Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-07-26

s or God, which requires as TO love on
neighbors as ourselves. and as recoRcii
able with the spirit and principles II til
a Gospel of Christ which enioins that a.
things whatsoever yoa would do that mel
should do to you, Go We even SO to them
Slavery creates paradox in the mora
system; il exhibits rational, moral, snc
/ accountable beings in such circnmstaH
ces as scarcely 70 leave them the power
Of moral action. Il exhibits them as de.
: pendent on the wit of others, whether
! they shall reeeiFs religious instruction
!. whether they shall know and worship the
true God; whether they shall enjoy The
ordinances Of the Gospel; whether the7
shall perform the duties and cherish the
eedearmsnts Of husbands aud sives.
parents and children. neighbors and
i friends; whether EheY shall preserve heir
chastity and purity, or regard the die
tates Of justice and humanity. sach are
some Of the consequences Of SlaverY-
Consequences not imaginary, but which
connect themselves with its very exis-
tence
From this view of the consequences
resulting from the practice. into which
J Christian people have most inconsistent
ly fallen, Of eHslsviag portion Of their
I brethren Of mankind, It is
| msnifestly the duty Of alI Christians, who
enjoy the light Of the present day, when
the Inconsistency of slavery, both with
the dictates of humanity and religion.
has been demonstrated and is generally
seen and acknowledged, to use their hon
est, earnest and unweaFied endeavors to
correct the errors of former times aud
10 as speedily as possible efface this
blot on our holy religion and TO obtain
the complete abolition ofslavery through
out ehrIstendom, and il possible through
1 out the world
They earnestly exhorled those portions
OF the church where the evil Of slavery
had been entailed upon them, to eontin-
ue, and, if possible, 10 increase their ex-
srtlons to effect total abolition Of
slavery, and to suffer no ogreater delay TO
take place ia this most interesting con
cern than regard to public welfare tru-
/ ly and indispensahiy demands; aud de-
clare that four country ought TO be gov
erned 10 this matter By 30 other consid-
GRAFTON than en- honest aud impartial re-
| gard to the happiness Of the injured par
ty, uninHusRced By the expense or IN
convenience which such regard may
/ involve" warning Hall wbo belong 70 our
I denomination of Christians against un-
duly extending this plea OF necessity
against making it, cover for the Law
| and practice Of slavery, or pretence
for not using efforts that are lawful and
| practicable to extinguish this evil
THE DurY OF THR PRESENT rlME
Such were tie early aud anequivocal
insssuetions Of our church Il is not
necessary too infinitely 70 inquire how
faithful and obedient to these lessonsand
warnings those TO whom they were ad.
dressed have been IL ought to be ac-
knowiedged that We have much to con
fess and lament az to our shortcomings
10 this respect Whether a striet and
( careful application Of this advice would
have rescued the country fsoal the evil Of
It's condition and the dangers which have
since Threatened Il, IL known TO the On
nieiens asonel nor do We assame the
I right confidently todeelare that the press
eni Judgments Of our Heavenly Father
and Almighty and Righteous Governor
have been inflicted solely in punishment
OF oar conscious Continuance in this sin.
but il is our Judgment that the receht
events Of our history and the present
condition Of our church and country
farnish NANTES, tokens that Le fine has
al length come. ia fks Proridsnee Of
God, sshen IL is HIS Kill that eregy pes
Gge Of human siarery among rs should
be s9deed, and that erery Chrisfiqa
man should address himself rifh indus
Try aud edrBesfnsss 10 his appropriate
part iH fhe Performance IF This great
duty
Whatever excuses for its postpone
ment may have heretofore existed no
| longer avail When the country was A.
peace within itself, and the church was
unhroken, many conscieuces were per
picked in the presence Of this great evil,
for the want OF an adequate remedy.
Slavery was 40 forraidaby iusrencbed
behind the ramparis of personal inter
ssts and predjudiees, that to attack il
with view to its speedy overthrow, ap-
peared to De attacking the very existence
Of the social order itsslf. and vas char
acterized as the inevitable introduction
Of an anarchy worse in its consequences
than the evil for which it seemed to be
the oAly cure But the folly and weak
ness Of men have been the illustrations
Of God wisdom and power. Under the
influence of the most incomprehensible
infatuaiion Of wickedness. those who
were the most deeply interested in the
perpetuation OF slavery, hare taken
array. from ssery good man, erery mo
tire for its further toEeration. The spirit
Of slavery, not content with itg defences.
TO be found in the laws of the States. the
provisions Of the Federal Constitution,
| the predjudicss in favor Of existing insti-
tntions, and the fear of change, has taken
up arms against law, organized bloody
rebellion against the national authority,
made formidable war upon the Federal
Union, and in order to found an mpire
upon the corner stone of slavery, threat
ems not only our existence as a people,
but the annihilation of the principles Of
free Christian government; and thus has
| rendered the continuance of negro slav-
1 cry Incompatible with the preservation
Of our own liberty and independence.
SLAVERY AND THE REnELLIoS.
In the struggle Of the nation FOR exist
encs against this wicked treason.
the highest nationol authorities have
abolished slavery within most of the
rebel States, and decreed its extinction
I by military force. They have enlisted
those formerly held as slaves to be sol
diers in the national armies. They have
taken measures to organize the labor of
I the freedmen, and inssitGted measures
7 for their support and government in
their new'coneition. Its their declared
policy not to consent to the reorganiza-
/ ton Of civil government, within the se-
/ esded States upon any other basis than
that of emancipation. In the loyal
I States where slavery has not been abol-
ished, measures ef emancipation, in djf-
ferent stages of progress. have teen set
on foot, and are near their consumma-
0 - 4 H..