The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-08-07
LIBERALIST DEPENDED.
u Of The Nqtional Era /:

To the Editor of the National Era:
SIR see in the columns of the Era Of June
5'h lecture on Precision of Language" by ].
NJ. Gregory, in allusion to words irreverently
used in reference to Christianity and churches,
seemingly intended for the edfcation of Liberal
ist, and others Of like passions. He thinks they
ought to be aware if they are not, that they are
using and thus stamping with authority the ar
guments under which infdelity has cloaked its
attacks upon the Christian religion ever since the
days of the French Revolution. The evil he
complains of is the using the terms Religion,
Church, and Christianity in general sense, in
connection with phrases of sweeping condemna-
ton and suppOses such general use of those terms
does, in the minds of the unwary aud unrehect-
ing, affix stigma upon the whole church, and
awaken distrust towards all Christianity | will
now take the stand as witness against this posi-
ton, having had some experience in the rise
and progress of inhdelity in the mind In the
first place, let me say that was brought up after
the strictest sect a Presbyterian, though not at
the feet of Gamaliel | was early instructed in
the peculiar tenets Of that order But, after ar
irving at years of maturity, my mind was direct
ed to the actions, instead of the professions, of
religionists aud from their actions | came to the
conclusion that religion was all farce, and the
Book fiction; and here aver that believe there
never has been course pursued by men or dew
lis better calculated to foster and feed infdelity
than the course taken by such men as J. NJ. Greg
Org.
The fact that base corruption does at present
exist in the churches generally is too true to be
disputed very successfully and when professors
attempt to stretch the mantle Of charity over such
mutitudes of gross, unblushng sins as the church
es might boast of, tf Boosting in such cases were
not by the Book excluded) they will always find
that the stretch is too much for that good old.
fashioned garment to endure, and leaves the mat.
ter in such position that way faring man, though
n fool, may in many cases see design in their
operation. will not at present enumerate de-
signs that are discernible in many cases where
the mantle Of charity is put TO the stretch in or
der to cover the brethrens sins, but will say that
in my opinion twould be much better 10 let the
church stand the full force Of the arrows given by
it's members TO their inhde enemies to hurl al
the church, either collectively or individually
that they may learn to cultivate n little more OF
the harmlessness Of the dove and show less of tn,
cunning of the serpent
Be not deceived Brother Gregory, "whatso
ever man soweth, that shall he also reap . and
if the church soweth heshly seed whether ne
groes or some other like precious seed she may X
pect to reap bountful harvest Of the same pre-.
oous fruit and be assured that infdels watch
you close, and care but little about your preci
sion Of words, 80 long as precision Of conduct il
left in the shade. Think you, would the nfdel
be likely to make capital Of words, where the in
diydual is portraying to Israel bis trsnsgressions
and Jacob his sins, IL there was no improperly
in their conduct How much stress, think you, 10
inhdels put on the treachery of Judas as an iudi-
Vidual casel Not much, trow but had the
church, in her collective capacity, undertaken to
cover in the midst Of her tent the niquity Of Ju-
das, and hid his baseness in accepting the thirty
pieces OF silver, then the infdel would have had
cause Of rejoicing
Now, pray, tell us how many you have in the
different churches who are selling Christ in the
person OF his professed disciples, aud who are
highly esteemed in the church for their liberali-
tyl Remember, Christ says that "inasmuch az
you have done IL TO one Of these least, YOU haye
done ii unto me" Now, il does appear pretty
evident that If Jesus Of Nazareth had been as to-
nacious Of precision OF language and courtesy Of
demeanor as many Of our modern teachers and
Latter Day Saints, he would have found favor
with the Sanhedrim, evaded the cross, worshipped
the devil and reigned temporal monarch Of the
earth! But such was not the case Christ In
Vited Satan 10 get behind him, and both Christ
aud John, his forerunner, charged the holy pecu-
liar people OF God with being a generation Of vi
pers, and, notwithstanding their church was of
Divine appointment, would not be very likely to es-
cape the damnation Of hell And why was II that
Christ when answering the lawyer In reference
10 who was neghbor treated the Priest and Le-
Vite so unc0urteousy, and took a Samaritan sim
Der as the most ft representative Of neighbor7
Was il because the Jewish church was so cor
rupt that fit subject could not be had within the