Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-11-24
From the Christian Investigator.
THE "TEsT QUESTION" STATED - Ex.
planned - DISCUSSED OBJECTIONS

/ Planned - DISCUSSED - OBJECTIONS
CONSIDERED. ss-.A . X.
8. To retain permanent connection and
! FELLOWSHIP p with pro-slavery churches, min |
listers, church members. ecclesiastical bod.
les, and missionary associations and boards,
and in the scenes of religious reviVals,
would be to give currency TO false Ieli-
gion, and thus be accessory to the ruin OF
Jsouls-the souls of those who should en-
brace and trust in such religion, as we'll
as the souls of those who should be led TO
idespise and reject Christianity itself, on
account ofthe wickedness and despotlsm
lot its professors. - ~. x-@.
g.. The efforts of Christian abolitIonsts,
retaining permanent connection with an
Iimpenitent pro-slavery church that can not
and will not be reformed, must. of neces-
ity. be self-contradictory, self-subversive,
aud useless. La one breath they say they
consider slaveholding and its willing sup
port, and .viudlcation to be the most heinous
of sins-and in the next, they receive the
1ransgressors into close fellowship and
communion. They say the church is
supporting known sin, and yet they con-
tinue to support the the church. They
say a pro-savery ministry and church
are the props ofthe s!ave-system, yetthey
continue with their money and their IN
fuence, TO prop up pro-slavery churches
and ministers. So that they themselves,
: by their own showing, become the props
> of the slave system. ..-.. p
And ia, doing this, they are guilty of a
gross perversion and abuse ofthe divinely
, instituted means of grace, and assist to
transform the appropriate instruments OF
the worlds conversion and redemption
into Instruments for its corruption and
: enslavement.
r In their anti-slavery conventions, they
pass resolves declaring their belief that
e slavery is equivalent TO theft, robbery con-
: cubinage, and mur1er-and then go home
i and sit down to the communion table with
S the murderers and their apologies. This
e inconsistency has long ago been thrown In
+ he teeth Of abolitionisls by their opponents,
S both at the North and the South. :
; TO- From what has Just been said, II
J. will be seen that so far from succeeding
e in their efforts to reform others, the
l. friends of Christian freedom are exposed
" to the danger of apostacy -themelves,
E they long continue in church relations o
a the character that has been desc rlbed.-
J. Nay, more, that the time may come, If i
e. has not already, when the very act of re
y tanning such connections, in many cases
e may amount to apostacy. of ITSELF Such
n a case can certainly be conceived, if slave
l. nv be admitted to be heaven daring anc
ID self-evident sin. Whenever church be
-. comes incurably corrupt and anti. Christ
er ian then fidelity to God and to his people
: land promise of this fidelity is the es
IN sence and spirit of our " covenant obtiga
tions,''1 requires US to "come out from
IS among them and be separate Other
Or wise, we have no promise that we our
10 selves shall be received. To break fellow
ship with an anti Christian church, i
T. obedience 10 God. It was ia reference t
S. this very matter-connection with cor
IN rup1 church-that the mandate was Sen
ne forth, "Come out of her, my people, tina
be We partake not Of her sins, and that We re
,e- ceive not of her plaques"
TIC ii The reasonabIeness of all thi
ns willappear when we reflect thatthe supPo!
~ of corrupt and anti Christian church
:e' the support of the most effective enemie
les of God and his law, of Jesus Christ an
re- his gospel. If | knowingly throw II
~ ~ weight Of my influence and my contrib
7te liors into an anti Christian church, if
10 support anti Christian ministers, ant
icy Christian missionaries, anti-Christian ser
rs inaries for educating ministers, and call
'ns supporting Christianity, all the tim
- then THROW the weight of my infuen'
o'I against God aud against Christ, and
'uu e favor of Satan and his cause; and add
., all this the insult of calling the cause
7"u anti christ the cause of Christ himsel
'he Nothing can be more offensive to O.
~ than to Go this. ..
LOT [ think this will be conceded by t
' I majority of my readers. And the great
ue- part of them would admit not only The &C
sa's RICHNESS of the principle, but the Justine
ave of its application, if should apply it
ne :. 1.-THE support Of Roman Catholic or Unive
: saist churches and ministers and lnstll
- tions.
''n1 The only question. then, is whett
wa pro-slavery churches and ministers, mo
~ / mean, who are intelIigently and p
lot, severineIy such, and 10 despite OF all
fety 49,, ,' ~, and ,ministers-equallv
pom with universities and..Romanlsss whe
er the heresy of defending sin stseIf'
com milling sin, is equally tundamen
ah'' and fatal with the heresy OF deiendl
b. sentiments which tend TO encourage n
oo - in sin. ,-, -.
OF IL. The decision of the questions uni
al'c consideration may therefore be Prope
OF involved 10 the decision of these two, v
lam First, Whether the question between
De apologists and the opponents of slavery
the P9 of f,ndamantaI rnoral;tv2 .