the trust. These uses and purposes are the worship of God, and the employment of such other means of spiritual improvement as may be consistent with the Scriptures, and according to the order of the Church; to which may be added congregational meetings for business relating to the church or corporation. By the Constitution of the Church the session is charged with the supervision of the spiritual interests of the congregation, and this includes the right to direct and control the use of the building for the purposes of worship, as required or established by the special usage of the particular church, or the Directory for Worship. This being the principal purpose of the trust, the Trustees are bound to respect the wishes and action of the session, as to the use and occupation of the house of worship. The session is the organ or agent through whom the Trustees are informed how and when the church building is to be occupied; and the Trustees have no right to refuse compliance with the action of the session in this regard. There are general principles applicable to all cases, except perhaps in some localities where special statutory enactments by competent authority may confer other rights, or preclude other duties. As the But there are other purposes for which the use of the church edifice is sometimes desired, which though they partake of a religious or intellectual character, do not fall within the class of objects which are properly described as belonging to the worship of that congregation. The house may not be used for such purposes without the consent of the Trustees; and this consent they may properly in their discretion refuse. function to determine what is a proper use of the house is vested in the session, the Trustees have no legal right to grant the use of it for purposes which the session disapprove. And as the strict rights of those who are represented by the session to the use of the house are limited to the worship of that congregation, the Trustees are under no obligation to grant it for any other purpose. When the Trustees grant the use of the house to others contrary to the expressed wishes of the session, and, as they suppose, to the prejudice of the cause of religion and of that church, the proper appeal is, first, to the persons composing the congregation to whom the Trustees are responsible; secondly, to the Presbytery for their advice; and, finally, if necessary, to the legal tribunals. No. XIV. From Saline Presbytery, asking that the General Assembly solemnly re-affirm the testimony of 1818, in regard to slavery.* It was *During the Session of The General Assembly of 1818, in Philadelphia, Pa., on the afternoon of June 1st, the following Resolution was submitted to the Assembly, viz: Resolved, That a person who shall sell as a slave a member of the church, who shall be at the time of sale in good standing in the church, and unwilling to be sold, acts inconsistently with the spirit of Christianity, and ought to be debarred from the communion of the church. After considerable discussion, the subject was committed to ASHBEL GREEN, D.D., [of New Brunswick Presbytery,] GEORGE A. BAXTER, D.D., [of Lerington Presbytery,] and Rev. DYER BURGESS, [of Miami Presbytery,] to prepare a report to be adopted by the Assembly, einbracing the object of the above resolution, and also expressing the opinion of the Assembly in general as to slavery. During the morning session of the following day (June 2d) the Committee read their report, which was unanimously adopted and referred to the same committee for publication. It is as follows: "The General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, having taken into consideration the subject of slavery, think proper to make known their sentiments upon it to the churches and people under their care. "We 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, which enjoin that all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye 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, whe ther they shall receive religious 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,neighbors 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 sla very-consequences not imaginary, but which connect themselves with its very existence. The evils to which the slave is always exposed often Resolved, That the Assembly has, from the first, uttered its sentiments on the subject of slavery in substantially the same language. The action of 1818 was taken with more care, made more clear, full, and explicit, and was adopted unanimously. It has since remained that true and Scriptural deliverance on this important subject, by which our church is de takes 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 in many instances,, through the influence of the principles of humanity and religion on the mind of masters, they do not-still the slave is deprived of his natural right, degraded 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. From this view of the consequences resulting from the practice into which Christian people have most inconsistently fallen, of enslaving a portion of their brethren 