Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1844-05-17

or
will not say that spiritual arsocracy has not ~;
to great extent, grown into use in place OF E?
the gospel will not say that people have not re- ~
moved the gospel more from the DOMINION OF the 81
heart-separaed it from the relations ana du'ies e.
of life and in its stead, crowned religion OF pride i"
and aristocracy win theH wv" 9e'i9ii'i0s' 'i" " r
cial distinctions. - Il
Now. millions of the poor, of the poorer of the u
noor. the poor slaves, are born, and crushed, and u
die, in the utter darkness of heathenism, without
one ray of gospel light, or one comforting consol- "
inc hone; and this too, in the land we lnhablt
This, in the land, whence it is claimed, the sun OF
civilization is rising over the universe, md where,
if we might trust the first look, christianity relSns
without Concurrence. This, in the land of Bibles,
and missionaries, and Theological seminores, and
lsanctuaries, and churches and priests, ana prayer
meetings in abundance. Yet with all these means
of grace, the American poor have not the gospel
preached to them. | will not say that among the
Slave population there is no religious teaching
no kind of religion-There is both religion and re-
ligious teachings. But they have not the gospel.
The teachings they receive, are lessons OF tyrah-
ny, calculated to keep the quiet under the most
grinding despotism and their religion generally,
with few exceptions, as might be expected, moth
ling better than other heather superstltlons. 1t
is true thew are taught to believe that this religion
is the gospel And in this wicked imposition, the
gospel is as much dishonored as its victims are de-
Ibased bv the fraud This will illustrate after a
deem it proper to be more particular In showing
1.-The religious condition of the poor in America, IN
las much as many false representations arc Delng
made on this subject for the purpose | inter, OIL
keeping harmony in religious organizations, whose
weight of guilt in these matters threatens their
fall.
The following facts are stated in Report of the
SYNOD of South Carolina and Georgia, to whom
was referred the subject of the religious instruc-
ton Of the colored population.
Before we attempt to set forth the duty Ito
cvangeze the heathen) it will be proper to show,
that the negroes arc destitute of the privileges OF
~ the gospel and euer qOW be, under the present
state of things. From long continued and close
observation, we believe their moral religious con-
dition is such, they may be Justly considered INC
y heather of this Christian country, and VIII bear
). comparison with the heather in any country in the
81 world In the vast field extending from an entire
} state beyond the Potomac to the Sabine river, and
> from the Atlantic to the Ohio there are, to the
is best of our knowledge, not Wclue men exclusively
devoted to the religious instruction OF the negroes
~ We can furnish no accurate estimate OF the pro-
" portion of negroes that attend divine worship on
- the Sabbath.-From an extensive observation,
lc however, we venture to say that not q twentieth
Ie part attend. Thousands and thousands haze MOI
7 The sound of The gospel, or even enter church
tie from one wear to another" But the Sectaran
J. world may saw they have the privileges otthe Cos
Is pei in private, and the plantation. The report
81 saws on the subject, They had no Bibles to read
i and when in affchon and death, they nave nc
ministers to address to them the consultations
&c of the gospel. In general we may remark 1T does
ID not enter into an arrangement of plantations tc
he make provision for their religious instruction. we
lg feel warranted therefore in the conclusion that the
negroes are destitute of the privileges of the Cos
e. pei and must continue to be so If nothing more Is
~ done for them"
III The following is extracted from sermon o.
III Rev. C.. c. Jones preached before two associations
Oh in Georgia Generally speaking they Qht
IL saves) appear to US to be without God and with
Vs. out hope in the world, nation of heathens in GU
De very midst. We withhold the bible from our ser
=! wants, and keep them in ignorance oft Inc or!
ell of our servants comes up to us from their humble
II cottages when they return at evening to rest the
nc weary limbs, it comes up to us from the midst o
,e their ignorance, and superstition, adultery ant
NC lewdncsa." The Charleston Observer says
III Sin view of religious knowledge, our negroc
ID are debasingy ignorant as any one on the coast
Africa. There are at least one hundred Thousand
ne slaves in the bounds of our Synod, speaking thu
as same language as ourselves, who never heard o
ne the plan of salvation by Redeemer."
~ From the Western Lumlnary Lexington Ken
Oh tucy 81 proclaim it abroad to the christian wor
, that heathensm is as real in the slave states as il
Gu the South Sea Islands.-It may be said emphat
n nJ calIy that chastity is no virtue among them M
a" instruction is given, no censure pronounced
3D. a. speak not of The World; Ispeak of christian fam
n id lilies generally.
ao This testimony think, is the best the nature q
ne the case admits. 1t is all from the South. No eX
ag- nrorotod oboIitionsm in this Add to this tn
'g- vii known fact that no person would be tocrat
ed TO preach the gospel to the poor slaves; as re
re- peated instances of numbering, imprsonng, an
H., scourging have proved, merely on suspicion tina
o persons intended to preach the gospel to the poor
or and we have case in our own land most strong
inc corroborative ofthe fact, that it is no less dis
o5 honor to Christ than fraud upon man, to call tn
viii religion of slavery-sustaning church, the gospe
NO. This fact is thus shown.
dv- The gospel is preached to the poor. The rel
md gion OF slavery, such it is, does not regard tn
poor as it does the rich It's not sustained an
designed for the benefit of the poor If fe
crumbs fall from the rich mans table, it is accide1