Christianity," and in the interests of "the cause of our most Blessed
Master." Immediately after making this declaration, however, the
Confederate divines commence a long series of arguments designed to prove
that the war cannot restore the Union; that the Southern States had a
right to secede; that having seceded, their separation from the North is
final; that the proclamation of PRESIDENT LINCOLN, seeking to free the
slaves is a most horrible and wicked measure, calling for "solemn protest
on the part of the people of GOD throughout the world;" that the war
against the Confederacy has made no progress; and there seems no
likelihood of the United States accomplishing any good by its continuance.
This may be esteemed good gospel teaching in the Confederate States, but
in this country it would be thought to have very little connection with
"the cause of our most Blessed Master." But the Southern clergymen reserve
for the close of their address the defence of the grand dogma of their
religion--the doctrine that negro slavery as carried out in the Southern
States of America "is not incompatible with our holy Christianity."
Stupendous as this proposition may appear to the British mind, it offers
no difficulty to these learned and pious men. Nay, they are not only
convinced that slavery is "not incompatible" with Christianity, but they
boldly affirm that it is a divinely established institution, designed to
promote the temporal happiness and eternal salvation of the negro race,
and that all efforts to bring about the abolition of slavery are
sacrilegious attempts to interfere with the "plans of Divine Providence."
"We testify in the sight of GOD," say the clergy of the Confederate
States, "that the relation of master and slave among us, however we may
deplore abuses in this, as in any other relations of mankind, is not
incompatible with our holy Christianity, and that the presence of the
Africans in our land is an occasion of gratitude on their behalf before
_God_; seeing that thereby Divine Providence has brought them where
missionaries of the cross may freely proclaim to them the word of