Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1838-03-31
Correspondence 6ei,Oeen Gerru Smith, Esq.
Of Peterboro', ~ Y, and the Rep. Wi.
liam Winans, Of Mississippi.


ais which are familiar TO the reading pull
lie. Considering their standing befor
the community in which they live,
would be impairment in US to make an,
remarks respecting either of their commu
nlca,lons. They speak Tor themselves
The correspondence tselfcontains an &C
count of the history of its introduction AM
progress. Considering all the circum
stances of the case, we have concluded t
give both communications an insertion in
to our columns, which we think, knowing
the parties, will not be Objectionable (
characterization Advocate 8. Journal.
From Zion'S Wdtchman.
LETTER
1HoM O. SMITH, ESQ. OF N. Y. TO THE REV
WIN. wINANS, OF MISSISSIPPI.
Dear Sir;-Among the letters received
months ago, and unanswered, by reason
OF unexpected and pressing claims upon
my time, is kind-hearted and interesting
one from your pen.
You inform me, that "the Methodist
Church have undertaken to erect large,
substantial place of worship" in N. Or
leans--and you invite me to share in the
expense Of. erecting it. have a question
10 put TO you. Suppose | were invited to
contribute 10 the cost Of erectiong a hea-
then temple, could nnocentIy comply
with the requcst9 You will promptly an
swer that | am not at liberty to promote
any form ofldoIatrous worship.
The religion of the south, as you well
know, sanctions that code OF laws which
iorblds marriage and reading; which in
vests hundreds Of thousands of petty ty-
rants with the power Of separating hus-
bands from their wives-and which, by
means of whippings and various brutal
treatmant of parents, that it authorizes,
make such parents vile and contemplate
in the eyes of their children.
The religion ofthe bible, on the contra
ry, the religion Of the true God enioins
marriage and the searching Of the scrip
lures; commands husbands to dwell with
their wives, and commands children to
honor their parents. Now, | take it for
granted, that the religion which is to be
preached in the "place of worship" which
you invite me to assist in preparing, is
the religion of the south, and put It to
your candor, whether it is not therefore,
fairly to be considered an idoIatrous ''place
Of worship" You will, of course, admit
that the religion preached at the south is
not the whole Of the true religion. You
may not, however, be SO ready to admit,
that it therefore deserves to be cassed
with false religions, and its temples with
heather temples. Now do not say, that
the religion the south is as false as ma
ny religions are, ladmit that it presents
far more Of truth than most Of them do
All insist on is, that it does not set forth
the whole testimony of the God Of the BIZ
BILE; and it is therefore to be numbered
with e lse religions, and its chapels with
places Of idol worship. Let me add, that
the true God mutilated is as certainly an
IDOL sis any god to which the nations oil
the east bow down.
hgrleves me to know that there are
some good men at the north who continue
their contributions towards sustaining the
religion OF the south. In spirit ofmis
guided frOternal and Christian feeling thew
yield 10 solicitations for aid to build south.
ern houses Of worship, and endow profes-
sorships in southern theological semina-
ries. They know not what they do. To
such solicitations have myself Yielded
Knowing not what did, on one occasion
put my hand in my pocket in behalf Of the
theological seminary at Columbia, s. c.;
and now have the pain Of seeing my gift
employed in propagating a slave-holding
Christianity. In proof that this is the
type Of the christianity of that seminary,
and that its students cannot be respected,
if indeed their persons can be safe, I'M
less they manifest their friendship for
slavery, copy the following article, which
was published a few months ago, in the
Southern Christian Herald, to aIlay an ex-
element against the northern born mem
bsrs Of the school, which unchecked, would
not improbably have resulted in tho lynch
ing of the obnoxious students:--
"At present the number OF students is
twenty, Of whom thirteen are natives Of