"3. Whether a practical regard, such as the Word of God requires,
is evinced by the Southern churches for the sacredness of the
conjugal and parental relations as they exist among slaves; whether
baptism is duly administered to the children of slaves professing
Christianity; whether slaves are admitted to equal privileges and
powers in the Church courts; and in general to what extent and in
what manner provision is made for the religious well-being of the
enslaved."
The debate on this report and the subsequent action of the southern
Presbyteries prove conclusively that the Detroit resolution is utterly
futile, and that slaveholding goes on in the southern part of the
church without interruption. On this report, Rev. Mr. McLain, of
Mississippi said:
"We disavow the action of the Detroit Assembly. We have men in our
Church who buy slaves, and work them, because they can make more
money by it than any other way. All who can, own slaves; and those
who cannot, want to."
Rev. William Homes, of Mo., said:
"The action of the Assembly of Detroit is null and void; for how
can any man be found, not to be included in one or the other of the
exceptions contained in it? All claim that their slaveholding is
involuntary and justifiable. He concluded by strenuously asserting
that the South would not submit to these inquiries."
Rev. William Terry, of Va., said:
"He could not promise that the Virginia Presbyteries would give
any replies to these inquiries. There was no hope, so long as
slavery exists, that the church shall be free from it. If it has
come to be true that the feeling of the North will not suffer the
slaveholding ministers and members to remain in fellowship with the
Church, the South will not remain with you. They do not contemplate
a disconnection with slavery."
Since the meeting of the Assembly the Presbyteries in the South have
almost unanimously protested against the action in relation to slavery
as "inquisitorial," and have resolved to disregard totally the "earnest
request" of the General Assembly. They have also resolved that the
agitation of the subject in the Assembly must cease as a _condition_ of
the continued union of the church. Whether the pro-slavery element of
this denomination will prevail, so as to "bury out of sight the Detroit
resolution, silence the General Assembly on slavery, and make the New
School Presbyterian Church a quiet home for those who "buy" "sell" and
"work" slaves "because they can make money out of them," cannot now be
determined. We hope not, but knowing the aggressive spirit of slavery,
we fear.[15]
CONGREGATIONAL.
It is somewhat difficult to define with any great degree of
precision, the position of the Congregational churches in relation
to slavery. Many of these churches are actively anti-slavery. The
Congregationalists of Ohio, in a convention held at Mansfield:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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