Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-07-19
RELIGIOUS MISCELLANY.
From the New-York Evangelist.
E.V. c. w. GARDENERS SERMON

REV. c. w. GARDNER'S SERMON.
On Sabbath afternoon, June 4th, sermon
was preached in the First Colored Presby
terrain church, Philadelphia, by Rev. Charlie:
w. Gardner, the pastor, on the Sin OF the
Church in its connection with Slavery. |
was listened to with much interest, by a re
spectacle audience, including fe11 mem
bers of the General Assembly, then in SEES
sion. We took notes Of the principal points
in the discourse, and will present them tC
our readers although those who have en-
joyed the privilege of hearing brother Gard
ner when most deeply engaged, will easily
see that our sketch must be far from doing
justice to the power Of his eloquence. AT
ter reading the first IL verses Of the 58th
chapter Of Isaiah, he observed, that in call
ing attention to the Sin of the Church in its
connection with American Slavery, he did
not propose to enter into any discussion of
the means necessary TO bring about emanci-
patton, but simply to speak Of the iniquty
of the system, and the guilt of the church,
in its connection with that system. Nor
did ne address the Presby terrain church only,
for although that was guilty, yet there is no
branch of the church Of Jesus Christ guilt
less in the matter,
THE MON.
lent" hn0 the LOfu Salu unto JOSnua Oet
thee up-wherefore liest thou thus upon thy face?
Israel hath sinned, and they have also transgress
cd my covenant which commanded them: for
they have even taken Of the accursed thing, aid
have also s:olen and dissembled also. and they
have put il even among their own stuff. There
fore the children OF Israel could not stand before
their enemies, but turned their backs before their
enemies, because they were accused; neither
will | be with you any more, except we destroy
the accused from among you. Up, sanctIfy the
people, and say, Sanctify yourselves against to-
morrow-f0r thus saith the Lord Coz OF israel
ThTre is an accused thing in the midst of thee.
o Israel--thou canst not stand before thine enc
mics until We take away the accused thing from
among you. Josh. vii. l0-l3.
From this passage Of Divine writ, we
NAV learn several important points applica-
bic to the subject before US. propose then,
l. To make several remarks on the pas
sage.
And preparatory to them, permit me 10
say, that there are certain rights belonging
to mankind, and guaranteed to every !ndl-
vidual, which others have not a rig Int TO IN
terfere with, only on certain principles ou
those rights may be approached, so lar a.
our civil and domestic rights Interfere witt
the moral welfare Of the world. For ex
ample: A citizen Of the United States ha
a civil right to plant an orchard, ana MAKE
the cider into brandy, and sell 1t TO WHOM
q he pleases. And l have no right Whateve
to 60 into his field, and cut down his trees
or destroy his fruits, or demolIsh his press
or set fire TO his still house. But his exer
else Of his civil rights. in that manner, In
Ierferes with the welfare of the country, AM
as a friend, | have a right to speak to him
and try to persuade him TO cease from hi
sin. And no man has a right TO interior
with me in the exercise of this right O
speech. This is the right am about TO ex
orcise this afternoon.
You will observe, then, that God says I
Joshua, "Get thee up" &c. That Is
What is the use Of your lying here, o
your face, calling upon me, as though ma
injured you, or neglected my duty lsrae
hath sinned." It IS true, only one, Achan
had committed the trespass. and had take
the wedge of gold and the Baby lonIsh ga'
m,nt, and hid it in his tent Yet 90
charged the whole nation with that sin
From this you will understand, that whe
there Is a union Of effort called for, thos
who are associated stand or fall togethe
The interest Of one is the interest oil tn
whole, and the interest OF the whole Is IN
interest Of each one. Ii was therefore IN
province Of the church, when she found he
self driven back before her enemies, to e.
anime INTO tue HNN -
en- rise to such calamity and disgrace
But Israel was silent, and did not scare
out the cause Of the divine dispIeasure; an
therefore, they were all held guilty OF th
sin Of this one man.
- Another remark is, that what may b
lawfully used in a certain way, may be VI
Iawfully-used in another way. The lsrae
ties might take the gold for the treasury
The I ord, but TO use il for their own was pu
loininc that which belonged to God; al
therefore Il became an accused thing
Tbey had also dissembled in the matte
They had put on the smooth lace OF We
shipners, and said, The temple of Il
Lord are we,n while at the same time tn
Rad robbed God. Therefore !! was, tn
they turned their back upon their .eneml.
Cod cannot be associated with sin, or vi
sinners. He had brought the people c
from the land of Egypt and the house
bondage and now he says, u VIII
Saw, with you, and will leave your e.
mics to triumph over you and destroy y
ifyou do not put away me accurseu IN
from among YOU" st-, LIS.
Won viii see, then, that Joshua was
ouired TO draw down the discipline OF
church ufon the very individual who
guilty. And for this end they cast lois,
find out the right person. he also 3.
.mands the people to sanciliy themseN
and dedicate themselves fully TO God
as not 10 let their own natural symPatnl
tenderness run ont TO the rescue oil the 9
W. Let God be glorihed, and one man