Year: 1863




PARIS, March 18th, 1863.


Honered and Beloved Brethren IN the Lord
1t IS the glory Of England 10 have given to
the world the example Of abolishing first the
slave trade and then slavery. 1t is her glory
to have continued for the last sixty years the
work of suppressiHg universally the slave
trade and slavery, at the cost, it is asserted, Of
fifty millions Of pounds sterling, and it is IN
der God chiefly to her religious men, to her
CIarksOns her Wilberforces, her Bnxtons, TO
her missionary societies. tLat England owes
this glory.


VIII not the sons and successors of these
great Christians complete their work by urg-
ing their country to declare itself openly
for the holy cause OF the liberation of the
slaves in the terrible struggle which is at
present convulsing the United States of Amer
lea?


No more revolving spectacle has ever been
before the civilized world than Confederacy,
consisting mainly of Protestants, forming is-
SELF and demanding independence in the nine
teenth century Of the Christian era, with
proiessed design Of maintaining and propa-
eating slavery; Confederacy which lays
down as the corner stone of its Constitution
the system of slavery as it exists at present in
the Southern States, system which may be
defined briefly as the right to treat men like
cattle, and to commit adultery aud murder
with impunity. Setting aside all political
considerations, can any Christian heart fail to
be stirred to indignation at hearing The chief
of that Confederaey answering a decree Of
emancipation by an implied threat of exter
minatiOn?


The triumph of such a cause would put
back the cause of Christian civilization ard of
humanity a whole century. 1t would make
angels weep in heaven and demons rejoice in
hell. 1t would enable the friends of the slave
trade Ond of slavery in all lands to hold up
their heads, ever ready as they are to reappear
at the first signal, in Asia, in Africa. and even
in the great cities of Europe. 1t would give
a fatal blow to the work of evangelical mis-
sions, and what frightuI responsibility
would rest on the Church, which should re-
main the silent spectator of such a triumph?


If there is peaeeable means Of Fastening
the end Of the war and of rendering its issue
such as is desired by all the friends of human
ity; ought not the sincere Christians of Eu-
rope to give to the cause of emancipation pow
erful testimony which would leave to those who
fight for the right of expressing the slaves no
hope of ever seeing those Christians give them
the hand of fellowship?


Ministers and pastors of all the evangelical
denominations of England Scotland and Ire
land, it is here we need your assistance Take
the lead, and let us call forth great and pow
erful manifestation of sympathy for the color
ed race so long oppressed and debased by
Christian nations. Let us strengthen and en-
courage those who wish to abolish slavery, at
the same time disposing them to listen to our
suggestions. 1t is in free England that such
manifestations can be powerful. What may
we not hope for if throughout Great Britain
the voice of all the ministers of the crucified
Savior, and in France our voice echoing theirs,
pray and plead that soon there may no longer
be 10 the United States colored man that is
not free and equal with the whites.


May God grant it, and may his blessing rest
alike on Great Britain and the United States
in Christ, The true hberator.


Signed up to this day by sir hundred and
eighiy-nine pastors in France, as attested by
Grandpierre, by William and Frederick Mo-
nod and others in Paris.