The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-06-05
Prom the n. Y. Tribune.
A Gard,

~ OuIu'
The N. Y. Eupress terms Mr. w. G.
Bell "Ihe coadjutor of G.. N. Ctay,'
whilst denouucng the Infde Convention
and many personal friends have written c
me that Mr. BIS course with regard to the
Abolition and lnideI Conventions would
lnlure the True American, for which Mr.
b. is now constituted the agent in the
North. 1t is enough for me 10 say that
am not at all responsible for Mr. BIS opin-
ions upon any subject, any more than he
IS responsible for mine. lie is our agent
for speclal purpose the procuring sub,
scrIbers to the True American, for which
we make him pecuniary compensation
assume TO myself no right whatever TO
control his opinions or conduct in other
respects; nor should | venture 10 enquire
into them, any more than | would into the
political or mora tenets Of the physician
who gives me medicine or the farme. who
sells me bread. Yet, under protest against
any constructive Intolerance, in speaking
ior myself, avoW that am friend oil
the Union and the Christian religion. |
believe that whatever good can be evolved
by our political institutions can best be in
sured by the legitimate action of the I'm
ION. am now, and ever have been, the
last friend of the Christian Religion.-
Mankind ever have had and ever will have
some religion, and am fully persuaded
that of all codes Of morals extant the
Christian is based upon the mos, thorough
understanding Of The laws of OR moral
and physical nature. am a member of
no church, partisan ofno sect equally
tolerant Of all creeds, give my frs! APP
probation 10 those who most prove their
faith by their works. deny the existence
ofthe technical individuality of 'the church
and lis assumed injaltibitity.' Wherev.
er, under the wide Heavens, is a sfRcere..
benevolent, heightened soul, pursuing the
dictates OF pure conscience, there, in my
humble judgment, is one of The sons OF
God, member Of the world wide church.
History declares that "the church" as an
organized body, has ever been conserva>
tive, rather than progressive; reform and
The evolution of new and great principles of
human conduct have come from some for.
Iunate aud daring genius; the Church has
been but the recipient end exponent of the
sum Of the moral intelligence OF any par
l!cuar epoch. Ii am friend of the Church,
in other words, of The Priesthood of Reli
glon, because impelled in the main by de-
voted faith, they are well adapted to prop.
agate among the multitude the truths
which philosophers evolve, aud which
speculative minds are not always the most
ready, by self-sacrifce, to infpse into the
great, unreAecting mass of mankind
" Whatever is, is rlght"-the paradox of
Pope is worthy Of all consideration. |
would as little think of prosecuting Inf.
deIs as Christians. Freedom Of Mought
is vitality 10 the intellect, withou! which
mankind would be soon enveIoped once
more in cruel supersliuton and debasing
barbarism.
:" Yet let us ponder boldly tits a base
Abandonment Of reason TO resign
Our right of thought-our last and only place
OF refuge; this at least shall still be mine"
The noble poet made amends for many
woes Inflicted on mankind by this immor>
lal sentiment. The combined intellect of |
the non professors OF religion is the bal
nnce.wheel upon the fdnaticism of the
Church, which, repeat, is neither better
nor worse than, but simply The exponent
OF, the sum of The morals and mind of the
age, The Churches are now splitting
upon the great question of Slavery each
section, Northern and Southern, no doubt
respecting The aggregate sentiment OF their
respective constituencies. If they are
somew hat behind the more daring defend,
ers o! Civil Liberty and enlightened NOR,
ads, we should not denounce them on that
account, for they have to move in mass, is
and are of consequence slower in progress
than single isolated individuals They
following hard on the face of the swiGest
in the North, and we have reason to hope
for the same results in the South in spite
OF the proposed dismemberment.
Still, by all that is sacred among men,
warn the Southern Churches 10 take
care how they venture to give the sanction
of the Bible to Slavery: for, whatever
may be said o! The Old Testament there
can be 40 question but that The glorious
doctrines Of The Christian Religion are ut.
terly subversIve OF the relations of master
and slave, which is one OF violence, not Of
love: for when arbitrary force or Lynch.
law ceases, Slavery dies. And should the
Priesthood succeed in convincing the
world that Slnvery is the doctrine OF the
New Testament, then will Infdeity be-
come the true Religion OF Mauk iod.-and !,