Worcester daily spy., 1861-07-29
dNorrester 4ailg Spy.


To the Editor of the Spy:-The following
sentiments were uttered at the close of dis
course in the Trinity Congregational Church,
Fitchburg, Sunday afternoon, 2lst Perhaps
you will deem them to have an appropriate
signifcancy that will make them of general
interest in the passing perilous hour. The
panic which is reported as having seized the
federal forces in Virginia is no extraordinary
thing in the annals of war. Jehovah often
made use of panics for the discontinue of the
foes of Israel, sometimes also for the defeat of
the Israelites, when they had sinned against
God, and He had risen to judge them, as the
same God (whose justice does not sleep for
ever) has now plainly risen to judge slavery
at the south, and as at the north, for our past
completely with it. We shall without doabt
experience yet other providential reverses, till
we have as a nation repented our slaveholding
and have done the work meet for repentance,
in the national proclamation of liberty, till, in
other words, in compliance with the military
necessity which is now plainly upon us, we
call upon the free loyal colored men of the
north to aid us in queling the pro-sla'ery re-
bellion, and till we declare to the slaves of the
south, YOU ARE HEREAFTER FREE
But to the closing paragraphs of the discourse
referred to-
We learn that the providential duty of the
hour plainly is, to unite in executing the pur
pose of God. If we believe the divine pur-
pose in this war TO be the overthrow of slave.
ry, then our duty is to co operate in the fulfil
ment of that purpose, and it is a sad mistake
in Christian philosophy and conduct, when
we come to conclusion as to what is to be,
from the providential course of events, Or
from any other grounds of forecasting the fu-
ture-it is a mistake for us thus to stand still
and see the salvation OF God, indisposed or
afraid to act lest we precipitate the result.
Let none of us be afraid actively to CO.
operateA with our blessed Lord and Master
the rig htful governor of this world, in what
we believe to be the designs of Providence,
with regard to slavery Let us not be found
counseling or observing silence and inaction in
regard to it, at the very time when we profess
to believe that God is about to overthrow it,
AS if mastery inactivity in regard to the
relics of barbarism in our world were the true
policy for ministers and churches, rather than
bold aggression: as if we had no holy enthu-
siasm to be the active executors of the Divine
purposes as if there were no such passages in
Paul, Isaiah, and Moses, that read We then,
as workers together with God, beseech you
that ye receive not the grace of God in vain," "
and, Ye are my witnesses, p" Speak unto
the children of Israel that they go forward.
Our manifest duty as christians is to co-ope-
rate with God in his purpose, by calling upon
the government, in the name of humanity,
justice and religion, to decree the national abo-
lition of slavery by proclaiming LIBERTY
THRoUHoUT ALL THE LAND UNTO ALL THE
INHABITANTS THEREOF! Let US hold this up
to the government, to the nation, and to the
brave army that has sprung to arms more
wondrously than the fabulous uprising of
armed men Of old from the sowing Of dragons
teeth. You are the army of freedom you are
to conquer Il permanent peace, only by the
overthrow of slavery. That liberty may stand
you must put oppression down. God, the
nation, the nineteenth century, the in.
stincts OF all christendom, christianity
ITSELF will not let us conquer and keep slavery,
when we have paid the utmost farthing for
our past completely with the great crime of
slaveholding, when we have filled up the
measure of suffering through slavery-then
the eyes, now holden, will be opened. And
when we act upon the conviction that liberty
for the white man is liberty for the black man,
and that the one broad banner of freedom must
float over every American, be hT swaTthy Oh
fair, then, but not till then will victory perch
upon our standard, and America will be a
country indeed Speed it. o Father, let thy
kingdom come. H. t. G.
Worcester, July ed, 1861