The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-03-04

which such scenes exert. 4
Consider for moment what some of these
influences must be.
Where was this painful exhibition maiei In
the cabin Of steamboat, in the presence of
promiscuous crowd, gathered from various parts
of the Union. Among the observers perhaps,
is one from distance, who has known nothing
Of slavery, except from lectures or rumors He
is startled and grieved, as he well may be. Per-
sion to his emotions, in letter to some far-ds-
tant friend. That friend, on the receipt OF the
letter, having similar emotions awakened, speaks
of the scene 10 other friends, andsoon il appears
in newspaper, and then II goes from village 10
village, from city to city, over half the Union.
And how is it represented Why, cs an illus
tration Of the feelings and actions Of the reti-
giors community Of Kentucky; a community
the vast majority Of whom, so far from approx
ing or initiating the deed of that minister,
would regard him as one, who had dishonoreo
his holy profession, and proved recreant to the
cause of religion and humanity, of God and
man. Thus single act casts Its baleful shad-
ow over a whole State.
But this is not the only, nor the worst inAu-
ence Of such a scene as the one we have de-
scribed.
Scenes like these are not merely bad in them
selves, but they are instrumental, and TO a fear
full degree. in producing infdelity and irreligion
We all know, and lament, the fact, that inf
deity is widely prevalent in our land. But to
what is its prevalence Owingf Surely there is
nothing in the religion of Jesus, nor in the
church, as presented by Christ, to justify or
produce infdel:ty; for his religion is altogether
lovely, and no ideal can be presented to the
mind of man, more attractive and beautiful
than Christ's ideal of the church. For what 10
the church according to that ideall The vis-
Of the divine spirit Of Jesus, the living mani
festation Of Jesus himself.
The life of the church is, according 10 the
high ideal, but constant renewal, prolonga-
ton Of the life of Christ. His life on earth, so
brief in years, so long in result, was but fere-
shadowing of the true life of the church
Every word Of holy truth, every tone of com
passion, every deed Of love, by which his life
was marked, were symbolic Of the holiness and
the love, which he designed should character
lie the church. The miracles CT Christ, those
wonders of love well as Of power, so benevo-
lent in purpose, so benefcent in effect, were
prophecies Of the deeds of compassion and
kindness by which Christ desired that his church,
throughout its whole existence, should be Illus
trated and adorned. He intended that il should
be eyes to the blind, ears to the deaf, strength
to the weak; that 1t should be the guardian OF
innocence, the teacher of virtue. the friend OF
the poor, the defender of the oppressed, the
glori6er of humanity. All that is lofty in pur-
pose, holy in spirit and kind in act, are ernbo-
died in Christ's ideal of the church.
Now, surely, there is nothing in this idea
to ALLEVIATE the affections Of men, or to Civ,
nourshment to the spirit of infdelity. II thai
fearful and mournful spirit prevail, 1t must be
not because the church is true, but because it il
false, TO its high character. II is on scenes Xix,
that presented on the Cumberland river during
the Sabbath, and not on scenes hallowed by tn,
presence Of piety and humanity, that in6deIity
delights to gaze. II is from such ministers, a,
the one who took part in that scene, and whose
position, as minister, enabled him conspicuous.
ly to misrepresent the character Of the Chris.
tian church, that infdelity and irreligion draw
encouragement, and not from those Christ-loy
ing and Christ-obeying ministers, in whom we
| rejoice to Lnn- sh-s all denominations in Ken
lucky abound, men whose lives attest at once
the loneliness Of religion and their Chistian
fidelity.
Some Of you may wonder, Christian friends
that We should give publicity to scenes like
that which has suggested these thoughts. Our
reasons for alluding to the scene are simply
these. We believe that If such scenes do &C.
cur, it is best they should be known; and
moreover, We prefer to speak Of them ourselves,
rather than be told Of them from abroad. We
believe, also, that the knowledge Of such scenes
as occurring in our midst, rare indeed though
they be, will stimulate all true-hearted minis
tiers and members Of the church to new and
more earnest efforts for the removal Of the great
evil, which brings so many and so disastrous
evils in its train.
The church in Kentucky has vast inf uence.
Let that influence be exercised in Christian
holiness, wisdom and love, and slavery would
melt away, rapidly yet quietly, as the ice disap-
pears before the genial sun.