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Is It Right

Is It Right image Is It Right image
Parent Issue
Day
28
Month
November
Year
1842
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Messks. Eihtors: - I notice in the Signal of Liberty, for Oct. 31, a communication, headcd " Addrcss of the JVesleijan Slc'hodist Episcopal Conference," Sp:. containing assevtions not only uncharitable and hïghly censorious, but untruc ; and calculatcd to niislead the minds of the less nformed of tlic Methodist Episcopal church, and to abuse the public in general as to the positionof the said M. E. Church, in regard to Slavery. Sustaining the relation that I do to the Methodist Episcopal Church as oneoi'its miniaters, and fceling a deep uterest in the Anti-Slavery cause, I conceive mysolf callcd upon to step forth, and in the Bame public mnnner, vindícate the cause of truth against the slanderous denunciations of that article. It will bc proper for me to remark, that so far from wiahing to vindicato slavery, or offer an apology for it, I am ready with the venerable VVc3ley to pronounee it "the aum of all rillainics," and American Slavery, "the vilest t'iat ivur saio the sun." Some parts of the Address is frought with importara truth - truth that ought to be weighed by every citizen of this republic. I object to the Address, thereforc, not because it pleads the cause of the oppressed, bui because in doing so, it uses iinpropnr weapons, and invades the rights of others. Not only so, but it gives occasion for the enemics of Abolition to say that the object of the Aboliticnists, is, to break np existing Ecclesiastical organizations. ihat they may avail themselves of the materials to build a newsect. This sentiment, I am sorry to bc obliged to say. has gained currency in nsany places, to the great injury of the cause of Abolition; nnd the movementsof these self-styled Wesleyana, has been with many an irrefutable argument to prove this positi ju. If the president of this new organization, and his coadjutois were dissatisfied with the government of the Metiiodist Episcopal Cliurch, they were at liberty to withdraw. But nfter having withdrawn, whyshould they endeavortodisunite and break up peaceable socieiies, and abuse and slandcr us. In reading the addrcss, one would think the writer wns laboring under that species of monomania, where thetnind dwells wholly on one sido of a subject, while the otlier is forgotten ; and no extenuating thouglu is alloNved to have any weight.Tliat the different Christian Churches have been too lax in the exccutionjof whclesome discipline on the r-ubject of slavery, tliere is reason to fear. And, tliat Churches, Synods, and Conferences, have taken improper action respecting it, I do not doubt: and that such action has liad the effect to sanction Slavery in some ineasure, I also believe. Uut thatsuch was the designad effect, I have every reason to doubt. h is true ihattherc are iaolated cases of persons who have labored to justify slavery, and wera profeseed ministers of tlio gospel too. But are we to judgo of whole churches by the iaith and conduct of a few? And is it not possible that even good men may havo mistaken views of Scripture and sujipose thatslaery in some modified form is allowed by it? Ought we not also to make some allowancc for the prepossessionsof carly education upon southern minds? Those only, are prepared properly to judge of the power of carly education to sanctify error, whose minds have been emancipated from lts influence. Insicad, thercfore, of dealing towards such, in tho harsh languagc of bitter reproach ; upon our lips should bc the law of kindness. I cannot bring my ruind to believe. but that, if slnvery shoukl meet wilh a politica] dcath, tho church in the fu'lness of benevolent feeling, would respond a hearty Amen. With these facts before os, "ís it nght" to make the following tjevcre reilcctions. ns found in the Address: i:Her loast of rcpvhUcauisin. of rrfmement, of education and religión, wrilt tk's av 3 tem of lundage is de i-hcd and prater 'e 1 by the. roternment, givcs tiicfullestproof of hsr liypicrisy, filfehood, harbariiij and injidt'Atij." What ! is there norepublicanism, is tlicrn no refineiiient, no education or religión in the na'.ion, because the government lias Jent itssanciion to slavery' Where is the spirit of candor, or even oí truth. i:i this severo inuendo. We know very wcll that Slavery and Liberty are eiernnl antipodes, and that in proportion as the epiritand sentiments oí elavery prevail in the nation, our rcpublican institutions are endangered; and that there ought to be imnicdiateand decisiveaciion io cunail ita influence, and expurge it from the land. Uut are we a rude, ignorant, Iicathenish people, because slavery exists in ihe nnticm? Wherc is our hypoensy, &c. in laying claim to these ihingt-? Again, "Tlwchuixh, tjy8 has givcn tlic most perfect abetment to tías incal■■ enlabie xcrong." How far other branches of tho e church may have gone in defence and support of , slavery, it is not mine to soy, but so far as the official action of tho Methodist Episcopal Church - touches tliis subject, it diroctlvrecogjze3 it a f a great ciil; and the discipline inquires what shall be dono for its eztirpation. Let me in quire, cannot a church resolvc to abstain from agitating the question of elavery, in a way that would produce dissention and división, without abotting and euporting it? Or euppope not to act, is virtually to sanction, which may bo doubted, does it imply an intentional wrong7 