Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-05-16
THE PREsENT---OUR DUTY AS CHRIS
TIANS.

WunllVHCIj HP'" 1 ) AO7"'
THE PREsENT--OUR DUTY AS CHRIS
TIANS,
The present is a time of trial to try mems souls,
g. is well calculated to strengthen character, to dc
yelop mems moral integrity, & draw out the God
like in man. In the religious world there is more
profession and sho1O than heart work, genuine pie
ty and gospel purity. Every thing for popularity,
numerical numbers and splendid outward appear
ances; but how little of that seli-denying spirit
taught by our Master, of that deafness to the
world, and of entire devotion to tho work of saving
souls and alternating suffering of every kind, man
ifested by His disciples, is insisted upon and car
riod into effect by most of the ministers and pro-
fessed christians of the present day. Not a few
speak of the present as the halcyon days of the
church, a time of general peace in Zion. The
reason is, little is done to disturb the fountain
of sin and arouse the Indignation of satan. The
enemies and protested friends of Christ unite so
well in their efforts and aims, that he has but lit
tie to do; hence, the church is at peace, and in
fact is at rest. But let the church awake from her
slumbers and act for God and humanity-let her
take her stand in favor of the reforms of the day
before they become popular, and refuse to make
any compromise with the enemy, and the calm of
which so many have gloriod becomes a %frightful
tempest, and peace is changed into a fierce, death
struggle with the enemy of all good. We are
friends of peace-but peace in Tho church is too
dearly purchased when it requires the surrender of
moral principle and the lowering of the standard
of the cross to conform to the muxims and fashions
of the world. Better to be in a tempest of excite
ment and tossed furiously upon the waves of COM
motion and reform than he in an everlasting calm.
Better 90 wrong, occasionally, than never do any
thing. Better far to be cast out as rubbish by mere
w~orldligs and llp-servce professors, than be re-
jected of God, and prove traitors to the sacred
vows we have made to live, for Him only, and OPP
pose all sin. Better to yield up our lives as mar
tyrs to the truth, than die of the spiritual govt"
Many, for the sake of peace in the church, are
fellowshipping a sIavchoIding christianity, and are
morally and politically under the chilling and de-
%stroying influence of slavery. Nearly every de-
nomination is, more or less, deeply implicated in
the guilt of sustaining this horrid system Of robbie
ry and wrong. Let the church, as a body be a
reused to effort and speak out plainly against
these abomination %s-boldIy act as we'll as talk,
and refuse to countenance or fellowship slavery in
any way, and the great pillar that sustains it
is removed. The greatest difficulty we have had
to encounter in the anti slavery reform, has been
the determined opposition of many protested
christians and the GOODNESS and indifference of
many others who even profess to be friendly 10
the cause. We expected nothing better than this
from the world, but we were not prepared TO see
christians opposing n cause which is the very soul
and essence of the gospel, loving our ~neighbor as
ourseIf. There is at the present time a want CT
interest manifested among the great mass ofchrIs-
tians on this subject that is truly alarming, and
calls loudly upon every true friend of man to make
a mighty effort, not to destroy aud disorsanlze the
church, but TO bring her back TO her apostolic pu-
rity, and cause her to sever the last tie that bind;
her to slavery, which, like a milestone is dragging
her down to perdltion. Who is on the Lord
side? Are we willing that the world should take
the lead in the great anti slavery reform that il
going on and drag the church after them, or will
we take our places in the hottest part of the battle
and yield up our post only when victory is our
and the slaves are free?
The congregational church is in fellowship will
the Presbyterians, who hold $4,000 christian slave
in bondage. The methodists have 100000 slave
] COMMITMENTS; the Baptists have about the sam
number; and some other churches are more or les
r guilty in this respect. 1t is time somethin
should be done to get the northern churches RICH
on this subject. There ought to be a State con
i v%ention called Immediately, composed ofChristian
of all denominations, who are real friends Of tn
: slave, that we may have some concert of actio
and take some measures if possible to awaken
c deeper interest among Christians in behalf of tn
slave, and cleanse the church from the blood an
guilt of slavery. Who will respond to this call
y Who is ready for actionl