The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-09-01
THE NEGRO IN CONVENTION.
His Religious Status Before the War
rs Compared with his Present Po-
sltfon Oh Matters OF RelfgiOn.


Before the late, war and the subsequent
emancipation of the negro, much time and at
tcntlOn was given by many Christian owners
and the rectOrs OF the Parishes, 10 the relig-
ious instruction and moral training Of their
slaves. 1t was felt to be a drtyand obligation
science, they tried 10 meet as well as they
could. The result was meaSurahly encourag-
ing, many of the slaves became, as far as hu-
man Judgment could determine, humble and
consistent followers Of their masters God and
SAVIOUR. The Journals OF the Convention Of
South Carolina show. by the Parochial Re
ports that some thousands were communi-
cants of the Chnrch.
In the opinion Of the writer, who gave the
best portion Of his time and ministry TO this
work, these communicantS were better and
same race who now profess great devotion to
their crude and ignorant ideas Of religion. In
the "dreadful" days OF slavery the catcchu-
mems were taught the truths as well as the
morality of Christianity, their children were
instructed from their earliest years In the fun
damental doctrines Of revealed faith, and the
IN orality they were required to practice, was
not only impressed on the conscience but en-
forced by the authority OF the law Of the mas
ter, Mt least so far as its outward observance
was necessary. We allude 10 this state Of
things to show there might be and were many
Christians among the negroes In the days OF
slavery. The decree Of the fanatic and Con.
sress has not made them better acquainted
with Christian truth and Christian life. SO
far rs man could sec the people of those days
were baptized "by the one spirit into one
body" whether bond or Free" and the white
Christian people. (who were oppressed by an
institution imposed on them for greed by
Northern slave traders and intending aboli-
tionists,) tried to bring their dependents into
q knowledge of the truth as Ii Is In Jesus. In
many cases they had reason to think they
were successful, and they greeted the bond
slave as "a brother beloved In the Lord, (Phi-
lemonl, But they did noL rs with our more
mil iub n p6 hriS nf 1u
cause q man was q Christian therefore lie had
all the rights which nppertiin to the whole
range Of human life and society, they rather
believed with the inspired Apostle; that While
all might be vessels Of God and the Holy
Ghost, they were all intended for different
purposes and to fill different stations. They
did not feel called upon as Christians to be
wiser than God, and to make black white, or,
to use homely phrase, to put Il square plug
into n round hole. If the negro Is entitled 10
be legislator for white people now because
he is q Christian, he was entitled TO be one
when he was Il slave. If lie WIS Christian,
and our fathers sinned against God and truth.
docs not the Apostle say. There Is neither
Jew nor Greek, there Is neither bond nor free,
there is neither male nor female, for ye are az
passage, for while the Jealous advocates for
negro legislators for white people, are very
fond Of this passage, 1 have mover known
them either IN speech or writing 70 quote the
them, when the measure was proposed In
Convention, opposed the right of females
even to vote in parish affairs, for Nestrymen,
sex, are the main supports of many parishes.
Some may reply thai the law of the land did
not allow their admission To all the rights OF
Christians. The law of the land cannot take
iieve and hold the word of Christ, we must be
ready not only In advocate, but die for 1t. a
resolution OF Congress could not add to or
take away Il Christian ncsro's right.
Tl,,1 4,
tie or nothing to do with the admission or
non admission nf negroes 10 social ana lcglS.
lative rights either In Church or State. And
now rs to ordination comforting legislative
privileges and rights. We do not propose to
follow The positions taken by those who assert
that "legisiativc powers arc among the func-
ti0ns conferred by ordination, nor Is 1t neces-
Sary, for the "dcnSe Ignorance" Of "ecLlcsias-
teal po'ity" and "Cnlholic usage" Of those
who are opposed to the admission Of the ne.
gro, Just out of The shadow OF hen nthenisin)
10 the dignity Of counsellOrs In The Church OF
Col, will hardly DC thought worth considera
tiou. Besides these positions, arc bare, bald
assumption the premises are taken for grant
ed and the conclusion easily follows. But as
20 the superior Intelligence and knowledge ol
The negro advocates, whatever may be SAID oi
the ignorance Of the opposing clergy, IL can.
not BE- alleged of many of The laymcn. Many
of them have given more time, thought and
study to ecclesiastical polity, and "thc bear.
ings OF this deep question:" than those who
They show IL by keeping their balance un-
der outward and foreign prcssure-and the
temptation to be thought adranced-Spirit
nal, Catholic, Christians and churchmen-
and by giving Il reason for their opposition to
the l;lnaticism OF the dny-strangc to say,
more extreme ut the South than the North.
still we will notice one or two of the as
serttons of the advocates OF the rights Of ne
II is said that these legislative rights
belong 10 them "eX-G1licio" by ordination,
and not by virtue of any constitution. have
no recollection at ordination of having, re-
ceived any such "eX.ofllcio" powers. and OIL
turning to the ordination services, I do not
find any such conferred. In those services
the power is given through the Bishop 10 ex.
crcse the office Of Priest or Deacon In the
Church of God, to preach The Word, admins
ter the sacremcnts and do all such things rs
belong to the clerical function. This and
nothing nlore-not one word rs to right to
sit In Convention. 1t may be said, that IN
order TO do these things effectively, there Is
an inherent right In the clerical body, as they
are men and priests to legiSlatc, and make
such laws and provisions as are necessary;
Granted, but they must make these laws ana
regulations within a certain line, within the
powers, which belong to them as c!ergymen
They cannot undertake to pass ordinances
which, however promotlve III their Judgment
OF the success of their mlnislrallons. will be
binding on the conscience and practice OF The
lalty, who have had nothing 10 do with their
enactment. They have no power to lay as
SesSments and enact laws which are only indi-
rectly connected with the Churcll'S welfare
and call upon the laiiy to obey, If not undcl
pam of physical punishment, ut least spirit
nal anathcma. Some have asserted this
right, but only the Church of Rome and eN.
tremists in our branch Of the Church Cath.
olic.
If the clergy have legislative rights, as q
clergy, to make constitutions. so have the
laity who are as much part of the church as
the clergy. Our blessed Lord appointed his
4 tlaSo ot,1f hnf
Church. but teachers and laborers for sous
In the Church; ;,ot to be lords over His heri
tage, but the servants OF all, that they mlShl
build and advance His Kingdom. 1t Is u
mere sophism to say, because there Is an In
llcrent right to mia Ike Il constitution, therefore
there is an eX-oilico right, To live or not to live
under the provisions of that constitution,
The people OF State have nn Inherent right In
America to call u Convention 10 frame Con-
stitutiOn, but the Constitution having been
enacted, they must live by IL, according TO It's
meaning when adopted. This Is the position
taken taken by the opponents OF the adms-
sion OF cOlorcd ministers in tho vention.
When the Constitution OF the Church In South
Carolina was adopted, It never for moment
was thought possible that any but white
man could claim scat IN convention N unue, n..us,
that If 1t had been thought possible, all or q
vast majority OF those who then voted IT, into
existence would have seen that 1t should be
so wordcd, as not to be misintcrprIcted
therefore il was, the proposition 10 insert
"white" before Clergyman. in several articles
was rejected. 1t Is there already, though un
expressed 1t was more In order to amend by
the insertion of black or coloreh.
But further, as to the assertion OF an eX'
otlicio right in the clergy to legislate, IL Is
enough to say, let them try 1t in England, IN
any State I'M America, in any country or
branch of the Church In the world, and they
will be Immediately confronted by the law OF
the land, the Constitution of the particular
State, or the stern mandate OF ecclesiastical
authority, or the custom and prcccdcnts OF