The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-23 00:00:00

moßvimsr SUN.

of the lands and the protest of nations, it sometimes lends
itself to the slave-trade ; that, by its capital, and accom-
modations, and swift sailers, and false papers, and pros-
tituted flag, it takes a part in tearing the African from
his home and native shore, and in dooming him, first to
the horrors of the middle passage, and then to the hope-
lessness of perpetual bondage. Even on men so fallen I
call down no curse. May they find forgiveness from
God through the pains of sincere repentance ; but con-
tinuing what they are, can I help shrinking from them
as among the most infamous of their race ?"
Those arrogant and ambitious Governments, who fear
to trust human nature, but have an overweening confi-
dence in themselves, should study the following passage:—
THE GROWTH OF SOCIETY.

" I see the danger of the present state of society, per-
haps as clearly as any one. But still I rejoice to have
been born in this acre. It is still true that human na-
. .

ture Was made for growth, expansion ' • this is its proper
life, and this must not be checked because it has perils.
The child, when it shoots up into youth, exchanges its
early repose and security for new passions, for strong
emotions, which are full of danger ; but would we keep
him for ever a child ? Danger we cannot avoid. It is a

grand element of human life. We always walk on
precipices. It is unmanly, unwise, it shows a want of
faith in God and humanity, to deny to others and our-

selves free scope and the expansion of our best powers,
because of the possible collisions and pains to be feared
from extending activity. Many,indeed, sigh for security
as the supreme good. But God intends us for something
better, for effort, conflict, and progress. And is it not
well to live in a stirring and mighty world, even though
we suffer from it ? If we look at outward nature, we
find ourselves surrounded with vast and fearful elements,
air, sea, and fire, which sometimes burst all bounds, and

overwhelm man and his labours in ruin. But who of us-
would annihilate these awful forces, would make the
ocean a standing pool, and put to silence the loud blast,
in order that life may escape every peril.; This myste-
rious, infinite, irresistible might of nature, breaking out
in countless forms and motions, makes nature the true
school for man, and gives it all its interest. In the soul,
still mightier forces are pent up, and their expansion has
its perils. But all are from God, who has blended with
them checks, restraints, balances, re-actions, by which all
work together for good. Let us never forget that amidst
this fearful stir there is a Paternal Providence, under
which the education of our race has gone on, and a
higher condition of humanity has been achieved.
" There are, however, not a few, who have painful
fears of evil from the restless, earnest action, which we
have seen spreading itself more and more through all
departments of society. They call the age wild, lawless,
presumptuous, without reverence. All men, they tell us,
are bursting their spheres, quitting their ranks, aspiring
selfishly after gain and pre-eminence. The blind mul-
titude are forsaking their natural leaders. The poor, who
are the majority, are contriving against the rich. Still
more, a dangerous fanaticism threatens destruction to the
world under the name of Reform ; society totters ; pre-
pertyis shaken ; and the universal freedom of thought and
action, of which so many boast, is the precursor of social

storms, which only despotism can calm. Such are the
alarms of not a few ; and it is right that fear should

utter its prophecies as well as hope: But it is the true
office of fear to give a wise direction to human effort,
not to chill or destroy it. To despair of the race, even

,
in the worst times, is-unmanly, unchristian. How much
more so in times like the present What I most lament

in these apprehensions, Is the utter distrust of human
nature which they discover. Its highest powers are
thought only to be restrained. They are thought to be
safe only when in fetters. To me there is an approach
to impiety in thinking so meanly of God's greatest work.

Human nature is not a tiger which needs a constant
chain. In this case, it is the chain which makes the

tiger. It is the oppressor who has made man fit only
for a yoke."

We shall finish by quoting an eloquent tpassage, in
which Dr. Channing overthrows the opinion that the diffu-
sion of knowledge leads to the subversion of society,
however dangerous it is to tyrants and tyranny. It
shows that the slave conservatism of Peel and Stanley,
of the priests and the landlords, is opposed to