The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-08-07
A way to spread Athsis&


We perceive, BY notices published oc-
casionally in the Democrat that there is
an organization in our community that
calls itself the "Young Mems Christian
Association" The objects which itsmem-
bcs propose to attain, we suppose, may
be inferred from its name. 1t purposes
no doubt, to widen and deepen in our
midst the reverence for the holy scrip
lures, to aid its members, by mutual con-
ference, in attaining spiritual life, to
strengthen the confidence which the peo-
pie have that public virtue has no safer
sheet anchor than the truths of Chris.
tianity, and to inculcate the idea that all
men should love and fear God, do good to
their fellow men, and obey the great
Christian rule Of Whatsoever you would
have men do unto YOU, do You even so
unto them" These are praiseworthy
objects, and our community must be a
peculiar one, if there was no need Of Ct.
fort to attain them.
Commenting, as we do, the objects which
the association was doubtless formed
to attain, We shall not, however, TO
frain from saying that so long as its mem
beS place in its front ranks, and in prom
inent positions, men, who, week by week,
scout and deridc the truth taught :.stho
gospel that "God has made OF one DiSod
all nations and who are daily inculcating
through the press, doctrines, under which
a man having "a skin not colorcd like
their own" may be deprived Of his God
given rights, dashed and scourged, made
a chattel, and his dearest affections bro.
ken by the touch of the most brutal Ii.
centiousness, and who rack their brain:
to find apologies for that system, which
John Wesley said, in the soberness and
bitterness Of truth, was "the sum Of all
human villanies," the influence which the
association must exert, is, in our judg'
ment, more promotive Of infdelity than
of Christianity.
Were it the desire of men to bring
Gods holy word into contempt, and to
spread, far and wide, an infdclity that
would sap the foundations of public NOR
atty; make men believe that Christianity
is cheat and imposturc, and the, Bible
what infdels have called it, ian old wife's
fable" and religion cloak for iniquity
no better way could be devised to do so
than by placing in Office, in Christian as
sociations, those who inculcate such ideas
of the truths taught in the scriptures, a.
would make an honest man burn his Bi
bic, il he thought such were to be found
therein. Men who argue that the African
race have no rights-social, moral, or pc
litical-that the great truths Of the Dec
claration Of independence, "that all mel
arc created equal, that they are endowed
by 3dN Creator with certain inalisnabl,
rights, among which are life, liberty, an,
the pursuit Of happiness" are not appli
cable to them, insult the very spirit o
Christianity, and to put them forward a
teachers of it, is to bring rcproach on tn
cause Of Christ, and aid in building u
an infdel church.
The practical teachers of atheism Of on
day, are the men who find in the Bib
justification for Slavery the Rcveren
divines who insult the Holy Ghost, b
declaring that the word Of God sanction
it and the political teachers in tn
church, who, while they hypocriticall
raise the prayer, "that the oppressor
yoke may be broken" in the prayer meet
ing and in Sabbath school = exhor
men to love their neighbors, in the yes
try, and then 60 forth, and through tn
i
press, inculcatc doctrines under which tn
most heinous sins and villanous crime
may be committed with IMMUNITY.
Christ, We arc aware, taught his doc
trines to publicans and sinners, but Their
is no record that he made a Caiaphas o
Ananias Treasurer of his Christian Assc
citation.