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 Christians 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 throughout the world. We rejoice that the Church to which we belong commenced as early as any other in this country, the good work of endeavoring to put an end to slavery, and that in the same work many of its members have ever since been, and now are, among the most active, vigorous, and efficient laborers. We do indeed tenderly sympathize with those portions of our church and our country where the evil of slavery has been entailed upon them; where a great and the most virtuous part of the community abhor slavery and wish its extermination as sincerely as any others-but where the number of slaves, their ignorance, and their vicious habits generally render an immediate and universal emancipation inconsistent alike with the safety and happiness of the master and slave. With those who are thus circumstanced, we repeat that we tenderly sympathize. At the same time we earnestly exhort them to continue, and if possible to increase their exertions to effect a total abolition of slavery. We exhort them to suffer no greater delay to take place in this most interesting concern than a regard to the public welfare truly and indispensably demands. "As our country has inflicted a most grievous injury on the unhappy Africans, by bringing them into slavery, we cannot indeed urge that we should add a second injury to the first, by emancipating them in such a manner as that they will be likely to destroy themselves or others. But we do think that our country ought to be governed in this matter by no other consideration thin an honest and impartial regard to the happiness of the injured party, uninfluenced by the expense or inconvenience which such a regard may involve. "We, therefore, warn all who belong to our denomination of Christians against unduly extending this 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. And we, at the same time, exhort others to forbear harsh censures and uncharitable reflections on their brethren, who unhappily live among slaves whom they cannot immediately set free; but who, at the same time, are really using all their influence and all their endeavors to bring them into a state of freedom as soon as a door for it can be safely opened. "Having thus expressed our views of slavery, and of the duty indispensably incumbent on all Christians to labor for its complete extinction, we proceed to recommend, and we do it with all the earnestness and, solemnity which this momentous subject demands, a particular attention to the following points: "We recommend to all our people to patronize and encourage the society lately formed for colonizing in Africa, the land of their ancestors, the free people of color in our country. We hope that much good may result from the plans and efforts of this society. And while we exceedingly rejoice to have witnessed its origin and organization among the holders of slaves, as giving an unequivocal pledge of their desires to deliver themselves and their country from the calamity of slavery; we hope that those portions of the American Union, whose inhabitants are, by a gracious Providence, more favorably circumstanced, will cordially, and liberally, and earnestly cooperate with their brethren in bringing about the great end contemplated. "We recommend to all the members of our religious denomination, not only to permit, but to facilitate and encourage the instruction of their slaves, in the principles and duties of the Christian religion; by granting them liberty to attend on the preaching of the gospel, when they have opportunity; by favoring the instruction of them in the Sabbath-schools, wherever those schools can be formed; and by giving them all other proper advantages for acquiring the knowledge of their duty both to God and man. We are perfectly satisfied that it is incumbent on all Christians to communicate religious instruction to those who are under their authority, so that the doing of this in the case before us so far from operating, as some have apprehended that it might, as an incitement to insubordination and insurrection, would, on the contrary, operate as the most powerful means for the prevention of those evils. "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 whatever 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 their unhappy people of the blessings of the gospel, or who will transport them to places where the gospel is not proclaimed, or where it is forbidden to slaves to attend upon its instructions. "And if it shall ever happen that a Christian professor in our communion shall sell a slave who is also in communion and good standing with our Church, contrary to his or her will and inclination, it ought immediately to claim the particular attention of the proper church judicature; and unless there be such peculiar circumstances attending the case as can but seldom happen, it ought to be followed, without delay, by a suspension of the offender from all the privileges of the church, till he repent and make all the reparation in his power to the injured party." It was also Resolved, That fifteen hundred copies of this report be printed, or published in the newspapers. See Minutes of The General Assembly from 1789 to 1820, pp. 688,691-694. Published by The Pres byterian Board of Publication, Philadelphia, Pa. termined to abide. It has never been repealed, amended, or modified, put has frequently been referred to, and reiterated in subsequent Assemblies. And when some persons fancied that the action of 1845* in some * The action of 1845, (see Minutes of The General Assembly for 1845, pp. 11, 16, 25,) is as follows: OVERTURE, No. 3.