The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-08-04
THE NEW YORK BIBLE SOCIETY AND IFS
PREACHER.

THE NEW YORK BIBLE SOCIETY AND lis
PREACHER.
To the Editor ofks National Era:
The Managers of the American Bible SocI
ETY. deemed it expedient 10 eunce their respec
for the "neculiar institution by selecting Ger
tain of the most notorious Of its champions a
Tho racinients of their honors. The Rev. Gard
ner Snripg was chosen last year to ofhciate q
their chapiain. to lead their devotiens at thei
anniversary; and again, this Spring to max
the dedicatory prayer at the opening of thu
new Bible House This divine had distinguish
ed himself by acting as chaplain of the New
York Union Saving Committee, and by his ser
mon in which he declared, that could he lib
crate the slaves by prayer he would not offer
il: and in which he rejoiced that the effect oil
the Fugitive Law would be to drive fugitiyes
ont of New York These same managers alsc
selected the EDITOR OF THE New YORK Oh.
SERVER the great organ of cotton divinity, and
the yilifer of Uncle Toms Cabin as an
ant. Christian book, to represent the Bible
cause in this country, on the platform OF the
British and Foreign Bible Society.
The CITY Auxiliary has emulated the patriot.
nc example of the parent institution. At Its
",
of Baltimore, was appointed it's preacher. This
Rev. Dr. of Divinity has long been known, not
only as a stakeholder, but as one OF the mos
yirulent and malignant of his class.
Some time since the Rev. J. Cable, in pub
lished letter, remarked: "l-haye lived eigh
years in q slave State, (Virginia,) and received
theological education at the Union Theology
cal Seminary, near Hampden, Sydney College
FT,I-- hn, Ella knpu
that the worst kind is j0bbing SLaUery-that is;
hiring out slaves from year to year, while The
master is not present to protect them. it II
the interest of the one who hires them to get
the worth of his money out of them; and the
loss is the masters if they die What shock
ed me more than anything else, was the Church
engaging in this iobbing of slaves. The Col
leee Church, which | attended held slaves
enough to pay the pastor, Mr. Stanton, one
thousand dollars year, of which the Church
members, as understood, did not pay cent.
There were four churches near the college that
supported the pastor in whole or in part IN the
same way, viz: Cumberland Church, J. Kirk,
pastor; Brincy Church, WILLIAM PLuMMER
pastor, since, Dr. p, of Richmond) Buffalo
Church, Mr.. Cochran, pastor; Pisgah Church,
near the Peaks Of Otter J. Mitchell, pastor"
mus we uuu InhJ OuE pEcoChci Ooiochs
ed TO be the pastor not merely of shareholders,
but of u church, which, in its corporate capa-
city, held capital in the bodies and souls OF
men, and from the pecuniary profit derived
from the intelligence Of these souls and the
muscles of these bodies paid him for admins
tering to others the Holy Sacraments, and in
culcatng those preccpts of the blessed Jesus,
which he and they were daily violating in their
- 49,. Cell
themselves Certainly, this was novel illus
tration of the text "They which wait at tn,
altar are partakers with the altar" DIR. Plum
mer waited at the altar of slavery, and in hi
priestly character partook of the victims sacri
feed on it.
1t is not to DO wondered at that such priest
should be filled with wrath and bitterness
against all who protest against these human
sacrifices In 1885, the clergy of Richmond,
Virginia met and passed resolutions denoun
cling the AbOtiOnists The shareholders, 10
strengthen themselves, had formed Commit
tee Of Correspondence. DR.. Plummer was pre-
vented, by absence from the city, from writing
with his reverend pro-slayery brethren but on
his return, defined his position in letter to the
Committee. In this epstle, not written pre-
csely on the apostolic model, he says: al have
carefully watched this matter from its earliest
existence, and everything have seen or heard
of its character both from its patrons and its
enemies, has confirmed me, beyond repentance,
in the belief that let the characters of Aboli.
tiOnsts be what it may in the sight of the Judge
of oil the Earth this is the most meddlesome,
impudent, reckless fierce, and wicked excite
ment, | ever saw, If Abolitionists will set the
country in blaze, it is but fair that they should
receive The first uGyming at The fire Aboli.
tionists are like infdels, wholly unaddcted to
martyrdOm for opinions sake. Let them I'M
derstand that they will be caught Qynched) if
they come among us, and they will take good
care to keep out of our way"
30 it seems that in no matter in what light
GoD regards the AbOltionsts, HIm s. Plum
mer adjudges them worthy of Lynch law, or
EARNING and deems their opposition to slave.
ry exceeding sinful Yet well does he know
that the opinions respecting slavery entertain
ed by the men he thus ylfes are held by null
titudes of the most devoted Christians, both in
this country and in Europe.
Having thus seen something Of the man
whom the Now York Bible Society delights to
honor, let us advert to the sermon with which
he, IN grateful return, attempted to edify its
members Happily, the New York reporters
have rescued it from oblivion The text he Sc
lected was, of all the Bible, the most extraor.
binary to be chosen by a reverend stakeholder
and advocate of slavery "Wo unto you, law.
yers, for We have taken away the key of knowl-
edge OF course, he had no idea Of applying
this text to his brother shareholders, who have
taken away the key Of knowledge from three
millions Of has cOuntrymen. He begins by tell
ing the Bible Society, The jewish pharisees
were sufficiently thorough in this evil labor, but
they are outstripped in these latter days by
Pdpdi PhdriSees, The old Pharsoes never for
bade the reading Of the Scriptures, but the
modern Pharisee doesp
The sermon il an assault on the Church of
Rome Tor taking away the key of knowledge,
ana, considering the character, afEnities, and
relation OF the preacher to human bondage, it
one OF The most impudent and hypocritical
assaults ever made on that Church. Whatever
may have been the "evil labor" of the ancient
rnarisees-whateyer may now be the similar
labor OF the Papists-both have been far, very
lar, "outstripped in the work of enforcing
ignorance and degradation by our Southern
fharisees The ancient Pharisees, it ia admit
TED dId not forbid the reading of the Scriptures
ana however the Papsts may regard the gene
ta' perusal OF the Sacred Volume inexpedient
uey nave 10 no age passed laws to prevent tn,
people from learning to read and write; anC
~ TINS country at least, English Bibles ar
printed and sold in the bookstores with the up
PIooa'oh OF the Catholic priests; and Dr
Piummer Is challenged to point to one sins
rop,sn Government that has made the simpl
reaaingoi the Bible in private penal oilenc,
Ana now let US examine the "eyl labor q
our southern rherlsees, in taking away tn
key OF knowledge from those subjected to thei
power
DR. Plummer resided too long in Virgin,
in that State IN which he Illuminated his al
almanac aoa,not tba kol;t;os;... -