The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-03-16

81 Objections against Abolition.
| turn to an objection that has somewhat of the
sembance of truth, but which yet is not to be trus-
ed for its comely form. 1t is said that ministers
should let the subject of slavery alone, and preach
the great principles of the gospel letting christian
ity in this unobtrusive way operate on the minds
Of men, and gradually bring about the emancipa-
ton of the slaves. Beautiful dream Fair, but
unsubstantial vision! How long must this indi-
rect and gradual process 60 on before the work of
emancipation shall be done! If the past throws
any light the future, these gradatons all tread
backward. Slavery itself is the most formidable
hindrance to the progress of christianity, and the
more time is given to that deadly foe of moral
kingdom, the broader and deeper will be its en-
trenchments. Just where slavery gets the frmest
foothod Just there will it most weaken, till it final
ly displaces a religion of good will to men. Slave
ry coils round the genius of christianity, and if
she do not soon strangle it, with violence of eff
fort, twill crush and devour her. Why take
blind and circuttous route? There is nothing
zgzag in the path of christianity. Her eyes look
right on, and her eyeids look straight before her,
Stealth is neither her principle nor her power
Her work is not done in a corner. When she
speaks, she speaks to the point. When she calls
sinners 10 repentance, she tells them what to re-
pent Of She shews to the people their transgres-
sions and to the house of Jacob their sins. She
cries aloud and spares not. When she has bro
ken the sceptre of any tyrant sin, she has grasped
it with decision she has wrenched 1t away, and
broken it with the strength Of her obvious arm
Without this decision the world had been ruined
beyond hope.
Why sir, is the work of emancipation delayed
Is not slavery gaining strength every hour? Has
it not, encouraged by vague generalities, been
;teolf of nd
mseries, by night and by day, age after age? Does
not its own nature, does not its whole history show
the need of strong pressure upon it2 is there not
earnest call to all the friends and especially to
the ministers of holy religion, to proclaim the
rights of men, and denounce the crime of slavery!
And what else stops mems breath but the extreme
need of speaking out, everywhere, their boldest
thoughts! Yes, it is the magnitude of the evil
that makes men cautious and dumb 1t is the
natural impotence of slavery, become more brazen
by indulgence, that makes freedom reluctant
and shamefaced. repeat it, it is the enormity of
the evil that makes tongues mute that should
break forth as thunder. 1t is because slavery
holds so many, so widely, so entirely, and so ha-
bitually in its fierce grasp. If the crime of slave
ry were less magnificent than it is it, instead of
being spread over thirteen States, it covered only
the State of Connecticut, or Rhode Island, or even
the ten miles spare, now the nations emporium of
slavery; if the blight of this sin on manhood and
its hopes, instead of falling two and half mil
lions fell on only twenty thousand of our country
men if slavery struck only the BODY instead of
shedding mildew on the soul; if, instead of being
hoary with age, it had sprung up but yesterday
all eyes would be bent upon it, men would not
be called upon to circumnavigate the globe 10 wind
around the unsuspecting monster a thread of Cos
samer; they would snatch the weapons that lie
nigh them, even in their hearts they would
pierce it with storm of arrows; they would de-
sroy it from the land with universal execration.
The next lion in our way, and which comes to
us as from the swellings of Jordan, is the Ex-
CLEMENT! We are earnestly admonshed to shun
it, lest it devour us. For one, have no desire to
encounter it. would not unnecessarily place
myself in its way but fin the path of duty |
meet it, | am told, on the highest authority, not to
give place TO it. Besides, is it not of that kind,
which, if we resist, will flee from US?
| am aTare that excitement is, of itself, evidence
neither for nor against any cause. 1t is inciden,
tai to the movements of ambition and of virtue it
may be for or against liberty. We are not to de-
eide on the merits of any cause by either the ex-
element or the stiffness that accompanies it. An
excitement may be the object of Just censure or of
just commentator; and calm may be even more
fatal than a Storm We are to look at that which
is the occasion or the object Of excitement, before
we determine Tie character OF the excitement IL
self
The objection which we here meet is one that
is ever met in attempting to destroy any sin that
has endured long and spread wide. We look in
vain, through the history of man, for any great
reformation which has not encountered opposition.
No purity of motive can calm it off; no seal of
Heaven can gain its respect; no measure of be-
nefcence is proof against lis malice Which OF
the prophets was not prosecuted for righteousness
sake The spotless Son of God was, fercely
and with mortal hatred, accused of stirring up the
people and peryerting the nation. The public
prosecutor before the corrupt Felix, denounced
Paul as pestient fellow, mover of sedition,
ringleader of the sect that was everywhere spoken
against, They who We're divinely commissioned
to reinstate a fallen world were mobbcd for turn.
ing it upside down. Christianity started on her
errand of good will in tempest of the most ma,
ignant passions. From their fierce assault hard.
y was she relieved, before night-her foulest enc.
ny-came down upon her. After wandering dim,
through ages of darkness, the day scarcely broke