Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1857-02-24

s , = 4 T. { Z. 4
qdifed to attend the same church with
1.-THE family to which he belongs, and
be instructed, as far as he can COM
prehend them, in the same practical
religious duties. That man neglects
his duty, and disregards his own in
terests, who suffers his young slaves
to roam where they will, and receive
what religious instruction chance may
lthrowin their way. There is no kind
Of sympathy which unites mankind
more firmly than tho sympathy of a
common religious faith and nothing
can attach the slave so firmly to his
master, as the sense Of obligation
arising from the precepts of a reli,
Igion, professed by both Religious
! motives are with the Ignorant, the
strongest, and we may almost say the
only effective motives to honesty and
good conduct. The IDEAS Of honor,
gain, character, and reputation 50
powerful among cultivated men, can
/ have little influence over the slave.
Accountability to authority, rightful
authority, has the only controlling
power over him. The religious slave
feels bis accountability to his Creator,
the untaught irreligious slave feels
only his accountability to his master,
as enforced by his lash. How much
mist it promote his honesty and fidel-
ity, to realize that the same divine
1law. which binds the master to treat
him with humanity and kindness,
requires from him a faithful and
hearty service. But mistaken reli-
gious zeal has been long at work in
breaking up this religious sympathy
between the master and the slave.
Under the mistaken notion Of pro-
noting their spiritual welfare, slaves
have been encouraged to hold relig-
: ious meetings by themselves, and to
have churches and congregations Of
their own. Some of these churches
have white ministers, and they are by
law required to- have some white per-
sons at their religious meetings. But
they have teachers also of their own
color, ignorant and fanatical, who
teach them a religion of feeling only,
which is separated from the daily
duties of their station. Religion is
the basis of morality, and as they
have a religion Of their own; they
! soon come to have a morality of their
own also, which is made to suit the
: exigenc1cs of their condition. In
their code ofmorality, purloining and
petty thefts are not forbidden. They
are not stealiag, but merely taking.
j., Lying is a very trivial offence, al
most viz tue, lift results in their own
advantage, Or screens a delinquent
from punishment. We have known
an instance where shoe store was
broken open by a member Of one of
these churches and the brethren and
sisters generally supplied with shoes.
i But even this convenient morality
lis not the most mischievous effect Of
these colored congregations.
They lead to combinations among
the slaves, they accustom them to the
feeling of an interest, separate from
their masters. They aceustom them
to act, together as a class, they foster
1 q feeling Of discomfort and promote
insubordination. So far from their
religion making them more honest
: and faithful, it is thought by many
that the value ola slaveis materially
diminished by a profession of religion
in one of their churches. Like all
Ignorant people they have an exceed.
lingly high opinion Of their q, 4 piety
and a very low opinion of the piety Of
others. They feel themselves in one
respect superior to their masters and
mistresses. whom they regard as
children of perdiction enjoying the
the good things of this life that they
may feel the more keenly the miser-
les of hell hereafter. '.Dey hab it all
dare own way (said a devout old ne
gress) but We III see who'll be massers
in de mex worle.p
Nothing could be more destructive
of the character ofthe slave, and o.
the kind feeling which he owes to his
master, than such, religious notions
as these. We would wish, therefore
that these African churches, as they
are called, should be discontinued,
and that the slaves should receive
peculiar instruction at meetings by
! themselves, but itshould be by respon,
sible persons, under the direction ofthe
proper ministers, and be made TO fee.
that the same religion bound botf
themselves and their master to per
form with fidelity the duties Of theil
respective stations. /
The VIRGINIA VoLcANo.-A lettei
, from Highlandcounty, Va. dated Jan
, nary 21st, confirms the reported exis
tence of a volcano in Pendleton Co.