Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-05-21


like your brother for SO doing.
Do so new brother, for this is not an idle
fancy. Were the Missouri Kansas laws TO be
enforced, then such must be our fate; and
those who framed them swear that they shall
be enforced; and the President says they shall
be enforced, and that the United States mill
tary and the Missouri militia viii be employed
to do it. But the President and the Missouri
ans are the powers that be, as yet, although
they are endcavoring to thrust themselves up
on us. II man were TO come into your house
with pair of shackles and attempt to put
them on you, would you sit still and let him
do so You would be very apt to ask him
what he meant. Then if he should pull out a
revolver and tell you that he would let you
know what he meant what would you do ?
What should you do9 that the question:
Now such is oUr case, We don't like the idea
of being hung and imprisoned by hundreds
We don't like the thought of being hunted
down like wild beasts and We would rather
die on the battlefield, than on the scafEold.-
But the great question with me has been tho
moral character Of the thing for would soon
er die any way in obedience, than to live by
disobcdicncc. You cannot know with what
intense carnestness | have sought a solution
for this question; for on the one hand it seems
wrong to fight; and on the other it seems e
qualiy wrong not to protect the helpless wo-
men and children; and above all the banner of
Freedom, which, even in Kansas, is still way
ing above L have sometimes thought Of
leaving the Territory, but l caunot bear the
thought of thus fOrsaking the cause. More
ought to come, instead Of any going away
But of what use is it for me to stay here unless
help? So have pretty much made up my
mind, that, if occasion requires, l shall help
to the utmost of my ability. Pray for me
brother; and for our enemies too, for they
need our prayers, that God will cnlightcn their
minds and turn them from this horrible guilt.
And, o, stir up the church, to take an open
manly, christian stand against the sorceress
which threatens to destroy her vitality. Then
shall we be like Sardis, and shall need to leave
our native land to preserve our christianity
You are every way qualified for this great
work. Write and preach. rebuke, entreat and
plead, until the sleeping mass tcaFes up. We
should not spend too much time straimfng out
gnats, when mighty serpent is cndeasoring
TO swallow US, gnats and all. We look with
horror at the intolerance of other lands-why
can't we see our own? We deplorc the dan
gers which beset our brothers among the hca-
then-why can't we perceiye-the horrible per-
secution which threatens US here? Is slavery
a sacred thing which must not be handled
Or is it a sin so great that Christians fear to
touch it? If it were holy, then must IFS fruits
be holy. BY their fruits shall yc know them
But its fruits are all diabolical. There is no
rcdecming quality in them. Then it must be
sin; and why don't christians more generally
encounter it7 Why don't they thrust the
sword Of Truth between the ribs of the mur-
deress9 Let every christian warrior do this |
and she dies; and twenty-five millions in the
present, and countless myriads in the future
will rise up to thank God for the stroke. Ne
glect to do SO, and it must pass upon ourselves
the white race. 1t is not because men are
black that they are enslaved but because 9TH
ers have power to do it. They will vet, if
proSpered in their iniquity, do the same by
their own kindred. ssIt is the principle of the
thing"-thc same spirit of usurpation under
whose influence men forsook the Deity who
created him, and deifed self; making his own
will the ruler of his actions, and the criterion
of right, and cndcavoring to bring all around
him into subsection to that will. And grovel-
ing down to the very ground, and struggling
and striving to preserve this illusion of self
sovereignty, he hesitatcs not to employ any
means to accomplish his ends, however incon-
sistent and wicked they may be ; for he can
not rise above self; but bowling down at this
shrine Of his idolatry, and trampling upon the
rights of man on the one hand, and upon the
rights of woman on the other-ensaving some
and pouring out the blood and happiness Of
others, according to his desire, he rushcs
madly onward to the sorrow of his race, and
TO his own destruction. The same principle
assumes a variety of forms. 1t ensaves the
African, because he is black; and it tramples
upon the rights of woman, because she is weak.
1t clothes its oppressors in the garb Of human
ity, and it sanctifies them with Christian love
and zeal. 1t would grind the earth TO powder
10 serve its purpose, and. were it possible,
would destroy the throne of the Deity himself
o! how shall we break the wall of this blind
ing, enslaving Illusion, and look up, in the en-
franchisement of our souls, to the fair blue
heavens and to God? To see in the sun which
gives us light and warmth, the herald of an
eternal Sun that will never set; to read on the
stars which nightly shine above US, the prom
iSe of our own bright destiny, as planets in the
everlasting system of God TO learn from the
flowers which gladden. our sad hearts, and from
the waving grass, and from the summer show
crs, monitions OF gentleness end love to be-
hold in the face Of our brother, the image Of
the Deity whom we adore, and removing ev-
cry obstacle from his path, press upward by
his side toward the haven of Gods promise