Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-06-13
THE FIRE NJ A N.
For the Freeman
THE CHURCH AND SLAVERY.
LIBERTY SUMMIT, April "a, /


sure your liberal invitation to discuss, in prudent
and prayerfu way, the question of church fellow
ship with slavery. think can pray over it heart
lily, but whether should be prudent may be more
have not always been as judicious as
the minister of whom it was said, he was so judi
cous for three years. that he never interfered with
politics nor religion. But if my pen should be too
sharp, you may soften my expressions little,
without altering the sentiments. And first, | ask,
is it proper to stay in prO-slavery church party
any more than it is proper to stay in pro-sIavery
political party1 The church is the pillar and
ground of the truth. 1t possesses the word, and
spirit, and practice Of truth; and such men, and
of men, as neither believe, nor feel, nor
do the TRUTH in relation TO slavery, do not belong
to This church, but are climbing up some other way,
and arc thieves and robbers; and if such have
joined hand in hand, and call themselves church,
or churches, let every enemy Of slavery say, unto
their assembly mine honor be not thou united If
they have united with them without knowing their
true character, let them either reform, expel, or
withdraw from them speedily. Keep myself pure
Every man is bound to throw his influence against
all sim; and if the society of which he is member
is in favor of the sum Of all villanies, or if ma
orty of the governing powers allow the authors
and supporters of these vilanies to stay in this
nominal church, how can he stay in it without
having fellowship with these unfruitfu works Of
they are governed by the save-power, which
makes them corrupt so we should leave every
nominal church that is governed and corrupted by
the slave power. Why should we mark higher
for morals in politics than in religion? The slave
power convert sthe sef-styed wings and democrats
into aristocrOts, and their politics into the rankest
despotism; and the slave-power converts every
nominal church that toerates slavery, into a bra
zen shield and iron bulwark in defence of the great
American Moloch. If we stay connected with
the tottering system; as drunkards use the infu-
ence of temperate men who will not sign the
pledge. If we had obtained nearly all the votes
of the north for true liberty rulers in 1910, we
should have conquered slavery by this time; and
if the nominal churches had all been right, and
their ministers preached deverance to the cap
tives, we should have had the votes which would
have unlocked the Savour's prison, by doing it to
the least of his disciples. How, then, can we stay
in fellowship, as christians or politicians, with par
ties stained with blood? If a man should seize my
wife and children, and grand children, and take
them to the south and hold them as slaves, how
could | stay in party that would seek to make
him President, or allow him to stay in the church
to which | beong2 If, then, Il love my black
ueighbors as myself, | remember them that are If
bonds as bound with them, how can stay in sucf
parties now?
When good Jehoshaphat joined affinity witt
wicked Ahab, and said, am as thou art, aud my
people as thy people. and my horses as thy horses
he very narrowly escaped with his life, and Oh hi
return was reproved by Jehu the prophet, saying
should thou help the ungodly, and love them tina
hale the Lord therefore is wrath come upon thet
from the Lord And do not we do as bad o
worse, when we help the haters Of the Lord to e
Iect pro-sIavery or slayeholding rulers, and low
the ungodly pro-slavery and slave-holding socie
ties we'll enough to stay with and help build then
up, to make them strong and bold to crush and la
cerate the bleeding slave, thereby giving them tn
highest premiums we can to encourage their wick
ed course? And in these afinties paying none
to support the pro-sIavery presses, both politico
and religious Cor rather irregous) thus hirin
them to forge or rivit the chains and manacles q
ensluved christians? At the same time supportin
ministers who, like dumb dogs, refuse to ope
, their mouths for the dumb, ministers who wi
not preach that half of the gospel, or moral Law
concerning our duty to our black neghbors, be
cause it would identify them with the poor?
like manner, combining with shareholders, who's
offerings are robbery and blood to sustain the b
bic society, which keeps the bible from 100000
Americans, through the fault ofnorhern prosavt
ry church members. Also, joining lin the distr
!, button Of tracts TO foreign heathen) of sayehoIc
ers who would, by law, whip a free colored ma
= severely for giving tract to the heather at hom
and helping a missionary cause that is in part SUI
ported by the purchase of blood. Can it be rg
for christian aholitionists to hold church fellow
II ship with wicked manstealers, or with nomin
S clutches that allow them place among them?-
i It may not he duty to leave church because it HI
o some errors, provided they are not damnabte her
s. sizes, and especially if we know of no church nea
G er right. Nor would it be always duty to leave
y church because there is some sin in it, providir
!; the discipline did not alOlC it, and the major
g were opposed to it, and honestly and earnestly !
e boring to put away that evil thing or wicked pc
if son from among them. But when both the disc
10 pline and the majority adopt the damnable pr
1t slavery heresy, and allow their horse stealers
man steGIers to come in and stay in the churc
how can christian abotionsts stay in such CO
nexion, without being partakers Of other met
6 sins? Melhinks the voice from heaven proclair
aloud, come out of her my people, If we st
with them to influence them, it is like staying wi
the unconverted to influence them, or drinking
= little alcohol, associating with drunkards, to
. fuence them to reform. In all these cases tn
y think you are sUith them and like them, so tn
need not reform to gain your appreciation; and
stpad of inhuen cing them thew influence UOu