Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-04-11


offer of the gospel in Christ's way, and no
oversecr to rub it in according to the laws of
the peculiar Institution for the conversion of
Africa
The man must be consummate knaye,
who, believing Slavery the best system for
the Christianizing of the colored race. and
yet pretends to be opposed to the African
slave trade. Just so certain as the Southern
Confederacy shall open the foreign slave
trade, as certain will such knaves--other
things being equal--turn about and vindi-
cate that system denounced by the civilized
world as piracy. For, to common sense, 1t
Slavery originating in the slave trade be
right, that trade cannot be wrong. To pre-
tend to hold il wrong is mere political
trick played to the times and their circum-
stances. SO of voting Slavery into the North
and Of making poor whites slaves. These
may yet become party questions.
No wonder the advocates of this new mis-
sionary scheme-driving trembling slaves
to the camp grounds as to the cotton-fields
are so sensitive when reflection is cast
upon their peculiar rcligion-this propagan-
ia A. .fricaan. Religious zeal. is the most
sensitive; * here, too, we have clue to the
outstanding fact that Mahommedan, Popish
and Pro-Slavery prints are the most perse-
cutting and blood thirsty--they propagate
their religion by "tte sword '--that is, force.
No pure gospel, free and full, as Christ Or
dained, can be preached where Iscamisn,
Popery or Slavery rules without check. =
Iseamism may make its converts, rs in the
days of its crescent glory; Popery may sub
due by the sword and the cross, as when
the Catholic Spaniard crushed the sceptre
of the Montezumas, and drove the trcm-
bling Mexicans, by Thousands, before the
point of the bayonet, to the baptismal font ;
and Slavery propagandists may, by the ter
ror of the lash. drive the trembling slave to
hear the preacher he hates, in order to swell
the number of those who have access to the
gospel and yet we shall not admit the di-
vine ordination of the propaganda of either.
We repeat what we uttered before, and
VIC do so advisedly, aud in the face of the
laws Of the Slave States, the murders and
prosecutions of the ministers of religion, the
burning of books bearing the gospel upon
their pages, as the world-renowned, and
justly. Spurgeons Sermons, &C., &c.:
"The ministers Of religion, who bear com.
mission from God' (not slavcholders) "te
90 into all the world and preach the gospel
to every creature, dare not, iCittOut risk Of
life, to teach slave to read the Bible"
(which slave law forbids on penalty,) "oi
teach slave themcaning Of the Bible" &c.
We respect the braying of an ass-for an
ass, prompted by the instincts Of his nature,
may bray as he ,feels-but we have little re.
spect for that sheer hypocrisy which holds
up the slave trade and Slavery as a mission.
ary scheme, in its results, recommending it.
self as far superior to that ordination which
has Christ for its author, who commands to
90 10 Africa with the gospel.
We respect the honest mistakes of the ig.
norant-for we pity her but we read with
contempt the aim in pcnning the following /:
1.-THE fourmillions Of negroes at the South
are the most civilized and most Christian
lied of any four millions of negroes ever
known to exist upon the face of the earth
The successful condition of the scores OF
missionary stations on the continent of At
rica---the recent explorations there, and dis.
coveries Of tribes civilized and advanced in
arts--the English and American colonies
there, advanced in every element Of socia
and religious elevation-the condition of the
colored population of Canada and the Free
States--the latter, 30 far as schools are con.
cerned, above the condition of the entire
white population of the extreme Southern
States, and the condition of the colorcd pop
ulation of the West Indies, not long since
slaves, but now, as to civilization and re-
lieion, about Us far superior to the masses
of the whites far down South as these are
to great portion of the slaves and we
happen To ka,oio what we say in regard tC
the West Indies.--These facts should man
tic with shame the suns of Southern
press and their Northern satilites.
Further: The mere oral teaching which
withholds the Bible may be called u Popisl
gospel, but it is not the gospel of Jesu'
Christ. 1t is mockery of four millions O
ignorant, unlcttered heather in land o
Bibles; aud the man is either ignorant OF
dishonest who will assert that the Bible il
suffered to be freely circulated among the
slaves, or that they are by law, permitted
TO learn to read it. And yet truth-withhold
ing Bishops will talk and write as if the
Bible were not the gospel, or az if Pro -Slav
cry or Popish oral instruction without the
Bible were the gospel of Jesus Christ. Yes
Pro-Slavery doctors, by tho side Of % o,oner
aud operseers," whip in hand, driving I
flock of unlettered slaves before them, lik,
sheep into pen, and then, whether. the.
will or not, must hear, from the mouth Of
man whom they never chose as their pastor
just what he says is gospel, and while the.
are deprived the free access to the Scrip
lures which Christ commands to search il
order to know whether what they hear b,
true. And then, forsooth, we must hav'
our commission and Christ's commandment
squared up to all this loathsome farce un
der the name of the glad tidings Of saliva
ton. Truly this is a peculiar gospel, a dapt
ed to the peculiar iastitution' it has its lik
no where under Heaven.
Let any agent Of the American Bible So
cicty go with his Bibles among the slav es
ms free man, sent by Christ, and how Ions
till he shall be found dangling to tree?
GROTIUS.