-A collection of petitions and memorials on the subject of slavery. The Committee recommended that the petitions from Chillicothe and Donegal Presbyteries be read in the Assembly, and that a special committee of seven be appointed, to whom all papers on the whole subject be referred. This Committee was as follows: Nathan L. Rice, John C. Lord, Alexander T. McGill, N. H. Hall, and Drury Lacy, Ministers; H. H. Leavitt and James Dunlap, Elders. The Committee made the following report:"The memorialists may be divided into three classes, viz.: "1. Those which represent the system of slavery, as it exists in these United States, as a great evil, and pray this General Assembly to adopt measures for the amelioration of the condition of the slaves. "2. Those which ask the Assembly to receive memorials on the subject of slavery, to allow a full discussion of it, and to enjoin upon the members of our Church, residing in States where laws forbid the slaves being taught to read, to seek by all lawful means the repeal of those laws. "3. Those which represent slavery as a moral evil, a heinous sin in the sight of God, calculated to bring upon the church the curse of God, and calling for the exercise of discipline in the case of those who persist in maintaining or justifying the relation of master to slave. "The question which is now unhappily agitating and dividing other branches of the Church, and which is pressed upon the attention of the Assembly by one of the three classes of memorialists just named, is, whether the holding of slaves is, under all circumstances, a heinous sin, calling for the discipline of the Church. The "The church of Christ is a spiritual body, whose jurisdiction extends to the religious faith and moral conduct of her members. She cannot legislate where Christ has not legislated, nor make terms of membership which he has not made. question, therefore, which this Assembly is called to decide is this: Do the Scriptures teach that the holding of slaves, without regard to circumstances, is a sin, the renunciation of which should be made a condition of membership in the Church of Christ? "It is impossible to answer this question in the affirmative, without contradicting some of the plainest declarations of the word of God. That slavery existed in the days of Christ and his Apostles is an admitted fact. That they did not denounce the relation itself as sinful, as inconsistent with Christianity; that slaveholders were admitted to membership in the churches organized by the Apostles; that whilst they were required to treat their slaves with kindness, and as rational, accountable, immortal beings, and if Christians, as brethren in the Lord, they were not commanded to emancipate them; that slaves were required to be obedient to their masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling, with singleness of heart as unto Christ,' are facts which meet the eye of every reader of the New Testament. This Assembly cannot, therefore denounce the holding of slaves as necessarily a heinous and scandalous sin, calculated to bring upon the Church the curse of God, without charging the Apostles of Christ with conniving at sin, introducing into the Church such sinners, and thus bringing upon them the curse of the Almighty. "In so saying, however, the Assembly are not to be understood as denying that there is evil connected with slavery. Much less do they approve those defective and oppressive laws by which, in some of the States, it is regulated. Nor would they by any means countenance the traffic in slaves for the sake of gain; the separation of husbands and wives, parents and children, for the sake of filthy lucre,' or for the convenience of the master, or cruel treatment of slaves in any respect. Every Christian and philanthropist certainly should seek, by all peaceable and lawful means, the repeal of unjust and oppressive laws, and the amendment of such as are defective, so as to protect the slaves from cruel treatment by wicked men, and secure to them the right to receive religions instruction. "Nor is the Assembly to be understood as countenancing the idea that masters may regard their servants as mere property, and not as human beings rational, accountable, immortal. The Scriptures prescribe not only the duties of servants but of masters also, warning the latter to discharge those duties, 'knowing that their Master is in heaven, neither is there respect of persons with him.' The Assembly intend simply to say, that since Christ and his inspired Apostles did not make the holding