Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1847-06-03
Slavery OnnOSed 10 the GOSnel.

We have always taught this doctrine The
Home Missionary for this month brings confirm
alton strong of the truth, that Slavery must be
done away before the Gospel can have free course
at the South Hear the testimony of three wit
nesscs upon this subject:
"Were this free state, would not faltcr a
moment; but, looking to God for assistance,
would go forward. AS it is, however, have
many fears Slavery here is strong. 1t affects ev-
cry nerve and fibre of society," and acts like a
paralysis on all industry, and is prime obstacle
in the way of him who would labor for the good
of this community.
can conceive ofno correct principle that shall
allow man to sustain this relation, except as
sort Of paterna relation, and where he furnishes
to those under his care every means in his pow
er for their coming to the knowledge of the truth
and their freedom in the Gospel But this is not
the case here. There are as many slaves in the
families of those connected with the churches
here, as there are white members in those families;
and not a'single one of them, that have heard
of, can read the Bible; and there are not half
dozen of them that make any pretensions to
pety They are almost never called in to be
present at family worship; but while the family
are bowling before God in the parlor, the slave is
preparing the morning meal in the kitchen"
Another Missionary says:
"But do you ask, DO they not receive oral in
structionF | answer yes, Of its kind A large
part ofwhat they now get is from preachers of
their own color, These preachers generally, as
you would suppose, are lamentably ignorant
scarcely able to read a sentence, much less to
comprehend and explain its truths and impress
them on the hearers. The custom of going to
hear their own preachers has increased very
much within three or four years. This arises
from prevailing opinion that their masters de-
sire them to attend at the white churches only
to prevent them from association together where
their masters are not present. They have, more
over, natural preference for preachers of their
own color, as being more on an equality with
themselves, and more able to sympathse with
them. The amount of preaching to them from
white ministers is very small. If minister
should preach much to them, he is liable to be
suspected as an abolitionist If his disavowal Of
this is so loud as to free him from the charge
then the slaves do not continue long to hear
him, Many slaves are, from the nature of the
social economy here, kept at home on the Sab
bath, to cook feed, stock catch, and take care
of horses and carriages for the family"
A third declares
"In all this, no account is made of the effect
which the habit of uncontrolled sway has on the
moral state of the master himself and of his fam
lily, in uniting them for the subsection of the
whole soul to the authority of God
One more deplorable fact may be mentioned
and that is, that this system has exiled from a
mong us to the free states, many of our best mi
nisters They could not sustain the conflict be-
tween their consciences and the apparent neces
sity that virtually sealed their lips.
Slavery presents not few obstacles to the sue
cess of the preaching of the Gospel. In thi:
matter am more unfortunate than either of my
predecessors; all of them came from slave states
but did not On this account, ] had much pre-
iudice and suspicion to contend with for nearly a
year after my arrival. You have been informed
! how near came to being honored with leave O
absence in great haste. think, however, have
pretty much outlived these prejudices, OF the
general influence of slavery, you have no neeC
that write unto you. You are already aware
that many devoted ministers of the Gospel have
left this and other slave states, because of tht
patriarchal institution can sympathse witt
such men now more fully than before | CANE
here"