The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1852-09-29

IFOBi dst CohuC|tioh Wtts7; Sfs'5 NsN
utter calm and deliberate Voice TO the world"
and thissfoul and national blot shall be wiped
ou:, this flame from hell shall be extingushed.
Here, my friends, is the plain and straight path
of duty, whoever may blink ii out of sight; and
if our walking therein, shall lead TO The reno
ing OF ecclesiastical bodies, let US remember that
Righteousness. not peace, should be our primary
aim, that ''frst pure, then peaceable," ia the
divine order OF christian progress. And yet, we
are sometimes soiemnly warned against The
sundefiag Of outward bonds as calamity TO the
church! Does the church consist of an external
organization, however many il may enlist nn-
der common namel Do we know so lille Of
Pro,estanism as 10 make the church Identical
with any known ecclesiastical body? Is the
church rent in twain, when religious denomI-
nation is 1ivldedl On the contrary, hold thai
we should welcome divisions. when hey pro-
cee6 from an homes. and faithful endeavor TO
apply christianity 10 all known sir,s. The unt
IN of the church demands tie breaking up OF
outward OF organizations, when they openly espousr,
and persist in upholding great wrong.
Who believes that Christianity would be blot
ted out, if every overshadowing hierarchy in the
land were broken INTO frngmenrsl The cause
ofirue religion. ins.ead ofbeing morially wound
ed, would be advanced. The free spirit OF Con-
gregationnlism, strengthened by the shock,
would sta,.d up as break-waier against eccles'-
astical tyranny in future; for Capitalization is
not less an evil in o!igious than in civil matters.
The great body of The people. freed from priest
ly rule, and strong as ever in their religious
yearnings. would gnther together in smaller
Hocks, under their chosen shepherds, and thus n
free church. armed with every available inslru-
the cnuse of Clint. and boldly smiling every
form Of sin. Ii becomes US, republicans, in
my humble judgement, 10 repudiute The hier-
archal idea Of church, and 10 Inuugurate the
Democratic and Christian iden; 10 forego ouI
love Of great ecclesiastical todies. revolving
round central point or dogm-, in the endeavol
10 unite men Of different creeds, on the bronze
platform of practical Righteousness, m1king tha
the measure Of christian characie-, lest Of chris
tim fellowship.
A grent centralized religious power is unfa
vorable 10 free individual thought and acrion.-
/ Itis ap: TO invoke the power of numbers, rather
than the spirit OF truth. and 10 mistake denom
national sway for the spread Of Christiaui,y.-
II becomes selfseeking, sacrificing even justic;
and humanity, TO the desire TO gather multitude'
under the bnnner of its creed. Il has been sale
| and 10 lis mission in civilizing The world, only
when il can say. in sincerity and truth, that il
cares less for tie creed Of Luther, or Calvin, or
Fox, or Wesley. than for Chrisi's distinguish
ing and everlasting righteousness and love-"
On this principle, Mr.. President, we should
take our stand, and we should carry it rigidly
into practice, whatever the consequences may
be, to the religious denominations OF The country
mus, say emphalically. that ,oe are muin,aining
the unity Of the Church, whilst they alone are
schismntce who elevate dogmas above life, and
substitute an outward worldly establishment,
for the truo Church of Chris,. Divisions,
doubt NIT, will come. The claims of active
philanthropy, if disc gned by teachers and pre-
fessors of religion, will nevertheless be heard;
and they will not heed the prudent counsels Of
our limid and conservative doctors ano ecclesin.-
tics, who would forsake father and mother, 10
save their prieslly power. To their iyrnnnical
d I'm; ma. o., we mus, stand uncompromising y
opposed, They will never grid on the sword O.
Reform, till the vicory is won, Our reliance,
indeed must be on Christianity, divine mes-
sage TO man. /: is the light and hope OF the
world. the inspirer of every good work, The
oniv power "given among men, whereby we
must be saved"
The church. | fully believe, is 10 redeem the
race. But, as in ancient dnys SO now, the worl
of reform must begin outside Of existing systems
beyond the shadow OF our ruling church judicn
tories, among the great body of inc people
We must not commence with the chief priests
aud rulers, who are always ready 10 cruelty
reform, but like Fox and Wesley, we mus, TAX,
our stand in the midst Of the multitude. wht
have no other interest than to fad and embrac.
the truth.
If we make our appeal 10 them, and visel'
and fui.hfully labor. we shall triumph. Th,
ruling powers in church and state, like Plat,
and Herod. may combine against US, but WI
shall be sustained. The strong b'asi Of the worlt
may blow ngain>t us, but we shall be driven on
ward by che trade winds Of heaven" On,
srcDg thing find here below. The just thing
the true thing.'' And great consolation tc
ubotionists it is, that, few in numbers, hated o
the world, and branded as fnnatics incendiaries
and madmen, they yet have perfect assurance,
fnith running over with funess, that an Almighty
arm will crown with ultimate success their hum
Bile and sincere striyings for freedom and hu
man,ty
Home.
There should be spot on the whole earth s.
hao II hon