The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-12-02
From the Boston Live Radical:
BLASPHEMY AND CANT.

IL ls not long since we saw paragraph poing
the rounds of the papers stating that rich manu-.
factorer OF this city had given ten thousand dollars
to an institution in this State, for the instruction
OF young ladies'. This statement was accompa
nied with letter from the donor, the contents of
which made so strong an impression upon our
minds at the time, that we shall never forget
them. We have not the letter at hand, but he
says that " God has blessed him by giving him a
large amount of property,"o words to that effect.
NOW, one object OF this article is to brand that
statement as fearful and awful blasphemy. We
tell you, MIR. Lawrence, that God is just, which
he would not be, if he gave you, who labor moi,
ana Income of perhaps thirty thousand dollars a
year. while millions (even in this land of berty)
.oii from one years end to another, and receive
therefor only from one hundred to one hundred
nd ity dollars. No, Mr. Lawrence it is not
900 Almighty who has given you this wealth it
is unl9st and unequal legislation which has done
IT, What! do you wish TO make us hate God,
mat you accuse him of such njusiice2 We do
not Know who your clergyman is, but he certainly
would not justify you in such blasphemy, and if
ne has not reProved you, then is he an unfaithful
minister we regret that your clergyman's duty
S"ou'u ueVoiVe on us some clergymen fear to Of
lend those who pay them. We trust it is not so
with yours, but there is danger of it. unless
ne mas told you that you have wronged YOUR Gre
ator Again, on what conditions do Won give of
'his abundance OF which you say God has given
you why, on condition that the EXPENSE of
education shall never be reduced by the seminary
to which you gave it. Now, if it were God who
had given you such abundance, we should stilI
nave to protest against the injustice of giving il n
one who made such use of it. Mr.. Lawrence. is
education boon2 if so, why should Won wish TO
conhne 1t to those only who are able to paw hioh
price tor tuition, and be at the expense of sending
their children frcm home2 Do you wish to ac,
cnse Uod OF such intentions as these2 Whatever
your clergyman tells you, depend upon it. Mr..
Lawrence, there is no Goodness in it, II does
seem to US that true Goodness would have in
duced you rather 10 have made an effort 10 make
all our public schools not only good, but within
the reach of all there are thousands of hard work
ing men, who, with twelve to fourteen hours
work every day. find it impossible to provide even
the necessarles of life for their families AS Won
seem to consider yourself the servant of God. we
wish to know If it is only for the rich that God
has any care9 If so, we acknowledges that we
could not love such God But il is not On
Uod loves all his creatures, and if we see great
wealth on one side and squalid poverty on the
other, 1t is none of His work, but the work of
selfish man.
1t Mr. Lawrence should chance TO see these
lew lines, we have no doubt he will saw thew
were written by some envious leyeler: but we
can assure him that it is more in a spirit of pitv
than IN envy, that we have said what we have
the fact IS he can have but precious little hanni
ness, with such notions of God as he evidently
entertainsj we pity him, but we do not .n,y
him. 10y