Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-02-18
Slaves should have the Bible,


70 the Christian PubHc:-At a convention
of ministers and church members, held in Bos-
ton on Thursday, the 2lst of January, IS47, to
consider what more we ought to do in behalf Of
the slaves Of our country, the members present
we're impressed with the duty resting upon US,
and not yet even undertaken, Of giving to our
enslayed felIow-countrymen the Bible and other
blessings of the Gospel OH the same principles
that guide us in giving them to the benighted Of
other nations; and Of meeting and removing the
obstacles thereto i'll similar manner.
The undersigned, representing several denom-
nations of Christians, were appointed com
mttee to take suitable measures for laying this
subject before the churches and endeayoring to
bring them to some united efforts in this behalf
In looking at the work before us, we have con-
cuded that it is not advisable for US to attempt
the formation of any new society, but that the
object we have in view can be best attained
through the Bible and Missionary Societies al
ready in existence. And we propose to obtain
their cooperation chiefly by procuring memorials
to their Directors, and specific contributions to-
their treasures, from the friends end supporters
of those societies, devoted exclusively to the
object of giving the Bible and other means Of
Gospel instruction to slaves, on the same princi-
piles as to other classes of people
The sending of the preached Gospel, with
Schools, Tracts and Sabbath Schools, will be the
work Of each denomination Of Christians, acting
through its own institutions. But the giving the
Bible to the Slaves is that i'll which We can all
unite on common ground To this we now re-
quest your particular attention.
Do we tell you something new brethren
when we tell you that in the distribution of BIZ
bles, in this land Of light and liberty, three
millions Of the people, one sixth of the whole
inhabitants of the country, are Systematically
and Intentionally passed by, and left without the
power to search the Scriptures or to read the
words of the Savior!
That this is all wrong, we will not insuI
you by arguing. Every Christian heart sponta
neousy feels that here is a great wrong done
great duty left unperformed. 1t is so, because
the ministers and church members of one hall
of the States of this Union are ovcrawed by the
power of slavery, and dare not attempt tc
perform this plain duty except in few lsoIa
ted instances and by stealth. And the Bible
Societies have con scented to this policy, by con
tinuing to enrust to local auxiaries exclusively
the work Of Bible distribution in the slave states
And the managers, acting as the representative
of the Christian community, have had gooc
reason to believe that they were acting in entire
accordance with the wishes of their supporters
in the absence Of any thing like general ex
preston to the contrary, We, therefore, breth-
rem, WE OF THE NORTH, have by our vir
tual consent, thus made this studied neglect ou
own And it is for US to do our duty, and undo
our own wrong, before we seek to reclaim other
from their error.
What we propose is, that members of congre
cations or others, who may be awakened to thi
duty, should send respectful memorials to tn
managers of the American Bible Society, or tn
American and Foreign Bible Society, or sucl
other Bible Society as they prefer, asking them
TO enter upon the work of giving the Bible t.
the slaves, on the same principles as to others
And we propose that all who sign such memoir
ais, shall give proof of their earnestness and
pledge of their readl ness to aid in the work, b,
contributing to the Society addressed, at thu
same time, such amount Of money as they thinI
proper, to be devoted exclusively to tn
SLAVES BIBLE FUND.
We are fully satisfied that all such memorial
will be kindly received, and thatsall such contri
buttons will be safely kept, and sacredly apple
to no other object. And we are equally sure
that whenever these memorials shall have becom
so numerous, and these contributions so large, a
to convince the candid judgment of the manag
ers, that they express the general wish of tn
Churches, they will as readily and faithfully vi
dertake the work, and as wisely and energetca
ly pursue it, as they do any other Christian ell
terprize of acknowledged difficulty 1t is, there
fore, only question of time and numbers wher
every one adds one, land where delay only increase
difficulty.
We will not allow doubt, that. whenever tn
managers are ready to begin the work, on du
elaboration, openly, as Christian duty, and
such suitable agents as they will employ the doc
will be sufficiently open for them to enter. W
believe there are portions of the Slave country
even now, where the agents of the Bible Societ
might openly give Bibles to the Slaves We bt
leve there are, in many parts, numbers of Goo
fearing men and women, who would give Bible
TO the Slaves, if they knew they were susane
by the prayers of the Christian community, an
the countenance of the Bible Societies. We re
member, too, that in the fifteen years from tn
time the circulation of the Scriptures in Chin
was actually resolved upon, China was all open
receive the Bible. And we do not believe Oh
half Of our own country is more inaccessible
the Bible than China. The discussions whic
will take place while the Churches are comm
forward to move the Societies, and while tn
managers are getting ready to work, will hav