The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1896-02-06

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pliantly sanctioned the tyranny {
George III: and the patriot efforts
establish the freedom of . Yepubli
were given more effective impulse
the infidel. Tom Paine, than by ID
Church upon American soil.
| Prior TO the Revolution, there was
growing sentiment In the Colonies Il
voriBg the abolition of the slave-trad
TO America: but every effort at restrio
ton met defeat at the hands Of Chrii
tiAn England under . Christian KIM
In his 6rst draft OF the Declaration G
Independence, Jefferson frequentl
classed Is IN infdeD sharply denoun
ced the king for continuing the slave
trade; and when. in Difference TO til
feelings Of South Carolina and GeoF
gia, this denunciation was omitted, b
still held il self-evident. contrary I
the teaching and practice OF tb
| Church, that all men are create
equal" He considered slavery n grea
political and moral evil" and he de
sired "the complete emancipation O
human nature" In 1882 he said
with what execratiOn should tn
statesman be loaded who, permitting
Ope-balf Of the citizens to trample oil
the rights OF tn. other, transform
those into despOts and these into enc
mies--destrOying the morals OF tn,
one and amor pdirids OF the OtherY
Can the liberties OF a ma
tion be thought secure when we hav,
removed their only firm basis-a con
victiOn in the minds Of men that thes,
liberties are the gift OF God that they
are not violated but with His wrath
Indeed, tremble for my country wher
] reflect that God 10 just-that His Jus
tice cannot sleep forever"
But alter time the growing senti
ment against domestic slavery begar
to wane before the increasing demant
for slaves in the culture OF rice ant
cotton. As the slave grew more valua
bic, the master the more easily persua.
ded himself that the system was not
wrong. so hard we find it to convince
ourselves that any profitable matter il
fraught with sin. While, therefore, in
the early flush Of national freedom
ministers OF various denominations
lent their aid in propagation OF what
piOus SOuthrOns afterward termed Mr.
JeffersOn's grossly offensive error
and though the MethOdists affirmed in
1884 that slavery is contrary to the
laws OF God, man and nature, and hurt
full to society; contrary to the dictates
OF conscience and pure religion; doing
that which we would not that others
should do to us and ours; :" these senti-
ments became silent in the face of pub
lie opinion, and the clergy Except the
Quakers) in every section of the I'm
ion, came to the support Of slavery,
preferring rather to be wrong and UNI
hit than to be hit for being right. And
the final overthrow of slavery in the
United States was rendered possible,
not by the church. but only by the la
bOrs OF men and women who, through
the maltreatment of mObs,
and even death, fearlessly espOused
the grossly offensive error of Mr.. JEFF
[ersOn," and believed with him that
mere man, however inferior and hum
BILE, was too sacred in Gods eve to be
made the subject of merchandise.
The church at the North was as
conservative" as that at the South:
md it was not until 1860 that it could
De said that the churches in the North
demanded and vigorously sustained
he policy of emancipation. Among
he things fixed as matters of historic
record "is the humiliating fact" saws
Henry Wilson, in his Rise and Fall of
he Slave Power in America, "that
while the churches of America fur
1ished many able and earnest adyo-
'ates and valiant defenders of the
great doctrines Of liberty, equality and
fraternity, their leading men and in
luences Cat the South entirely, at the
Orth largely the great organizations
and missionary, the COL
eyes and seminaries of learning
hough almost exclusively under relig.
GUS and even clerical control, were not
hus true. In that great trial of their
aith and test of their principles, they
altered and failed"
When Garrison would deliver his
lrst anti-slavery address in Boston.
.ll the churches in turn refused him
he use of their building, and the only
lall he could obtain belonged to the
nfidel editor, Abner Kneeland. The
New England Anti-Slavery Society
net in 1887 in a stable loft, because
very church and hall was closed
gainst them. The entire orthodox
leroy in Boston, with the one excep-
ion of Theodore Parker, either
trangely defended slavery or refused
0 speak a word against it. On all
ides clergymen denounced Parker "a
n lnhdel, and assaulted his position on
lavery as unscriptural, just as the plu-
ocratic press and clergy now denounce
'rOf. Heron for insisting upon the |
ractice of the Sermon upon the
1ount. The undivided church was
he bulwark Of domestic slavery.
In 1884, the Rev. DIR. BOlles, one of |
ne Secretaries of the Baptist Triennial |
convention, in an official paper said
Ihere IS pleasing degree of union |
mOng the multiplying thousands of |
'aptists throughout the land. *x~#
'ur Southern brethren are generally
both ministers and peo-
ie." Rev. DR.. Daniel Sharpe, another
aptist divine, wrote in 1870: "There
ere undoubtedly both shareholders
nd slaves in the primitive churches
therefore, for one do not feel myself
liberty to make conditions of com
union which neither Christ nor his
pOstles made. | do not feel myself
User nor better than were they. ~
nd l believe that a majority of the
isest and best men of the North hold
lese sentiments" At the Rantist
riennial Convention in lS4l. a slave.
older presided, a Shareholder ner.
rmed the devotional exercises. and a
ave-holder preached the Triennial
rmon; and the Rev. Elon Galusha. an
man, was removed from
ficial position because of demands
Re this from the Camden, 8. c.. Ban
st church: I
Resolved, That we view with con-
mpt the advice, opinions, menaces.
ID declarations of Elon Galusha and ,
8 cO-adjutOrs contained in their ad-
ess to southern Baptists; that we
commend to our associations to use
cir influence to have ElOn Galushs 6
PEELED from his office as Vice Presi.
mt OF the Board of Foreign Missions.
at we extend to Northern Baptists
no are opposed to the abolitionists
II warmest affection and fraternaI
gard. They will ever have an inter
In our prayers: that the address Of
lon Galusha be returned to him. with
e request that he will never again
suit US with an address of any kind :"
In 1886 the Methodists adopted bv a
te of l2O to IA the following: