Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1860-04-14
From the Christian watchman aud Reflector.
spurgeOn on Slavery.

l have always considered it to be nv
duty to deal with those sins which preceiy.
ed to be the most rampant among my
hearers. We miss the mark when we
preach of absent individuals. It is very
easy to talk about the brutality of the
uneducated when addressing my lord aud
my lady, but l prefer to tell these gentry
their own sins and not to hatter them by
comparing them with others. This rule
has brought me at divers times into no little
trouble, which l have cheerfuIly endured,
and have rejoiced therein. But now a new
outcry is raised in your land, and l am
charged, not with being too severe with
Brother Jonathan, but with letting him
off too easily. Having no Shareholders in
England, L should have been beating the
air if had preached against slavery to my
people, for this is the very last crime they
are likely to commit It's far more proba-
BILE that any STAKEHOLDER who should show
himself in our neighborhood would get a
mark which he would carry to his grave,
if it did not carry him there
do from my Utmost soul detest slavery
anywhere and everywhere and although
l commune at the Lords table with men
of all creeds, yet with STAKEHOLDER |
have no fellowship of any sort or kind.
Whenever one has called upon me, have
considered it my duty to express my detes.
tation Of his wickedness, and would as soon
think of receiving q murderer into ny
church, or any sort of friendship, as man
SteaIer Nevertheless, as | have preached
in London and not in New York, l have
very seldom made any allusion to American
slavery in my sermons. This accounts for
the rumor that have left ou; the ante-slarerV
from my American edition of sermons. This
is not true in any measure, for, as my men,
ory serves me, l cannot remember that the
subject was handled at all in any of my
printed sermons beyond passing allusion,
aud have never altered a single sentence
in sermon which has been sent to my
American publishers beyond the mere cor
reetion which, involved words and not sense.
However, if any think me capable of such
double dealing, | doubt not they Judge Of
me by themselves, aud frOm such persons
esteem is not desirable. l do not, therefore,
regret the loss of it. have this much to
say to all persons who respect me in
America did not want to be blaming
constantly while there are sins enough in
my own country, but shall not spare your
nation in future. shall remember my voice
echoes beyound the Atlantic, and the cry
ing sin of manstealing people shall not 60
unrebuked. / did not know that l had
been so fully adopted citizen Of your re-
public, but, finding that you allow me to be
one of yourselves, will speak out quite
severely enough and perhaps more sharply
than will meet with appreciation.
have not been altogether silent upon
the subject, for have spoken with burning
words when the matter has been on band,
but, as this has usually been upon the plat
form, and net from the pulpit, these utter
ances have not reached the press. l must
see that there sre some such things In the
sermons, if not in England. at least in
America. Mrs. Sheldon & Co, are ready
10 publish anything may have to say on
the matter. and shall also avail myself Of
the Wato61uan and Reflector.
Finally, let me add, John Brown is inn
mortal ia the memories Of the good in Eng-
land, and in my heart he lives. am most
truly yours, Q. IL. STURGEON.
Clapham, London, Jan, 1860.