The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-05-23

! ing church, but there is none convenient, and
| want place for myself and my family to 60 10
on Ssbbath-snd the church am connected with
| is a very orderly misunderstanding church, u
| $50 were the Jews but their hands mere tH 81
| blood ~ and, though they had their solemn as
sembles God would not hear their prayers until
they turned to the work Of relieving the OPP
pressed-Isaish 1, l3-17)-"a and the preacher
breaches sound doctrine in other respects, and
says many good things Yes-and the same
might be said of many Pagan or Mohammedan
churches. They might be orderly in many things,
their assemblies solemn and the priests might
say many excellent things, and at the next breath
strike fatal blow at fundamental point, or,
by example, propagate a most dangerous and God
dishonoring doctrine Would you feel that, by
your presence and membership, you ought to sus
tain such, erea If there mere no Christian churches
wahm thousand miles Of you? Would you feel
that such churches were safe nurseries for your
families, with minds not yet fully instructed in
the true principles Of religion Evil communi-
cations corrupt good manners" False doctrines
may faint the youthful mind. And father .
brother if ye shall train your family in a slave
holding and slave-despising church and your
children shall imbibe contempt for labor and
for Go1's poor, spurnng meekness and love, the
essentials Of Observation-Disclosures no one, but your
own folly. You may possibly escape as Lot, but
hold your sons and sons-in-law laugh at your ex-
hortations "as one that Knocked y and, though you
may drag from the flames two daughters, it may
be with hearts corrpntsd and bahits SUined
Escape for thy life" Better that you should
make your church connection in New York or
New Orleans, if you can find pure church there
and make pilgrimages once year and give your
name and influence for truth and righteousness
and thus let your light shine rather than uphold
that which corrupts Gods Word, enfeebles the
church, curses your country, and endangers the
spiritual safety Of your family. Let your exam
pie be mholly for truth and Righteousness whilst
you do live, even if you have to bear heavy crosses
in doing it, Your crown at last will be bright,
if you are faithful until death and, should you be
a martyr for truth, it will be enough-oh it will
be enough at last to wear the white robes Of
Righteousness, and wave the palms of victory
10th. Does the objector again say: 81 am daily
praying for pure church, aud will join one 30
soon as God in his providence shall raise one up,
convenient to me-in our neighborhoodW
Well, brother, it is right that you should pray
We doubt not the efficacy of prayer. And Crom-
well doubted not the efficacy of prayer and yet
he saw the duty of using means. On the night
before the memorable battle of Dunbar, the rain
was descending in frequent showers the enemy
| had hedged him in on all sides, and were more
| than double his number, and had the advantage
I, in many respects He had decided that on the
| morrow the decisive battle must be fought Him
self praying man, he said to his soldiers many
Of whom were seen in groups praying: "Pray-
and mnhal keep The powd1 dry" That is, pray
for Gods blessing, and use necessary medHS.
And with the blessing of God, and dry powder,
he whipped the enemy and took near half of them
as prisoners Now, reader, if you will also use
The neqns if you win come out, and induce one or
more to come with you, and band yourselves to-
gether, determining to stand for truth and right
eOusness, you will have q minister. God in his
providence will send you one. Do the deed and
spread your hands abroad; let your wams be
| kaora and there will be ministers TO feed you.
| Yes there are now ministers whose hearts are
aching for the chance to travel muddy roads, to
buffet the storm, and use plain fare, that they
may meet such spirits Yes, if little bands will
rise up here and there, circuit-riding will become
still more common.
18th. Many ministers will object, aIf come
out, my sphere Of influence will be SMALL con-
fined to little handfuls here and there, with per-
| haps not more than twenty to a hundred hearers.
| Now have large church, with active members,
| the Pharisees were active, and made proselytes,
and "devoured widows houses,') and | am con-
nected with large and influential denomina-
ton surely | can do more in my present con.
nection, though am connected with slaveholding
churches otherwise my influence would be very
| limitedo Yes, We are often infatuated with a
Sbow of numbers, and our sef-righteous hearts
pleased, and conscienees relieved, by big sacri-
| fee, as an atonement for our rebellion. Thus
Saul thought to atone for his rebellion by offering
big sacrifice. But Samuel replied; ITO obey
is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the
| fat Of ransn Rich sacrifices compensate not for
neglected duty. Better to build on a small scale,
and not build at all, than to build up error
| a bulwark against truth. And what is your inhu-
ence now, brother, however extended, but to
build up church, either practicing or sanction
ing iniquity And all the talents you may have,
and all the piety and extended organization which
you may gather around you, will only render your
influence the greater for error, snd the stronger
against those who may be laboring for the truth
The world will say TO such, "sure all your zeal
for the purity of Gods word and church, and all
your sympathy for the slave, must be wrong
See that talented and pious preacher, with his
large and Aeurahiug churches they do not teach
and act as you do; you must be in error"
Thus, dear brother, your talents and extended
influence is an influence for evil. You may fee
that to leave the fine church edifces you occupy
aud the large audiences you have, and to preach
about in private dwellings, school-houses, or some
clubhouse, propped up on all Sides as the old
chapel at Wittemburg, where Luther began, and
to get your support just as you can catch it-this
you may feel ID a small and too hazardous bust
ness True, it is the day of small things, but il
should not be despsed And why should not you
bear part in the struggle Did all men act as
you, reform would never be accomplished. We
know ministers whose burdened souls for truth
and the slave caused them to leap from the old
organizations but, finding their "spheres of in.
i1ence too limited as they said, have gone back
All many, like Erasmus, have conscience enough
to feel the evil, but not courage enough to brave
the storm.
And the same persons have said, 81 must have
bread for my family; the new organizations are too
small to yield me a support Yea, many yet must
walk by sight, and not by faith. Do you suppose,
dear reader, that if you entered into the work
with your whole soul, determining to do your part,
showing by your economy and your industry, your
zeal for the truth, and your willingness to bear
hardship as a good soldier, that God would not
raise up friends to help youl More sure than
that God feeds the ravens of the valley, will he
feed you. 1t cannot be otherwise God will
raise up friends who will loue 10 help such minis
tiers and God will water the souls of those who
honor him by trusting john G. FEE.
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