of slaves a bar to communion, we, as a court of Christ, have no authority to do so; since they did not attempt to remove it from the Church by legislation, we have no authority to legislate on the subject. We feel constrained further to say, that however desirable it may be to ameliorate the condition of slaves in the Southern and Western States, or to remove slavery from our country, these objects, we are fully persuaded, can never be secured by ecclesiastical legislation. Much less can they be attained by those indiscri minate denunciations against slaveholders, without regard to their character or circumstances, which have to so great an extent characterized the movements of modern abolitionists, which so far from removing the evils complained of, tend only to perpetuate and aggravate them. The Apostles of Christ sought to ameliorate the condition of slaves, not by denouncing and excommunicating their masters, but by teaching both masters and slaves the glorious doctrines of the gospel, and enjoining upon each the discharge of their relative duties. Thus only can the church of Christ, as such, now improve the condition of the slaves in our country. "As to the extent of the evils involved in slavery, and the best methods of removing them, various opinions prevail, and neither the Scripture, nor our Constitution authorize this body to prescribe any particular course to be pursued by the churches under our care. The Assembly cannot but rejoice, however, to learn that the Ministers and Churches in the slaveholding States are awakening to a deeper sense of their obligations to extend to the slave population generally the means of grace, and many slaveholders not professedly religious favor this object; he earnestly exhorted them to abound more and more in this work. We would exhort every believing master to remember that his Master is also in heaven, and in view of all the circumstances in which he is placed to act in the spirit of the golden rule: "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even the same to them.' "In view of the above stated principles and facts “Resolved, 1. That the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States, as originally organized and has since continued in the bond of union in the Church, upon the conceded principle that the existence of domestic slavery, under the circumstances in which it is found in the southern portion of our country, is no bar to Christian communion. "Resolved, 2. That the petitions that ask the Assembly to make the holding of slaves in itself way interfered with it. The Assembly of 1846* declared, with much unanimity, that the action of 1845 was not intended to deny or rescind the testimony on the subject previously uttered by General Assemblies; and by these deliverances we still abide. E. P. Humphrey, D.D., of Transylvania Presbytery, moved to insert the word "all" before the words "these deliverances we still abide;" but it was lost. Judicial Cases. E. P. HUMPHREY, D.D., Chairman of this Committee, reported the following: JUDICIAL CASE, No. I.-Being a complaint of Robert J. Breckinridge, D.D., and others, against the action of Kentucky Synod, respecting the right of suffrage in the election of a pastor. The complaint being found in order, and ready for trial, the following order of proceeding was adopted: 1. The reading of the papers from Louisville Presbytery and Kentucky Synod: 2. The hearing of the complainants; 3. Hearing the members of the Kentucky Synod; 4. The judgment of the Assembly. The vote being taken by calling the roll, it resulted as follows: To sustain the complaint, 77; to sustain in part, 49; not to sustain, 39. A committee being appointed to bring in a minute upon the case, they reported the following papers: 1. A minute signed by E. C. Wines, D. D., of New York Presbytery, and H. H. Leavitt, Esq., Ruling Elder of Cincinnati Presbytery, as follows: Having voted with the larger part of the Assembly, in the case a matter of discipline, do virtually require this judicatory to dissolve itself, and abandon the organization under which, by the Divine blessing, it has so long prospered. The tendency is evidently to separate the northern from the southern portion of the Church; a result which every good citizen must deplore, as tending to the dissolution of the Union of our beloved country, and which every enlightened Christian will oppose as bringing about a ruinous and unnecessary schism between brethren who maintain a common faith." The yeas and nays were recorded: Yeas, 168; nays, 13; as follows: Stephen Bliss, John C. Eastman, Adam B. Gilliland, James McKean, A. S. MacMaster, Varnum Noyes, James Robertson, and John D. Whetham, Ministers; Archibald Barton, Hugh Gaston, Samuel E. Hibben, Ezekiel Miller, and Matthias C. Williams, Elders. The following Dissent was offered: "We, the subscribers, ask leave respectfully to dissent; becanse we think some parts of the report seem to contravene the standing testimony of the Presbyterian Church on the subject of slavery, particu larly the testimony uttered in the year 1818. James Robertson, A. B. Gilliland, James McKean, John C. Eastman, and John D. Whetham, Ministers; Samuel E. Hibben and M. C. Williams, Elders.. * The action of 1846, (see Minutes of the Assembly for 1846, page 206,) is as follows: OVERTURE, No. 17.