The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-03-01
Early Anti-slaveryf Movement.
Did the Churches Aid or RetaId Il It "A Vet
eran Abolitionist's Reply to Dr. Boynton.

Did the Churches Aid or Retard It "A Vet
Gran Abolitienist's Reply to DIR. Boynton.
To the Editor OF the Cincinnati Gazette;
Please give me space in your valuable
paper to correct some mistakes made by
the Rev G. B. Boynton, in a sermon
preached in Cincinnati, and published IN
your paper of January'29 Having been
identified with the anti-slavery move.
ment in the West at a very early day,
we claim to know something of it's his
tory therefore we claim the right to
correct any error we may see, though II
emenate from the pulpit. But hear the
language Of learned diviues regarding
the history of the anti-slavery movement
in the West: The anti-slavery move
ment is sometimes referred to as an ex-
ample OF great success outside OF and in
spite of the Church; such was not the
case. Whatever influence Mr.. Garrison
and his friends may have had elsewhere,
the great Western movement was origin
ated and sustained by the Evangelical
Church" Should this piece of history
be written fifty years hence il might find
some to credit the statements, but to de
ceive a veteran OF forty years in the anti
slavery cause is not as easily done. We
shall leave an intelligent public to judge
of the truth of such statements after we
shall give the real facts in the case. The
action of the Evangelical Churches ought
to be taken as an exponent Of their SEN
timents. Hear the language of the great
leading Evangelical Churches on this
subject The Methodist Episcopal
Church adopted the following resolu-
tions in general conference in 1886:
Resolved, By the delegates Of the annual con-
ference in general conference assembled, That
unnunlifiQd
the conduct of the two members Of the General
ConIerence VINO are reported @ i 70 nave nave lectnred
ern abolitionism.
Resolved, by the delegates OF the annual con-
ference I'm general conference assembled, That
they are decidedly opposed to modern aboli-
tlonism, and wholly disclalm any right, wish
intention to interfere In the civil and po-
litical relation between master and slave as 1t
exists in the slaveholding States of this Union.
These resolutions were adopted by the
conference, the first by vote of l22 to
IL, the second by vote OF 100 to a.
Could give the pastoral address that
accompanied these resolutions, it would
show more fully the pro-slavery teach
ing of this large Evangelical Church
But we give the action OF the Presbyteri-
an General Assembly, o. s., in lS45 ::
"Slaveholding, as it exists in the United
States, is no bar to Christian fellowship"
The Rev. DR.. Plummer long a teacher
of theology in the same church, declared
il the Abolitionists will set the country
in blaze it is but fair that they should
have the first warming at the FIRE
A very popular and fashionable clergy
man in New York in 1851 proclaimed
from the pulpit that God for the last
1000 years had fixed His brand upon the
negro; that be would not fight against
God, and that if by one prayer he could
liberate every slave in the world, he
would not dare TO offer it, Rev. 0rvIlle
Dewey, D. D. declared at a public meet
ing, while vindicating the fugitive slave
law, that he would rather send his own
mother into slavery than see the Union
dissolved Those who have read
and kept themselves informed, know
that we could fill volume with the ser
mons, speeches. aud writings OF the
Northern pro.slavery clergy belonging to
the so-called Evangelical Churches. That
there were few individuals both OF
ministers and members in those churches
that protested against the evil will not
be denied, but they were largely in the
minority. DIR. Albert Barnes declared.
and his testimony is true, that there was
not vitality enough out of the Church to
sustain slavery one hour were it not sus.
tanned in it, All the large influential
Evangelical Churches were opposed to
the anti.slavery movement. and only
o few small bodies made it term OF
communion. l.. BOYD.
SPRISGFIELD, o., Feb. 9.