Year: 1861

time be Shareholder. They have claimed
to be all this, and would have US believe that
Slavery is directed and cherished by the
spirit of love to God and man. But it will
hcnceforth be judged by its fruits, and the
present war is among the products Of that
vile system. The man who bought the Ii
quor of the runscling deacon fancied that
the devil lavishcd upon him many commenda-
tions, saying, You are the deacon for me-
and from present appearances we should
Judge that the same might be said by his Sa-
tanc Majesty in reference to the proiessed
Christians OF the South, who are seeking to
overthrow our Government, for the main
tenahce and perpetuity Of the present system
of American Slavery.


This struggle will be likely to vindicate
our National honor There has ever been
strange inconsistency between our theory and
practice. We have acknowledged Freedom
as the birthright OF humanity, and in our
great struggle for National independence, our
war cry was liberty or death, but still we
have enslaved others, and tolerated in our
country one CT the vilest systems of human
seryitudc that ever saw the sun. In this re-
gard we have been inconsistent with our
selves, and left room for the world to ques.
ton the sincerity of our professed reyard for
the principles of liberty, and the rights of
humanity. Oar real position has been mis-
undersIo ood, especially abroad among foreign
nations, and the whole country has been re-.
gardcd as the abettors of Slavery. Hence
they are ready to disregard the lesson we
would teach the world, on the subject Of hu-
man rights, and say


sFrom turban Turk to fiery Russ,


Go liberate your slaves at home,


Then come ana ask the like of us,''


But this conflict will teach the world that
the nation will not leave to the arrogant be-
hests of Slavery that we in fact deplore its
existence and will not extend the system
which it may not be our prerogation TO con-
troll in the local section which cherishes its
existence. Slavery from henceforth, if it has
any existence in our country, mus be re-
garded as sectional, rather than national, and
it must be under the ban both at home and
abroad. We can but hope that the present


war will end Slavery in the country without
delay, but ii it fingers beyond the present
strife Of arms, it ctn never be regarded as
anything bu national curse which canDot
be safely tolerated.


1t will save our Christianity from stand
ing rcproach. The position Of Slavery in
this country has heretofore been such that
the Churches have been greatly influenced
if no. controlled, by it. The influence was
small at first, and It was but little Slavery
demanded 1t was contendcd that the sys
tenn vas an evil, only to be tolerated until a
period should come for its utter extirpation
but this liberation strangely fos:orcd the Vi.
per- until it's shiny folds were twisted with
every ftre of Church organizations. and the
claim is urged, that it is a blessing rather
than an evil, and must be sustained by the
Bible and the Constitution OF the country
The ana,hemas Of the Church must he 81.
fenced by its insolant dictates-sucil an Or.
capizaticn as the American Tract Society
must not print and circulate a tract that
questions the virtue Of its principles Or prac-
tice. Our OVID Church must be rent ia
twain unless we viii subIni. TO have Bishor
preside in our Northern Conference and OF.
dain ouc ministers whose boards are polluted
with the sin Of Slavery, The Christian III
slitution5 Of our country were ocing stained
aud our moral power greatly weakened by
its paralzing influence But Inc day OF its
rule is passed, and its power is broken, tor
the nation has arisen in the majesty Of its
strength, and Its letters of steel arc being
broken and the Churches emancip pated. Our
Church has long been involved in this pain.
fu controversy, and a slight change proposed
in our discipline subjected the last General
Conference to stormy and protracted dis
cussion, which threatened again to rend the
Church, but the agitation in the nation has