Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-08-27
The Democrat on Elder Balm.

Brother Ritezel in an editorial in the
last Democrat, abuses Elder Balm heartily
for his sermon on the evening of the 18th
inst, and holds up his hands in holy
horror at the thought of a preacher, and
especially a foreigner daring TO denounce
slavery in the pulpit. Although the
Elder is amply able to defend himself
from the attacks of a regiment of such
men as Mr.. Rilezel, as that gentleman
has probably discovered already, still,
as he uses his paper to SANDER and vii
lify Mr.. Balm, we shall show up some of
the Democrats falsehoods through our
paper. The Democrat says:
A large majority of the members of
the Baptist church of this place, are just.
ly indignant that John Balm should have
been guilty of such an unwarrantable
breach of propriety as to sneak into their
rulpit, in the absence of their pastor, and
desecrate it to the venal purpose of
making political k0rrdnges on the Sab
bath.
We ere assured by three members of
the Baptist church. that it is wholly un-
true that a large majority of the church
are dissatisfied /; but on the contrary
o. there are not half a dozen of these thin
skinned gentry, all told.
Elder Balm did not sneak into the
church, but was invited to preach there.
More than that, he was assured by one
of the leading members hat he might
consider himself at perfect liberty, to
speak upon the subject of slavery there,
or on any subject he might see fit. He
did speak there. and he proved from the
Bible incontestbiIy, that slavery, in the
abstract was a sin of the deepest dye,
ard that its extension into territories now
free was contrary to the letter and the
spirit of the Gospel. For this he is
abused by the DeGocrat.
A writer in the same paper, we sup
pose him to be a venerable old man,
whom we respect, while attempting to
maintain as untenable position as the
editor, still does it in a genllemanly
manner, and we shall answer his argu-
ments. He says: Slavery cannot
thus be discussed in public, without
treating it as a question of politics, and
the only effect is to foster a spirit of ha-
tired against our brethren of the South,
instead of intoxicating that principle of
love. which is the glory Of christianity"
There is the whole truth in a nutshell.
Slavery cannot be discussed in public,
ri4oa treating it as question Of politics.
And why2 Simply because it is the Uery
sugea upon which the two great politi-
cal parties of these United States are
now divided. One party presents an
unbroken front against its extension;
the other favors it. Now Slavery is a
great moral evil, or it is not. If 1t is
not an evil, why does not this writer say
so, and defend il? iii is an evil, and
one which biights every human being
upon whom its curse rests, both in soul
and body, then it is the bounden duty of
evny man and especially of those who
profess to follow in the footsteps of Him
who preached Peace on earth and good
will to men not only to discuss Tin
public. but to denOunce it in public and pri-
vate. 1t is not the fault of the preacher
that a great sin has become a political
question. His duty is to deal with the
san, whether it touches politics or not
If men are guilty of outrage, robbery,
Jspine. and murder in Kansas, if they
are ~yiolators of solemn compacts, inst-