Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-04-18
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SATURDAY, APRIL Is, 1857.
Fa.t Day Disoourses.

Fast Day DiscOurses.
Fast day was duly observed in this city, on
Thursday, by the younger folks, as a holiday, and
by the more grave and sober in listening to ap-
sroDrsdss disoourses from several Of our respect
ed clergymen, @hS seized the occasion, notwith-
standing Gov, Gardner's ban agains, it, to give
uterance to their thoughts, on the great moral
questions Of the day, including national and pub
lie, as well as ''indiydual" sins, in their con-
temptations.
The Rev. Horace James preached an eloquent
and appropriate discourse to full congregation,
from the text. Il Cor. {: Is ;- For necessity is
laid upon me; yea, wo is unto me, if preach
not the Gospel" And his delineation fthe true
GOSPEL, incumbent upon a minister to preach,
these times, was a Just one. We have room for
only few extracts, in which he showed the i'm
portance and necessity of ministers, well aslay
men, committing themselves decidedly and une-
quivocaly, on the right side, in the great contest
now being waged between freedom and slavery,
between righteousness and iniquity, public as well
as private, national as well as individual"
EXTRACTS FROM REV. Mr.. JAMEs's DISCOURSE
Who, / ask, that has the impulses and eel.
inge Of man, can abstain from taking sides in
this warfare Who that would be thought hu.
man can be neutral No one, who has any SYM
patty with Gods great plans, and with the
worlds welfare.
Our very profession, as preachers of righteous
ness puts US into this strife. But it is nota pro.
fessional interest, mere official interest, which
we feel We, clergymen, are in this work, only
as you are, who listen to US, except with little
more prominence. One grand necessity is laid
upon us all, and upon all alike. Yea, woe is unto
us, every one OF US, if we show not our hand, and
make not bare our brow in the very midst of this
battle. Wherever the truth is in danger, or
the right is feebly supported, there should we be-
AT the precise point where iniquity is rushing in
like food, there must good men make a stand,
and turn the tide against it"
Inreply to the charge, that for clergymen to
preach slavery, in the present phase Of that
question, is to "forget their holy mission and
dabble in the dirty water of politics. and soil the
purity of their official robes, = Mr.. James said =
mo, gentlemen, it is not so. I would most
respectfully represent that no labor of love which
the Gospel points out to be performed comes
more legitmately within our sphere than this
very one. We do not degrade ourselves by TAX
ing up the cause of the needy, and attempting to
deliver him out of the hand Of the oppressor. II
our garments are soiled by coming in contact with
the victims of grinding tyranny, in the extern
sion toward them of kindly relief then will even
the filthy garments we wear become, in the day
of final account, most precious testimony to our
faithfulness, looking upon which, our Savior will
smile, as he says: Some, We blessed of my Faith.
er, inasmuch as We did this unto one of the least
ofthese my brethren, ye did tunto me- Verify,
If there ever was a theme suited to the pulpit,
suited to day of public fasting and prayer, suit
ed to the holy Sabbath, it is the theme of justice
and Christian consideration towards the stranger
and the enslayed. The fast that God especially
Onjoins, consists in undoing the heavy burdens,
III letting the oppressed go Tree, aud in breaking
every yoke
Nothing can be more proper than to yindicate
the right to disobey unrighteous DEGREES, and OPP
pose outrageous Judicial decisions, on the day
which is devoted to confession of SIM penitence,
and TO prayer"
Mr.. James appropriately termed slavery, and
the evils growing out Of its existence in this coun-
try, the e great American scandal" saying
It is an evil, the aspect of which is daily grow
ing worse and worse The country, starting
from the point of free ideas, free constitution,
and free men for its founders and early lights has
gone back in eighty years immeasurably. 1t is
sliding downward into the gulf Of despotism
Predictions Of bold steps backward, that were re-
ceired, by the country, at first, with an incredu-
lous smile, we have seen, ere long, become ire
versible history, and that, too, over and over
again. So it goes on. And unless there is uir-
tue enough in the people to prevent it, flor our
only hope is in the people, slaves will be seen
toiling again within sound Of the Old South bell
and some Sonthron will crack the whip over his
collie of chattels on the sidewalk of Main street,
in Worcester, and Massachusetts, from heart to
extremites will say, AMEN. Aye, let but the
clergymen, the free press and other leaders Of
public opinion, cease all circumstances against
such outrages, against liberty, as have, during
the last two years, been every morning and
fresh every evening, and even this old Common
wealth will fall from the grace wherein she stands.
There are not wanting. now in the minds of her
WIN ar Foadv IN endnrzn and cna
tain the monstrous doctrine of Chief Justice
Tauey, "that colored persons are not citizens Of
the United States, and have no rights that white
men are bound to respect
That the people of our land may be taught a
better morality, and made familiar with more
genial and philanthropic civilization than design
ing, heartless men are now fastening upon us !;
that the people,who are mightier than Presidents,
Cabinets, Congresses, and Courts, may be edu-
Gated under ideas of christian freedom and an I'M
restricted philanthropy, is our hope and prayer
while we thus speak and preach from the neces.
sIiy that is laid upon US; and there can be no
reasonable doubt that every such effort faith
fully and wisely made, our God viii bless.
Let il be the united effort of those who are
called upon to minister at the altar of God, those
who conduct the periodical press, who give Judi.
eial decisions from the bench, and who address
the populace in primary assemblies, to inspire
the popular heart, with glowing, leapng, Joy
Gus, christian enthusiasm for liberty, such as
uuIus diOnB the fyLhLntc channelS OF whittier
shrlnes Respondent in the clear depths of Sum-
ners eloquence, and, above ALL thrills in the uni
Yersal law Of love, and we shall be doing much.
Veyy much, ween, to save under God the Com
monwealth Of Massachusetts. This should be
our answer to impious laws and venial courts and
70 every species Of organized aggression upon our
bill Of rights-a Uoa0 sOlemnly taken before high
heaven, and fearlessly hurled into the teeth Of
tyranny
No Slave hunt in our borders no pirate on our strand
Nofetters in the Bay State Blave upon orr landn
This should be without hesitation, fear or fal.
tering,
1.-THE voice Of Massachusetts Of her free sons and daug
Deep calling auto deep aloud the sound Of many waters
,RaW REV. Mr.. JONES DISCOURSE.
The three Baptist churches met at the First
Baptist church Rev. J. D. E. Jones preached
from Matth. K 34-"Think not that am come
to send peace on Earth; am not come to send
peace but a sword" The theme of the discourse,
was "OhristianitY an element of discord In the
mindP = This feature Of Christianity was exhi.
bted in it's relation, FIRST, to the individual sec
Ond,to the Family third, TO the community and
70 society. Under this last head. the preacher
discussed the relation Of the gospel to ques.
tlons Of political concern. II was shown, from
history that the tendency Of pure religion has
peen % create agitation in every community in
which abuses existed. "Christianity is indepen-
dent and above the State. The political faith
tnat WIN not bear the test Of religion. is errone-
Gus and eyil' The minister Of religion is bound
to examine, upon moral grounds, the various
nestions OF political concern which arise. The