Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-06-06
CORRESPONDENCE,
For the Freeman.
CONSISTENCY OF CHRISTIAN AROLT.
TIONISTS. No. 3,

CONSISTENCY OF CHRISTIAN ADOLF
TIONIsTs. No. 3.
1t will he perceived that The preceding remarks
give to the church an important position, one which
many at the present day seem not disposed to ack-
now ledge. 1t is however position that is more
than sustained by the scriptures in which the
church is exhibited "A chosen generations; roy
al preshood;' "a holy nation;' "a peculiar peo-
pr;' the church Of the living Cod; THE rarSO
ground of the truth;' The salt of the earth; the
light Of the worldly Gods chosen people;' His
beIoved;' His ELECT &c. And this is not u
characteristic of what the church was at some par
tIcular age, but of what she has been from her 0r-
gin unto the present time. In every age she has
been the light Of the world; and in every place,
where her influence hns not been felt, the people
have CAT in darkness and in the region and shadow
Of death. We have truly become an enlightened
people, exalted far above most of the nations. 80
But the church has made Us what we are She
has ever been our light aud our salvation. And
from her has enannted all that is truly great and
good-all that has distinguished us us II people
from the most degraded heather in the world; and
yet, strange Ms it may seem, whilst we have been
thus growing up under her benign influence, u
most degrading system of oppression, enanating
from the regions of darkness. and even stunning
the light lest its deeds should he reproyed, hns
been in our midst, growing up with our growth,
and strengthening with our strength. But we ME
not to account for this on the ground Of there being
any inefficency on the part of the church for the
exirpation of this great evils for her efficiency 10
of God: she is sufficient for all things. But on the
ground Of her unathfulness, in that she has fail
ed to use the power which she has possessed, for
this purpose. For although dspensaton has
been committed unto her, by which she has il uni.
mated the lnnd, dispensing light and truth through
out its length and BREADTH yet so far as the dark
system of slavery has been concerned, she haA
wholly Withheld her Iight-not putting it on a cam
dlestick, thereby letting it shine, as Christ COM
Inanded her, but shamefuIly secretng i, under
busheI. Openly intoxicating the doctrine that she
had nothing to do with slavery--that to preach a.
gainst it, was not preaching the gospel, and that
such as continued SO to do had left their appropri-
ate work. and finally, strenuously cnoining ituP-
on all her ministers and people to wholly refrain
FROM the agitation Of The subject. However strange
therefore, and unaccounlahle the course of the
church may SEEM it is not so very strange that
slavery should have prevailed in the land, as that
it should have found SO safe retreat in the bosom
of the church; or that it should have made tho
church its principal hulw ark Of defence. For,
when the light Of the world becomes darkness,
who ran tell how great will be TINT darkness The
conclusion, therefore, il. that the of our
cause depends mainly upon tho action of the
church, every effort should speedily he made in
order to bring about such reformation rs will
lead the church to do her duty in relation to this
subject; especially the existence of slavery de-
ponds mainly upon her hegIecting SO to do.
! know there IRE some who have come to the
conclusion that ms the church has become the bull
wark Of slavery, her abolition must of necessity
prrre lie that of slavery. Aud for this purpose,
they making gre at efforts in various parts
of the country surprising, that the church can
abolish slavery, the abolition of the church would
I've attended with the same result; aud not c0nsid-
erng that the abolition of the church, must Of ne.
cessity he attended with tho loss Of their own lib
critics, wrllas the last CLEAN of nope for the poor
; slave. But if it were otherwise-iI the overthrow
OF the church would actually secure liberty to the
r sIave-of which there is not the least prospect
still it would he far more difficult to denlolish this
great buIwark than to drive slavery out of it
which shall endeavor to show, bu: must postpone
it until another communication.
My health is very poor. and it is with the ut
most difficulty that write at all; consequently my
communication may on this account be Delayed
3 Please TO let of your correspondents be him
dered on my account. GEO. HUMAN.
Albany, June 2, 1916.