Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-02-18

prepared the way at the South. The work can
be done, as soon, and as fast as we will unite to
do it.
There are many and most urgent reasons why
no time should be lost in commencing and COM
peting this work. Here are three millions of
people at our door, utterly and Systematically de-
prived of the means of intellectual improvement,
and cut off from the sources of intellectual en-
joyment The Bible which we propose to give
them, is the best supply of both. Give them the
Bible which thousands Of Slaves already know
enough to read, and millions Of others will soon
learn, if we give them the book. The Bible is
the best book for adults to learn to read We
boast of living in Protestant country, and that
" the Bible is the religion Of Protestants," and
yet virtually consent to the Withholding of the
Bible from three millions of our own Protestant
population. Our gravest charge against PopeIy,
of Withholding the Bible from the people, lies
with equal force against ourselves Many of us
are anxious to extend the circulation of the Scrip
lures and the blessings Of religious liberty to
Rome. But with what face can we ask her to re-
ceive these gifts at our hand, until we have first
supplied our own people with Bibles, and wiped
away the reproach that over one half these Unit
cd States there is no more freedom to search and
to obey the Scriptures, than in Rome itself If
Slavery cannot endure the circulation Of the
Scriptures, then Slavery ought to withdraw from
the field, lest hapIy it find it hard to fight against
! God. If the free circulation of the Scriptures
should prove the means which God will bless for
emanCipating the Slaves, can we expect eman-
cpation to be effected in any safer easier or more
salutary way than through the instrumcntaIity of
the Bible? That three millions of Bible read
ers will continue to be held as Slaves, is contrary
to all the lessons of history. Whatever efficacy
others means may have, in helping or hindering
emancipation, it must surely come when we shall
have given the Slaves the Bible.
We might enlarge on the benefits to be hoped
to ourselves and to the cause Of religion among
US Here is something that we can do for the
Slave something on which we can all unite,
without compromise Of our principles howev-
or diverse may be our views, whether Of reIigi-
Gus doctrine or on points concerning Slavery It,
self-or we all agree that the Slaves ought tc
have Bibles, and that we ought to give them. In
| how many congregations will it serve as har-
blnger OF peace and pioneer of heavenly inlu'
ences, to come together, and act with one heart
in giving the Bible to the Slaves!
In carrying out the object for which the Com.
mittec was constituted we do not anticipate the
necessity of any complicated machinery When
once the public attention shall have been fully
directed to it, we confidently expect the work
will be done through the pastors alone, with the
ting the thing in motion, and giving it such al
impetus as it requires, we think it is necessary
to employ some agents, and to issue some Clrcu
lars, forms of memorial, and pamphlets. Fo
this purpose funds are requisite, and to ask these
funds is the object Of this publication. W.
spread the case before the benevolent; with the
assurance that all moneys contributed shall b
faithfully employed in promoting the object; ant
that the more we are enabled to do, the soone
can the Christian public be awakened, informed
and united in accomplishing our object
TIMOTHY GILBERT,
JOSEPH C.. LOVEJOY,
WILLARD SEARS,
WILLIAM BLAKEMORE,
JOHN COVE
BosToN, JANUARY 90, IS47.
u N. B. Funds sent to this committee vii
be employed in agencies and publications.
Funds for sending the Bible to the Slaves SHOULD
go directly to the Bible Societies, with the me