The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1865-03-29

J E. Conference. when the item sent from the
General Conferences, relating to an altera-
ton Of the general rule on slavery, so as
TO exclnde Shareholders from the church,
was taken up, Rev. DR. Cooke made The
following statement of bis reasons for not
supporting this rule.
! DIR. President-T presume that when the
! question on concurrence or non-concuT-
renee Is put, no one will be permitted TO
give the reasons for his vote therefore
cesrs now TO stale mine. Wher | am
called upon TO vote shall say no. My rea.
sons are these: l. do not think that sc-
cording 10 the teachings of Scripture, the
simple relation subsisiing between a master
and slave necessarily involves Elm. 2. !
do not think the church has any right 10
keep out OF, or exclude from her commun-
ion any but wilful sinners. 3 Should be
charged, then. as Pro-sIavery-in favor of
slavery as a sysiem-My reply is | am a
Methodist OF the old school, ''as much as
ever opposed TO the institution OF slavery ~
no more and no less than our fathers were
when | became a member
Should j: be alleged that the times
have changed-that once "God winked al
this evil, but now commands all men ev-
erywhere to repent and REFORM" answer !;
God never winked al sin, but bore with
sinners. II the relation necessarily involv.
ed sin we should not bear with it. 5. The
political status Of slavery in this country
can make no change of my moral views OF
this question. view il now as have al
ways done since have seriously thought
denomination has a right TO make snch
terms of membership as il pIeases an
swer: If we were mere voluntary asso-
citation this is true. But Christ builds his
what is revealed touching the fitness of q
candidate for membership. and dare not
exclude Tor any cause but sin. z. / could
have voted for the rule as recommended by
the minority of the Committee on Slavery
at tie late General Conference, stating achen
the relation is not sinful. Should il be in
Sisted that such would be false legislation,
and not according to Scripture, because the
Bible says: "Thou shalt not kiILn leaving
il TO the Administration 10 say when killing
is sin I; ] answer Our Lord, in quoting this
law says Thou shalt do no murder" and
thus our only guide explains itself II the
General Conference had said in foot note,
OF in the chapter on slavery, shat the pro-
Il
when it is necessary, could have voted
for the proposed change. This kind of leg
islation is precisely what has been done by
the National Congress in proposing 10 the
Stale Legislatures change in The ConsIi-
tuition OF the Uni,ed Stares-ihal slavery
shall be prohibited "except for crime -
This is what our-church has done in chang
ing The General Role on the uae Of intox-
eating liquors; il forbids "drinking them,
unless in cases OF extreme necessity"
There might have been legitimate Iegisa.
lion OF The same kind on slave holding. 8
| am aware il may be thought that the pro-
slavery surroundings Of my recent field of
labor shaped my views. Perhaps so bot ]
think not. Would it be generous to say
that the political surroundings o! our Bish-
ops and Church and Conference, have
shaped their viewsl Certainly a great
change has taken place within few years.
am inclined 10 believe il rould be more
popular, where have lived and Iabored for
the last tive years, TO vote for than against
:he change. And | am fully persuaded that
now with these my brethern, whose favor
cannot TO highly appreciate, should cast
a much more popular vote to say aye than
than nay. Bot having carefully examined
10 know, | shall fearlessly do what ! deem
right. Believing, however, that my vote
will neither prevent The passage OF the law,
nor prolong the existence of an institution
sgains, which The church of my choice has
ever given her testimony, and which now
believe is totiering to its fall, cast my vote
from principle alone, and shall say al the
proper lime-no.
We lately had the pleasure Of spending a
portion Of an afternoon with the venerable
ex President, James Buchanan, al his home
at "Wheailand." AT the age of "a years
he is n the enjoyment Of good health, with
his faculties u0abated, and his spirits ap-
parentIy as fresh and joyous as when we