clergy against the insane
ratiociniations of the deluded HOPKINS is
familiar to Us all.
The German Reformed Church, as a
body, is loyal to the country, and hostile
( to slavery.
/ The Isrdelites, to their credit be it
spoken, do not all follow BELMONT. Some
OF the most influential Rabbis are for
LINCOLN, and We have the names Of not
few of the most respectable Israelites
in this city who voted on Tuesday
for the Union and Mr.. Lincoln. 1t
would be strange indeed if a people whose
ancestors we're led by wonders and mira
cles out of bondage should al be classed
on the side of fslaYetoldipg md oppression
The Lutheran Church bears noble ties.
timony. Her General Synod, highest in
authority, convened at Lancaster, May
6, 1862, unanimously denounced slavery
and the rebellion as "most wicked in its
inception, uniustifabla in its cause, IN
natural in its character, inhumau in It's
prosecution, oppressive IN It's aims, aud
destructive in its results to the best in
terests of morality and religion" This
resolve was reiterated at York, in May,
1864, on the call of the ayes and noes
not a vote in the negative.
The A0rayiaa Church Is not less loyal.
Her membership in North Carolina is, TO
this day, solid for the Union, and TO their
great influence, among other causes, is it
owing that that State isso "shaky" inits
adhesion to the bogus Confederacy.
The Methodist Episcopal Church, rep
resenting IN this country in her General
Conference nearly seven thousand minis
tiers, and nearly one million of members,
at its last session, held in this city, by a
vote of 208 to s, resolved, ln effect, that
slavery is from the DEVIL, and the rebel
linn tnn OF cnnrse In that Church