Freeman's champion., 1858-06-10
The Sin of Slavery, and the Chris.
tian Ministry. W A

The Rev. Dr. CHEEvER,, Pastpreof
tile Church Of the Pdritans, atNaw
York City, at the late anniversary
meeting of tho American Anti-Sla-
very Society, delivered one Of the
most powerful orations on the subject
of Slavery and the necessity of con
sclentions opposition to it on the
ground of its sinfulnoss, that haS
been spoken for many years. 1t was
called forth more particularly by the
Infamous action of the Tract Society,
in closing their publications against
any remarks on this subject, DR..
CREEvER is the Isaiah of the Modern
Pulpit, and every thing he says is
characterized by aprofound earnest
ness, burning and glowing through
all the heated iron of his thoughts,
until under the ponderous force Of
what may be called an inspired intel
lect, he fashions the glittering sword
which maketh truth cut deep into the
nations heart. Read what he says
relative to the Clergymen who abstain
from characterizing the sin of Slavery
in fitting terms:
"In this matter, Christ's dividing
rules is true. He that is not for me
is against me. If men will not now
speak out and oct ont against Sla-
very, their voices and influence are in
favor of it. If the ministers of the
Gospel, instead ofthe policy of silence,
had poured out their viaIs, as God
commissioned angels, and earth
quake shake the heavens and the
earth, this iniquity would long since
have been arrested. It's only under
the repression and enforced silence Of
the Word Of God that it has been
able to advance with such giant
strides, till it has taken possession Of
the Senatorial, Representative, Ex-
ecutive and judicial branches Of our
Government.
"Now Satan will never cast out
Satan, and this iniquity is to be stayed
and turned back only by the Word of
God, and by the Church and minis
try being faithful to tae Word, III
they had stood in my counsel, says
Jehovah, and had caused my people
to hear my words, then they should
have turned them from the evil of
their doingS,' just so now. But
this great and mighty result repent
ance for sin is not to be got at by ST.
lence, in regard to sin ; and they who
keep silent in a time Of temptation
and trial, do, in fact, defend and daub
the sin with untempered mortar
: They may say that they are good An
ti-Slavery men, as much opposed to
this iniquity as any one, but their 81
lence gives consent, and carries them
over into the ranks Of the enemy
Their pretensions OF Anti Slavery
principle are, indeed, excellent, ii the
; principle itself could be got for us
, They say it is in them, 80 eSSc, as the
diamond is in carbon; and 50, indeed,
every lump Of charcoal, could itspeak,
might say, / am diamond--do not
treat me as if | were merely piece
Of charred wood. In potential es-
sence, the diamond is in my nature.
"Ah, yes, my good friend, and, il
you would tell me how | may bring
it out, and keep it in the form of a
diamond--how | may catch the es-
sence, and how may it stay put-=.you
will make my fortune. But, alas, the
world will never see anything in you
but charcoal T! Your diamond nature
does not speak out your charcoal
does. ,a
"Just so, there are many in the
ministry who will DO much offended
it you tell them they are not opposed
to Slavery4-thereforo in effect, de-
fend it. They will affirm that, in po-
' tential essence, the adherence OF Sla-
! very iS in them, though they do not
go to the extreme Of ever speaking
against it.
"Ay, and the very difficulty is,
that it never makes itself known sx-
cspt by q most potential silence. II
is as silent and invisible as the dia-
lnond is in the charcoal, or the light
in mass Of solid anthracite. On
this principle there is not d dark sub
teranean coal mine, or bed, or pit,
} IN existence, but what is region OF
light; but, unfortunately, it needs a
great many munipulations Of science,
great many torturinl processes OF
art, and operations Of FIRE and water,
to extract the material Of Light and
put il in shining order. a aa6,t