Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-07-11


ample!
We have now gained one important point, and
must hold it fast. 1t is an nppregnaJle position,
and we must not give it up to friend or foe Here
we may plant our colors and defy all the power of
the enemy, The apostles and the apostolic
churches are declared to be free from the foul is
persion of sanctoning the shocking system of Ro-
man slavery. The apostles of Christ, who were
directed to make war upon Satan's kingdom, can
no longer be accused of being afraid to touch or
NEEDLE with the black and boated system of slave
ny which then existed in the world. This system
was wounded unto death by the aposlIes;-who
has healed the deadly wound, eternity will reveal.
This system was renowned by every person who
received the gospel-was excluded from the
church-had no more favor, than Roman dolatry,
or any other Roman abomination Al were con
demned, all excluded from the churches and all
who did Such things, upheld such institutions,
we're denounced as unfit for the kingdom of God.
The apostles and their churches are, then, no long
or polluted with Roman slavery, and Christian di-
vines need crack their brains no more in deyisng
some excuse for conniving at the enormous sin of
tNJIlIuu SluFCIl' lt BIdCk van - ltul-tUV HDlS-
ties appear in gospel armor, not to defend Roman
slavery, but to destroy, 10 extrpate the whole sys-
tenn from among Christians. All the churches are
free from any conneXion with this sin. And we
find, after ALL that the apostles were preachers of
righteousness respecting Roman slavery, as well
as Roman idoIatry. They cast them both to
the ground, and trampIed upon them. They cher
ished neither; but eXtirpated them both from the
Christian churches. But the system remained in
the empire. 1t did not remain among Christians;
but il did remain among the heather. 1t was one
Of their cherished institutions, just idoatry was,
and both protected by law The gospel could not
operate upon those who did not embrace it; but it
did influence those who did receive it, They
ceased to do evil and learnt to do we'll The
churches were lights in the world their example
and influence were eXerted against slavery and
idolatry in the empire. These were both strong
holds Of Satan, which they constantly aimed to
cast down. And as the number of Christians in
creased, these institutions gradually melted away
until they were in good measure, extirpated
from the Empire, as we'll as from the church =
This was the effect produced by the glorious Cos
pei in the early days Of Christianity. Slavery, as
it then existed, was at once extirp0tcd from the
church, and gradually withered away in the EN-
pire before the power of the gospel as preached
by the apostles. Here, then, solemn question a
rises: Why does not the preaching of the same
gospel produce the same effects on southern slave
! ry in these days? Have the laws of nature Sc
changed that like causes do not and will not pro
duce like effects? Have we not, in our bibles the
same gospel which produced such blessed effect,
in days of old? Why is not southern slavery u
once extirpated from among Christians, purgeC
out Of the churches, and treated by the minister,
=, of Christ as Roman slavery was by the apostles
!, VIII any one presume to say that southern slave
ry was harder to kill than Roman slavery tina
it is more strongly protected by southern law
than Roman slavery was by Roman laws? VIII,
is it, then, that the gospel, as preached by the a
postes, cxrpated the one; but, as preached il
these days, has little or no effect on the otherf
Roman slavery was extrpated from the church a
once how is it, then, that southern slavery lives
I. and thrves, and is nourished for centuries IN al
most all the churches? Here, indeed, is mar
h vcllous thing! how can it be accounted for' Is
= not high time for christians, aud especially gospe
: minister's to look the subject fairly in the face an
I, inquire why the result has so wonderfully chang
lie ed? Roman slavery aud primitive Christmnit
o were totally opposed to each olher;-moder
Christianity and southern slavery are on very goo
ID terms, shake hands, walk together into tke pupi
W and sit down together at the Lords table. Ho1
n is THIS? Is modern Christianity aud apostoci
it Christianity just alike? If so, why do they Nc
l. produce the same effects? Why does not moder
$. Christianity extrpate southern slavery at once
<, as apostolical Christianity did Roman slavery?
lie There must surely be a reason. What is MC
OF reason? Has modern Christianity been modif
d. ed and sofened down, that all its sanctfylng ene
lie gy is lost? Has it indeed become another gospe
s, worldly gospel, doctrneiof erpediency, whc
IN the ministers of Satan can WELD as well as I'll
NJ ministers of Christi Alas, has not the gold b
y come dim has not the fine gold become changed
r Most sincerely do thank Dr. Fulertor ron
e. away the reproOcb Of Roman slavery from the
of postes and primitive Christians, With one Dol
v stroke he sets Onesimus free, dsabuscs Philemo
of of holding slaves under Roman law, shows US ho
Or masters, and drives from the whole body of he
ce levers the impure, cruel aud bloody system
s. Roman slavery. He has met and conquered ii
IL enemy at once, He says that NE Gospel, ,che
u euer received, al once ertipaed The Roman sgsie
lie Of slauery;-so that no Christian, no man who 4
at ceved the gospel of Christ could be slayeholdt
as under the Roman slave laws This makes cleo
ut work. and turns shareholders out Of the churcl
It. as Christ turned gang Of thieves out Of tho ten
x pie. The Dir. does not say the gospel condemne
rts slavery as an enormous evil, and then excuses
is soothed, and lelIowshipped this evil. He taxi
an no pains to justify and excuse the apostles al
MI their churches for fostering and tolerating Rom;
We slavery, and allowing the system Of pollution al
en- cruelty to take quiet lodgment in the church
IS God He lays the axe at the root of the ire
ys- anil cuts down the trunk with all its branches