The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-08-28

like. He alternately condemned his brothers
rashness, and sighed as he thought of his un.
compromising spirituality; and once or twice
he had written him a friendly letter of caution
enclosing him five.dollar BILL wishing that he
might succeed, begging that he would be care
| ful, and ending with the pious wish that we
might all be guided Alright; which supplcaton,
IN many cases, answers the purpose in a mans
inner legislation, of laying troublesome propo-
sitions on the table. Meanwhile the shades of
| evening drew on, and father Dickson approach
ed the rude church, which stood deep in the
shadow of the woods. In external appearance,
1t had not the pretensions even of New Eng
land barn, but still it had echoed prayers and
praises from humble, sincere worshippers. AS
| father Dickson rode up to the door, he was sur
prised to find quite throng of men, armed with
bludgeons and pistols, waiting before it. One
OF these now stepped forward, and, handing him
a letter, said
here, have letter for you to read !"
Father Dickson put it calmly in his pocket
will read it after service" said he.
The man then laid hold of his Bride "Come
out here ! he said l want to talk to you."
THANK you, friend, l will talk with you after
meeting" said he. ats time for me to begin
service"
I" The fact is,' said a surly, wofsh-looking
fellow, who came behind the first speaker, "the
factis, we ant going to have any of your ID
Abolition meetings here If he can't get it
out, | can!"
!" Friends" said father Dickson, mildly, "by
what right do you presume to stop me?"
1--WE think" said the first man, "that YOU
are doing harm, violating the laws -
" Have you any warrant from the civil author
tiles to stop me?"
No, sir" said the first speaker; but the
second one, ejecting large quid of tobacco
from his mouth, took up the explanation in
style and taste peculiarly his own.
" Now, old cock, you may as well know fust
as last, that We don't care a cuss for the civil
authorities, as you call them, cause we's going
to do what we darn please and we don't please
have you yowping Abolishionism round here,
and putting devitry in the heads of our niggers !
Now, that ars plain talk !"
This speech was chorused by a group of men
on the steps, who now began to gather round
and shout
:" Give it to him That's into him Make the
wool ay!"
Father Dickson, who was perfectly calm, now
remarked in the shadow of the wood, at no great
distance, three or four young men, mounted on
horses, who laughed brutally, and called out to
the speaker
"Give him some more!"
Z" My friends" said father Dickson, Z" / came
here to perform a duty, at the call of my
heavenly Master, and you have no right to stop
me-"
"Well, how will you help yourself, old bird /?
Surprising we havn't?"
Remember, my friends that we shall all
stand side by side at the Judgment seat to give
an account for this nights transactions. How
will you answer for it to Code"
loud, sneering laugh came from the group
under the trees, aud a voice, which we recog-
Mise as Tom Gordon's, calls out
"He is coming the solemn dodge on you,
boys Get on your long faces I"
"Come," said the toughest of the speakers,
"this here don't go down with nal We don't
know nothing about no judgments; and as to
God, we ant none of us seen him, lately We
'spect he don't travel round these parts"
"The eyes Of the Lord axe in every place.
beholding the evil and the good" said father
Dickson.
Here one in the mob mewed like a cat, anoth-
er barked like dog, and the spectators under
the tree laughed more loudly than ever.
" | say" said the first speaker, "you sban't
go to getting Up rat,traps, ana calling ern meet
lngs This yer preaching O. yeurn ia q eussed
sell, and we won't stand it no longer We
shall have an Instruction among our niggers
won't have shareholders commune! rs got
niggers myself, and know is bigger slave than
they be, and | wished / was shet of them! But
| amt going to have no id old parson dc
Eating to me about nay affairs And we won't,
none or the rest OF us, will WEI Cause them
that ant got nlggers now, means to have.
Don't we, boys?"
Gay, az, that we do! Give it to him I" was
shouted from the party.
It's our right to have niggers, and we VII
have them, if we can get thea" continued the
speaker
Who gave you the right?" said father
Dickson.
"Who gave it? Why, the Constitution of the
United States, to he sure, man Who did you
suppose? Amt we got the freest Government
in the world Is we going to be shut out OF CON-
munion, cause We holds niggers? Don't care
a ouss for your old communion, but it's the
principle rs going for Now, tell you what,
old fellow, we've got you ; and you have got to
promise, right off the reel, that you won't say
another word on this yer subject"
"Friend, / shall make no such PROMISE"
said father Dickson, in a tone so mild and
steadiast, that there was momentary pause
You'd better" said man in the crowd, "if
you know what's good for you !"
A voice now spoke from the circle of young
men
"Never cave in, boysl"
mo fear Of US p" responded the man who
had taken the most prominent part in the dia-
logue hitherto. "We'l serve it out to him
Now, ye see, old Teller, ye're freed, and NAV as
well come down, SIS the coon said to Davy. You
can't help yourself, cause we are ten to one
and if you don't promise peaceable, Wen make
you!
"My friends" said father Dickson. 81 want
you to think what you are doing. Your good |
sense must teach you the improperly of your
course. You know that you are doing wrong. |
You know that it isn't right to trample on all |
law, both human and divine, out of professed |
love to it. You must see that your course will |
lead to perfect anarchy and confusion. The |
time may come, when your opinions will be as
unpopular as mine"
"Wel what them"
"Why, if your course prevails, you must be
lynched, stoned, tarred and feathered. This is |
a two-edged sword you are using, and gone day |
you may find the edge turned towards YOU
You may be seized, Just as you are seizing me- /
You know the men that threw Daniel into the |
den got thrown in themselves"
"naniel who 2" shouted one of the compa.
ny and the young men under the tree laugh
ed insultingly.
"Why are you afraid to let me preach this
EVENING"" said father Dickson. "Why can't
you hear me, and, if / say anything false, why
can't you show me the falsehood Of it2 1t I
seems to me it's weak cause that can only get
along by stopping mems mouths"
"No, Move ant going to have it! said
the man who had taken the most active part.
" And now you've got to sign solemn promise,
this night, that you won't ever open your mouth /
again about this yer subject, or we'll make it
worse for you'll"
shall never make such promise. You