Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-11-06
Religious Protest against American Slave
nv, by no Unitarian Minister'S

We, the undersigned, disciples of Christ, and
ministers of His Gospel, in bearing our solemn
testimony against the system of American Slave
ry, deem it proper in the first place do declare
the grounds of our action.
We owe it to three millions of slaves, our fel-
low men and brethren, to do what we rightfuIly
can to undo their burdens. The wrongs of the
slave, however distant he may be, are our wrongs
for Jesus has taught us that every sufferer
whom we can relieve is our neighbor, though a
stranger, of another race and in distant land,
We owe it to shareholders, our lellow-men and
brethren, whom we believe to be in position
hostile to the influences of Christianity, to speak
word OF warning concerning the moral evil and
inhumanity of the system with which theNsare
connected.
We are more obliged 10 bear this tcs.
because the Gospel of Christ cannot now
lily preached in the slavehoIding sratesa
could, it mightbe less necessary to express oar
views in the present form. But violent and law
less men, as is well known, and as recent instan-
ces in our own experience show, have made it
impossible for the Southern minister to declare
the whole counsel of God by speaking freely Of
that particular sin with which the community he
addresses is especially concerned. Consequent
ly Southern men of better character, who would
not perhaps themselves sanction such consraint,
are nevertheless left without instruction as to
their duty in relation to slavery. And if neither
religion nor the instincts of humanity, nor the
first principles of American liberty, have taught
them that the system is wrong, their ignorance
may not be wholly at fault, but it would be ours
were we 10 suffer it to remain That hey have
been educated to believe that slaychodmg i.
right may be reason why we should not Sc
yercly blame thcm but it is also reason why
we should show them the truth since the truth
on this subject must come them, if at ALL from
the free states, through books writings, and pub
lie opinion.
These reasons would induce us to speak even
if the North were doing nothing to uphold slave
ry But by our political, commercial and social
relations with the South by the long silence Of
Northern Christians and churches, by the fact
that Northern men, going to the South, often
become Shareholders and opologsts for slavery
VIC have given the Shareholders reason to believe
that it is only the accident of our position which
prevents US from engaging in this system as iul.
Iy as themselves Our silence therefore is up
holding slavery, and We must speak against it in
order not to speak in its support.
Especially do we feel that the denomination
which takes for its motto "Lberty, Holiness and
Love-" should be foremost in opposing this
system More than others we have couendcd
for three great REPRESENTATIVES, liberty
perfect righteousness, and human brotherhood
All ofthese are grossly violated by the system Of
slavery. We contend for mental freedom; shall
we not denounce the system which letters both
mind and body? We have declared righteous
ness to be the essence of christianity; shall We
not oppose that system which is the sum of al
wrong We claim for all men the right OF
brotherhood before universal Father; ought
we not to testify against that which trampes SC
many of our brethren under foot?
These reasons would lead us to speak individ-
ually and separately, But our combined voices
ded and we therefore speak in company. As
we do not, as denomination, combine IN sub
scribing creeds and fixing systems orthodoxy
the more should we be ready to unite in practical
endeavor to remove moral evils. AS our prin
ciples of religious liberty do not permit us to ex
clude our brethren who are shareholders from
our Christian fellowship, the more should we tes
tify against the slave system itself. Some ndi
) viduals may think they hold slaves for the gooc
of their bondmen, in order to give them theil
) liberty under more favorable circumstances. We
cannot regard such Shareholders as we do those
} who hold their fellow beings as property for the
, sake of gain or personal convenience. Leaving
to God to decide on the comparative guilt or in
nocence cf individual shareholders, we pronounc,
, the system unchrstian and nhuman.
And more especially do we feel bound to l
Iup our voices at the present time, when thu