The Liberator

CHURCH ANTI-SLAVERY CONVENTION.

The Standard informs us that a Convention, held under the auspices of the 'Church Anti-Slavery Society,' met in New York city on the 23d ult., holding its day sessions in the Lecture-room of the Church of the Puritans, (Dr. Cheever's,) and its evening session in the Third Reformed Presbyterian Church, (Mr. Sloane's.)

The New York Observer, of Jan. 31st, thus reports and rejoices over, the utter disregard of this movement by the churches:—

'ABOLITION CONVENTION. The Anti-Slavery Convention, called to meet at Dr. Cheever's church, in this city, last week, was an entire failure, so far as any general notice or interest was concerned. Two or three hundred people, it is said, attended, but no outside or inside excitement was produced. It was severely let alone.'

The Standard copies the resolutions adopted, with a portion of the address of Rev. Henry T. Cheever, Secretary of the Church Anti-Slavery Society, states that the discussions were spirited and interesting, and names among the speakers Rev. J. R. W. Sloane, a hearty anti-slavery worker in the small denomination of 'Reformed Presbyterians,' Rev. Nathan Brown, (editor of the American Baptist, and representative of a very small minority of abolitionists in the Baptist church,) and Rev. H. Mattison, one of the most energetic laborers for reform in the Methodist Episcopal church.

The Church Anti-Slavery Society has now had nearly two years' experience of the fact, that ninety-nine in a hundred of the churches of every one of the great and preponderant religious sects in this country are either utterly indifferent, or hostile, to its principles and purposes. In view of this fact, the Standard appropriately alludes to the erroneous character of an assumption very commonly made, that the 'evangelical' church and ministry of this country are hostile to the American Anti-Slavery Society, not for its abolitionism, but for its alleged 'infidelity.' Examination shows both parts of this popular assumption to be false. It shows, first, that the ascription of infidelity to this Society is utterly erroneous; that its principles and its acts are alike Christian; and that its work comes nearer to a 'following of Christ' than the lives of those who make formal 'profession' of being his followers; and it shows, next, that these churches and ministers evince no more sympathy with a distinctively orthodox abolitionism, presented to them by the Church Anti-Slavery Society, than with the appeals of Mr. Garrison himself.

The founders of the Church Anti-Slavery Society wished to purify the church at least as much as to help the slave. Finding that the church felt sore under the 'harsh language' which the elder abolitionists had addressed to it, they took the opposite policy, and used none but tender and fraternal expressions; in their haste and zeal addressing even pro-slavery churches and ministers as 'Christians.' For two years they have patiently tried these efforts. What is the result? The Independent and the Congregationalist take no notice of their Convention whatever; and the Observer rejoices that it was 'severely let alone.'

C. K. W.