Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1850-06-27
POLITICS AND TEE PULPIT.

The New York Independent, edited by Hen
ry Ward Beecher, one Of the most fearless and
forcible writers of the age, con aims searching
review of the course of the Journal of Com
merce in condemnation of the agitation of the
slavery question, ard especially in the pulpit,
from which it argues that all mention of the sub
jeet 10th i'll preaching and prayer should be ex-
cluded. We find the article too long for our
columns, and therefore, must content ourselves
with an extract The writer after showing that
he has not contended, nor does now, for the
right and propriety Of the introduction Of the
subject into the pull pit, otherwise than on moral
and religious grounds, concludes his able arti,
Gle as follows
The Journal ofCommereo has a right to adj
vocate colonization, and to expose and refute
anti slavery doctrine, if both be done openly,
and under no cover of pretense of another thing
But it has noright to indulge its inveterate dis.
like OF INIT slavery doctrine under specious
plea Gfsavng the Sabbath-nor to make enven.
omed thrusts at it's antagonists, under the guise
OF purifying the pulpit.
A conscience is an excellent thing in its
place; and zeal for the means OF graceiS high
" commentaries but when zeal and conscience
are but cIoaks under which enc INDUCES his pri
vate or party spIles, they are ruGely termed in
the vocabulary Of common life, Hypocrisy. Yet
Prejudice may lead to the same results: and to
that, as to the more obvious and cartable cause.
we assign the conduct CT the Journal of Com
mGrce.
The moral and political character of slavery
for series Of years has entered INTO almost ev-
cry newspaper of the land 1t has been neces-
sary for men to form some opinion on the sub
ject 1t is fact to be gravely noticed, that
while the Journal of Commerce has kept its rea-
ders informed of slavery as topic of rews, req
Istered It's relations to politics, taken cognlzance
OF the measures which it has originated in Con-
gress criticised freely the speeches and votes of
public men, it has not, since the death of David
Hale, uttered word from which a man can tell
what are its opinions on this subject. whether
sIaveIIoldng be sin whether Slavery be an
evil, or on the whole, if well managed bless.
Ing we are therefore obliged to inter its opin-
ions, and the inference is dark enough We do
not say that the journal of Commerce believes
slavery to be a blessing; but we think it has
acted Just as if il were. We do not CHARGE il
with fellowship or a secret understanding with
she South but we do not know what change it
would have to undergo to fit it for the attitudes
of Charleston and New Orleans.
We are not at liberty to say that its belief is
on the side of the slavery, but there IS not one
sign true if its sympathics are not wththe slave
holders. The Journal is in earnest when IT in
Weighs against Northern Anti Slavery sentiment
-npithets and sarcasms and fierce denuncia-
I,,t Il. l..
of the South and its fragrant system, its tones
subsidies to genteness, It's language is either
apologize or defensory.
There are two great sides now in tllis nation;
one determined TO limit slavery and to DESTROY if
the other to extend slavery as a means Of per-
getuatlng 1t. The Journal of Commerce is the
deadly enemy OF the first, aud the efficient friend
Of the last.
We do not say that it has no svmpatbies FIR
freedom; but we do say hat all IFS articles and
denunciations are against those who ro str;v;nlr
for liberty '''''S
We do not say that it is the ORGAN of tho
South, nor that it represents savebnIGn,s =" t tne
we DO say that in that controversy which su,,I
lows up every other question Of tbo Ja,, aa.I
rocks the land to its foundation il has Ga9, NV ,
friend Of those who were dislinctly tho f;aa s,S
OF the south, and that it has hated most ,no
whom the South most hated that il has .. ."
as the South has argued, and refused to Estea
to the reasonings of those who truly represent
the North. 0'''
IT any errors are lie be excused, if any tender
ness is to be felt it is always on the side of
slavery. 1t any fault is to be found for haste or
out speaking, II is VITA mea on the side of free
dom. They whose hearts swell with ooDression
calhoun and his whole retinue NAV make the
land reverbrate with arrogant basphem,ps =.
gainst llbery-lho journal sIeeps-nothine dis
turbs-nothlng dI>turbs its sweet dreamsI An
humble pastor whose heart swels with indpra.
ton at wrong, and with fervent and most oar
nest zeal Tor right speaks word against mon
who league with such men-then the giant
awakes and SEXES cndge and salles forth tn
chastize the high handed insolence Of n Chris
tan pulpit, guilty OF indiscretion for human ill.,
erty! iiO-
But the Journal of Commerce tells us tb.t
such disagreeable topics, introduced into tho
pulpit, violate the ends for which the Minis
try is ordained and appointed, viz: PREACHING
the Gospel FN'1''s
"The grievance complained of is not that tho
clergymen alluded to do not preach the GosnoI
correctly when they preach it at all. but that pot
p untrequenty they give us Aboltionism. Free
Soilsm, &c. in place of the gospel. Christ now
cr spoke of it as phase of the Gospel,
In the same sense, apprehension of gambling
is not the gospel; nor of swindling neither IS
temperance, nor chastity; neither is liberty of
conscience a family institution; nor is any SIN.
gle form of good, nor the rectifcation of anv
particular evil the gospel
But will the Journal in its sober senses saw
that man can preach the Gospel whatever if 10
and not preach on one or all of these topics q
What is the Gospel? AS popularity used il is
that system Of facts and truths taugbt in tho
New Testament
If any man would take the shortest cut to fol .
ly, let him deny that it is the true shirt and
letter ofthe New Testament to redress every OWL
in the world And he that EMPLOYS divine
truth as the INSTRUMENT of abating evil, is preach
ing to that evil. Men not only require to hear
of Christ crucfed, but of those sins for which
he was slain. There is, too living Savior as
: well as Savior crucifedG who claims mans o.
bedlence, and who sends ministers to turn mem
from their slns-and as we read the preaching
of John, of Christ and ofhis apostles, the preach
ing of the gospel meant the pointed exposition Of
of mems sins, and the duty of repentance and a.
cody life by faith in Christ
We should be glad, according to the patent
method ofthe Journal TO teach men how to act
upon christian principles in their political con.
duet and not say word upon the subject. We
should heartily rejoice if we could inspire chris
tan honesty in commerce without ever discuss
: ing mems commercial duties. The Journal ey-
identity knows how this may be accomplished
Will it not bless the world with the important
secret2 1t has in mind doubtless, some Gospel
that will free men from sin and not disturb them
that will snatch away their sins while asleep !;
some Chlorofotm Gospel; some gospel that will
convert the African slave-trader and not say
word nhout fha al no do III oz,l d..