In defending this doctrine, it was necessary to deny that slavery is a sin.

If driven from this position, they were compelled to deny that slaveholders were responsible for the sin; and if driven from both these positions, they must deny that it is a sin in such a sense, and that slaveholders are sinners in such a sense, as to make it wrong, in the circumstances in which they were placed, to recognize them as Christians.

Dr.Cunningham was the most powerful debater on the slavery side of the question; Mr.Thompson was the ablest on the anti-slavery side.

A scene occurred between these two men, a parallel to which I think I never witnessed before, and I know I never have since.

The scene was caused by a single exclamation on the part of Mr.Thompson.
The general assembly of the Free Church was in progress at{297} Cannon Mills, Edinburgh.