USA > New Hampshire > Grafton County > Littleton > History of Littleton, New Hampshire, Vol. I > Part 37
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of its contents as might be of service at the adjourned meeting, it being understood that the address met with the general approbation of the association.
" The church held its communion of Sunday afternoon next preced- ing the 10th of November, and there was a pretty full attendance. Towards the close of the services, when the pastor gave out the appointments for the week ensuing, mention was made by him of the church meeting adjourned to Wednesday of that week, and he ex- pressed a desire for a general attendance.
" At the adjourned meeting the number of members present was not large, probably about equal the number present at an ordinary church meeting. The pastor informed the meeting that he had corresponded with Mr. Barstow, and that the address of the General Association was published. It was read from the 'Congregational Journal' of October 29th.
" I then advocated the resolutions at some length, and endeavored to show the fallacy of the opinion advanced at the previous meeting, viz., that a man might be sinless in sustaining the relation of master to slaves. I urged that that position is all that slaveholders desire to justify the system of slavery; that it does in fact sanction the prin- ciple and system of slavery; that it sanctions the holding men as property, which is wholly different from the restraint exercised over minors and insane ; that the desire to benefit the slave by bestowing bounty, or charity, or support upon him, cannot justify a position which thus sanctions a system entirely subversive of the inalienable rights of man, - rights which a man cannot alienate from himself so as to affect his posterity ; - that bounty and support can be conferred upon a man after his freedom as well as before. I also presented the admirable letter of Charles Simmons in answer to the question, ' What Seripture authority have the abolitionists for alleging that slavery is intrinsically sinful?' (published in the ‘ Liberator ' of December 25, 1840), and read from it extracts and the positions proved by Mr. Simmons, and re- ferred to the Scripture anthorities adduced in the letter. In further support of the resolutions, and also in illustration of the view of slavery which the most exemplary churches and Christians are now taking, and, in proof of the necessity of church action on the subject, I cited the in- imitable Remonstrance from the Congregational Union of Scotland to their fellow Christians in America (' Liberator,' Nov. 13, 1840), and read a large portion of it; read the Baptist testimony from London and vicinity (. Liberator,' Nov. 20, 1840) ; referred to the action of great numbers of religious bodies in Europe and America. condemning slavery and withdrawing fellowship from slaveholders; and spoke of the connection and influence of the Southern church with the North, and the want of religious tone at the North, illustrating by the fact of Northern church members going South and becoming slaveholders, as was the case with members of the church in Haverhill, N. H., who
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were said to have been dismissed from the church without a letter of dismission being asked for, and even after labor commenced by another member with at least one of them. on account of his having become a slaveholder, while, in view of the disinterested community, the only possible object of the dismission (not excommunication) was to avoid agitating in the church the subject of those members being slaveholders. I urged the unreasonableness of hoping for re- vivals of religion, so long as the church should cherish such iniquity in her bosom plainly visible to the beholding world around, while every Christian must find a chill pervade his aspirations on approaching the throne of grace, when sensible of a neglect of duty towards any of his race. I urged the necessity of taking such ground as would show the Southern church her true position and carry admonition fully and plainly home to her. And finally, I urged the immense strength which Chris- tianity and benevolent operations would derive from extending liberty and religious instruction to the slaves of this country, who could at once be brought to an acquaintance with the Word of Life and to a participation in the efforts for the good of others, while it requires great labor and length of time to approach the heathen in foreign lands.
" Being restricted in time for speaking by vote of the church, I could proceed no further. The pastor suggested that before acting on the resolutions, it might be well for him to read a declaration of senti- ments which he had received from Mr. Barstow, and some resolutions which he (Mr. Worcester) had drawn up in connection with it, and thereupon he read the following resolutions :
"Resolved, That in view of the misapprehension extensively prevail- ing at the South, and also at the North, with reference to slavery, we deem it expedient that churches should distinctly express their senti- ments upon this subject.
" Resolved, That we do heartily approve of and adopt as our own the following declaration of sentiments :
" 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 requires 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 whether they shall re- ceive religions 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 cherishi the endcarments of husbands and wives, parents and children, neighbors and friends ;
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whether they shall preserve their chastity and purity, or regard the dictates of 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 forms. And when all of them do not take place - as we rejoice to say that in many instances they do not - through the influences of humanity on the minds of mas- ters, still the slave is deprived of his natural rights, 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 all 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 hu- manity and religion has been demonstrated, to use their honest, earnest, and unwearied endeavors to correct the errors of former generations, 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. (See Min. of Gen. Assembly of Pres. Church, in the year 1818).
