The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1839-11-02

resided me last lhree years previous 10 Iiy enter
ing the ministry, and where have a sister still
living, Saturday, the Goth day of June last. A;
would be natural, we were both anxious to attend
meeting the next day, with my sister in our for
ncr and her present place of worship. White
River Village, and hear our former minister, the
Rev. Professor IIadduck, preach. On reaching
the house, however, found the congregation
principally assembled, but no minister, Soon af-
ter had taken my seat several members Of the
Church came,and urged me to preach, suggesting,
as | believe, that Profs. Hadduck had probably
exchanged with you, and something had detained
you. declined, and after waiting some minutes,
longer, you came in, and went into the pulpit
Soon after, one of the gentlemen, that had previ-
ousy urged me to preach, went up and conversed
with YOU. You then came down and asked me
10 preach. declined absolutely for the forenoon,
and left it uncertain for the afternoon. | did,
however, preach in the afternoon, without more
being said to me- At the close of the service
there was very little conversation between us as
recollect, further than you .mentone& Mr.-as
being under discipline in your Church and inquir-
ed whether could not come out & help adjust it.
But, still, as you mentioned nothing particular in
the case, under my circumstances, did not feel
myself called upon at all to turn aside from my
tourney, Or from visiting my friends even, 10 aid
a minister and Church in settling common case
of discipline Probably, however, if you had
told me as much about The case as have learned
since, might have felt it my duty to have delayed
my journey even, and gone and done what
could to have saved that brother and his family to
the Church, and should have done it cheerfuly
and with confidence of success. And further, you
would have been saved great deal OF anxiety and
labor, and do not know, but expense too, Of writing
and publishing to prevent the ruin prospectivcly
inflicted upon the Churches by my subsequent
indiscretions, and want Of ministerial courtesy to
yourself But do not take to myself any blame
for not going. And shall leave it Tor others to
judge after hearing the whole case, whether !
ought to give you much credit for inviting me to
preach in anothers pulpit, when urged 10 it hy a
member of that church, and especia5!y whether
from the circumstances above detailed merely, ! |
was '6ouad to understands that you would be glad
to have my assistance on the following bLatb
in your own pulpit, without any invitation from
you, or even a call from you although you admit
that you knew that I was unexpectedly detained
by the sickness Of my wife. IF had thought so,
| might, possibly, have spent the Sabbath with
YOU. But so far as rccco!lect my feelings in
relation to the matter, they were as follows Il.
was somewhat curious to hear my former min /
lister, Rev Prof IIadduck, and commune with
the church of which am still member. 9
Before reaching Hartford had heard Of your
position in relation to ant-'savcry men, princi-
piles and measures; that you had commenced
caechislng them, preparatory to calling them
to an account before the bar Of the public And
supposed, of course, you would not wish to ask
such an anti-slavery man, as myself, to preach
for you, and if you did not, did not wish to
crowd myself upon you. 3. The state OF my
health was such, did not wish to preach at all,
and certainly not more than once on the Sabbath
and as l had already engaged to preach on the
subject Of slavery, in your pulpit at 5 o'clock,
and as understood without any objection from
YOU, had heard you and had not Mr.. HadducE,
I went TO hear him and commune with my own
beloved church, and then went as soon as could,
calling only to take tea on the way, to your
meeting house, and did not arrive but just in sea-
son to commence the services. And went as an
of Christ to guilty men. felt no I'M
kind feeling towards any one. had no sinister
end to answer. | wished, and endeavored to
show Christians their duty, from the bible, to the
oppressed. With what success I labored it is for
others to determine, and when the services closed,
it was so late | had but just time TO reach my
home for the night, and as you was not there,
failed to see you.
Bat in your preamble you have still another
charge against me- 81 soon learned that he had
been in the village, and had not called upon me-
and besides, that an appointment for him on the
following Sabbath, at o'clock, in the house where
7 chnd o1rood,, 1otor,,;po1 and ,