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 TESTIMONY 
 
 ON 
 
 SLAVERY. 
 
TESTIMONY 
 
 SLAVERY 
 
 
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 CIlURCfl ACTION ON SLAVERY 
 
 On the 3lst of March, 1857, the following' paper 
 was adopted hij the Sessio?i of the Presbyterian 
 Church at Harlem : 
 
 Whereas, The General Assembly of 1839 did 
 " most solemnly refer to the lower judicatories the 
 subject of slavery, leaving it to them to take such 
 order thereon as in their judgment would be the 
 most judicious, and adapted* to' remove the evil ;" 
 and this injunction has never been recalled, but 
 has been renewed and repeated, as appears in the 
 records of the Assemblies of 1843, 184G, and 1850 : 
 
 And whereas the General Assembly of 1818 did 
 unanimously " consider the voluntary enslaving of 
 one part of the human race by another, as a gross 
 violation of the most precious and sacred rights of 
 human nature, as utterly inconsistent with the law 
 of God, which requires us to love our neighbor as 
 ourselves, and as totally irreconcilable with the 
 spirit and principles of the Gospel of Christ ;" and, 
 after exhorting "those portions of our Church and 
 country where the evil had been entailed upon 
 them, to continue, and, if possible, increase their 
 exertions to effect the total aholition of slavery," 
 
did declare, lliat " Tlie manifest violation or dis- 
 rcjLrard of the injunction here given, in its true 
 spirit and intention, ought to be considered as just 
 ground for tlie discipline and censures of the 
 ( 'liurcli :*' 
 
 And whereas the General Assembly of 1846 did 
 declare that '• The system of slavery as it exists in 
 these United States, viewed either in the laws of 
 the several States which sanction it, or in actual 
 operation and results in society, is intrinsically an 
 unrighteous and oppressive system, and is opposed 
 to the prescriptions of the law of God, to the spirit 
 and precepts of the Gospel, and to the best interests 
 of humanity ;•' and yet the representative of the 
 Presbytery ot Hanover in Virginia, in the Assembly 
 of IHoC), did, in a solemn address before that body, 
 re([uirc the same to take notice that " He and the 
 ministers whom he represented, consented to be 
 recognized as slaveholders in the Christian Church, 
 Mild as accepting that system of slavery :'' 
 
 And whereas the General Assembly of 1850 did 
 resolve, that " The holding of our fellow-men in the 
 condition of slavery, except in tiiose cases where it 
 is una\()idahh' by the laws of the State, the obliga- 
 tions of ;^uardians]iij), or the demands of humanity, 
 is an ollrncc in the proper import of that term as 
 used in the JJook of Discipline :*' l)ut the rej)resen- 
 tati\«' fi-oMi I he Prc^hylcry of \\ inchester in Wv- 
 ;,nnia, in the As>»'njl)ly of IH.')."), in .an ollicial report, 
 piinl«(l in the Minutes of that body, did notify the 
 
Assembl}^ and all the churches*, that the exceptions 
 stated ill that resolution were considered to cover 
 at least the vast majority of cases, if not every 
 case, of slaveholding in the land ; and in an address 
 to their constituents, published after the adjourn- 
 ment of the Assembly, united in by the body of 
 representatives from the Southern States, the same 
 thing was avowed in terms more unqualified and at 
 greater length : 
 
 Therefore, Resolved, That believing with the 
 General Assembly, the system of slavery as it 
 exists in the United vStates, to be intrinsically an 
 unrighteous and oppressive system, opposed to 
 the law of God, the spirit and precepts of the 
 Gospel, and the best interests of humanity, we be- 
 lieve that neither silence nor inaction ought to be 
 maintained by the Assembly or the lower judica- 
 tories, when whole bodies of ministers and churches 
 avow themselves to be slaveholders, accepting that 
 system of slavery. And believing, according to the 
 true spirit and intention of the Assembly, that the 
 holding of our fellow-men in the condition ot' 
 slavery is an offence in the proper import of that 
 term as used in the Book of Discipline, we consider 
 that the manifest perversion of the exceptional 
 language of the Assemldy. and the open and 
 avowed commission in the churches of the olience 
 thus defined, calls for language that none can mis- 
 interpret, and for action iVoni which wronfr-doers 
 within its jurisdiction c; in net escape. 
 
