The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-10-12

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2! The relations, which subsist between the
churches at the North and the South, require that
something should be done respectong slavehol-
ding.
1t is fact well known, that northern churches
have long held Christian fellowship with the
churches at the south; have met them in ecesias-
teal bodies, and freely interchanged communion
with them They are therefore bound by every
principle of propriety and Christian courtesy, 10
reprove them, if they have fallen into any sinful
practice, and TO exhort and persuade them to turn
from their evil ways, that inquy be not their ru-
in Such was the practice Of the apostles. When
evil practices crept into the churches, and evil re-
ports were spread abroad, they wrote to them, ex-
horted, warned and reproved them. And chris
tan ministers and churches may now safely fol-
low their example. There may indeed be a
point, as in the case of heresy persisted in, when
this duty is no longer required. But then all
Christian fellowship must cease, and you can no
longer recognize them as brethren. And we
cannot say, that we have arrived at this painful
point, until we have taken gospel measures to gain
our brother. 1t is assuming TOO much to say, that
a Christian letter will do no GOOD that Christians
at the South aDW not hear you. "Charity hopeth
all things" And the grace of God can soften
hearts at the south as well as at the north. But
granting that they are past feeling and incorrigi
BILE, YOU have been in fellowship with them, and
how can you withdraw your fellowship until you
have dealt with them? DO your duty, and if
they will not hear you, then treat them as heath
en- men and publicans; have no fellowship with
them.
8. Northern churches cannot free themselves
from the charge of being partakers Of other mems
sins, unless they do reprove their southern breth-
rem, and try to persuade them to abstain from the
sin of slavehodng.
1t is notorious that the churches at the south
are polluted with the sin of slavery. They buy
and sell men, women, and children, yea even
those, who are members of their own bodies, and
refuse to do that unto them, which is Just and
equal. And it is no less notorious, that northern
churches hare and do maintain friendly inter-
course and Christian fellowship with' them. Do
they not then fellowship evil doors, and practically
Justify all the denominations Of slavery9 Is not
the partaker as bad as the thief? In moral point
of view where is the difference between him,
that worships an idol, and him that justi6es his
conduct? ! can see none and believe the world
can see none The northern churches must then
be partakers in the sins OF southern churches, un-
til they do bear pubic testimony against their
crying SINS and withdraw fellowship from them.
And all impartial observers will say, that northern
churches do as really countenance and uphold
slavery as their brethren at the south. The one
is partaker in the sins Of the other, and must be
so until they come out from among them. "Do
we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger
than he"? What fellowship hath righteousness
with unrighteousness? and what communion hath
light with darkness? and what concord hath
Christ with Be1ial, or what part hath he that be-
Iieveth with an in6de?" or a STAKEHOLDER? "and
have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of
darkness, but rather reprove them"
4. A regard to consistency requires northern
Christians to speak out their minds on the ubject
Of slavery to southern churches.
If "slareryJe aJhorrent to euery feeling Of their
hearts,, and they are ready to call it SIM and do
really believe shat 1t as the greatest curse Of our
country" why not say so to southern churches7
why not sound the alarm? why not say to the
wicked thou shalt surely die if thou turn not from
thy wckedness?
If slavery be moral evil, it is sin of the
Quickest die; and Paul was correct in CHASING
with the unholy and profane, MUIR
derers of fathers and murderers of mothers, man.
slayers and whoremongers, Sodomites and liars
and periured persons. And he tells us the law
was made for such. Why then should it not be
executed upon them? Now if southern chul ches
admitted to their communion purjured persons
and whoremongers, and murderers, and allowed
liars, and Sodomites to occupy their desks, how
ong would northern churches hold communion
with them? Would not a note long and loud
soon be uttered from the north and the west, say