The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-09-04
For educational Era.
CHRISTIANITY DEFENDED.-NO. |.


which you had appropriately enough titled,
/ Christianity and the Church: Precision OF Ian
! guage desirable" In avowing his infielity, and
! taking exceptions to my remarks, Mr.. Martin
gives the whole weight Of his testimony to the
truth Of my position, z: that the writer crti-
zed was taking Intdel ground and aiding lnf-
deity.
Declining TO follow your correspondent into the
arena OF personal controversy, permit NE TO use
the occasion to place before your readers some
farther thoughts the matters at issue, as II Is
subject deeply agitating the American mind, and
bearing powerfully en- the welfare of the world.
IL will be conceded that the whole human family
are immensely interested in knowing whether
Christianity is true Ii true il is the m,ghtiest
OF all truths if false, the most monstrous of all
fllsehoods IT, therefore, men doubt or disbelieve
its claims it is their right and duty to give to the
world the grounds of such disbelief But COM
mon honesty and humanity demand that they
shall offer and not ridicule to those of their
race who believe religion divine, and the Bible
the word of God. They can never subserve the
cause Of truth or humanity by stealthy inuen-
does nor by pretending to desire the purity Of the
Church whilst they strike at its life Let Inf
deity and Christianity meet face TO face in fair
encounter, and then let truth triumph. Neither
God nor man has any need of falsehood
Ii is foreign 10 our present purpose TO attempt
| any argument lOr lhe tTuth VI tho Dioic'
Adler hands have already done that work, and
have raised around religion such a rampant of
solid reasons that il may defy the assaults OF un.
belief for eli coming time. The friends and foes
Of thq Bible have more than once met in open con-
fict, and nfdelity has not yet put forth one fair
objection that has not been fairly and fully re-
futed And now (ias for the obstinate perver-
sity Of race IIfdelity, in the persons Of its
more Inscriptions partisans, has changed its
! md "A a,fo IvO .tin O.
and primitive Christianity is seeking TO bring
contempt upon all Christian men anu Christian
organizations. Perhaps they honestly imagine
that the noble aud benign truths and charities Of
CNlSs-S-~--s ..-S r.-,--.--,.J z@rssss y. -
peculiar faith and FORMS and may find as poten-
tial utterance in the pages of an almanack, or in
Socialists creed as in the Book of God, or in
the service and ceremonial of Christian Church
To us, however, Christianity is not merely a
creed Of beautiful and benevolent truth it is a
divine organic iion for making that truth practi-
cable to mankind IL is not merely a transcript
of the law and love of heaven--it is the kingdom
of heaven on earth; and we must continue to
hold him an enemy, not merely to the Church but
TO Christianity who attempts to bring discredit
upon the least requirement or institution of that
kingdom.
But it is charged that Christianity has become
corrupt, and the inference, with some is, that,
therefore it cannot be divine. IL is with this
charge and inference that we at present have to
do. This charge of corruption is, we confess,
often heard from others than skeptics, and by
many is honestly, though unrefectingly, urged
But, by whomever urged if it is true, and if its
truth invalidates the Bible or Christianity, it
ought to be known. Mankind have an infinite
need Of truth, and let have it, though it scatter
the churches to the wild winds
But before examining this charge, and before
making the admissions which we must certainly
and may safely make let ms notice, as a sort of
plea in abatement the sources from which the
charges spring: and, to make our argument more
particular let US take instance of this charged
corruption, and instance that has been the most
fruitful Of ALL in the attacks to which it has ex-
posed the Church, viz the Anti-Slavery ques-
ton.
Among the accusers of the Church, then, there
is, first, class of antislavery men whose ardent
spirits, freted to fever by the high but vain at
tempt to rouse the North to some efficient utter
ance or action against slavery, have been turned to
! gall by the injuries and insults to which anti
slavery men have been subjected both North and
South. Perhaps, personal injuries, fines, or i'm
prisonments AVE embittered his mind till the dark
feelings of revenge have been added TO the party
animosity which had already swallowed up the
original gushing charities of the reformer and he
looks around him TO fud some weapon with which
to reach the bosom of his foes. Believing himself
still the embodiment Of justice and humanity, he
thinks he may claim the Church of Christ as his
natural ally, and he exhorts it to hurl the thun-
ders of it's hercest anathems against the guilty and
hated South. But the Church does not obey his
bidding. 1t hestates, debates, attempts to mollify
his wrath, and ends perhaps, with a censure upon
his uncharable temper Disappointed and en-
ragged, he turns away Ia bitterness and curses the
Church and Christianity, denouncing them as
pro-slayery and corrupt. Others, friends of the
man and partsans Of his cause, join 10 his cry
and henceforth they are theopen opponents of the
churches.
There are others within the churches who are
or fancy they are far in advance of their brethren
in anti slavery feeling, and who, failing to bring
the Church up by beck to their stand point
turn impatiently and join the cry, "a Pro-slavery
church ~
There is still larger class both within and
without the pale of the church. who feeling, right
! ly, that the Church of Christ should oppose all
sin, but not comprehending the genius of Chris
tanity, nor knowing what spirit they are OF, and
on the other hand, overrating the apathy they
think they perceive, confess in sorrow, urge ia
complaint, that it is too true-the churches are
monstrously corrupt.
Must we not in Justice, add to these accusers of
the Church, those who deny, or, if you please dis
believe the authority of the Bible, and who unable
to refute Christianity by fair argument attack it
under pretended indignation towards its corrup-
tors, and attempt TO dscredit it by magnifypg the
faults Of its friends and professors What would
be thought of the honesty or ability of the man
who should attempt to dsprove the excellency Of
| republicanism or civilization by the same means
Such are the sources whence these charges
have come and we submit it to the verdict Of the
world, whether we ask for Christianity anything
more than stern strict justice, when we claim for
IL freedom even from suspicion till charges NO sus
piciously urged shall be carefully examined and
proved.
The charges thus abated on the score of preju-
| diced accusers, must be still farther lessened by
the universally conceded fact that there are many
| hypociites in the churches, who use religion to
cloak their evil deeds but for whose niquity Chris
tianty can in no wise be held accountable No
candid man will hold religion to account for wha,
is done by inhdels under her cloak. But with
all these Attachments, there still giant evils in
the Church, which should be fairly examined and
which we propose TO examine in another article
We remark here, again, in conclusion these char
ges are too weighty and serious. by far, TO he
lightly passed, or unfairly met. On the truth OF
Christianity is depending the temporal and eter-
nal veal Of the great family Of man, an issue SO
grand and awful, that before it, all questions OF
Government, and even the abolition Of human
servitude pale into insigni6cance.
J. M. GREGoRY.
FRoN SANTA FE.-l have despatch from In
dependence, Missouri, dated 23d August. The
Santa Fe mail had arrived bringing Messrs
Cranston, Dana, Sanford, and Stewart, Of the
Boundary Commission. Col Summers command
had reached Santa Fe. Many changes In the
military posts had been made, and those of the
interior broken up. The headquarters have been
removed to Moro. Major Weightman had been
chosen Delegate to Congress