Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1840-12-09

he other facts [ wish TO make known, 10
justification of my withdrawal. l have
been accused of dividing the church, and
frying to compel them TO act against their
wishes. | have done this no farther than |
I thought duty required. have for
long time felt that those who profess to be
christians are the individuals who,
should, and soiEt be, most instrumentalin
doing away slavery and other evil prac- |
tees in the world, and that those who are
associated together within the pale of the
church, could exert a powerful influence |
against American slavery, by remonstrat-
inc with southern churches on that anti
christian practice. | have felt that could
the whole northern church bat rouse to
action, no necessity would exisl for separ-
ate organizations neither would slavery
long remain in this country. For some
time contemplated asking the Church Of
which | was member, to speak out up
on the subject, that she might be iustru-
mental in waking up other churches 10
this region, and thus do something to speed
the release of the bondmen. | saw that
many members of the church were wait
ing for their Pastor to lead, or, in their
own words, could see nothing TO do
They were as much opposed to slavery as
| was, but did not like the measures of alb
oltionists: neither did they know Of any
measures which they could adopt. l had
conferred with Mr. Curtis, from time to
time, on the subject, and thought we very
nearly agreed en- the main steps to be talk
en-, and he gave encouragement ofpreach-
ing on that subject, from one time to an
: other, for a year or two, but from some
ca1se did not.
After the Rev. Joab Seeley was engag,
ed as agent, by the Executive Committee
of the Vt. A. S Society, asked Mr.. C.
: whether he would be willing that Mr..
r seeley should occupy his pulpit in plead
} ing the cause oftbe slave on the Sabbath
After some conversation, he consentedthat
he might. Mr. Seelev came here the last
Saturday in June, 1889, and put up at NJ y
house. Mr.. Murray waited upon him to
,, the house of Mr.. Curtis, introduced them
: to each other, and enquired relative to the
: arrangements for the next day. Mr.. Cur
2 It's said he would consult some Of the
g brethren, and call in at my house on Sab
: bath morning, when the arrangements
r would be agreed upon. Accordingly the
{ next morning Mr.. Curtis, and Rev c.. A
Thomas, Pastor Of the Baptist Church il
E this place, came in, when a proposition
was made that Mr.. Seeley should preach
I for Mr.. Curtis one sermon, Mr.. Thomas
: another, and at five o'clock both societies
should meet and hear MIR. Seelev on the
ant:-slavery question. The reasons Of
fered by Mr.. Curtis for this Arrangement
, of preaching for each of them, before
touching 6ponthe abolition question, were,
that some of his people thought the Sab
bath an improper tune to present the claims
ofthe slave-some thought aboIiticnists to
be men of zone idea &C., and that by
| first preaching on other subjects, prejud-
ces might be softened and the way pre-
pared for recei ying the truth on the abo-
Iition question. This plan was agreed
J upon by all present, and Mr.. Seelev
preached, as suggested by Mr.. Curtis
I But instead of Mr.. Curtis giving sanction
T by his attendance at the 5 o'clock meet
ing, he appointed a lecture abou: two
miles from the village, (Which was mani
testify entirely wncoIlsd Jor,) keeping some
individuals there who told him they had
designed to attend Mr.. SeeIey's meeting.
had made up my mind 10 present The
subject of our duty in regard to slavery
for the action of the church, and felt DE-
sirous Of knowing whether any members
thought the Sabbath an improper time to
preach against the sin Of slavery. 1 also
felt that should the majority say it was not
a proper time, I would not again ask their
pastor TO admit an A. S. Agent into his :
pulpit on that day, and for the purpose be- /
fore named. accordingly prepared the |
following resolution, to Test their views
and presented it July 18th, 1889: |
Resoteed. That we, the members of The
Congregational Church IN Brandon, be-
I;orrn i il