The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-07-18
How the Apostles dealt with Poll
tical Evils.


The Eclipse of Faith has the follow.
ing eloquent apology, in answer to one of
Mr.. Francis Newman's allegations a.
gainst Christianity i
This moderation oflanguage in which
the New Testament forbids slavery, |
has, to many minds, and those of no mean
capacity (tho late DR.. Chalmers for ex.
ample,) been regarded as On Indication
of the wisdom which presided over
the construction Of the New Testament;
it was not only tone peremptoiily de-
mauded by tho necessary conditions of
publishing Christianity at all. but was
best adap,ed-nay alone adapted in
the actual condition Of the world in rela.
tion TO slavery, to make any salutary i'm.
preston.
Admitting that the great, the primary
end of the Gospel was spiritual that it
was the object Of The apostles to obtain
for it dispassionatc hearing among all
nations and that, however they might
hope indirectly TO affect the temporal
prosperity ana political welfare of man
kind, all good of this kind was in their
view subordinate to the spiritual ameli.
Grafton, which, if effected, would neces.
sarily involve social and political i'm
provcments II say admitting this, it is
really difficult to imagine any other
course open to wise choice than that
which was actually adopted. | contend,
that in not passionatcly dcuounciug sla.
very, and in contenting themselves with
quietly dopositing those principles and
sentiments which, while achieving OBJ
Jects Infinitely more important, would in
fallibly abolish it. the apostles took tho
wisest course even with relation to this
latter objcct-though it was doubtless
not the course into which blind fanati-
cism would have plunged. To enter ill.,
to an open crusade against slavery in
that age, would have been to re nder the
preaching of the Gospel a simple impos.
sibility, and to convert a professodly
moral and spiritual institution into an en-.
gipe of political agitation it would have
afforded the indignant governments of
the world-quitc prompt enough to
charge it, with seditious tendencios-a
plausible pretext for its suppression.
Both the primary and tic secondary
objects would have been sacrificed; and
the chains of slavery riveted, not relay
ed. Slavery, in that age wo must recol.
lect, wac intcrwoycn with the entire fab.
ric OF society in almost all nations To
dcnounco it would have been provoca.
tion, nay, a challenge. to scrvile war in
every country TO which the zeal of the
Christian emissarcs might carry the
Gospel. Contcnting themselves, there
fore, with tho cnuncation of those prin.
ciplos which, where they are truly EN-
braccd, arc inconsistent with the parma.
nent existence of slavery, and, if trium.
phant, insure its downfall, the apostles
pursued that which was their great oh.
ject; and for those Of an inferior ordcf
waited patiently for the time when tho
seed they had sown broadcast in tho
earth should yield It's harvest. They
say, because the Now Testament docs
not dcnounco slavery, that it approves
it Arc you satisfied with this reason.
lns' Then try it on another casc-for
dospotism is exactly parallel. The New
Testament does not expressly denounce
that, and for the same reasons. Despot.
ism has wrought at least as mu5h misery
10 mankind as slavery, and probably
much more. Was it duty of the apos.
Ties, instead of laying down principl
which, though having another object
would infallibly undermine it, to de-
louncc despotism everywhere, and invite
al people TO an insurrection against their
'ulers2 If they had, the spiritual Oh.
ects of the Gospel would have been cas-
ly understood and very properly treat
ID. Let me apply the argnmentunr al
iomirem. Let me suppose you amin
tied to 20 as a missionary to the East
% preach this spiritual system would
'ou in addition, to all the rest. publicly
icnounce the social and political evils
lndcr which the nations groan? If GO,
'our spiritual projects would soon b.
perfectly understood and summarily
lealt with
1t is in vain to say that, If commits.
Toned by Heaven, aud endowed with
'cwer Of working miracles, you would
10 so for you cannot tell under what
limitations your commission would be
'iven il is pretty certain that it would
cave you to work a moral and spiritual
ystem by moral and spiritual mesns,
nd not allow you TO turn the world op.
ide down, Dor mendaciously tell it that
GU came only to "preach peace" while
very syllable you uttered would be al
noe(kive 10 sedition.