Orsuppose as in the case of the last General Conference of the M. E. Church, (to which tho addrosa alludes in the expression, "her highest judicatory Iiasjoincd tho crusule of robbert," éjc.) a reaolution be passed declaring it inexpedient to odmit ihe testimony of blacks in church trials undcr certain circumstances, yot ie this a perfect abclment of slavery! I am fully persuaded that tha rosolution just referrcd to, is in itsel highly iniquitous, ae giving sanction to despotic and unrighteous laws; and is itself nn infraction upoa the riglus of a part of tho membership of thochurch. Bnt I c.innot suppose that all the mombers of General Conference are implieated by t. Nor would I condemrt au wicked men or hypocrits, all thosc who votcd for it. Many of them are men whose self-sacrificc and devoiion to the cause of Christ, will enbalm their%emory in tho heartsof the pious for ages to come,- men who are moved by the purest and holiest of motiven, wliose single aim is to do good aod glorify God. They have fallen it is true, into the mietake, of which the apostle xras falsoly accused of doing evil that good might come. Between two evila they feit themselves justified in choosing the IeaBt. But they no more intended to abet or sanction slavery in that resolution than they thought of swearing allegiance to onO of tho kings of Europe.It is aleo equally false that the "poteer ana jlvcr.cc" of tho Methodist Episcopal Church, "ii plcdged to tho support of the fouleet tyranny," and we challenge theso croakers to produce t singlo official act of the church, which by anj fair construction, can be made to support thüi unchai itable assertion. Neithcr is it true that "Hei holy ordinations ure given to the plunderer o; human rights," f known as auch. It is verj possibie that wicked men, under the garb of piety, should sometimes insinuate themsolves into th church; but that the chureh has ever knowingly put the consecrating hand on euch, romaina to be proved. But tho matter is not through with yot. "Tb officials too. (by which is meant papers of thf church.) nre implicatcd aa "pleading warmly" foi the i{continuance" of slavery, and as calumniating those who would not join in its support. fiow men professing to be christiana, and ebriatian ministers can justify themselves in the publiciit;on of sucn base slanders, is more thanl can teil. Charity would prompt us to hope that their intentions are not as bad na the abovo quotationa would jjjduce us to believe. Probably the partiaf insanity alluded to above, must be blamed for'it. Not content with these unfounded allegations, our ecclesiasical polity Í3 aásailed as an "orer grourn aristocraat," to which "new prerogatives havo been created and added," and for what? why "to facilitate the expulsión oí overy 9hred of real sympathy for the poor sufícrer." It is not my intention to go into a lengthy vindicationof the government of tho M. E. Church in this article. It is cnough to say that no moro power is veeted in the hands of the Episcopacy tlian 3 necessary for good and wholesome government - to secure the stability and prosperity of the cluirch. If the Methodist Episcopal Church is that wicked and oppresaing "overgrown ariatocracy," which these Wesleyan croakers seem to tliink, how is it that God has so signally blesscd ils labors in the conversión of souls tho past year? VVhile these signs of the Divine appropation remain upon us, we shall prosper ia spito of all the eflbrls of such separatists. Beforo I close my sheet, Messra. Editors, permit me to say that I rejoice greatly in the evident advancement of the principies of puro ropublicanism as held by the Liberty party. An although it is not my business to enter the arena of political slrife. yet I do hail with heartfelt satisfaction, the efforts mnking to free our beoved country from the cause of its cmbarrasstnents, and the foe of its liberty. The principies adopted by tho abolition party - that riglneous and equitabla laws, executed by virtuous and upright rulers, who are zcalous to promote public and individual poace nnd prosperity; these principies are foundcd on the rock of eternnl truth & equity, & destincd to provail. SJavcry is a creature of law, nnd its final overthrow can bo effected only in a political way. Jt is true that a moral infiuence must be brought to bcar againat it, by holding up to public view its ugly features, and showing its disastrous cfïbcls upon our national prosperity, &c. Uut our war should bo with slnveiy as asysteni, not with slave holdera. They should be treatcd as men and as citizens,- possessed of equal rights with ourselves. Tho great body of our citizens are ignorant of our obects and the manner in which we propose to effect tliem: and let them be entreated in the gentle languagc of persuasión to lend their help ; and depend upon it, the work will bc accomiilished; our country saved from the curso of aristocrr.iic irinciples - the polluting siain of alavery wiped ïway from our national escutcheon - and our loir republic become the glory of tho world. JOHN SCOTFIELD. Hamburg, Livingston Co. Nov. II, 1842. P. S. Since writing the above. I havo secn in the Signal an endorsement of the Address alluded to nbove, ond perhapsyoü may be unwillinj to give my communioation an insertion in your columns. I think it, however, no more thau riglit 1 should be henrd on tho dfence; espccially as msny of üfr gufeecribers to tbe Signal ar tur.

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Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News