The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-02-14

from the fact, that tnls power con'rois the
decisions Of these bodies i is manifest that
II is the predominant one. Hence we
see that the controlling religion Of these .bo-
dies, is a Slaveholding religion. But our
doctrine teaches, that SlavehOlding is at war
with the first principles Of christianity. The
necessary conclusion then from these prem
ises is, that the predominant religion Of this
country, is al war with Christianity, and
hence bears upon its front the mark Of Anti
Christi siit s0ied .-a ..z9gs 4di '9
This certainly is lamentable conclusion
to arrive at. Yet, we see not how to avoid it,
if we admit the truth Of the premises. If
Slavery and Christianity are fundamentally
opposed to each other, and il the Slavehold-
ing power controls the decisions Of the
great leading religious bodies of the country,
then ! see not why the inference does not
legitimately follow, that whatever true Chris
tisnity there may be in these bodies, il exists
only in the minority. Whether this minor
ity has sufficient life, and power, to redeem
the whole body, time will determine. But
reasoning from the past, must say that for
myself, have no hope it. wish that it
might be so--and that every branch Of the
Church was purified, and freed from this a.
domination s but from the fact, that there is
more Slavery now in these bodies, than there
ever was before, and that it is still increasing,
/ see not the least ground Of hope for such
redemption. And hence believe that the
only way to avoid universal apostacy, and
to escape its plaques, is to come out from the
denominations of Slavery, and touch not the
uncean thing. ..gj
20, The next and last doctrine in order to be
applied is, that the Gospel is opposed to Sla-
very and the power Of God for its overthrow.
Now If this doctrine be true, the practical
question which at once arises is, why has not
the Gospel abolished Slavery in this country
long ago. There is no land where Bibles,
and Bible instrume n, alites are SO numerous
as in this. These have been greatly multi
piled, aud are still on the increase. Yetwith
all this increase of Bibles, and its agencies,
Slavery has kept constantly increasing. 1t
has grown with their growth, and strength.
ened with their strength. Now why is this,
if the Bible is opposed to Slavery, and the
power of God for its overthrow From the
above facts, it does not seem to have much
power in this country to abolish Slavery
but it would seem rather to encourage it,
How shall we account for this Either the
Gospel must have lost its power, or there
must be some grand and fatal defect in the
manner Of using it, That the latter is the
case, is abundantly manifest. And the grand
defect ia, that the Gospel and its instrumen.
talites have not been applied to Slavery, but
have been so perverted, as to become instru.
ments to its support. In proof of this, we
notice, that the Bible has been withheld from
the poor Slave who if he were permitted
to read 1t, would discover therein, his eman
cipation act, proclaimed by the God Of Hea
ven, and he would be very likely then, tc
take the benefit Of that act, and abolish Sla
very, on the principle of the underground
, rail road. ' - ',',1 ....... ,.,....
:, Again we notice, that the Church, the Di
: vincly appointed fundamentally Of the Cos
has not turned the force of her example
against Slavery, but rather in favor Of it,
By her. profession, she stands as the living
exponent of the Gospel, aid her prac,ica
teachings instead of being opposed to thi
system, have been on the side of it. A mas
, ter piece of Satanic skill is this, to get .th,
professed living exponents of the Gospel, Z
endorse hisenormity, His Satanic majesty
, has :nothiBg'to fear with regard to his sue
cess, so long as he can get such endorsers I,
his work. 60 ...... .,.. .-.......I
r But what has been the course Of the Cos
j.. pei Ministry, another Bible instrumehtalily
on this subject. Aportion, as we'll as SOM
Churches, have taken a high christian an
, consistent stand with regard to it. d The.
have preached and prayed against it's an
f they have backed this up, with consisten
and corresponding action. Would that W
> had more such. ! And the fact that they ar
, to some xtentincreasing, is matter of en-
, couragement.- Yet these are in the minori
ty., The great mass, either attempt 10 de
! fend slavery from the Bible, or If they preac
against it. rs 2 sin, they do not treat it a
. such, in their Ecclesiastical and Missionar
connections. In other words, with their lip
: they condemn this system, but in their &c
! tons, they cooperate with Enthusiastically be
. dies, and Missionary Boards that sustain i
: Thus, the power ofstheir example, which7
e the greatest, is thrown into the scale of 81;
!, very, and thereby swells the amount of i
!. prspenderance. IA Here then you see th
Z grand defect. in this fundamentally of I'll
/ Gospel .9gaITgsiJ oi 'eag c s4sm ,1aHn' n'20',
= But another Gospel ipstrume mentality is II
religious press. This organ professedly,
/. engaged In the work oflspreudiRg Biblt
+ Christian literature in the werld. But win
+ is the character OF that literature, whic
h comes from the press Of the American Ira
! Society, and the American Sabbath Scho'
l. Union. Hundreds and thousands iof booi
d and tracts, from these presses have been Ci
n culated. and are still being scattered all ovt
! the ilandj and they are exerting . potent il