The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-08-24
N 1--WE BER 81.

III
oiack -Tnan calling himself christian stole 25 cts;
r 1t was instantly in all the papers. He hoped that
a reiglouS paper would be started that would tell
: tne trulh ana let the rest go over the dam Reli-
t gous papers ought to be guided by the book of
e God, but when they advocated slavery thew libel.
led the bible They prolessed to speak against
all SIM but on the great and crying sin of slavery
$ they were all f." dumb dogs" How did the Chris
tan churches act on other sub ects? When some
In the Methodist denomination contended against
particular form of church organization thew were
stigmatized as radicals and turned out of doors
So in the Presbyterian church whole svnods, con.
tanning thousands ofchristan professors, were dis
owned and accommodated at blow, for a disa-
greement on the forms of Presbyterian govern
nent, yet these same churches took the slavehold-
er to their bosom The Baptist church were so
jealous for their own view of the form of baptism,
that they were for Withdrawing from all co-opera
zion with the American Bible Society," unless
particular word should be translated as they BELIZE
we'd it Ought to be, and yet they could depute a
grey headed Christian minister to the South to
collect the treasures of robbery for the Lords
| cause, and to enter into bargain and to give a
solemn pledge, that if these oppressors would but
give them money, not word should be said a.
ganst their system of cruelty to the down-trodden
slave. What was this but sranng at gnat
while they swallowed camel? When the abo-
ition convention was mobbed out of Utica these
churches and their public organs said not word
about the matter. The papers expressed no dis
appropriations and yet abolitioniss would contn-
lie to support such papers though they had made
no confession and expressed no repentance. New
err ought this to have been done till their columns
were clothed in mourning for their iniquity. He
hoped that not another man would subscribe to
these Baptist papers till open confession had been
made and the deepest repentance manifested by
those who conducted them. Even the faculty ola
Theological Seminary had abolished an abolition
society formed by its Students never ought such
institution to be sanctioned by the churches till
these men had on their knees made the humblest
confession before the whole world And yet the
Professors of Lane Seminary could be received
without question into an abolition convention =
This went to sap the very foundations Of religion.
Mr.. B. said, that being commanded to " open his
mouth for the dumb he could not refrain from
telling these few thoughts: but as he was young
man in the presence of others much older thar
himself, he should refrain from saying many more
things which he should be glad to Urge upon the
body
Rev. D. A. Payne, of Troy, next addressed the
Convention. He said that he had lately had a
with three ministers of the gospel,
one of whom preached in Mississippi, and ano;h-
Ell was q planter WllulH my niles OIL NeW Or-
leans. They were speaking of church in
Charleston S. C. which had recently given $4,000
to the missionary cause and they had stated that
Gen. Hamilton, ex-senator Hayne, and Judge
Cocock were leading spirits in that church, and
cxercd the most powerful influence of any men
in 1t. Row if it was fact that northern church
es had received the large contributions of such
men, knowing them to be shareholders, and iust-
era of slaveholding, that fact ought to be exposed
Let the light shine: and let all information which
had "a bearing on the subject be freely given. It
was wei! known that the large contributions of
slaveholding churches TO purposes of christian be-
nevolence were urged by many as proofs Of their
piety When Mr.. P. had first entered the minis
try he had inquired whether the churches in
Charleston were esteemed very pious his infor-
mant could not tell, but observed that they gave
more to the mission fund than almost any others.
He insisted that it was the duty of the churches
to bear an open and explicit testimony against
slavery and all who upheld it. Let their voice
be heard loud as the thunders of heaven in de-
nunciaon of so foul an iniquity. So long as
they kept silence the infde understood it a virty-
al declaration that christianity approved of slave
ry, or at least treated it with liberation. Mr.. p.
related dispute which he had had with certain
southern ministers who urged many arguments a.
gains abolition and supported their objections by
quotations from tne DlDle an lnTueI VINO was pre-
sent and had attentively listened TO the discuss
ion, made, at its close, this remark" there is
more in the bible to sanction slavery than in the
heart of any honest man. Their apologies for
slavery went like dagger into the very heart of
Bible religion. Shame for the churches, and for
the professed ambassadors Of Christ when an in
fdel could find in the heart of every honest man
more to condemn the evils of slavery than they
would find in the bible. In a conversation with
an abolitionist residing in Pittsburgh who was
an unbeliever in Christ, that gentleman had
freely admitted TINT the bible contained purer
and more sublime system Of morals than the world
had ever seen, but said that protested christians
had corrupted the simplicity of its precepts-and
in proof quoted certain Rev. d. D. in Pitts
burgh, whose ruling elder man of overwhelm-
ing influence in the church, owned numbers of
slaves a, the South, and yet his pastor dared not
rebuke him for his sin. He dared not open his
lips for the slave lest he should give offence TO
this rich slaveholding elder Nor did the man
stop here but charged the whole church at large.
with holding the sentiments of slavery. He said
" he was Jew; and when the Christians brought
such a charge against Moses as that he sanctioned
slavery, he hurled it back with indignation. New