Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1844-12-28


! The great problcm uf good and evil-happiness
and misery, aud decide in what worldly condi
ton man enjoys most, and suffers least Your
profession calls on you to teach that his true
happiness is seldom found upon the stormy sea
of politics, ur in the mad race of ombition-in
the pursuit Of inammon, or the cares ofhoarded
gain that, in short, the wealth and honors of
this world are to be dcspsed and Stunned Will
you then say that the slave must be wrctched
because he IS debarr,d from them Or because
he does not indulge in the dreams Of philosophy
the wranging of seciarians, or the soul-disturb
ing speculatons of the sceptic !-or because
having never tasted Of what is called freedom,
he is ignorant of its ideal blessings, aud is as
contented with his lot, such as it is, as most
men are with theirs
You and your Presbytery doubtless desire, ns
we all should, to increase the happiness of the
human family. But since It is So difficult, It
not impossible, to determine in what earthly
state man may expect to enjoy most OF It, why
can you not be content to leave him in that re.
the ideal and the doubtful, for the real-to re-
strict yourselves TO the faithful fulfilment of
your great mission of preaching ";he glad IT,
dings of salvation" TO all classes and conditions,
or at the very least, sacredly abstain from all
endeavors to amciornte the lot Off by revo
luton, bnodshcd, massacre, and desolaton, TO
which al attempts at abolition in this country;
in the present, and, so far as can see, in any
futnse sg~. must inevitably lead.
Dc satisfied with the improvement which sla
very has made, and which nothing but slavery
could have made to the same extent, in the race
of Ham. Look at the negro in Atrica-1 naked
savage-amost Cannihal, ru,hlcssly opprcss.
ing and destroying his feIlows-idle, 'reacher.
ous, idolairous, and such n disgrace TO the
image of his Ghd, in which you declare him
to be made, that some of the wiseSt philoso-
piers have denied him the possession Of soul.
See him hcre-threc millions at least OF his
rescued race-cvlizcd, contributing immense.
Iy to the subsistence Of the human family. his
passions restrained, his affections cultivated,
his bodily wants and infrmi,ics provided for.
and the true Religion of his Maker and Re-
decmer taught him. Has slavery been curse
TO him ! Can you think God has ordained il
for no good purpose or, not content with the
blessings it has already bestowed, do you de-
sire to increase them still Before you act be
sure your Heavenly Father has revealed TO you
/ the means Wait for the inspiration which
brought the Israeites out of Esypt-whicl
Carried salvation to the Gcntiles
have written you longer letter than ] in
( tended. But the question of slavery isa mucl
more interesting subject to us. involving as i,
does the fate of all that we hod dear, than any
| thing connected with John l.. Brown can be t.
you, and | trust you will read my reply with al
! much consideration as | have read your memo
! rial.
have the honor TO be, very respectfully,
Your obedlcnt servant,
J. II HAMMOND.
| To the Rev. Thomas Brown, d. ID. Moderator
Of the Free Church Of Glasgow, and TO III,
Presbytcry thereof.