The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-09-07
From the Psnnsyfpania Freeman.
Tbe.Christian Press.

This paper, the efficient organ of the Free Pres
byterian church. has done good Service to our
cause, and has grappled manfully with the powers
of slavery in the church, encountering caiumny
and persecution bravely for the truth. Fer this it
merits much honor. In this herculean work, We
suggest to our good BROTHER there is enough to oc
cupy all his strength; that he need not ,in with
his own rancorous enemies-our modern Scribes
and Pharisees-to raise the cry of GarrisonisHl,'
'.Inidel,' &C. against the most devoted and consis-
tent of his fellow laborers. There is no danger
that Mr.. Garrison and his friends will lack odium
and epithets of reproacb, should the Press apply
ITSELF solely to the extrpation of practical indelity
and atheism from the church, the pulpit, and the
theologic chair. There is little liability that their
humane and Christian nbors will be any too speed
lily successful, or that their way will be smooth
and ilowefy if no thorns are s'rown in if, and no
odious imputations heaped upon them to aggravate
sectarian bigotry and popular prejudice.
On what principles of justice or Christian court
esy does the Press use the term .-Gurrsonsm" to
designate new and peculiarly dangerous form of
'.infdelity?" To say nothing now of the taste Of
coming or dealing in such terms, in the present
case it is an injustice or carelessness which does
not comport with the general conduct of The Press.
Does not its editor know that Mr.. Garrison not
ly disayows all hostility to Christianity, but has
proved his Christian fidelity by better evidence
than high sounding professions. or solemn obser-
vances. by the very proof which Jesus required of
his followers? Against his life of love of man, ir-
reproachable virtue, and chdlike reverence to-
wards God his selfconsecratOn to truth his infex-
ible adherence to the Divine Law-eternal Right.
his uniform reference of every question of morals
or policy to that unerring stanlard,-against all
this, what have his clerical malgners TO allege, to
prove him not only no Christian, but ''infdel."
and the leader of new school of .'infidelity,' to
which his name justly applies? He does not OBJ
serve their forms; he does not join their sects; he
does not credit all their dogmas; be does accept
them for their office sake but brings them 10 the
test of their own works: he does not bow to their
Interpretation of the Scriptures but judges for
himself ofther character and requirements; and he
does arraign and expose the religious organizations
of our land, for their eorrupens and frauds, for
their unchristian indifference to human wefare.
Moreover, he believes that all truth can benr free
Investigation and discussion that neither Church,
Ministry, Sabbath, nor Bible, can lose any rever-
ence due to it, by the fullest examination. There
fore he has opened his paperto such examinations;
thus showing faith in God, in truth, and in man,
which should shame his revers.
''The head and front of his offending
Hath this extent, z =
But to those who writhe under his words of
TRUTH or shrink from the light, this is enough to
justify the oufcry by which they would divert at
tention from their own guilt. Surely need not
say that no aboitonist should (even unwittingly)
help their miserable shift, by giving currency to
their epithets and reproaches. They should have
the entire monopoly Of this business.
! IF Mr.. Garrison, or any ono else, embraces dan
gerous error, show it to him, counteract it by
truth; but these mad-dog cries of snfidel,'' .an-
archy," "Garrisonism,' enlighten no one convert
no one, and only appeal to prejudice and bigotry.
| This The Press would not conciousIy do, and yet
this it is doing when it seeks TO frighten slavehod-
ing Reverends and d. DIS from their perversons
Of the Bible, by the bugbear of "Garruonsm' -
| But the attempt will not be successful in prevent
ing biblical defences of slavery, war, polygamy, or
intemperance. So long as any of those practices
are legal and popular will those appeals to the BIZ
BILE sanctions to them continue. No representa-
tons OF tho consequences to the Bible or to Chris
tanity, will deter men, whose chief end is, not
justice, mercy, or purity, but popularity, influence,
and commanding position, for the course which
will win the prize they seek Self or sect is, to
such men, an idol before which all else must bow.
Convert them from selfshnoss and sectarianism-
which is only form of selfshness--and they will
seek no more any justifcations of popular crime.
To this work we commend our brother of The
Press, as one more congenal with his usual lib
oraIity, and more serviceable to his ms ,thun
mnistering, even indirectly, to the bigoted preju
dice against tho men who are doing the work of
Christianity, in binding up the broken hearted,
proclaming deliverance to the captive, leading men
into true brotherhood, and promoting purity and
love-the"Good Sumaritans' of our day. Who
ever is really casting out from our land the evils of
slavery, war, avarice hute, forbid him not, hinder
him not, because he does not follow you, wear
your garb. and speak your speech. He is work
ing for the race, for God, for eternity.
How TO CHOOSE Observation-Disclosures
is not full of sunshine and rose-colored bliss