The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-04-25
COMM UNICATIO-N Ms.
For the Voice of Freedom.
Appeal fsom Hiram Davis.

brother t1olcemU:-A Senu 10 you Inc
first part of a serious call. to the Chris
tian community, for the righteous liberty
Vote--or the negro captive's cry-Come
over the Mason's s. Dixon's line and help
US. My voice may 60 to others, if you
approve, and your Voice Of Freedom per.
nit, My motto is: "Inasmuch as ye did
or did mol do it unto the least of these, my
brethren, ye did or did not do it unto me-"
Very dear Friends:--Not with the pre-
tension ola prophet, or clergyman, or the
son of either, yet it seemeIh good to your
volunteer servant ITO be zealously affect
ed always in a good thing" Nor does he
doub, that the abolition of American
slavery would be "a good thing" Not
much apology does he feel to be needful
to answer the "whom say menlhat am2"
His self justification may be found in the
fact, well known 10 yourselves, that the
Divine Master, our most excellent Pat
tern, was wont to allow, and even to call
for men Of tho smallest natural gifts, and
OF the lowest occupations, and even to COM
mand them into his service. In this con:
nexion it remains only to say, that for the
last ten years Of my life, much of the
meditaIions Of my heart,'a as well as many
of 'the studied words Of my mouth how
ever poor, have been devoted to The affirm.
alive of the question Should bible pre-
tenders give preferment, exclusively. to
the righteoua,or dible-IOUiag, as by fruits,
for offices of ciUiI as we'll as religious
trust2 The affirmative of this | have
believed to be one item in The faith once
delivered 10 the saints" A reason for
that Ielief, hereafter to be given. For
that principle, earnestly contending, I
have received, as in the language of o.,
Council. the Irish champion for liberty,
"a most glorious harves! Of abuse."-
Bul this abuse stops me in nothing of
faith or works--inasmSch as | have be-
lieyed that the doers Of that abuse, "loved
darkness rather than light, because their
deeds, Chat is their practices of vOting,)
were evil" My reasons for the above
faith and contendlng, | now give We
are to "pray for all men in authority
no doubt that they may be lovers and do
ers of righteousness-lhat we undsturb-
in our righteous purposes, may lead
peacable and quiet lives in all godliness
and honesty" But how think We, we
can pray without faith2 Can we be-
lieve "6gs will come OF this!les"-and
that too, Of our own right hands planting2
And can our faith and works, thus dis
joined---thus pat ussunder, cause our light
so to "shirc before others that they may
be led to glorify our Father which is in
Heaven 2" Tho civil compact Of our
Fathers purchase unlike that of any 9th
er continuity, age or place, allows US
(hat is some of @s) to place our "aU men
in Authority." And in this placing,
"shall our right hand forget its (usual)
cunning Z" Shall that hand so wont TO
administer TO our own and family's wants
and the wants of our natural eye--refusa
TO give help as by the eye Of faith to the
poor captive! Even appearances of evil
are to be- avoided, and "a time" you know
there is "for all [goodl things'-and I
have chosen this time, distant as it is from
an election, that may avoid the charge
of being under the influence, or of a like
feather with those who labor to promote
their own selfish end, OF that of their IA
vorite politicians.
The object l have in penning this COM
munication is TO attract your thoughts 10
some ofthe rights and obligations of us,
Christian Frsemen; and most especially
to the obligation of us to the American
slave. Rights and obligations you see
have coupled together. as you probably
know they should be--they being relative
ideas--that is, it being our obligation 10
render, or help to render, to another that
which it is his right TO have. BY the
expression "your thoughts" ask for
such deep thinking as Iarael's king had
when he said II thought upon my ways.
aud turned my feet into thy testimonies,
In fine, I would, if possible, engage your
credence 10 those truths in the work of