The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1859-11-19
Beecher ON the Harper's Ferry Outbreak
"a BsoW at Abolition Fanatics.


Beecher ON the Harper's Ferry Outbreak
---A Blow at Abolition Fanatics.
For week or two we have seen in the
the celebrated HENRY WARD BEEcHER on
the Harpers Ferry affair; but rs they APP
peared to be copied piecemeal to favor one
or another shade of opinion, we preferred
to wait until we could see the whole SER
mon before formally noticing it. The In /
dependent now gives it without abridgement |
and as the views OF the distinguished gen !,
tleman, as therein enunciated, strike us as
in the main just, and are endorsed by the
Independent, and are very different from
those commonly attributed to the school
of religonists of whom Mr. B. and the He-
depeads,t are justly regarded as representa-
tive, We have deemed it of sufficient i'm
portance to present synopsi. of this SER
/ mon:
! Beginning with some very keen satire on
J the captive Virginians, lie proposes to give
his views OF the right way and the wrong
way of dealing with the question of slave
~. as practical matter
While he believes that every man has
the right to liberty, {who by his own
promptings-not stirred up 10y restless con-
Spirators) can fairly win il, even 10y running
for it. and while he believes it to be every
mans duty to help another, struggling in
this way FOR liberty, and that laws forbid
ding food, shelter, and sympathy there is
nothing of the kind in the fugitive slave
law1 are against nature and against God,
he in no way sympathizes with lawless
method. of assailing the evil.
His sermon, as he himself says, is timely.
There is great need Of such teaching
Religion ought to be reclaimed from the
wicked spirit and wicked doings of these
philanthropists who. set the Bible at def
ance or pervert its plain teachings.
The following is 4 sketch of his views
l. We have TO right to treat the citizens
of the South with acrimouy and bitterness
, The breeding of discomfort among
the bondmen of our land is not the way
to help them.
ANY attempt to excite discomfort among
: the slaves, viii work mischief and no
good MT EXPERIENCE is that the men who
: tanpcr with slaves and incite them, ar,
not themselves to be trusted They ar
@ not honest men, unless they are fanatical
IF they have their reason they usual!
= Krra lost tier co,iScie5sre. ] never VIII trus
: such men with money, nor place any con
z tidence in them whatever. Conspirator
y, the world over are bad men Were | il
i6 thu South, from the most deliberate sens
,; of the injurious effects to the slave,
II should never b. word. sign nor act, do an
O. thing to excite discomfort among tho.
:. that are in slavery
=, 3 Ii we would benefit the African o
4 the South we mu.t begin at home 1t is no
g. at ali certain that there is not more Low
5 for the African at the South than anon
!, us, vet we lift M ourselves 10 talk aboJ
81 the rights and liberties Of the African sou
Il Il IS eng te l7bor .f5r ,mancPat;oa houear
IS miles of
- ) By all ways consistent with the fe.
i65 less assertion of truth, we must maintai
% sympathy and kindness towards the Sout
- i We are to leave no pains untake
- through the christian consc, ence of Il
10 South, to give to tho slave a higher NOR
- status, Teach him to be al obcdient sc
-, part of the New Testament seems 10 II
more d;vinely wise than Paul 5 direction
). 70 those IN slavery. Islould preach the
ey Things TO slaves viz. (houesty, obedienc
re- cheerful submission while preaching
nc masters on their duties
III We expect nothing else than to see a
10 Of a ceartain class Of aboltioni<ts down Q
III Beecher and the Independent. We Shout
n amazingly like to see serman from til
a same man on the following passage in h
O. mans: The powers that be are ortiaine
r o. God whatsoever, therefore, rcsistcth til
power. resiSteth the ordinance of God
70 and tiey that resist shall receive to then
81 selves damnation.'
y, One thing we are pretty sure Of tina
as certain republican lawyers and leaders W
could name, viii never be damned for II
rs si-tance, if their valor is as discreet as
IS was in the abduction OF the negro Jim, i
y this city. They talk big, and Me, sNEAl
n They are fond Of being out of harm wa,
st Il Is always convenient 10 some to hay
pressing engagements in their Office or Il
home, when there is any demand for az
" ton in accordance with their principle on
- of doors.