Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1823-08-09

ePFcdu VI TIC boSPCi' Al 10 my uutt do O
preacher 10 inculcate on my hearers
the doctrines of the bible, and this can
not do without opposing every species
of wickedness forbidden in that holy
book. That slavery is forbidden in the
scriptures appears from the followin 6
passages " All things whatsoever ye
would that men should do TO you, do you
even so to them, for this is the law and
the prophets" Mat. vii. XII. Now take
il for granted that no man would wish to
be made slave, and of course every
one that supports slavery breaks this
golden rule, violates all the law and the
prophets and consequently is a sinner in
the sight of God. We all know the ne
groes were stolen from their own coun
try, and we also know that they are kept
ii sbrvitude by preparation Of the
same violence and injustice, that first
brought them into bondage. God says
He that stealeth man and selleth him,
or if he be found in his hand, he shall
surely be put to death" Exod. xxi. xvi.
| How contemplate must the STAKEHOLDER
appear in the sight of every honest man,
he is meaner than beggar, because he
is dependent on stealing for the source
of his wealth; rapine, murder, and theft
first brought the negroes into bondage,
and the same principle keeps them in
slavery. He who lives by the gain of
oppression is daily guilty of crime for
which the law that God gave by Moses
would take his life.
St. Paul says the law is made " For
murderers of fathers and murderers OF
mothers, for man-slayers, for whore
mongers, for them that defile themselves
with mankind, for men-steaiers, for liars,
for perjured persons, &c. Tim. tx. 10
Here slavery, or men-steaiinS is ranked
with the worst crimes forbidden in scrip
ture. Does not every man OF common
sense know it is the duty of every minis
ter of Christ to oppose any measure in
church or state, that Won d tend to intro
duce any Of these crimes into his church
or his family? Suppose there were as
great exertions now making in this state
to legaize thanksgiving as there are now
making to authorize man stealing: would
it not be the duty of every preacher to
lift up his voice against it
The true preachers of the gospel well
know that all those, who die in the spirit
of slavery will undoubtedly be lost, and
they have 100 much regard for the souls
of men to be silent spectators of their
everlasting destruction. The introduce
ton of slavery in this state will be the
commencement of a civil war, in which
one part Of the population will be armed
against another. This will be war Of
naughty tyrants against their deienceess
slaves; ii will be cruel war, commenc-
ed without provocation, and carried Oh
for the sake Of gain, with the avowed in
tenlion OF never making peace. The
iron hearted shareholders will tear in
nocent infants from the arms of their
weeping mothers, and sell them to the
highest bidder as they do cattle. Hus-
bands and wives, as we'll as parents and
children, will be torn asunder at the plea
surcs of their un!ee!lng masters.
10 make this slave state, would be
to change it from place Of happiness,
TO region of crimes and misery, for,
perhaps, ages 10 come: and is il posi-
ble that true minister Of Christ can be
silent spectator to the Introduction of
an evil, which in all probability will
plunge thousands Of precious souls into
everlasting ruin!
l love the Methodist preachers and
pray God to prosper them, but do not
wish the public TO take up the idea that
they are the only preachers in this state,
who are active in opposing slavery. l
am not, nor ever was methodist
preacher, and believe the christians in
general, and particularly the preachers
of the denomination to which belong,
are all actively and diligently engaged
not only in exhorting their neighbors to
vote against convention, but are also
continually praying the God Of Heaven
to preserve Illinois from the dreadful
curse Of slavery. l have had good
opportunity Of information on this SUBJ
Ject, and have no doubt but that nearly
all the christians in this state are engaged
in this holy work. think we have
much greater encouragement to pray
the God Of armies to prevent the intro
duction of slavery in this state, than we
had to pray for the success Of the
American arms in the late war; for al
though in that our cause was good, still
our success cost the lives of our enemies,
but in the present case, we are only
praying for God to soften the hearts for
those unhappy sinners, and turn them