Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1858-08-25
Extract from Mr Heywoods's Speech

HevwoOd, before the Massachusetts
Anti-Slavery Convention. They are
eminentlY pungent:
"There is very little if any consci-
ence in the churches in regard to hui
man rights, far less than there was for
ty years ago. In 1918, slavery was
condemned as a sin in the strongest
terms by the united voice of Southern
representatives in the General assem-
bly, of Presbyterians. In 1853, the
New England Ministers at the Tract
Meeting in Boston did not dare to call
it sin, retained the Shareholder in full
fellowship, and only proposed to dis
cuss the moral duties growing out of
slavery. What would you think Of
discussing the moral duties that grow
out of stealing peanuts? Uaughter.)
Is it not solemnly ridiculous to propose
to discuss the moral duties of man
stealing? Mr.. James, Of Worchester,
who spoke with his hand on the
heart Of tho "Commonweaith," and felt
its pulsations, boasted that the Tract
Society had not been abolished, had
not agreed to obey the Golden Rule !
There is less conscience to day on the
subject Of slavery in the New England
churches than there was in South Car
Dina forty years ago! The fact is as
astounding as it is incontrovertible.-
That Lazorus Of four million slaves a
few weeks ago stood at the gates ofthe
Tract Society in New York, begging
few crumbs ofthe Bread of Life-only
to be refused. The American Board,
the American Sunday School Union,
the American Bible Society, all the great
national organizations of the Church,
while comprising sea and land to make
one prosel yte, receive men-stealers to
their bosoms, and remorselessly con-
sign four million immortal souls over
to a temporal and eternal hell! Do you
suppose that thinking, conscientious
men can respect such q church as that?
Never. Some years since, an old black
smith up in Worchester county, who
had experienced various annoyances in
his church connections, was complaint
ing one day Of his brother. s'If they
don't mind, I'll leave them,'' said he
a poor drunken specimen Of human
nature, sitting on block near by, look
ed up out Of his rags, with unaGected
simplicity, and said, "Oh, sir, don't
come back into the world" Cloud
laughter and applause.) 1t but illus
trates the righteous contempt which all
sensible men must feel for the popular
religion. do not see how two minis
ters, as Cicero said Of the augurs, can
look in each others faces without laugh
ing. Ours is 3 achite mans church,
The Jews have no dealing with the
Samaritans" is far more fearfully true
among US than it was in Palestine.
No civil or religious institution based
upon selhshness can endure. Wher-
ever civilization, as in Judca, has been
founded upon the pride of race, or as
in Greece, upon the pride acknowledge,
or as in Rome, upon the pride Of pow
er, it has passed away. And ours, if
it continues to repeat the example of
Judea, will follow in their wake
Christian civilization and brotherhood
which Jesus came to teach, based up
on the principles of universal charity,
this alone can advance to the empire
of the world. If there is any weapon
in the wide armory of Justice which
will cleaye down thess colossal sins, the
Church is bound to use it. The only
way that she can regain her hold upon
the conscience Of the masses is by iden-
tifying herself with all the great moral
issues before the people, foremost
among which is the momentous strug-
gle for the equal Brotherhood of the
race loud cheers.)
This infdelity to human rights is quite
as apparent III politics. Indeed, we
have little or no uncompromising NOR
al principle in public life. Go out into
society, and catch-if he is not too
siippery-the first politician you STUN
BILE upon. Extract politics from him,
and you will have nothing but Gen.
Tom Thumb left. Ask him what he
can do for humanity, and it will give
him the locked jaw, as it would wo-
man to ask her her age. Laughter.) J
Our politicians are mostly non-conduc-
tors Of anti-slavery sentiment. There
is Burlingame. He said in 1854, that
he learned his anti-slavery of Wendell
Philips AS well might Alcibiades
have boasted Of virtue learned from
Socrates! I should think Mr.. Phillips
would feel like that farmer with two
sons, only one Of whom took after him,
and he took after him with club
loud laughter and cheers.) Burlin-
game has had no real anti slavery
feeling. What brave words for the
slave has he uttered on the floor OF
Congress? None. He talks much
/ about the honor Of Massachusetts. feels
her heart beating closely to his own
especially when there is an election ap.
preaching. But though standing in
the very mouth Of that clash resound
ing den,'' he had no word of sympathy
for the poor writhing slaves. JUS
now, they are talking Of new nomina
tons. Whom can we trust? You
have heard Of that Tuscan pxoverb
''Ifyou are choosing horse or wife
close your eyes, and commend YOUR
self to God" So now. in saloc+;,c