Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-08-11

does christian principle require (51 +
ILette7 of Rec. George Punchdxd, of
pIymouth, NJ. II, IN the Congreg dtionat
JournGl
III To what mind but very vain, su-
per6cial and pro-slayery one. would PauFs
glorious epistle ever have suggested such
q ouestion-so dishonorable TO God. and so
percelssr of the gospel? The head to
which this beautiful epistle could bring |
such inhuman notions, ought TO dots COM
nenting on the other side of Mason and
Dixon's Line. They would never have
arisen to the Rev. lheologian's mind, if he
had been a plantation slave, or felt the
vengeful whip that visits the back Of the
recaptured fugitive, applied 10 his own, or
seen it leave IFS scorpion impress on the
flesh of his wife. We wish we could
speak out once on this subject as It's hornd
magnitude demands. We ale called de-
nunciatory and rash. But oh, we arc mis-
erably tame and faltering in our speech.
Ii God would give US the clearness of ap-
prehension, and the boldness of heart, we
would give this land one remonstrance
from which they would never again rest,
but in fearful drowning repentance. Three
millions of human hearts at this hour suf-
fer slavery on this our soii,-eaeh heart
undergoing its unutterable misery. Every
day and hour they are crushed down to it,
with alltheir longings and their paintings
for freedom the irrepressible paintings of
humanity, for God made it to be free. Il
can't live but in freedom. 1t is in hell
an,iLit is free. ALI nature is outraged by
its enthralment. Il disturbs all but Gods
throne, in the wide universe, to have hu-
aanity enslaved. Yet it is going on in
three millions instances in this very land
and what deafness under it reigns over
! us all How sluggish our efforts How
tardy the relief we bring! Almost gen.
( Grafton has gone since we began, and here
| we are shiyering ia the wind. God will
surely move US out of the way and raise
up others who will not delay his work.
Hear the protested minister Of the Gospel
-imputing to the blessed religion Of
Christ the diabolical inhumanity of deny
ing aid to the fugitive from slavery,-an
/ imputasion fagrantly -blasphemous, if it
| were not done in shallow imitation of
learned doctors. What hardness of
heart it implies, as well as voidness Of
understanding. We can hardly trust our
selves to remark upon it, and then the in
famous intimation that the poor slave ism
| duty bound to go baekt We wish the
Rev. commentator was obliged TO try it
for a day. One day would cure him of
his theology and his want of heart. But
he only questions it, He does not say
| right out that the slave ought to go back.
| He only suggests question
| ~ Charging Paul with kidnapping
for if he, by his apostolic influence, sent a
/ slave to his owner, it is no less. The
foolery of all this imputation on Paul,
Philemon, the Scriptures and their divine
| Author, will appear clear enough on read
| ing the 4th chap of Col. in connection
| with the epistie to Phil. Paul never sent
i Onesimus back, Tin the sense here claim
ed) to Philemon at all. He sent Tychi-
Gus and Onesimus-in the same sense,
| that the British Baptisis sent Reed and
Matheson to this country-to visit the
: Christians al Colosse, and he made Ones
Imus the bearer of letter 10 Philemon,
to apprise him among other things of the
conversion of his old servant, and to enioin
a reconciliation of their quarrel. This is
the whole of it. Yet your pro-slayery
clergy taught by British doctors in the
days of West India slavery (brothers and
| fathers of slave proprietors, doubtless, il
not owners themselves,) have quoted this
epistle TO show that Christians ought to
!, send back the southern slave who is escap-
!, ing to Canada.-And Peters Injunction
, 10 I'LL used servants not TO resist, but bear
j, ii patiently. is construed to the same
bloody effect a.-.. - -.l~.-~ .
RI 81 Another theological "question" -
whether slavery would not improve a
mans coodition4 Only digestion, y
however, Not that it aoouLd absoluteia
improve it. The epistle only Suggests
! tie question ~-~. : ~.
I (4) IF our Reverend friends feelings
We're in favor of aiding the fugitive he
kept it to himself But it was not ques
ton of feeIing-but of doctrine. Ii was
that we charged as pro-slavery
81 If Paul sent Onesimus back. in the
sense of our Reverend commentator
then we may infer that Tychicus. who
was sent with him, drove him back, hand
cufed and manacled; and received the ad-
, Vertised rewari-for he would not 90 for
nolhing.-" The Iaborer is worthy Of his
hire. !" Tint is Scripture. And again
Who goeth warfare at his own
charged
Nat. A. S. Standard.
ORIcISsoF GLAss--In the neighbor-
hood of 81. Jean d'Acre passed the river
Relus. and here II MAJ, be ra....o. IL