Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1839-02-27
RELIGIOUS MISCELLANY.
From the Christian Reflector
SLAVES HEAR THE GOSPEL.

From the Christian Reflector
SLAVES HEAR THE GOSPEL.
1t has often been said. that /" fthe slaves
are not allowed to read the Bible, they
hear the gospel preached missionaries
may be, and ought to be, sent among
them" 10 throw some rays of light on
this subject, we will make a few brief ex-
tracts from the GreenviIle Mountaineer,
OF Oct, II, 1888, a paper published in
South Carolina.
s. At Methodist camp meeting, held at
Abbeville District, on the 4th inst, Rev
William Wightman intermeddled with
subject of the deepest concern to the PEG.
pie of South Carolina. The South Caro-
lima Conference, at its last annual meet
ing, appointed missionary to be sent
among US to preach especially to the
black population A large and respecta-
BILE portion of the citizens of AbbevilIe and
Edgfed districts, are opposed to the in
PRODUCTION of missionary on this partic-
ular errand among them believing that
this missionary scheme porlends evil and
is pregnant with combustible matter.'
Such is the broad view which slave
holders take, of an attempt to send mis-
sionaries among the slaves. How, we
ask, does this decided opposition to such
instruction of the slaves accord with the
pretence frequently offered at the North,
that the "slaves are very we'll instructed
by the living teacher, although they are
not allowed to read the Bible" 1t GER
family proves that some northern men
/ have been deceived
We will now state particular instance
of trouble occasioned by missionary
What did the Rev. Mr.. Wightman, al
ready named, do, which exposed him to
the charge OF having intermeddled with
subject of the deepest concern to the
people of South Carolina - "In the
course of his remarks, (says the Noun
!aineer) he told the pegroes that they were
frequently overtasked and overworked =
yea, that their masters should not task,
whip, nor overwork their negroes"
He declared that he 'honcred all men
alike, regardless of the color of their skin,
Sc, which, no doubt, induces some of the
most intelligent negroes to infer that he
was advocating their right of equality in
certain particulars; and if equal in some
respects. aohy nat IN alLw
Such IS the part of the criminal con
duct of Mr.. Wightman, whom the Metho
dlsts OF the South sent among the slaves
BY some ofthem ost Intelligent, negroes
he might be understood to say that sc il
some respects they were equal " TO The
white folks. What an enormous crime
So then, in order to be tolerated az mis-
sionary, he ought to have told the negroe
that they were not equal in any respect
not even in possessing soul equally i'm
mortal and valuable with that of the whit
: that they had not an equal right TO hea
. the gospel with their masters, but that, 70
their masters benefit, they must cheer
e fully consent to remain in ignorance, cel
7 talnly to very great extent, of the GO
j pei, and if need be, to be lost that the
y masters might be saved.
! 1t is not to be doubted that there al
g people in New England, who would coo
1t ly consider the ignorance and eternal 10:
r of black man, especially slave, muc
II less matter ofgrief than the ignorance ar
C loss of white man. So it is no: yer
n strange that such notions should ext
Ii among the whites at the South. B,
IS where is the Christianity of such a man
= Lazarus laid at the rich mans gate
g and especially black Lazarus" cove
+ ed all over with sores, ought 70 be 10
m rather than the stately occupant of tn
II splendid dwelling. Father Abraham
at reject the black man from your presenc
We and receive the rich oppressor to your b
~ som. Ministers, missionaries, go pr
e claim the good tidings Of great Joy. " hi
g are to all, aohite people, in their precio
al ears but do not imagine it equally impc
tant to announce the same good tidings
the blacks-the coiored population Lea
IN these at their tolls, in their ignorance.
I'm Bible societies, keep back the Bible fire.
les the slaves, lest you inermeddle w
10. subject of the deepest concern
,ut the people of South Carolina; lest y
b. make the whites angry and the slaves
len bellious for the Bible is pregnant W
ost combustibie matter Such is the doctr
i've of the Americans. claiming to be m,
self civilized than the Hindoos, or the Holt
Ike tots. or the Western savages; and yet
the any ofthese nations or tribes only DEM
zee Fat your coming among them to bring {
al distribute Bibles and to preach the gosI
all. you make the welkin ring with char
,ge. of heathenism and deep degradation!
bed Alb | the civilized are privileged v
. =. the right of being more heathenish, I
the heathen,' and more savage than