-A collection of memorials and petitions on the subject of slavery, containing an expression of opinion by the General AsBociation of Massachusetts; seven petitions from a number of Ministers, Elders, and private mem bers of our Church; five memorials from Presbyteries, viz.: Albany, Beaver, Blairsville, Hocking, and New Lisbon, and a resolution of Cincinnati Synod; all requesting of the Assembly to utter formal testimony on the subject of slavery, or at least to reaffirm or explain its former testimony. In view of these memorials and petitions the Committee recommended the following minute: "Our Church has from time to time, during a period of nearly sixty years, expressed its views on the subject of slavery. During all this period it has held and uttered substantially the same sentiments. Believing that this uniform testimony is true and capable of vindication from the word of God, the Assembly is at the same time clearly of the opinion that it has already deliberately and solemnly spoken on this subject with sufficient fullness and clearness. Therefore, Resolved, That no further action upon this subject is at present needed. Rev. Robert M. White, of Washington Presbytery, offered the following amendment: "Except to say, that the action of the Assembly of 1845 is not understood by this Assembly to deny or rescind the testimony that has been uttered by the General Assembly previous to that date." This amendment was laid on the table. The question on the resolution was then taken and adopted. Yeas, 119; Nays, 33. The following Resolution of Rev. R. M. White was also adopted: Resolved, That in the judgment of this House the action of the General Assembly of 1845 was not intended to deny or rescind the testimony often uttered by the General Assemblies previous to that date. of R. J. Breckinridge, D.D., and others, complainants against Kentucky Synod, in its action limiting the right of voting in the election of a pastor, to communicating members of the church; we recommend the adoption of the following resolution as the judgment of the Assembly in the said case: Resolved, That the complaint be sustained; but the Assembly, in this judgment, does not intend to condemn a practice prevalent in some of our congregations, in which the right of voting for pastor is confined to communicants. 2. A minute signed by Alfred Nevin, D.D., of Philadelphia Central Presbytery and George Junkin, Jr., Ruling Elder of Philadelphia Presbytery, as follows: Having been appointed members of the committee appointed to prepare a minute expressive of the sense of the Assembly on the complaint of R. J. Breckinridge, D.D., and others, against Kentucky Synod, respectfully recommend the adoption of the following, viz.: The Assembly sustains the complaint in so far as the action of the Synod declares, that our Form of Church Government restricts the right of voting for a pastor to full communicants, to the exclusion of other baptized members of the church. But the latitude of suffrage, which the complainants plead for, seems to the Assembly too vague, and tending too much to obliterate the scriptural and constitutional distinctions between professing and baptized members, and persons who have no other connection with the church than the contribution of funds to support her ordinances. The Assembly is of opinion, that, whilst no one is entitled to vote except professing Christians and baptized persons not under censure, and who contribute their just proportion to the necessary expenses of the congregation, yet that it is competent for congregations to permit mere contributors to the expenses of the congregation to vote in cases where this course, by reason of peculiar circumstances, may be deemed best for the prosperity of the church. 3. A minute signed by John Lillie, D.D., of North River Presbytery, as follows: Having been appointed a member of the committee to prepare a minute expressive of the sense of the Assembly on the complaint of R. J. Breckinridge, D.D., and others, against Kentucky Synod, respectfully recommend the adoption of the following: The Assembly sustains the complaint in so far as the action of Kentucky Synod restricts the right of voting for a pastor to full communicants, to the exclusion of baptized members of the church. But the latitude of suffrage, which the complainants plead for, the Assembly does not sustain, because it tends to obliterate the scriptural and constitutional distinction between baptized members, and persons who have no other connection with the church than the contribution of funds to support her ordinances. On motion of Hovey K. Clarke, Esq., Ruling Elder of Michigan Pres bytery, the minutes reported by the Rev. Dr. Nevin, and Mr. Junkin, and Rev. Dr. Lillie, were laid upon the table; and on the motion to adopt the minutes reported by Rev. Dr. Wines and Mr. Leavitt, the ayes and nays were ordered, and are as follows: The Ayes are, |