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 J{is(tii'C(L TlKit we bclievo all men are created 
 (•(lual, and that no man can, without guilt before 
 God, volnntarily hold another as a slave, or with- 
 out such guilt exact his labor without wages, or 
 separate husband and wile, or parent and child, 
 or sell his fellow-being as a slave. 
 
 Reso/ved, That we feel it our duty to remember 
 them that are in bonds as bound with them, and 
 that we sympathize with our unhappy countrymen 
 who are held in slavery under cruel laws — praying 
 that the Lord would give them freedom and that 
 their oppressors may be brought to I'epentance. 
 
 Resolved, That we lament the spectacle exhibited 
 in the last General Assembly, when a representa- 
 tive of our own Presbj^tery arose in his place, and 
 by elaborate argument endeavored to sustain those 
 doctrines of slaveholders which are regarded by 
 good men as most oiTcnsive and unchristian, and 
 which are palpably contrary to the repeated and 
 solemn declarations of the General Assemblies of 
 our Church : and tliat in our opinion, that course 
 of our representative has imposed on the Presby- 
 tery at \\\\< time tlic most solemn obligation to 
 adopt such iiicasuics as shall prove before the next 
 Gen<'ial Ass< inbly lliat these churches are not, and 
 will M(»l l)c. icsponsibic for the guilt of slavehold- 
 iiig, or loi- the scnliments of those who defend it. 
 
 Resfj/rrtl. Thai a c(>j)y of the Ibrc^^oing preand>le 
 ;ui(I i-c-olutioiis l)c -chl iij) to the J*res])ytery. 
 
THE ACTION OF PRESBYTERY, 
 
 Minute on Slavery, adopted by the Fourth Pres- 
 bytery OF New York, April 20, 1857. 
 
 The Fourth Presbytery of New York, having 
 received a memorial from the session of the Church 
 at Harlem, on the subject of slavery in its relations 
 to the Presbyterian Church — 
 
 Resolved, That we record as our judgment on 
 this subject : 
 
 1st. That in the ditficult and responsible posi- 
 tion in which our branch of the Church is placed 
 by Divine Providence, in relation to the subject of 
 slavery, we need to cultivate a spirit of brotherly 
 love and forbearance, and to invoke earnestly the 
 guidance of that wisdom from above, Avhich is first 
 "pure, then peaceable, full of mercy and good 
 fruits." 
 
 2d. That as a Presbytery, wc protest against 
 that interpretation of the action of the last General 
 Assembly, held in the city of New York, wdiich 
 represents us as receding from the anti-slavery 
 position and testimony of the Church. 
 
 3d. That though in unavoidable circumstances 
 the external relation of slaveholding mav exist 
 
without involving the master in the sin and guilt 
 of the system of slavery, yet, that a continuance 
 of the relation can be justified only so far as the 
 slaveholder also uses all just and Christian means 
 for removing the evil from both Church and State. 
 4th. That the system of slavery is neither to be 
 viewed as an institution of natural or revealed 
 religion, nor is it kindred to civil government, nor 
 to the relation of husband and w^ife, nor to that of 
 parents and children, nor yet is it merely a legal 
 claim or right to service : but that, on the contrary, 
 the system of slavery, so far as it gives to man the 
 right of property in man, reducing the slave and 
 his posterity to the condition of chattels, dependent 
 on the will of the owner, so far as it annuls the 
 rights of marriage, so far as it forbids the general 
 and Christian education of the slave, and debars 
 him from the reading of the word of God, is a 
 system which is essentially opposed to the rights 
 of man, to the welfare of the republic, to the clear 
 position of our Church, and to the principles of the 
 Christian religion. 
 
THE GENERAL ASSE,\1BLY 
 
 The General AssexMbly of the Presbyterian Church, 
 AT Cleveland, June 3d, 1857, adopted the follow- 
 ing paper : 
 
 The General Assembly, in view of the memo- 
 rials before them and of the present relations of 
 the Church to the subject of Shivery, feel called 
 upon to make the following exposition of principle 
 and duty : — 
 
 The Presbyterian Church in these United States 
 has, from the beginning, maintained an attitude of 
 decided opposition to the institution of slavery. 
 
 The Synod of New York and Philadelphia, in 
 1787, two years before the organization of the 
 General Assembly, declared that they did -highly 
 approve of the general principles in favor of uni- 
 versal liberty that prevail in America, and the 
 interest which many of the States have taken in 
 promoting the abolition of slavery ;*' and did " re- 
 commend it to all their people, to use the most 
 prudent measures, consistent witli tlic interest and 
 state of civil society in the parts where they live, 
 to procure eventually the final abolition of slavery 
 in America." 
 
