Chapter 8: the Chardon-Street Convention.—1840.
This October convention is called by friends of Universal Reform to examine the foundations of the prevailing view of the Sabbath, ministry, and Church as divine appointments. Garrison does not sign the call, but takes part in the proceedings, as do many clergymen. The discussion is confined to the Sabbath, and he argues that the institution was done away by the coming of Christ. For this he is taxed by the New organization clergy with heading an infidel convention; and the financial mission of John A. Collins to England, on behalf of the American A. S. Society, furnishes an opportunity for fresh defamation of Garrison abroad.The year 1840 was, in a fermenting period, distinguished for the number of conventions, of every species, looking to the amelioration of human society. One, which made much stir, was held at Groton, Mass.,1 on August 12 (while Mr. Garrison was on the water), being called by the friends of Christian Union, who inquired: ‘Is the outward organization of the Church a human or a divine institution?’ Amos Farnsworth was in the chair, and among other abolitionists who participated were A. B. Alcott, J. V. Himes, and Cyrus M. Burleigh. But also one remarked the Rev. George Ripley, the future founder of the Brook Farm community; Christopher Pearce Cranch; and (as the report read in the Liberator) ‘——Parker of Roxbury,’ with 2 littleknown Second-Adventists and ‘Come-outers.’ The3 Non-Resistance Convention was next in order, being the4 second annual meeting of the Society. It met at Chardon-Street Chapel on September 23, 24, 1840; but neither Mr. Garrison's annual report nor the rest of the proceedings5 need keep us from the more important ‘Chardon-Street Convention’—important in a personal sense to Mr. Garrison, as it was made the occasion of fresh defamation of him, even on the part of those who, like the Rev. Nathaniel Colver, had as much to do with it as6
