Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-11-06
THE FIRE Il M AN
For the Green Mountain Freeman
Consistency Of Christian Abolitionists,
mo G.
TO THE METHODISTs.

to protrac them to an extent beyond what was at first
anticipated And, in consequence of i'll health, and
other unavoidable circumstances, | have been much
longer than what | intended to have been, in saying
what have had to say, But if our friends will still
have patience with me, will endeavor to be little
more expeditions and get through as quick as con-
ssently can My object is not to up or to apol
ogze for the sins of the church, but by an impartial in
vestgation to bring her true position fairly and fully
before the world. And in order for this it seems
cessary that every thing should be said that be
said, both for and against If should err by leaning
little too much in her favor, there those who are
both able and willing to set me right; and have no
other expectation but that they will so do. find in
my 4th No. typographical error which, as it makes
me speak a sentiment to which could not subscribe
must beg leave to correct 1t makes me assert that
it was owing to proujSsion of original principles that
the church became mighty bulwark for slavery. By
substituting the word pHueson for provision, the error
may be corrected and the sentence read as wrote it,
and will be, as believe in accordance with the truth
For although am free to admit that slavery is, at the
present time emphacaly the sin of the church, yet
am far from believing that it originally, or that
it is so now constitutonaly But that is so, on the
ground that the church, being commissioned from on
high to enghen and reform the land has, so far as the
expaton of slavery is concerned, neglected her duty
For although she has, in other respects been the light
of the land and from her has emanated all that has
stitued u.s. people, either great good, prin-
cipes of civil and religious bery-of morality and OF
benevolence-our institutions of learnng-and above
ALL and as the foundation of ALL our institutions of
gion yet there are in our midst people, entitled by
their Creator to equal rights and who have an equal
claim on the church with ourselves, who have neverthe
less been left in state of society the most degraded,
and of bondage the most cruel that the world ever saw
the church interfering not in their behalf; and even
urging as apology for her course, that she had
nothing to do with slavery. That her commission to
reform the land did not authorize her to interfere with
this institution 1t was political subjectand the church
had nothing to do with politics. But that God would, in
his own due time, and in his own way, accomplish the
work" But as on moral questions a neutral position
can never be maintained; so the church could not a.
void sustaining slavery when she had ceased her
opposition to it. Indeed her attempts at neutrality
only so many acts in favor of slavery, No doubt God
will overthrow slavery in his own due time which we
have reason to believe is near at hand, and in his
own way, which will be through the medium of the
church, provided she consents to be that medium. And
if she does she will thereby herself and be the
honored instrument of bringing about great and glo
rous work. But if othcrwise--if regardless Of all
posulation she utterly refuses to come up to the help
Of the Lord against the mighty las there can be no
neutrality in the case she must in the nature of
things, become identified with slavery in fighting a
ganst God, and with the overthrow of slavery be
thrown. This is, indeed, an awful consideration and
concerns not only the Methodist church, but every
church in the land An awful storm is evidently fast
gathering over both the church and State. God is a
bout to have a day of reckoning with his people, Andit
should be our chief concern to be in preparation for
it. In order for which, not to abandon the
church as Father Shaw recommends; but to do all in
our power to expate this great evil not only from the
church. but also from the land And this as Metodsts
we are in duty bound to do. | am aware that these
views differ materially from those Of Father Shaw, as
expressed in late No. of the Freeman. But between
the views of Father Shaw and of the Shareholders there
appears to be great discrepancy. He maintains that
our influence, so long remain in the church, is
wholly against the slave; and they, that it is wholly
ganst the slave holder Accordingly, they have ever
maintained that we ought either to be peaceable, and
not interfere with their domestic relations or else do
as Father Shaw has done and advises to dopeaceaby
withdraw from the church. Had we done 50, the prob
ability is, that they would have quietly remained in the
church, which would still have been their great buwark
But have determined in opposition to the entrea
,,les both of shareholders and seceders to abide in the
church. and to do our duty there, the most Of Them
thinking that the church could longer be their great
buwark have concluded to leave it, And if we are
true to our trust the remainder will soon follow. I'm
der these circumstances, and with these prospects,
though respect Father Shaw, and appreciate his good
wishes vet cannot feel myself at liberty to accept of
his kind invitation to leave the church and unite with
the True Wesleyans. Indeed, if had conscientious
scrupes about remaining in my own church, should,
on the same account have scrupes about uniting with
his, so long as men are suffered to remain in it who
have Clay in their eyes Pokes their necks" And
from remarks made by Rev. Mr. Mckee, the True
Wesleyan President, in anti slavery lecture which
heard HIM deliver inferred that this evil prevailed in
their societies in this State to a considerable extent
But if it be otherwise, and as Father Shaw intmates
there be but few that thus guilty, yet if the evil
be not put away little leaven may soon leaven the
whole lump-the influence of the few destroy the in
Auence of the whole church. Surely, if the True Yves
leyan church were to retain but one individual in her
communion who held slaves under any circumstances
whatever, Father Shaw would not call her Liberty
church. or say that she already acted against slavery;
but on the contrary would denounce her as posavery,
and at once quit her communion. And yet, venture
to say that he will admit that those men who have Sc
coded from the Methodist Episcopal church and have
Joined the True Wesleyans account of the sin OF
slavery and have gone to- the ballot box and voted to
have three millions of people held in perpetual bondage,
great SINNERS is possible for any slavehold-
ers to be- And that they are actually doing more to
>. d l. ! Il 80 H. L.