Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1855-01-04
THE CHURCH

Suggfstedby a late lecture Of Fred Dug
lass IN Syracuse.-Mr. Douglass, in his lee
ture in this place, took occasion to dwell at
length on the delinquency OF the church in
regard to slavery and showed by some very
forcible statements that instead Of standing as
the exponent of christianity, as the shield and
protector Of the weak and the oppressed, il
was in fact, the greatest barrier OF the age
against the removal of this heinous crime
He quoted the words of Rev. Albert Barnes
OF Philadelphia, declaring that there was nc
power out OF the church to sustain slavery six
months, and showed that it turned away from
the appeal Of the poor slave while it sought
fellowship with his master; that it refused
to listen to the groans of the oppressed
while it took to its bosom the tyrant and the
oppressor.
This poilt pas put very strongly by Mr.
Douglas ad5 We VIII publish, as soon as VIC
can find room, his entire statement in regard
to it. In tie mean time we may say that the
church should hasten to shake off this reproach
1t is an organization pledged to every good
work, and in professions to be guided by the
examples and teachings of Christ. We have
therefore, right to look to it to carry forward
every humane and philanthropic movement
1t should put its powerful arms around the
low and the obscure, and raise them up; il
should not shut its bowels against the cry Of
the poor; it should not turn away from the
degraded and the oppressed but it should put
forth its power to rescue and shield those who
are down-trodden, and groaning beneath the
hardshlps of tyrany and despotism.
We do not approve the spirit of some Of
Mr.. Douglass remarks but we shall not, fol-
that reason, shut our eyes against his facts
We love the Church, aud are as sensible as
others Of the powerful effect which it haspro
duced on our Christian civilization. We
verify believe We are indebted to it for Amer
lean liberty that it has, in times past, beer
the refuge Of the oppressed and the bulwark
of human rights But the Church is natur
ally a conservative body, aud has to be re
formed occasionally by radical influences. 81
the old Romish Church had to be reformed by
Luther the English Church had to be recas
by the influences of Puritanism, at one time
and by the retomatory spirit Of Wesley a
anouher time.
The Independents and Presbyterians in thu
great English contest for liberty found il
their Bible the most radical doctrines and EN-
bodied them in their daily life Their reli
gion was an explosive mine under the thron
of kings and the old Church hierarches. TIL
creed was justice, liberty and equality ant
they looked to God to defend them while the
stubbornly maintained these radical ideas
They lost their places, lost their fortunes, ha
their tongues cut out, their ears cropped, wer
cast into prison &c., &C., but still this radical
outside Church blazed with determined an
persistent zeal in behalf of liberty, and, flynn
to America founded an empire here whic
embodied their religious ideas. The outsid
church of England has become the insid
church OF America. 1t has grown rich an,
proud it has achieved for itself all that wa
desirrble; but it has forgotten those who nov
stand nearly where they once stood. 1t is tn
shield of the oppressor; and when the wall O
three millions of bondmen comes up from GU
own land and appeals to it in the name o
Christ who poured himself out for othtrS
they wash their hands, with Plate and exclain
l am innocent Of your blood ); | cannot inter
fere between you and the oppressor; l hav'
nothing to do with this matter; be we warmed
aud be ye clothed but do not disturb m,
quiet do not interfere with the peace Of tn
church.
And yet, we wonder why the church is 81
dead; why there are no more conversions; why
God does not manifest himself as he did il
the days of some great awakening Should
We wonder We are very guilty concerning
onr brother! Have we any right to expec
that God will regard us with favor when WI
set at naught his teachings and make his Holy
Temple not merely den of thieves" as i
was when the greatest OF all retormers cam'
into the world, but the refuge for save-traders
man-stealers, tyrants, oppressors, and thos'
who make the world desolate by reason of in
justice and wrong.
| But you say We Do none of these things