You know what Southern synods, and general assemblies, and many of the ablest men at the South have said about slavery; how they deplored it, and called upon Christians to seek its extinction.

The South would probably have tried to abolish slavery ere this, if left to themselves.
But they would have failed; and Providence prevented the useless effort.
The influence of those sentiments which prevailed in the General Assembly of 1818 would have been to remove all the objectionable features of slavery, at least, preparatory to its final extinction, if that could be reached.

It looked as though Churches generally would, in obedience to the General Assembly, have made it, in certain cases, the subject of discipline.

Abolitionism, however, began about that time.

It had the effect to make the South defend themselves and slavery too.
Providence saw that the South was weary of the system, and wished to throw it off.