The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-02-23
From the Charter Oak

" ought say, though foreign to the subject, that the
slaves enjoy extensive religious privileges particularly in
Georgia. '-R. r. Guley.
This assertion, and after it several remarks rel
evant, were made by Rev. Mr. Gurey at Colo
nizaton meeting in this city, on the Both ult Why
is it that this topic, though foreign to the sub
ject" is logged into every lecture on the subject
of "expulsion?" What has this to do with pro-
noting and executing "a plan for colonzing with
their consen) the free people of color, residing in
our country, in Africa, OR SUCH OTHER
PLACE as Congress shall deem most expedient
to which object the attention of the American Col
onizaon Society sis to be exclusively directed 2?
Is there any need of such sponge" to absorb
the sympathies of the humane and benevolent in
our land, whose hearts are beginning 10 go out to.
wards their colored brethren?
But we should not have thus noticed this asser-
ton, were it not directly contradcted by higher
authority. Read the following from the Report Of
the Synod of South Carolina and Georgia. pub.
lished in 1884, and Judge whether both statements
can be correct
"Before we attempt to set forth the duty [to
evangelze these heather it will be proper to show
that the negroes are destitute Of the privileges o.
the Gospel and euer cU be, under the present state
of things.
"From long-continued and close observation
(say the Synod by their committees,) we believe
that their (colored population's) moral and reli.
gious condition is such, as that they may Justly be
considered the heather Of this christian country
and wiH bear comparison NTH heather IN any
country in the toorld.
ain the vast field extending from an entire state
beyond the Potomac to the Sabine river, and from
the Atlantic to the Ohio, there are to the best Of
l. ,1oln
ted to the religious instruction of the negroes =
n n The number 1.-TWO millions of souls, and
more,) divided between them, would give to each
a charge OF near ItvvUv::
I'VE can furnish no accurate estimate of the
proportion of negroes that attend divine worship
on the Sabbath, taking the slave-hoding states to-
gether. From an extensive observation however,
we venture to say, that not t,ceieth part attend,
Thousands and thousands hear not the sound OF
the gospel, or erer enter church from one gear 10
another.
eve may now inquire, if they enjoy the privile-
ges of the gospel in private, in their own houses,
and on their own plantations F? Again we return
negative answer. They have no Bibles to read
at their own fre-sdes-no family altars-and
when in af1lcton, sickness or death, they have no
ministers to address to them the consultations of the
gospel, nor to bury them with solemn and appro-
pirate services. Sometimes a kind master will
perform these offices. If the master is pious, the
house servants alone attend family worship, and
frequently te,o or none Of these.
{" Here and there master feels interested for
the salvation of his servants, and is attempting
something towards it, &c. We rejoice that there
are SUCH and that the number is increasing. In
general, we may however remark, that 1t does not
enter into the arrangement of plantations, to make
precision for their religious instruction; and so
far as masters are engaged in this work. an almost
"',6rohen silence reigms orer the vast field.
We feel warranted, therefore, in the conclusion
that the negroes are destitute oe privileges of the
gospel, and must continue to be So if nothing more
is done for them.