10 
 
 In 1793, while the constitution of the Presbyte- 
 rian Church was in process of formation and pub- 
 lication, the action of the Synod, just referred to, 
 was approved by the General Assembly and re- 
 published by its order. 
 
 The Assembly of 1815 declared, " that, although 
 in some sections of our country, under certain cir" 
 cumstances, the transfer of slaves may be unavoid- 
 able, yet they consider the buying and selling of 
 slaves by way of traffic, and all undue severity in 
 the management of them, as inconsistent with the 
 spirit of the Gospel. And they recommend it to 
 the presbyteries and sessions under their care, to 
 make use of all prudent measures to prevent such 
 shameful and unrighteous conduct.*' 
 
 The Assembly of 1815 "expressed their regret, 
 that the slavery of the Africans and of their de- 
 scendants still continues in so many places, and 
 even among those within the pale of the Church ;" 
 and called particular attention to the action of 
 1795, with respect to the buying and selling of 
 slaves. 
 
 In 1818, the Assembly unanimously adopted a 
 report on this subject, prepared by Dr. Green of 
 Philadelphia, Dr. Baxter of Virginia, and Mr. 
 Burgess of Ohio, of which the following is a part: 
 " We consider the voluntary enslaving of one 
 pai-t of the human race by another as a gross vio- 
 lation of the most precious and sacred rights of 
 human nature ; as utterly inconsistent with the 
 
11 
 
 law of God, which requires us to love our neighbor 
 as ourselves, and as totally irreconcilable with the 
 spirit and principles of the Gospel of Christ, which 
 enjoin, that ' all things whatsoever ye would that 
 men should do to you, do even so to them.' Slavery 
 creates a paradox in the moral system ; it exhibits 
 rational, accountable, and immortal beings in such 
 circumstances as scarcely to leave them the power 
 of moral action. It exhibits them as dependent on 
 the will of others, whether they shall receive reli- 
 gious instruction ; whether they shall know and 
 worship the true God; whether they shall enjoy 
 the ordinances of the Gospel ; whether they shall 
 perform the duties and cherish the endearments of 
 husbands and wives, parents and children, neigh- 
 bors and friends ; whether they shall preserve their 
 chastity and purity, or regard the dictates of justice 
 and humanity. Such are some of the consequences 
 of slavery — consequences not imaginary, but which 
 connect themselves with its very existence. The 
 evils to which the slave is always exposed often 
 take place in fact, and in their very worst degree 
 and form; and where all of them do not take 
 place — as we rejoice to say that in many instances, 
 through the influence of the principles of humanity 
 and religion on the minds of masters, they do not — 
 still the slave is deprived of his natural right, de- 
 graded as a human being, and exposed to the 
 danger of passing into the hands of a master who 
 may inflict upon him all the hardships and injuries 
 which inhumanity and avarice may suggest. 
 
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 " From this view of the consequences resulting 
 from the practice, into which Christian people have 
 most inconsistently fallen, of enslaving a portion of 
 their hretliren of mankind — for God hath made of 
 one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face 
 of the earth — it is manifestly the duty of all Chris- 
 tians who enjoy the light of the present day, when 
 the inconsistency of slavery, both with the dictates 
 of humanity and religion, has been demonstrated 
 and is generally seen and acknowledged, to use 
 their honest, earnest, and unwearied endeavors to 
 correct the errors of former times, and as speedily 
 as possible to efface this blot on our holy religion, 
 and to obtain the complete abolition of slavery 
 throughout Christendom, and if possible through- 
 out the world." 
 
 The Assembly also recommended " to all mem- 
 bers of our religious denomination, not only to 
 permit but to facilitate and encourage the instruc- 
 tion of their slaves in the principles and duties of 
 the Christian religion;" and added : " We enjoin 
 it on all Church Sessions and Presbyteries, under 
 the care of this Assembly, to discountenance, and 
 as far as possible, to prevent, all cruelty of what- 
 ever kind in the treatment of slaves ; especially 
 the cruelty of separating husband and wife, parents 
 and children, and that which consists in selling 
 slaves, to those who will either themselves deprive 
 these unhappy ])roplc of the blessings of the Gospel, 
 or who will transport them to places where the 
 
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 Gospel is not proclaimed, or where it is rorbidden 
 to slaves to attend upon its institutions." 
 
