The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-05-27
GA Fire in the Rear.o

Mr.. EDrToR:-The roar Of artillery and the
clatter of small arms, from political sources
against those ministers of the gospel who have
dared to utter word against the crime and
folly Of American Slavery, has been so long
and unbroken as to have becom most decided
| ly tedious and stale. Simply to break the
inonotony, please let US have single gun on
the other side. The following from DR..
Cheeyer's recent address in New York will do
as specimen. READER. :.
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
aad Ministry being faithful to that Word.-
"lf they had stood in my counsel, says Jeho-
vah, and had caused my people to hear my
| words, then they should have turned them
fl ON their evil way, aud from the evil of their
doings." Just so now. But this great and
mi sh'y result of repentance for sin is not to
be got at by silence in regard to the 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 Anti-Slavery men, as much op-
posed to this ;niquity as any one but their
silence gives consent, and carries them over
into the ranks of the enemy. Their preten-
! sions of Anti-Slavery principle are, indeed.
excellent, if the principle itself could be got
at for use. They say il is in them, in esse, as
the diamond is in carbon; and so. indeed, every
lump of charcoal, could it speak, might say,
1iap, 4 49, +roo r
merely piece of charred wood. In poten-
tial essence, the diamond is in my nature"
All, yes, my good frien1, and, if you would
only tell me how may bring it out, and keep
it in the form of diamond-how I may catch
the essence, and make it stay put-you will
make my fortune. But. alas, the world will
/ never see anything in yon but charcoal! Your
diamond nature does not speak out, your char
coal does.
Just so. there are many in the ministry who
will be much offended if you tell them they
are not opposed to Slavery-therefore, in ef-
feet. defendit. They will affirm that, in DO.
tential essence, the adherence of Slavery is
in them, though they do not go to the extreme
of ever speaking against il.
Ay, and the very difficulty is, that it never
makes itself known except bv a most poten-
tial silence. II is silent and invisible as the
mass of solid anthracite. On this principle
there is not dark sub.erranean coalmine, or
bed, Or pit, il existence, but what is region
of brilliant, glorious light; but, unfortunately,
! it needs great many manipulations Of science,
great many torturing processes Of art, and
operations of fire and water, to extract the
material Of light, and put it in shining order.
And inst so with not few, who should be
| lights in the ministry. hut are rather like in
visible, unsmelted native ores. IL they might
be subjected to the necessary roastings and
smeltings and publications, and the Word of
God extracted from them in visible, glorious
form and shape, confronting and exposing
the gross and damning features Of this sin,
then indeed it would be powerful and con
quering testimony. But what is principle
| good for if not TO come forth in action in the
time of trial, if not to withstand temptation
10 rebuke iniqnity, and protect the weak and
down-trodden from the wicked and the strong?
What is the worth Of silent, inactive, con-
cealed principle, whole acres of it, what bet
Ter than treachery, or salt that has lost its sa-
vor, and is not fit even for dunghill? What
is the worth of million candles, each hidden
under It's own bushel? What is the light Of
the Christian Church and the Christian minis
try given for, but to be the light of the world
| If it is hidden from the world ort of fear, ou
of selfish expedency, it is darkness; and il
the light that is 10 you be darkness, how great
/ is that darkness!
1t makes US think of the recent discovery
that every cubic mile of ocean contains more
than two pounds weight OF solid silver. How
potential! 1t makes the mouth of the miser
water; but he is forced to think, If could on.
ly get it! Oh, thou mine of incalculable wealth!
Two million tons of solid silver in the Attain
tic! Ye potential silvery waves, il could
but evoke, by some concentrated, irresistible
chemistry, your hidden riches!
Ay, but there's the rub. Tis of no more
use to you than the commonest puddle or sea
waite; whole leagues of it, nay, the all-sur-
rounding ocean, at your command, OF no more
Ndluc iiidIl scCluucu HOOk OetOTe
your own cottage on the East River. And
just so, whole cubic mile of such Anti -Sla-
very ministers with sealed lips, or as many as
could stand together in the dry bottom Of the
ocean, would be of no use whatever with their
principles Of liberty that never speak out
their upright hearts, hut slen. tongues and
pulpits. They are upright as the palm-tree,
but they speak not; and because of their own
policy Of silence, they hate him that rebuketh
in the gate; they are not vaient for the truth
upon the earth, aud. in consequence OF theiI
silence and conservative influence, the few
that do speak out seem extravagant and &C.
centric, and are marSed as mad-men or fanat
les; they become objects Of derision, as notice.
able as poor Christian and Faithful were pass
ing through Vanity Fair-simpie, innocent
creatures who said, We buy the truth. Truth
go to the Tract House.
But truth is not only unpopular and inexpe-
dent on such subject as the sin of slavery,bu
exceedingly dangerous. 1t is not proper to be
brought into the pulpit, nor mentioned on the
Sabbath-that sacred day OF rest, when every
| irritating and disturbing theme should be KEEP
far aloof from the Sanctuary and from ouI