" Resolved also, That we fully approve of the letter addressed by the General Association of New Hampshire at its meeting at Francestown, in August, 1841, to the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church and to Christians generally at the South. (See Cong. Jour., Oct. 29, 1841.)
" It was then moved by the Rev. Mr. Fairbank, former pastor of the church, and voted by the church, that we waive the consideration of the resolutions offered by Mr. Carleton and take up those offered by Mr. Worcester.
" The two first, with the declaration of sentiments, were passed almost unanimously and without the least discussion, I merely observing that I could not vote for them on the ground of their not going far enough. The third also passed with the like unanimity and without discussion.
" I then offered the following resolution :
" Resolved, That, in view of the foregoing resolutions and declara- tion of sentiments, it becomes the duty of this church to withhold Christian fellowship from slaveholders and from churches and religious bodies which continue to fellowship slaveholders, as the most ready means of correcting 'the errors of former generations' and of the present times.
" In support of this resolution I urged the necessity of the church separating itself from all that is sinful; I urged that the declaration of sentiments just passed pointed out much which is enormously sinful, as resulting from slavery, and yet that, unless we withdraw fellowship,
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we must receive those to communion who are guilty of the vilest things resulting from slavery - even those who have gone from the North and become slaveholders in the worst sense of the term while possessing full light on the subject - so long as they remain in regular standing in their respective churches. I urged that so long as such are not debarred fellowship, they are not rebuked for their sin, and the church must be looked upon as conniving at slavery, and thus she is doing herself great injury ; that lookers-on, whether scoffers or friends, will view her conduct in that light and charge her with hypocrisy, and that the church should give heed to charges made even by scoffers, if true, or she will not be entitled to the character of purity. I urged that, though the adoption of the resolution would exclude those who had not been so well enlightened upon the subject as others, yet it was no valid objection ; for it would put them to a consideration of their true stand- ing. and on their abandoning their evil course they would be received. I contended that though some inconvenience might result from a sepa- ration from those religious bodies which continue to fellowship slave- holders, yet that if a good example were set by this church, others would soon follow, and association could then be held with those bodies ; that the common objection, that the church might seem to say to others, ' Stand thou afar off, for we are holier than thou,' was a fal- lacious one, applicable alike to all moral reform whatever, and even to the faithful preaching of the gospel.
" The resolution was then rejected with almost the same unanimity with which the others passed. It was then voted, on my motion, that the doings of the meeting be published in the ' Congregational Journal' and in the ' Herald of Freedom.'
" I have been thus particular for two purposes.
"First, to show the difficulties, and reluctance, and lack of personal independence under which churches in general labor in approaching the subject of slavery. All ministers would not have met the intro- duction of the subject into the church with the same liberality that Mr. Worcester did. And I verily believe that if he had opposed it, there would not have been in attendance at either meeting half so many niembers as attended the first meeting. And yet I have reason to believe that he felt disagreeably when he found the subject was to be introduced. In the prayers offered by many ministers and church members, peace, concord, harmony, and union in the church appear to liave attached to them an importance paramount to that of the church being led in the way of truth and righteousness and brought to a clear perception and faithful discharge of her duty.
" Second, to show the encouragement which churches have to intro- duce and candidly consider the subject. The church in Littleton, with all its backwardness and apprehension, has found by experience that the subject can be introduced and freely and plainly discussed without creating animosity.
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" The church has indeed, in my opinion, come far short of its duty, and yet it has done something. It is true that she has, to say the least, placed herself in a most awkward position, - a position the very awk- wardness of which, if nothing else, it is hoped, will bring her to a further consideration of her duty. She has said, in her declaration of senti- ments, that, under ' the light of the present day,' ' the inconsistency of slavery both with the dictates of humanity and religion has been dem- onstrated ; ' that slavery ' exhibits rational, accountable, and immortal beings in such circumstances as scarcely to leave them the power of moral action ;' that 'it exhibits them as dependent on the will of others whether they shall receive religious instruction ; whether they shall know and worship the true God; whether they shall enjoy the ordinances of the gospel ;' and that these, with other horrible conse- quences of slavery, ' connect themselves with its very existence.' And yet she resolves, in view of that declaration, that she may continue Christian fellowship with slaveholders; yes, with slaveholders with- out distinction, - as well with the minister, who enjoys ' the light of the present day,' and yet holds, multiplies, and deals in human beings re- duced to the base condition of property, as with the most humane but unenlightened youth who has just come to his inheritance of blood and sinews. She in effect says to her pastor, that - agreeably to the cour- tesy practiced among ministers, of inviting their brethren in the ministry to preach for them whenever such may happen to be their guests - hice should invite to his desk to preach to his people the most fiendish slave- holder, clothed with sacerdotal license, who may chance to call on him.