 The foregoing testimonials on the subject of 
 slavery were universally acquiesced in by the 
 Presbyterian Church up to the time of the division 
 in 1838. 
 
 In the year 1846, the General Assembly made a 
 declaration on the subject, of which the following 
 is the introductory paragraph : — 
 
 " 1. The system of slavery, as it exists in these 
 United States, viewed either in the laws of the 
 several States which sanction it, or in its actual 
 operation and results in society, is intrinsically an 
 unrighteous and oppressive system, and is opposed 
 to the prescriptions of the law of God, to the spirit 
 and precepts of the Gospel, and to the ])est interests 
 of humanity." 
 
 In 1849, the Assem1)ly explicitly reallirmcd the 
 sentiments expressed by the Assembles of 1815, 
 1818, and 1840. 
 
 In the year 1850 the General Assembly made the 
 following declaration : — 
 
 "We exceedingly deplore the workinjr of the 
 whole system of slavery as it exists in our country, 
 and is interwoven with the political institutions of 
 the slaveholding States, as fraught with many and 
 great evils to the civil, political, and moral interests 
 of those regions where it exists. 
 
 " The holding of our fellow-men in the condition 
 
14 
 
 of slavery, except in those cases where it is un- 
 avoidable, by the laws of the State, the obligations 
 of guardianship, or the demands of humanity, is an 
 oflence in the proper import of that term, as used 
 in the Book of Discipline, chap. 1, sec. 3, and should 
 be regarded and treated in the same manner as 
 other offences." 
 
 Occupying the position in relation to this subject 
 which the framers of our Constitution held at the 
 first, and which our Church has always held, it is 
 with deep grief that we now discover, that a por- 
 tion of the Church at the South has so far departed 
 from the established doctrine of the Church in re- 
 lation to slavery, as to maintain that " it is an 
 ordinance of God," and that the system of slavery 
 existing in these United States is Scriptural and 
 right. Against this new doctrine we feel con- 
 strained to bear our solemn testimony. It is at war 
 with the whole spirit and tenor of the Gospel of 
 love and good will, as well as abhorrent to the 
 conscience of the Christian world. We can have 
 no sympathy or fellowship with it ; and we exhort 
 all our people to eschew it as serious and j^erni- 
 cious error. 
 
 We arc especially pained by the fact, that the 
 Presbytery of J^exinglon, South, have given official 
 notice to us, that a number of ministers and ruling 
 oklers, as well as many church members, in their 
 connection, hold slaves " from principle" and " of 
 choice," ''believing it to be according to the Bible 
 
Ifj 
 
 right," and have, without any qualilyin^^ explana- 
 tion, assumed the responsibility of sustaining such 
 ministers, elders, and church members, in their 
 position. We deem it our duty, in the exercise of 
 our constitutional authority " to bear testimony 
 against error in doctrine,- or immorality in prac- 
 tice, in any Church, Presbytery, or Synod," to dis- 
 approve and earnestly condemn the position, which 
 has been thus assumed by the Presbytery of Lex- 
 ington, South, as one which is opposed to the 
 established convictions of the Presbyterian Church, 
 and must operate to mar its peace and seriously 
 hinder its prosperity, as well as bring reproach on 
 our holy religion ; and we do hereby call on that 
 Presbytery to review and rectify their position. 
 Such doctrines and practice cannot be perma- 
 nently tolerated in the Presbyterian Church. ^Nlay 
 they speedily melt away under the illuminating 
 and mello\Ving influence of the Gospel and grace 
 of God our Saviour. 
 
 We do not, indeed, pronounce a sentence of in- 
 discriminate condemnation upon all our brethren 
 who are unfortunately connected with the system 
 of slavery. We tenderly sympathize with all those 
 who deplore the evil, and are honestly doing all in 
 their power for the present well being of their 
 slaves, and for their complete emancipation. We 
 would aid and not embarrass such brethren. And 
 yet, in the language of the General Assembly of 
 1818, we would "earnestly warn them against 
 
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 unduly extending the plea of necessity ; against 
 making it a cover for the love and practice of 
 slavery, or a pretence for not using efforts that 
 are lawful and practicable to extinguish this evil." 
 In conclusion, the Assembly call the attention of 
 the Publication Committee to this subject, and 
 recommend the publication, in a convenient form, 
 of the testimony of the Presbyterian Church touch- 
 ing this subject, at the earliest practicable 
 period. 
 
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