Providence Conference

Many preachers of this body held a meeting, June 11, "uring tbo scssions of the conference at ProvitlencK, and orgai;tzed ar. an ti-slavery Society. They resolved, that duty requires each member of this Society to preach at least once during the conference year, expressly on the subject of slavery, and to tnake the 6ubject a prominent ono in their pulpit exemses. Many of the inembers of this conference are among the oldest and most successful preachers in the M. E. Church, and from what we know of tliem, we cannot doubt that their interest in behalf of the slave, will bemanifestcd by the most energetic exertions. Wfcal a contrast between tbe sayings and doings of the eastern preachers of tho M. E. Churcb, and those of our ovvn State ! - There they seem to liave cut loose from the shackles of prejudice and selfishnesa (if they were over bound by them,) and have enüsted in all the benevolent enterpnzes of the age, and the poor slave comes in fur hts full share of sympathy. Here they seem to be meu of "one idea," as a general thing and feel no special interest in uny thing beyond the pre cints of their own church. Tlin M '"in'iqrv Uerald Coi iVnvMmbor and Uecember, 1ö40,and January 1841, ackow!" edges the receipta into the treasury of the American Board of Forcign Mission, during those months. i From the Free Slates, 56,365,30 From the Slave States, 3,ü99,oO Total, 359,464,30 If slavery bc neithcr a sin nor a curse, but "a practicul bíessing," as they contend at the' South, wuy this difference in the contribu-' tions from an equal number of States? How can it ba accotinted for? If it be said that the number of professed Chnstiari3 in the siavo statea is smaller, or that they are -poorer, or less devoted to the cuuse of missions. ' may not all ihese differences be truced to that peculiar system wluch they so much admire as a practical blessing?(tThe Rev. Mr. Davis, a Baptist slavehelder, who owns 30 s laves, is making a tour through the North, lecturmg on elavery, and challeoguig the abolitionists to deiend their principies, ifthey can. At the latest date, he was in Ulica, holding a public debate vvilh Wm. Goodell and Beriah Green on the queslion, 'Are the Southern professors of religión who hold elfives, doing rigln?" He maintains Ihat slavery is a Bible Instituticn.' He admics thal the s.'aves are not allo wed to read, and rpgreta that it is so. But then they have oral instruction! Many af the South would like to extend to them the blcsBings ol knovvledge, but the law would not permit, and the agitations of the abolitionists have obstructed their endeavors to alleviate the condilion of the 6lave, fee. Anti-slavery readers are. familiar with all the arguments he advanced. Mr. Davis is helping the cause he opposes more than he could by directly advffcating it.