"She in effect says that no slaveholder from the South, in pass- ing through our Northern territory, should, by exclusion from the table of the Lord, be stung with remorse at his wicked practices and brought to reflect upon and see in its true light his holding man as property, as beast ; but should be allowed to pass along unrebuked, invited from Sabbath to Sabbath to commune with professing Chris- tians, well pleased, as he .moves off the next morning, at the coinci- dence in the views and feelings of Northern Christians with those of his own on this great subject. She in effect says that members of Northern churches may go to the South and become negro drivers, - that is, those whose business is to buy slaves and drive them to the Southern market for sale, - and after all this, come to the North and sit down in Christian communion with those church members wlio know all the facts in the case. May she see, repent, and forsake.
" The length of this article as disclosure, as revelation, is not dispro- portionate to its breadth and importance. And this church and its minister were quite as favorable to the anti-slavery cause at that period as the average of the churches at the North. But see how they treated their brother Carleton, who in the very truest of Christian faith and love had called their attention to what he believed their duty and his own, on the foulest abomination that ever blackened the character
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of any people or nation, in all the Christian ages. Mark how they dis- posed of his few brief resolutions, offered as a testimony against that system of cruelty which was destined to overwhelm the whole land in streams of tears and blood, and wrinkle the fair face of the South with half a million premature graves and desolate evermore unnumbered Northern homes ! Mr. Carleton's resolutions asked only that his minister and the church should ' withhold Christian fellowship from slaveholders and from churches and religions bodies that continue to fellowship slaveholders.' " 1
The language adopted by Mr. Carleton was unusually mild com- pared with that which his fellow Abolitionists were accustomed to use in connection with the same subject matter. He held firmly, however, to the position he had assumed, and returned to the attack more than once, but without avail. The question was not to be settled until the chains of the bondman were melted in the fires of civil war, when the last vestige of slavery and the conten- tions in relation to it were buried in a common grave.
The attitude of the church is stated indirectly in a letter written by Rev. Leonard Worcester, and published in the " Christian Pan- oply " of January 10, 1840. He begins with a reference to the American Colonization Society and the work it had accomplished, giving it his unreserved indorsement and support, and continues :
" In making this avowal, however, I also claim for myself that I hold the institution of slavery in utter abhorrence, as an outrage upon the rights of man and a violation of the law of love; and that I do as sincerely and ardently desire its utter abolition, in our country and throughout the world, as can your good neighbor of the 'Herald of Freedom' himself, or any of his anti-slavery friends. I claim, more- over, that I do as honestly and sincerely believe that the colonization enterprise holds out a fair prospect of incalculable good to the colored population of our country, both bond and free, and of incalculable good to the long cruelly abused continent of Africa, as any of our anti-slavery friends can believe that great good is to result to the slave population, from the enterprise in which they are engaged. I believe that the colony of Liberia, founded by the American Colonization Society, has attained to a degree of prosperity to which scarcely any colony in our own country did ever attain in an equal length of time ; and that this colony, and other adjacent colonies, founded by kindred societies, present an asylum where the wretchedly depressed and de- graded, though nominally free, colored population of our country, and slaves also, whom their masters may be induced to set at liberty, may find a refuge from those evils to which they have hitherto been subjected
1 Comment of Parker Pillsbury.
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in this country, and where they may come to the enjoyment of those precious privileges, civil and religious, which we ourselves so highly prize, but which they have never yet enjoyed, and which it seems scarcely possible that they ever can enjoy, remaining here. I believe that these colonies are probably destined to have a mighty influence in cansing the horrible and most iniquitous African slave trade to cease. And I do verily believe that, by them 'a great and effectual door is opened' for the reintroduction of the glorious light and all the inval- nable blessings of the gospel of the grace of God into that dark conti- nent, which has been for so many centuries the very ' region and shadow of death.' To all which I must add, that I do as honestly and sincerely believe that the means employed by our ultra anti-slavery friends are very far from being well calculated to effect their great object, if their object is the quiet and peaceable abolition of slavery, as any of them do or can believe that such are ' the only means' by which this object can be effected.
