The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-06-22

whereas, Certan ianatlcal heretlcS have RISE
E up, boldly, IN the northern churches, "teachin.
for doctrines the commandments" of God, in OPP
position to our principles of" expediency"
some slave code and {" delicate domestic relations
ri Therefore we wish to come out and separate our
selves" from them and "touch not" the damn
ing iniquity."
4 Art. /. We believe that all men are totally
depraved but the negroes are so much below tota
depravity, that they ought not to be suffered to
main in any civilized or christian naton,-Bu
should be prepared by Withholding knowledge
and trade, be made willing by persecution, to be-
come missionaries to civilize and chrisanize
heather Africa" "For if we suffer them TO be
educated here, they will be respectable enough to
stay here, and not go to Africa."*
Art. 2. We believe that slavery is an evil,
but it is Fright" and sanctioned by the bible "
and therefore, under present circumstances" -" a
blessing" And any attempt to denounce it as a
sin, shall be met with infaIlible AagelIaton.
Art g. We believe that "he slaves should
be educated before they are set free" but itwould
be dangerous to educate them therefore, they
should be prohibited all knowledge by law.
Art a. We believe that" emancipation should
be gradual" but all attempts at emancipation,
partial or general, immediate or remote, we will
resist to the bitterest extremity; and it is our in
tllaL as lar as III us Hes,
slavery shall be perpetual"
ART S. We believe in the marriage relation,
but " what God hath Joined together" Shareholders
may put asunder whenever they please for any
cause, or without any cause, provided they have
the least particle of African blood in their veins.
Art 6. We believe that the decalogue is uni
versally and morally binding rule of conduct, but
the seventh commandment we think, is a rhe-
torical flourish" which the God of heaven came
down to write on tables of stone for the amuse-
ment of Moses and Israel the former a reckless
hypocrtcal preacher of abolitionisn and anal ga
nation, and the successful leader of two and a
half millions of runaway slaves all which were
the legitimate consequences of that deluded ia
natical female, Pharaohs daughter, in taking up
that miserable outcast of slave, and teaching
him to read and write. . .. .t
Art. z. We believe that it is our duty to sustain
that wholesome and convenient law, which makes
it penal for any colored person to resist or lift
his hand against white person" even should they
violate The innocent members of our church, whom
we fellowship, and whom God has declared " the
temples of the Holy Ghost"
Art. s. We believe that all should search
the scriptures" and grow in knowledge daily"
but all attempts Of the slaves to learn, or of the
whites to teach them to read or write, should be
FURNISHED, "for the first offence, whipping, the sec
ond DEATH" a-sa -aaaii io''ro0Id "a
Art 8. We believe with our divine, the Rev.
Rufus w. Bailey, that the slave is the most suit
able subject to receive divine grace" as the
church records show greater proportion of slaves
than freemen." But the testimony of all the col
ored members of our churches ought not to be
equal in law to one white hfdel, or papist.
Art. 10. We believe that if these good chris
tan brethren, our slaves, were allowed to read
the bible they would apostatize lfpaid for their
work, /" they would become idle" vagabonds and
thieves: and if their wives and children were Sc
cured to them by law "they would be discomfort
ed and run away and leave them y and if we
should cease to whip and cat-haul them, they
would cut our threats, and murder our families"
Art. IL. We believe with the above divine,
that " liberatng the slaves would be like letting
wild animal out of a cage among dogs, to be wor-
ried and mangled by them" but any speech, pam
phlet, or paper, calculated to persuade the white
people of this christian nation to treat black men
as well as white dogs treat black dogs, is ncen-
diary in the highest degree. "And if there be
any stray goat of minister among us, tainted
with the bloodhound principles of abolitionism let
him be feretted out, silenced, and excommuncat-
ed and left TO the public to dispose of him in 9TH
er respects" j. e. lynch him.
Art. r. We believe furthermore, with our
divine, R. w. Bailey, that " the slaves have been
compensated hundred fold for the injury done
them by the human slave dealer! Daily praise
is given to God for that providence which made
them slaves in christian land !" but the cooni-
cation society is pure and benevolent institution
to send them back to heather Africa. r
Art. l3. We believe with that philanthropic
statesman, our brother, the Hon. Isaac Hill, in
his late message to his white slaves in New Hamp-
shire, that the abolitoniss have probably retnrd-
ed emancipation by their -drected efforts half a
century" and also with our brother the Hon. Pa
riarch McDuffie" that slavery is the cornerstone
of our republican edi6ce-but abolitonsts for
perpetuating il for fifty years, ought to suffer
death without benefit of clergy"
Art IA. We believe that "the Ethiopian
cannot change his skim" but we have changed
it from black to yellow, and even whte-but we
will not change our disposition to do them any
good, we are so accustomed and determined to
obey "human laws" and "public opinion" and
present circumstances. .
Art. Is. We believe that /" the knowledge OF
the Lord shall cover the earth" and all shall
know him." and to this end ministers should
preach the gospel to every creature" but sin
this republic there are two millions of heather,
and in some respects in a. worse condition. The
negroes are destitute of the gospel and ever VIII