ed, as some business men have
thought, as a money speculation, or, as some politicians
think, for party electioneering purposes, or, as we are
inclined to believe, in a false philosophy, over-reaching or
setting aside the Scriptures through a vain conceit of higher
moral refinement, they are utterly erroneous, and altogether
hurtful. We consider and believe that the Holy Scriptures, so
far from giving any countenance to this delusion, do
unequivocally authorize the relation of master and slave. We
hold that a Christian slave must be submissive, faithful and
obedient, for reasons of the same authority with those which
oblige husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, sisters, to fulfil
the duties of these relations. We would employ no one in the
work who might hesitate to teach thus; nor can such an one be
found in the whole number of the preachers in this
Conference."

One other document in reference to South Carolina, viz., the
resolutions recently passed by the "Hopewell Presbytery." On the
subject of domestic slavery, this Presbytery believe the following
facts have been most incontrovertibly established, viz:

I. Slavery has existed in the church of God from the time of
Abraham to this day. Members of the church of God have held
slaves bought with their money, and born in their houses; and
this relation is not only recognized, but its duties are
defined clearly, both in the Old and New Testaments.

II. Emancipation is not mentioned among the duties of the
master to his slave. While obedience "even to the froward"
master is enjoined upon the slave.

III. No instance can be produced of an otherwise orderly
Christian, being REPROVED, much less EXCOMMUNICATED from the
church, for the single act of holding domestic slaves, from
the days of Abraham down to the date of the modern
Abolitionists.

IV. SLAVERY EXISTED IN THE UNITED STATES BEFORE OUR
ECCLESIASTICAL BODY WAS ORGANIZED. IT IS NOT CONDEMNED IN OUR
CONFESSION OF FAITH, AND HAS ALWAYS EXISTED IN OUR CHURCH
WITHOUT REPROOF OR CONDEMNATION.

V. Slavery is a political institution, with which the Church
has nothing to do, except to inculcate the duties of master
and slave, and to use lawful spiritual means to have all,
both bond and free, to become one in Christ by faith.

Regarding these positions as undoubtedly true, o