" Now, in respect to all these things, it is obvious that there is a very wide difference in opinion between me, and all who hold with me, and the editor of the ' Herald of Freedom,' and all who hold with him. On the one side, or on the other, too, it is manifest there must be a very considerable mistake or error in judgment. I do not tarry a moment to show on which side the mistake is, because, in relation to my present object, this is of no consequence. Just as, when Paul was writing to the Romans concerning their difference in opinion in respect to days and meats, it was of no consequence with him, in respect to his object, to show them on which side the mistake was. A difference of opinion existed. Of course one party or the other was under a mistake, or erred in judgment. And Paul would just have them understand that, wherever the mistake or error might be, it was no just cause for any breach of Christian fellowship, or interruption of Christian harmony. So, in the case under consideration. A difference in opinion exists. On one side, or on the other, there is mistake, or error in judgment. And now one very important question is, whether this mistake or error, be it where it may, is really a just cause for a breach of Christian fel- lowship, or an interruption of Christian harmony, in the churches or between the professed ministers of our Lord Jesus Christ. Can it justify either of the parties in stigmatizing the other party with oppro- brions and hateful names ; or in passing, in respect to them, denuncia- tory resolutions, calculated to withdraw from them Christian confidence, and thus diminish, if not utterly destroy, their usefulness in the Church of Christ and in the world? In few words, is it impossible for one to be under such a mistake, or in such an error, and yet be one whom Christ receives and owns as a disciple indeed? For myself, I freely own that I ' have not so learned Christ.' On the contrary, it seems to me the case is precisely one in view of which Paul would say, just as he did say to those who differed in opinion concerning days and meats,
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' Receive ye one another, as Christ also received ns, to the glory of God ; ' and in view of which Christ himself would say, to any who should manifest a disposition to pursue an opposite course, just as he did say to his disciples, James and Jolin, when they would have called fire from heaven to consume some Samaritans who did not receive him, 'Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.' Yes, it seems to me to be precisely one case, in which it must become . each in lowliness of mind, to esteem other better than themselves ;' to ' let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil-speaking be put away, with all mnalice ;' and to ' be kind one to another, tenderhearted ;' 'forbearing one another,' and 'forgiving one another :' and to ' follow after the things which make for peace.' Such, therefore, is the spirit, and such the course, which I would affectionately and earnestly urge upon my brethren, who agree with me, carefully and constantly to exemplify. I hope, too, it will not be thought very assuming or unbecoming in one who has attained to several more than his threescore years and ten, and who has been employed more than forty of these years in efforts to induce and promote this very spirit, if he kindly recommends it to the editor of the ' Herald of Freedom' and his ultra anti-slavery friends, seriously to consider whether something like such a spirit and such a course would not be quite as much in accordance with the precepts of the gospel, appear quite as lovely, and be, on the whole, quite as likely to benefit the poor slave, as are such hard names, and hard speechies, and hard resolutions as so often find a place in their proceedings and in their publications, - as such resolutions, for one example, as some which were recently discussed, and some of them passed, at Bos- cawen. These anti-slavery friends are not slow to perceive, and justly to condemn, all mobs and riots, in which a vile rabble bespatter with mud, or pelt with rotten eggs, or brickbats, or clubs, the objects of their spite. For themselves, they would do no such thing to those who honestly dissent from some of their opinions, or conscientiously stand aloof from some of their measures. Ordinarily, however, such is the character of those who engage in such scandalous outrages, that they can only bedaub the garments or do some injury to the persons or the property of those whom they wickedly assail. The reputation, the good name, of the injured individuals remains unharmed; in some instances it may be even benefited. But in those evil times upon which we have fallen it is worth being kept in remembrance, that 'a good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold.' Hence, a renowned poet has well said : -
"' Who steals my purse steals trash But he who filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him, But makes me poor indeed.'
" But that such hard names and hard speeches, and especially reso- lutions, as have been alluded to, have a tendency, and are even designed,
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to 'filch,' or at least, certainly to take away, from many ' whose praise is in the gospel throughont all the churches,' around them all the 'good name' and all the ' loving favor' they have ever been able to acquire, I think must be manifest to every candid and impartial observer of these things, and can hardly be denied by those by whom they have been en acted. How it is possible, then, for such things to be done, in any accord- ance with this fundamental law of our holy religion, ' As ye would that inen should do to you, do ye even so to them likewise,' or with many other injunctions of scripture, any more than would be the bespattering of the same individuals with mud, or pelting them with rotten eggs or other offensive missiles - I hal almost said, than is the great sin of slaveholding itself - it certainly does not seem easy to perceive. Far be it from me that I should do anything like rendering ' evil for evil, or railing for railing.' But while I would carefully put all such things far from me, I trust I may, without any just cause of offence, just re- mind our beloved friends that the sowing of ' discord among brethren' is found among the things which are 'an abomination to the Lord,' and that 'Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses,' though he ' durst not bring against him a railing accusation,' yet did allow himself just to say, evidently with divine approbation, 'The Lord rebuke thee.'"
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