ADDRESS.
DEAR BRETHREN :   

T h e w i l l o f S y n o d has m a d e it o u r d u t y to l a y b efore y o u " a p l a n for the m o r a l a n d r e l i g i o u s i n s t r u c t i o n , as w e l l a s for the future e m a n c i p a t i o n , o f the s l a v e s " u n d e r y o u r c a r e . W e feel the r e s p o n s i b i l i t y a n d d i f f i c u l t y o f the d u t y t o w h i c h the c h u r c h h a s c a l l e d us, y e t the c h a r a c t e r o f those w h o m w e address s t r o n g l y e n c o u r a g e s us to h ope t hat l a b o r w i l l n ot be in v a i n . Y o u profess to be g o v e r n e d b y the p r i n c i p l e s a n d precepts o f a h o l y r e l i g i o n ; y o u r e c o g n i s e t he fact that y o u h a v e y o u r s e l v e s " been made f r e e " b y the blood o f the S o n o f G o d ; a n d y o u believe t hat y o u h a v e been i m b u e d w i t h a p o r t i o n o f the s a m e s p i r i t w h i c h w a s i n " H i m w h o , t h o u g h he w a s r i c h , y e t f or o u r s a k e s b e c a m e p o o r . " W h e n w e point out to s u c h p ersons t h e i r d u t y , a n d c a l l u p o n t h e m to f ulfil i t , o u r a p p e a l c annot be a l t o g e t h e r f r u i t l e s s . B u t w e h a v e a s t i l l s t r o n g e r g r o u n d o f o u r e n c o u r a g e m e n t , i n o u r firm c o n v i c t i o n t hat, the cause w h i c h w e a d v o c a t e is the cause o f G o d , a n d that his assistance w i l l m a k e it finally p r e v a i l . M a y H e " w h o h e a r s the c r y o f the p o o r a n d n e e d y , " a n d w h o h a s c o m m a n d e d to let the " oppressed go f r e e , " g i v e t o e a c h one o f us w i s d o m to k n o w o u r d u t y , and s t r e n g t h t o f ulfil i t. W e e a r n e s t l y entreat y o u , b r e t h r e n , to r e c e i v e o u r c o m m u n i c a t i o n i n the s a m e s pirit o f k i n d n e s s in w h i c h it is m a d e ; a n d p e r m i t n e i t h e r p r e j u d i c e n o r interest to c lose y o u r m i n d s against the r e c e p t i o n o f t r u t h , o r steel y o u r h earts a g a i n s t the c o n v i c t i o n s o f c o n s c i e n c e . V e r y s oon i t w i l l b o a matter o f no m o m e n t w h e t h e r w e h a v e h a d l a r g e or s m a l l possessions on the e a r t h ; but it w i l l b e e f i nfinite i m p o r t a n c e w h e t h e r o r not w e h a v e c o n s c i e n t i o u s l y s ought out the w i l l o f G o d a n d d one i t . W e a l l a d m i t that the s y s t e m o f s l a v e r y , w h i c h exists a m o n g us, is not r i g h t . W h y , t h e n , do w e assist in p e r p e -